Prepping vs. Preparedness: What Can I Do To Be Prepared?

Prepping vs. Preparedness: What Can I Do To Be Prepared?

I have been coming across a  few articles about this comparison this week. I almost had to laugh because I see very little difference between prepping and preparedness. Both of these terms have almost the same goal: anticipating and being ready for every and all contingencies. In my view, the differences would be:

Prepping involves the thinking that something is going to happen that will be catastrophic. For example, the government will collapse (I see this happening); solar flares or something similar that will take out all electricity and communications; and/or major weather activity that will wipe out life as we know it (not to be confused with all life ending, just your life will be different). Prepping involves preparedness, but also involves thinking about the fallout of catastrophic events.

Preparedness involves being ready for an contingency no matter what could happen. This could involve losing a job, car issues, unexpected expenses, no money for food, and/or any other life trouble. People who practice preparedness can be considered preppers, but might not go as far into the prepping lifestyle.

The biggest similarity between prepping and preparedness: self-sufficiency. They both believe in relying on one’s self to provide for themselves and their families. Not the government or anyone else.

All considering, I am not considered a prepper. I have a long ways to go to be considered one. I just finally got the concept through my head that being a prepper is not some sort of extreme person, but that they might be seeing signs that I don’t see.

Do I think the world is going to end in 2012? No I don’t, but life as we know it might be a bit different.

Does that mean I am going to buy gas masks and Kevlar vests tomorrow? Probably not.

However, I am a big believer in being prepared and living the preparedness lifestyle. I have been slowly working my way towards preparedness for the last four years. This last year I have been working harder towards preparedness for personal reasons. The biggest reason would be that I know what life is like without money and no food in the cabinets.

Some of the ways I have been working on preparedness are:

1. Food Storage and Planning
2. Gardening and Preserving
3. Organizing and Decluttering My House
4. Keeping A Clean House
5. Learning and Relearning Skills That Are No Longer Considered Necessary ie. Sewing
6. Learning To Make My Own Cleaners and Remedies From Scratch
7. Stocking Up On Paper Goods, Health & Body Products, And Cleaning Goods
8. Learning And Making More Items From Scratch In The Kitchen

These are just a few of the ways that I have been working on to be prepared. I will talk more about each in further blog posts. I will also talk about how you can do this on a budget and how to organize all of your stores and supplies.

I am going to put a disclaimer here. I am not an expert. I do not claim to know how to do anything the best way. I try to learn and that is all I ask of others too. I want to pass along what I have learned and discovered.

Last, but not least, please do not put down anyone for their lifestyle and their beliefs. For preppers, this is a lifestyle and they believe strongly in it. They have their reasons for how they live and what they believe. Just like you have for your life.

Thanks for reading,
Erica

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