7 Ways to Prepare for Anything

We’ve all been there: Life throws something at you that you weren’t expecting. Whether an inconvenience or a full-blown disaster, at some point we all face circumstances that disrupt our lives.

It can be as simple as a power outage or as serious as the death of a loved one. The biggest challenge in these situations is that we’re rarely prepared for them because no one wants to prepare for the worst.

But the good news is that with a little painless planning, you can be prepared to handle just about anything.

Top 7 Ways to Prepare for Any Disaster

• Store non-perishable food

Everyone needs to eat. It’s not an option to go without food and water. Bad weather, power outages, or a family crisis can make cooking and extensive meal planning difficult or impossible. Store a week’s worth of meals so you can have access to food at all times. Stock up on canned fruits, vegetables, and beans, as well as hard sausages. Also, make sure to have plenty of bottled water set aside for use in an emergency.

• Stock up on medicine

An unexpected illness can derail your life for a few days or even weeks. Winter months are the most likely times to catch a cold or flu, so add preventative supplements and medications to your next grocery list. Vitamin C, immune boosters, humidifiers, cough medicine, tissues, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (like ibuprofen) are all good to have on hand. There’s nothing worse than waking up sick and then having to go to the store to get the medicine you need. 

• Have a cash emergency fund

We’re so reliant on debit cards and most of us can count on the fact that we’ll always have some money in the bank. But there are times when you might need to rely on cash, like if you lose a wallet or debit card. It’s a good idea to keep about $1,000 hidden somewhere for an emergency situation. You never want to find yourself needing money and not having easy access to it. 

• Make a car kit of essentials

You never know when car trouble will strike, so be prepared to handle it ahead of time. Keep a kit in your car with everything you’ll need to handle being stranded. And make sure you practice changing a tire before you have to do it for real (especially important for teens just learning how to drive).

Your emergency car kit should include:

• Spare tire + jack
• Jumper cables
• Car charger for phone
• Bottles of water
• Blanket
• Flashlight or LED touch lamps
• First-aid kit

• Back up computer + smartphone files

Pick a day of the week to back up all your computer and smartphone files that you don’t want to lose, especially pictures and work files. You can use an external hard drive or an online storage system like Google Drive. No computer or phone ever let anyone know ahead of them they were getting ready to crash, so do this on a regular basis.

• Get your pet microchipped

Losing a pet is devastating. In addition to a collar with your name, address, and phone number, you should consider placing a microchip in your dog or cat in case they lose the collar. Most vets and shelters check incoming animals for chips before placing them up for adoption. Microchipping your pet is the best chance that they’ll be returned to you.

• Make a legacy drawer

If you’re the head of your household, your death (God forbid) would create chaos for your family, in addition to immeasurable sadness. Your family will already be struggling with intense emotions, and may not be able to handle the financial confusion that would follow your loss.

The most loving and responsible thing you can do for them is to create a drawer or box in your home that contains all important documents. Anything and everything your family needs to keep the home running smoothly in your absence should be included. Facing mortality is no cup of tea, but neither is facing unknowns in your absence.

Your legacy drawer should include:

• Life insurance policies
• Bank account details
• List of assets + liabilities
• Budgets + bill due dates
• Birth certificates + social security cards
• Wills and estate plans
• Tax returns
• Passwords

A little planning goes a long way when it comes to being prepared to handle the unexpected. Set aside some time to implement these preparedness measures, and rest a little easier at night knowing you’re ready for whatever comes your way.

Guardline cares about the safety and protection of your family and property. We’re proud to stand behind America’s #1 outdoor motion sensor. If you have questions about any of our systems or add-ons, reach out to our American-based support at any time.

Until next time, be safe…