Invest in Clothes First! Your Essential Survival Gear #survivalshelter

Author of How to Prep When You’re Broke and Bloom Where You’re Planted online course Few can deny the common sense behind preparing for something that is definitely going to happen, yet every year, an impending winter storm sends people rushing out to the store at the last minute, prepping for a blizzard that is due to hit in mere hours. Every winter, if you live in certain climates, blizzards are going to occur. Usually, at least one storm will hit that will cause you to be snowed in. Often, those storms mean you will also lose power. There is the inevitable rush to the store for milk and bread, during which people battle it out for the last supplies left on the shelves. But you can avoid all that. You don’t have to be a bunker-dwelling, MRE-chomping, camo-clad prepper to see the logic behind keeping some extra food and other supplies on hand for something that happens every single year. This year, avoid the last-minute panic and the discomfort of being unprepared. This article is full of links to previous articles that will help you in prepping for a blizzard. Put together at least the bare minimum kit for riding out the storm. (Camo is optional.) Know what to expect First things first, you need to know what to expect. If you’re new to an area that faces blizzards and cold-weather power outages, you need to read some articles like this one to understand that you may encounter. Secondly, find reliable sources of weather predictions and warnings so you know when to hunker down. Weather information is an enormous part of being prepared for a winter storm and can help you to avoid being caught on the road in your car during a whiteout or overnight traffic jam. Water Everyone knows that clean drinking water is something you can’t live without. In the event of a blizzard and power outage, the water may not run from the taps. The pipes could freeze, or, in the event of grid failure, an electrically driven pump will not work. “I’ll just eat snow.” No, this is a horrible idea. First of all, snow is mostly air, and you’d have to eat 20 quarts of it to equal 2 quarts of water. Secondly, if you eat that much snow you will lower your core temperature and put yourself at risk for hypothermia. If you already don’t have water, you have enough problems. You don’t need hypothermia. For a small amount of money, you can have a 5-gallon jug of water sitting in your closet, instead of melting snow, crouched beside a fire in the backyard, watching the pot. You aren’t in the wilderness fending off bears. This really is not a good plan. First of all, the snow picks up all sorts of pollution as it falls through the atmosphere. The impurities can potentially make you sick. If you really get yourself in a poorly thought-out situation in which snow is your only hope for survival, boil it for 10 minutes before drinking it. Then, when the crisis is over, please store some water so you never have to do this again. Each family should store a two week supply of water. The rule of thumb for drinking water is 1 gallon per day, per person. Don’t forget to stock water for your pets, also. You can create your water supply very inexpensively. Many people use clean 2-liter soda pop bottles to store tap water. Others fill the large 5-gallon jugs with filtered water from the grocery store. Consider a gravity fed water filtration device and water purification tablets as well. Other filtration options are the small personal filters like the Sawyer mini or the SurviMate bottle. Shopping lists Bare Minimum Sawyer mini 5-gallon jug of water (Ideally one per family member) Advanced Gravity-fed water filter Water purification tablets Water Brick system Water Bob 100 gallon system for the bathtub The Prepper’s Water Survival Guide Food and a way to prepare it Enough with the milk and bread already. Do you even consume milk and bread on a regular basis? This is really not the food you want to propel you through shoveling a driveway 17 times until the plow goes past, at which point you shovel it again. There are two schools of thought regarding food during a power outage. One: you need a cooking method that does not require the grid to be functioning. Two: you can store food that doesn’t require cooking. This is a good idea if you don’t have an emergency stove or wood heat. If you opt for a secondary cooking method, be sure that you have enough fuel for two weeks. Store foods that do not require long cooking times – for example, dried beans would use a great deal of fuel, but canned beans could be warmed up, or even eaten cold. Shopping Lists Bare Minimum Click HERE to find a list of foods that require no cooking Click HERE to build an emergency food supply that you park in your closet and forget until you need it Advanced Click HERE to learn to build a healthy food storage pantry Click HERE for emergency food buckets (There is also a gluten-free option) Heat Freezing to death in your own home would be a terrible way to go, wouldn’t it? It’s pretty anticlimactic. There’s no grand story of adventure. You just basically didn’t have enough blankets and common sense to stay warm in a house. Don’t be that person. During the first 24 hours after a power outage, you can stay fairly warm if you block off one room of the house for everyone to group together in. Keep the door closed and keep a towel or blanket folded along the bottom of the door to conserve warmth. You can safely burn a couple of candles also, and in the enclosed space, your body heat will keep it relatively warm. As well, dress in layers and keep everything covered – wear a hat, gloves (fingerless ones allow you to still function), and a scarf. However, after about 48 hours, that’s not going to be enough in very cold weather. You will require back-up heat at this point. If you are lucky enough to have a source of heat like a fireplace or woodstove, you’ll be just fine as long as you have a supply of dry, seasoned firewood. Consider a portable propane heater (and propane) or an oil heater.  You have to be very careful what type of backup heat you plan on using, as many of them can cause carbon monoxide poisoning if used in a poorly ventilated area. If you plan to use off-grid heat methods, pick up a carbon monoxide alarm with a battery back-up. The gas has no smell, and often people who die from inhaling it simply drift off to sleep, never to awaken. Shopping Lists Bare Minimum Click HERE to learn how to stay warm during a winter power outage Advanced Propane Heater (and propane) Carbon Monoxide Alarm Learn more about off-grid heat options HERE Sanitation needs A common cause of illness, and even death, during a down-grid scenario is the lack of sanitation. We’ve discussed the importance of clean drinking water, but you won’t want to use your drinking water to keep things clean or to flush the toilet. If the pipes are frozen or you have no running water for other reasons during a winter storm, you’ll need to consider sanitation needs. For cleaning, reduce your need to wash things. Stock up on paper plates, paper towels, and disposable cups and flatware.  