What is the most important FIRST STEP to take in prepping?

[mo-moh]

When I think about prepping I see so many ways to start that I quickly become overwhelmed and can't seem to form a clear plan. Where should I begin? What are the most important aspects? There are just two of us -- my husband and I. We are living in a small town in north Louisiana. We want to be prepared for a possible economic collapse, and we would also like to be prepped well enough for our parents to join us, if necessary. We don't have a bug out plan, and we aren't certain we could bug out at all. I know everything is situational, and it is difficult to prep for every scenario. I just need some ideas to get us started! We have wooded land in a few nearby areas where we could build shelter. Both areas have access to water and wildlife. We could have a large garden, if needed, but we don't currently have one. You see how my mind works, and quickly bogs down with "could do" scenarios that have yet to materialize thus far. Any discussion on this matter is certain to help! Thanks so much to everyone who responds.

 

[old_anorak]

Hey mo-moh and welcome to the forum. Where to start. First take a deep breath and tell yourself that you will have this in control!

You need to decide if you're going to bug in or bug out, if you are going to bug in, then you need to decide at what point you will have to leave. Think about where you could go that is safe.

Non-perishable foods. These can be raw ingredients, canned goods, dehydrated, boxed, whatever. Store what you like to eat. Store some things that will not need heating in order to eat; chef Boyardee, Compleats meals, chili, etc...
Water, you need lots of it.
How you will protect yourself and your belongings.
Hygiene items.

Heck, just go on over to the Getting Started section. A lot of things are covered there and feel free to ask questions if you want to.

 

[Clyde]

When I think about prepping I see so many ways to start that I quickly become overwhelmed and can't seem to form a clear plan. Where should I begin? What are the most important aspects? There are just two of us -- my husband and I. We are living in a small town in north Louisiana. We want to be prepared for a possible economic collapse, and we would also like to be prepped well enough for our parents to join us, if necessary. We don't have a bug out plan, and we aren't certain we could bug out at all. I know everything is situational, and it is difficult to prep for every scenario. I just need some ideas to get us started! We have wooded land in a few nearby areas where we could build shelter. Both areas have access to water and wildlife. We could have a large garden, if needed, but we don't currently have one. You see how my mind works, and quickly bogs down with "could do" scenarios that have yet to materialize thus far. Any discussion on this matter is certain to help! Thanks so much to everyone who responds.

Welcome and thank you for taking time to join Doomsday Prepper Forums.com. Your presence here is much appreciated. We look forward to your posts, and hope you enjoy the community!

Should you have any questions or need help with anything feel free to ask. The members on here are more than willing to help!
My top two areas to start is 1. What are you prepping for?; 2. food & Water, do you have enough?

Thank you again for taking the time to join Doomsday Prepper Forums.com!

 

[Mastercajun]

Welcome from south La. (I won't hold it against you for being from north La.HAHA). We are south of Lafayette, La. I have found a few others from La. In the near future we will try to get a meet for some of the preppers from the southern states (and enyone else that wants to come). Even if you don't plan to bugout, it would be good to have a bugout plan in the works. Our main house is in the city but we also have a BOL in the country. We also have a bugout plan for if we have to bugout of our BOL. Like you, we have alot of woods around us and are about 1/2 mi. from the bayou. I don't think we will have to leave our BOL but we have to be ready for if we do. Like old_anorak said, think of food and water. But then again we have to forgive old_anorak because he is from Missouri LOL. On a serious note, old_anorak has some good advise. He is also from close to us and has close to the same enviroment as us. I have learned alot from him as well as others. I guess the best thing here is we are all like one big family. Im starting to concider these folk as bros. and sis.

 

[mo-moh]

Thanks so much for all the great input! I will definitely visit the Getting Started section and take note of the 'elder' member's recommendations. I like this forum already! I can tell I am going to get lots of bug out and prepping ideas -- and the motivation I need to get started! Thanks so much!

