You may have heard the term ‘prepping’ used on TV documentaries, or maybe even in popular culture, where preppers are often portrayed as extreme worriers with a lot of anxiety about the future. But prepping has actually become an incredibly popular hobby, and is considered a much more mainstream way of living now, with over an estimated 20 million people worldwide involved in prepping. So what exactly is prepping? What does it consist of, and should we all be getting involved? Let’s take a look.

What is prepping?

The term Prepping is derived the terms ‘preparing’ and ‘preparation’. Simply put, it is the concept of preparing for an emergency. This normally involves organising a stash of items, or money, which you and your family could survive on, should the a worst case scenario event happen. Prepping has become most closely associated with end of the world scale disasters, these preppers will stash away food, water, and tools to help them survive in the event of a World changing disaster; natural or otherwise. But prepping can also be done on a much smaller scale, for example, some might consider prepping a safety net of money in case they lose their job.

Why is prepping becoming so popular?

In recent years prepping has become increasingly popular, this is in part down to documentaries and internet series which have really shone a light onto the world of preppers. This has opened up the concept to those who were once unaware. Worldwide events such as the COVID pandemic, forest fires in Australia, and hurricanes in the US, have also prompted people worldwide to be more prepared in case of an emergency situation. In this day and age we’re all so used to being in control of our lives, that when a situation takes away that control we can feel incredibly anxious. So it’s not surprising that many people choose to take preventative measures so that they feel more prepared and in control, when the unexpected happens.

What would a beginners prepping kit look like?

Starting off as a prepper can look very different depending on which kind of emergency you’ve decided to prepare for. But we’ve put together a list of versatile items that could be helpful for  surviving in a variety of situations. Remember though, it’s important to personalise this list to suit you – for example, do you need specific medication or do you have any allergies that need to be accounted for?

Prepping Kit for Beginners

• Basic First Aid Supplies
  • Selection of plasters
  • Selection of bandages
  • Medical tape or safety pins
  • Alcohol wipes or spray
  • Medical grade disposable gloves
  • General pain relief such as paracetamol
  • Antihistamines
  • Thermometer
  • Tweezers
  • Small scissors
  • Hand sanitiser
  • Vitamin Supplements
• Safety Equipment
  • Heavy duty gloves
  • Respirator with a valve
  • Safety glasses
  • Pocket knife
  • Axe
  • Torch
• Liquids
  • Plenty of water
  • Sports drinks
• Food sources
  • Tinned fruits and vegetables
  • Tinned fish and/or meats
  • Tinned beans, pulses and lentils
  • Dried pastas and rice
  • Dried pulses, lentils, nuts
  • Powdered milk and egg

This concise list is a great starting point for anyone wanting to get into prepping.

How can I manage my prepped stash

When you’re first getting into prepping, you might not give much consideration to organisation. But if you’re going to be storing away food products and medicines, or anything with a potential expiry date, then it’s important to carry out stock inventories to ensure that you don’t keep anything past its ‘Best Before’ dates. We recommend putting together an Excel spreadsheet where you can keep tabs on which products you have, how many, and of course their best before dates. You’ll be able to closely monitor this and make sure you use up any stock which will soon be out of date, before then replenishing your stock.

In fact, whatever it is you’re prepping, food or otherwise, it can be a good idea to keep some kind of written checklist or note of exactly what you’ve stockpiled, where it’s stored and any information you or your family might need to access it. This can be particularly important if you’re prepping for a financial emergency where money is hidden in safes or bank accounts.

We hope you now have a better understanding of exactly what prepping is and what preppers do! As you can see, not all preppers are necessarily preparing for end of the world scale emergencies, some are just trying to be better prepared for anything their family might face. And couldn’t we all benefit from a that mindset? Whether you want to be better prepared for your next family holiday, or for a potential emergency, at Pronto Direct we have a wide range of PPE and safety equipment which is the perfect addition to any preppers stash.