Keep some disinfecting cleaning wipes and sprays (I don’t recommend using antibacterial products on a regular basis, however, in the event of an emergency they can help to keep you healthy.) Use hand sanitizer after using the bathroom and before handling food or beverages – there may be a lot more germs afoot in a disaster. Look at your options for bathroom sanitation. Does your toilet still flush when the electricity is out? Many people discovered the hard way that the toilets didn’t work when the sewage backed up in the highrises in New York City in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. At our old cabin, the toilet wouldn’t flush without power because the pump was electric. If you are on a septic system, with no risk of the toilet backing up into the house, simply store some water for flushing in the bathroom. At the first sign of a storm, fill the bathtub for this purpose. Add the water to the tank so that you can flush. If this is not an option, another solution is to stock up on extremely heavy duty garbage bags (like the kind that contractors use at construction sites) and kitty litter. Place a bag either in your drained toilet or in a bucket.  Sprinkle some kitty litter in the bottom of the bag. Each time someone uses the bathroom, add another handful of litter. Be very careful that the bag doesn’t get too heavy for you to handle it. Tie it up very securely and store it outside until services are restored. (Here are the complete instructions.) Shopping Lists Bare Minimum Supplies for a kitty litter toilet Disposable disinfecting wipes Hand sanitizer Paper plates and paper towels Quick hacks for cleaning without running water Advanced Portable camping toilet Hand and surface hygiene without running water This book discusses methods like latrines, outhouses, and disposing of human waste safely Light Lighting is absolutely vital, especially if there are children in the house. Nothing is more frightening than being completely in the dark during a stressful situation. Fortunately, it’s one of the easiest things to plan for, as well as one of the least expensive. Candles are the first things that most people think of in the event of an emergency. While they can be a great solution, they do increase the risk of house fires. Be sure to use them safely and keep them away from children and pets. Shopping Lists Bare Minimum Candles Flashlights (don’t forget batteries) Matches or Lighters Glow sticks (Great for kiddos – learn more HERE) Advanced Garden stake solar lights Oil lamps and extra oil Headlamps Candles and lighters   Other tools and supplies Some basic items will make your life much easier during an emergency. The good thing is, most folks already have the supplies on the “bare minimum” list. All you need to do is collect them and put them in one easily accessible container. Shopping Lists Bare Minimum Lighter/waterproof matches Batteries in various sizes Manual can opener Basic tools: Pliers, screwdriver, wrench, hammer Duct tape Crazy glue Advanced Survival Knife Multi-tool Bungee cords Magnesium firestarter Sewing supplies If you’d like to expand on the basic supplies, a more detailed list of tools and hardware can be found HERE. First Aid kit You probably won’t need a field trauma kit that allows you to amputate limbs or remove a bullet, but you definitely want to have a few things on hand. It’s important to have a basic first aid kit on hand at all times, but particularly in the event of an emergency. Your kit should include basic wound care items and over-the-counter medications. Shopping Lists Bare Minimum Bandages Antibiotic ointments Disinfecting sprays Pain relief capsules Cold medicine Cough syrup Anti-nausea pills Allergy medication Anti-diarrheal medications First aid book Advanced Prepper’s Natural Medicine (dealing with all sorts of illnesses and injuries with home remedies) Fully stocked medic kit (check out our list here) The Survival Medicine Handbook Special needs This is something that will be unique to every family. Consider the things that are needed on a daily basis in your household. It might be prescription medications, diapers, or special foods. If you have pets, you’ll need supplies for them too. The best way to figure out what you need is to jot things down as you use them over the course of a week or so. Prepping for a blizzard is just common sense Don’t feel like you are crossing over to the tinfoil hat side by preparing for all eventualities during a winter storm. This doesn’t mean you’re loading up on gas masks and decontamination suits. It doesn’t mean your house is stacked to the rafters with ammo and body armor. It’s just plain old-fashioned common sense to keep a naturally occurring event from becoming a crisis. What do you think? If you live in a region that gets serious snowstorms, are you ready for them? Do you have any tips for others? Please share your thoughts in the comments. Stay safe! About Daisy Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging author and blogger who’s traded her air miles for a screen porch, having embraced a more homebody lifestyle after a serious injury. She’s the heart and mind behind The Organic Prepper, a top-tier website where she shares what she’s learned about preparedness, self-reliance, and the pursuit of liberty. With 17 books under her belt, Daisy’s insights on living frugally, surviving tough times, finding some happiness in the most difficult situations, and embracing independence have touched many lives. Her work doesn’t just stay on her site; it’s shared far and wide across alternative media, making her a familiar voice in the community. Known for her adventurous spirit, she’s lived in five different countries and raised two wonderful daughters as a single mom.  Daisy is the best-selling author of 5 traditionally published books, 12 self-published books, and runs a small digital publishing company with PDF guides, printables, and courses at SelfRelianceand Survival.com You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, and X. The post Prepping for a Winter Storm: A Practical Survival Guide appeared first on The Organic Prepper.