 

[Colt 1911]

Welcome aboard !

 

[mo-moh]

I think I would like to change what I am prepping for after all I've read today... I believe I would like to prep for a future of self-sustainability starting ASAP (without any sort of disaster to trigger the need to do so). I'd like to prep for living off the land without relying on others to provide my next meal. I'd like to live off the money I currently have without having to go to work again another day. My main source of income, however, will likely soon play out. What better time to become self-sufficient that before that happens, right? I have a channel set up to have continual income through a business venture so each day that passes draws me a bit closer to that goal -- two steps forward, one step back.

I do understand the perpetual need for potable water. I will work on that 'issue' first and foremost. Once I find a solution for the potable water I will probably have a better idea of whether or not we stay in our current home or if we must move to another more appropriate permanent dwelling. I feel that another location would likely serve us best, but I plan to research before deciding on where the new location should be. In selecting this property safety and self-sufficiency will be in mind as opposed to the last home I purchased with price and neighborhood being the selling points.

Do any of you have solar power panels? Are they worth the expense? Is there another alternative other than generators? I'm interested in having the comforts of home -- light and air conditioning in particular. I am from Louisiana after all!

I have a thousand more questions after these!

I'm so very thankful to have found this wonderful forum where we may discuss matters such as these... yay!

 

[Mastercajun]

Potable water will be a necessity, thats for sure. I've run a gutter system alone my house and shop. It is all draining into drums that I hooked together and have a filter screen on top and a water filter before the valve at the end. Every once in a while I drop a little Pool Shock in the top to make sure the water stays good. We have enough containers to hold about 3,000 gal. I found a place where I get the 5gal. water containers that are used for water in water fountains in houses and offices. They work great. We have about 120 of them. I keep them under the house. That way there is no storage issues and they stay cool and out of the sunlight. Some people use household bleach to keep the water uncontaminated. I use Pool Shock. Pool Shock doesn't have all the bad S#!t that bleach has. You can go to youtube and learn alot on food storage, water storage, bugout bags, weapons, ect. I've just found out how to can butter. That will be my next project. Many on this site have said to can what you like to eat and that is so true. If you like chicken or turkey, take all the meat you can from the bird and can that then take the carcass and boil it until you can get the rest of the meat seperated from the bones. Throw away the bone and put the meat in a big pot. When the meat is boiling, add some veggies and you will have a great homemade soup. . and there will be no waste. Heat your jars, lids and water in your pressure canner. Once all that is hot, put your boiling soup into the jars and set them to can in your pressure canner. After a while you will have a big stock pile. Hope this helps..

 

[Junebug818]

Welcome mo-moh. Here you will find the most awesome people you could meet. Like yourself I am new to prepping as well. I quess you could say one evening I was watching DoomsDay Preppers and it was like someone slapped me in the face. All I could think is I need to be doing this so I found this site here only about 4 days ago and I'm on the road to getting myself ready for just about anything. I have started on stock piling food and in the process of purchasing a canner so I can do my own stuff. Water supply goes along with the food to me so that is on it's way to being built up. I really need a water purifier so I'm hunting and asking the folks here for ideas. There are some of the sweetest and helpful folks here willing to share what they have done and what works and doesn't. There are numerous forums you can read through for great ideas done by others. I will not be bugging out since I live in the country so I want my home secure no matter what when it all goes to hell and it will it's just a matter of when. So prep prep and prep again. You won't be sorry that you did. Hope to talk with you more and hear how it's going for you and help in anyway we can.

 

[jeepgirl]

Welcome! I think the first step you've already taken..the realization that nothing is permanent in this world and it's up to ourselves to defend/preserve what we have worked for. I always start with food..you can't live without it. I personally have fallen in love with a new food dehydrator and I think my kids love me more now too! We just dried papaya and mango. Good Luck to you and your family and I think you will find there is a whole bunch of people on here that are more than willing to help! just don't show up in the middle of the night