When May comes around every year, I get excited. I like warmer weather. Nicer weather motivates me to get more done. I can usually start planting my garden in May because the ground has warmed up enough to not kill the plants or seeds. I can clean up the yard, give the house a good cleaning, open the windows for a good airing out, and generally be excited to get projects done.

While this list does not have a lot to do with being outside (except for planting new things!), you always need to work on your prepping plans, your skills, and your food storage. I even encourage you to gather more information. Have fun and let me know what you got accomplished in May.

Five Prepping Things To Accomplish in May:

1. Plant edible perennials in your garden or create a separate place for them. By planting perennials, you have created a continuous food source for yourself and your family. Most edible perennials require little care once they are established. Blueberries, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, blackberries, and asparagus are all good examples of perennials that can yield you a lot of food to eat and preserve.

2. Take stock of your seasonings and spices in your pantry and food storage. How is your salt supply? What seasonings and spices do you use the most? How is your stockpile of them? At our house, we simply cannot overstock on garlic salt. We use it more than regular salt. This would be a good month to take inventory of seasonings and spices. You can add more of what you need and use. I suggest adding a 3-4 containers of salt, 2-3 containers of black pepper, and several containers of the seasonings/spices you normally use.

3. Add to your reference library. Back in January, I suggested reading some good books on prepping. I also believe that you should have a good reference library in your own home. You might not have access to the local library or the internet when you need information on how to make something or fix something. I would suggest books on first-aid/medical, canning, gardening, off-grid living, reference manuals, how-to-fix manuals, and anything else you think you might need information for to live day to day and solve problems. Thrift stores and garage sales are good places to pick up books cheaply.

4. Learn how to mend clothing and other fabric items by hand. A needle, thread, and scissors are all you generally need to sew a button back on, fix a ripped seam, or close up a small hole. This is not just a frugality thing. In a case of SHTF, you will need clothes to last longer than usual. Mending a small problem by hand now will save the item from a bigger repair. If you already know how to do this, expand your skills to neatly patching clothes and learning how to darn a sock.

5. Have a plan in place to deal with sanitation in the case of a disaster or crisis. In case of a SHTF, sanitation will be a huge issue. Some of that issue may depend on whether you have electricity or not. If you are able to flush toilets, great! Otherwise, you need to have a plan in place to deal with bodily waste like a makeshift toilet or an outhouse. You will also need a plan in place if you have no garbage service due to a SHTF. What will you do with the garbage from your home? You can burn it, bury it, compost it, and/or reuse it if possible. Some of this will depend on where you live as to what you can do, but you still need to have a plan in place.

Thanks for reading,
Erica

Related Posts:
Five Prepping Things To Accomplish in February
Five Prepping Things To Accomplish in March
Five Prepping Things To Accomplish in April

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