I have no desire to scare you into action or prey on your vulnerabilities. That’s why this weekend’s assignment isn’t Go Prepare Yourself For An Apocalypse. (Don’t laugh, a lot of my clients have done just that, and have case after case of emergency preparedness supplies to show for it.)

I will however, remind us that we’re rapidly approaching the more rickety time of year–the months when storms of all sorts of precipitation, power outages, and the occasional emergency become far more likely.

I’m not advising you to go and purchase the latest in rapid-seed growing technology, bear traps, or zombie-proof suits, because I just don’t believe in telling you to do something I haven’t and am not likely going to.

I am, however, assigning you to ensure you’re small-scale emergency ready.

The starters:

• Get a handle on your household’s supply of batteries. Do you know where your D’s are?? Have you any idea which of those suckers are juiced up and which have been dead in a drawer since 1992? If you have none, maybe go buy a few. I said a few!
• Round up your household’s flashlights. If you know where they are you’re already three spaces ahead. Now to check that they work, and to replace the batteries of those that don’t.

The side dish:

• Give yourself some additional and varietal lighting options, including flameless candles, regular candles, glow sticks, and lanterns. (If flame candles, then matches.)
• Keep electronics well-charged, and definitely ensure any back-up chargers are juiced up.
• Have some clean drinking water on hand. A couple of gallon jugs of water never hurt anybody.
• Keep your gas tank full. (Seriously, do this no matter what.)

The main course:

• Buy a generator.
• Review safety procedures with your family and small humans, in particular. Where should everyone head in the event of a fill in the blank? Etc.
• If you don’t already, get those surge protectors going in your home. Or else, be prepared to unplug appliances and electronics in the event of a power outage, lest they combust when the power surges back on.
• Buy or locate a cooler. Keep a few ice packs in the freezer. For longer outages, this might be necessary. For shorter outages, don’t worry–food keeps longer than you think, especially so when prohibit everyone in the family to open the fridge and freezer a million times in a row.

Psssst: find out my favorite, no-brainer way to keep batteries meticulously organized over here. 

This might also be a good time to check on how your first aid kit is looking these days. Don’t do it alone; here’s a guide.

Image credit: Photography by Aaron Graubart for HGTV