Being organized is a key trait of suburban homesteading and, unfortunately, is something many of us struggle with. It’s tough to keep track of quantities, expiration dates, storage location, rotation plans and other information important to your preparedness supplies. Jennifer from SelfRelianceSchool.com has solved many of these problems with her Family Preparedness Planner & Record Keeper.
Preparedness Planner General Layout
The 86-page Preparedness Planner & Record Keeper is broken out into the following sections:
- Food Storage
- Water Storage
- Bug Out Bags
- Documentation
- Medical Supplies
- Tolietries and Cleaners
- Seeds and Plants
- Animal/Pet Supplies
- Gear and Tools
The first nine (9) pages are a primer on how to use the Preparedness Planner & Record Keeper. Each of the nine sections mentioned above is explained and general instructions are given for the different worksheets that are provided.
Food Storage Section
The Food Storage section is, by far, the largest section of the book. Over the 43 pages of this section, Jennifer provides a myriad of information. Before different storage techniques r worksheets are provided, a general list of basic food storage items is provided. This list is broken down into sections such as Baking Mixes, Beans & Legumes, Beverages, Canned Meats and Soups, Condiments, Dehydrated/Freeze Dry Mixes, Spices and many more. Next, a Master Meal Plan worksheet is provided that allows the reader to plan out meals for up to four weeks. The benefit of this planner is that it easily allows the user to see what ingredients they need to store as well as quantities.
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Once a meal plan has been created, the reader is provided with a ton of 1 to 3 Month Storage Worksheets. These worksheets are broken up into the different categories found in the basic food storage items section. They allow the reader to go through their 4-week (1-month) meal plan and add up all the items they would need for a 1-month storage. By multiplying by 3, a 3-month storage goal is easily generated.
Next up is the Food Storage Inventory Worksheets. Again, these worksheets are broken up into the different categories found in the basic food storage items section. They’re designed without rotation in mind and are built to set a goal amount of items and see that item build up. Once a base storage has been built up, the reader can move on to using the Food Storage Inventory and Balance Sheets. These worksheets allow the reader to accommodate rotation (use) of stored items as well as further additions of prepared items. Each of the basic food storage items is given its own worksheet.
As any good prepper knows, some food can spoil. Jennifer has not forgotten that fact and nicely provided worksheets to track expiration dates. Simply add the item that is going to expire to the corresponding month and instantly you have a monthly list that you can check for items that may need to be donated and replaced.
Water Storage Section
While equally important, water storage is a bit easier to manage. Jennifer provides a simple worksheet that allows the reader to record their water containers and when they were filled and will need to be changed or treated. Very simple, but very effective.
Remaining Sections
The rest of the sections in the Preparedness Planner & Record Keeper are put together in format that can be best described as a crossbreed of the Food Storage and Water Storage sections. Each section gives the reader a suggested list of what should go in that kit and then provides a worksheet to build up that preparedness item.
Overall Thoughts
From top to bottom, the SelfReliantSchool.com Preparedness Planner & Record Keeper is one of the best preparedness planners I have ever seen. It’s thorough, insightful, easy to use and allows the reader to ‘morph’ his approach while still using the record keeping tools provided. What I liked most about this planner was that it wasn’t preaching. People in this niche can sometimes tend to be a bit, well, let’s just say dominant in the way they approach these kinds of documents. Jennifer keeps a pretty neutral tone and very often tells the reader that this approach is what works for her but that they should feel free to change it as they see fit.
Are there things I would change? Probably. But they are very minor in the grand scheme of this product. There’s a few items on lists that I would omit or add, but that’s more personal preference than anything else. Jennifer’s approach for building a 1-month and 3-month storage plan is very simplistic. I would build in a certain percentage overrun to accommodate increased appetites, helping others and the unforeseen. Again, this suggestion is a very minor change that I would make.
Overall, I highly recommend the Preparedness Planner & Record Keeper to anyone who is trying to get their preparedness items squared away.
Where Do I Buy It?
Jennifer is selling the Preparedness Planner & Record Keeper through her website. You can buy it here:
Click Here To Buy The Preparedness Planner & Record Keeper
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