I admit it’s a bit ironic of me to write a post on my homesteading blog analyzing the idea of where the limit is on this whole prepping for disaster thing. Most homesteader types take pride in being ready for all kinds of hard times, it’s kind of part of the whole lifestyle.

Yet as I take a break from rearranging the room I’m using to stockpile things *just in case*, I am aware that homesteading (growing your own food, food saving, living a more traditional lifestyle) is different from being a so-called prepper. That part of it makes me wonder at times if it’s worth all the effort. Because it’s not just saving back food from the garden but also keeping enough water, medicine, ways to stay warm, etc. on hand for everyone and not just for a week or two. Most of us aim for a year’s supply of things. All things. Well, as many things as you can get to make life easier for a year in an extended disaster.

Which means, in our case, giving up an entire room to this endeavor. At times I’ve even considered using part of another spare room for all this stuff! But am I ever really going to need a year’s supply of rolled oats or a lifetime supply of salt and honey? 🤔

I hope not, but there is peace of mind knowing it’s there if I ever do need it. Still, it’s easy to get carried away once you get started down this path because it does become a bit addictive. Tracking down real wool blankets that are soft and big enough and affordable or finding Life Straws or food saver buckets on sale gives you a bit of a thrill. It can become a habit to always look for more stuff to add, and stuff to give to friends and family, too.

Except all that stuff piles up!

Which can not only lead to storage space issues but it can also lead to over thinking and worrying about all the “what if’s”. Should I be prepared for every kind of possible disaster? What if it floods? Do I need an inflatable raft? Sandbags? Do I need to start building a nuclear fallout shelter? Where does this end?

There really is no end because there are way too many options for preppers and we could spend a lifetime amassing stockpiles of things for different emergency scenarios. In fact, some of them do and those are the ones who end up on tv making the rest of us look crazy. 😄

I wonder, though, had they known, would our ancestors have spent some of their time leading up to the Great Depression worrying about what was coming and preparing themselves better for when it did? I actually think they may have, yes. I actually think in many ways they did because the homesteader/prepper lifestyle today was just normal life back then. People kept well stocked root cellars and pantries but I’m sure had they known how bad it would get they’d have been extra careful to put things back *just in case*. I also think they’d be glad I’m doing what I’m doing.

But they’d probably tell me one room is enough. 🙂

Have a happy Saturday, everyone!!