<span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" data-mce-type="bookmark" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span> When Everything Is Wet… Frozen… and Going Wrong… This Is the Fire That Still Lights At first, winter doesn’t feel dangerous. It feels quiet. Almost friendly. Snow muffles the woods. The world slows down. And for a while, you forget that cold isn’t just weather—it’s pressure. Pressure that builds silently while fingers stiffen, daylight drains away, and every mistake suddenly costs more than it did an hour ago. Then, right on schedule, everything that’s supposed to work… doesn’t. The wood is soaked. The bark won’t catch. Your lighter sputters like it’s lost the will to live. And that’s when the truth shows up, uninvited and unmistakable: winter doesn’t care how prepared you meant to be—only what you can light right now. That’s the moment this fire was built for. Not fair weather. Not dry gloves and perfect tinder. But the ugly minutes when snow is blowing sideways, your hands are clumsy, and the woods feel like they’re leaning in. This isn’t a trick. It’s a carry-anywhere, get-it-done flame—small enough to forget about, stubborn enough to burn when everything else has already quit. The Pocket-Sized Fire Trick Old Woodsmen Never Go Without in Winter Pocket-sized spark, blizzard-proof flame – when everything’s cold and soaked, this little coin keeps your fire and your chances alive. It’s true, snow has a real way of humbling people. One minute you’re moving easy through a quiet winter forest, breath puffing out in pale clouds, boots crunching softly underfoot. Everything feels calm. Controlled. Almost peaceful. Then the wind shifts. Suddenly the cold sharpens. The light starts draining out of the sky. Your gloves feel thinner. The ground feels wetter. And all at once you realize something very old and very serious: You need a fire—and you need it now. Not later. Not after a dozen failed tries. Right now, with numb fingers, soaked wood, and the temperature sliding downhill by the minute. That’s where a tiny, nearly weightless, waterproof fire starter stops being a clever trick and starts being the thing that keeps you alive. Why a Tiny Fire Starter Can Matter More Than a Big Knife At first glance, this thing doesn’t look like much. Picture something no bigger than a coin. Lighter than one too. It rides unnoticed in a side pocket of your pack all winter long, forgotten until the moment you actually need it. But here’s the kicker. You can dunk it in icy water. Pull it back out dripping wet. Tear it open with cold, clumsy fingers. And it will still light instantly—and burn hot for several solid minutes, even in sleet or freezing rain. That’s not convenience. That’s margin. That’s insurance. And the best part? Each one costs less than a penny to make if you’re using basic wax and cheap cotton pads. Because they’re so small and so light, you don’t just carry one. You scatter them everywhere—your hiking pack, your truck, your hunting gear, even the pocket of a winter coat. Each one becomes a tiny promise to your future self that a bad night doesn’t have to turn into a dangerous one. Start With Gear You Already Own Now, here’s the part people usually overthink. You don’t need a workshop. You don’t need survival-store gadgets. You don’t need anything fancy. First, you just need a safe way to melt wax. A small camp stove or gas burner, a pot of water, and a metal mug or cup give you a simple double boiler. That setup matters because wax can flare if overheated, and winter preparedness shouldn’t involve setting your kitchen on fire. As for wax, paraffin blocks like Gulf wax work great. But honestly? Old candle stubs, thrift-store candles, or even beeswax will do just fine in a pinch. Then grab some cheap cotton makeup pads—the plain, flimsy ones from the dollar store are actually perfect. They tear open easily, which is exactly what you want when your fingers are stiff and you’re trying to expose dry fibers fast. Round it out with a little aluminum foil, basic measuring cups, and some parchment or wax paper for storage, and you’re in business. The 50/50 Mix That Makes It Work Here’s where the magic actually happens. The heart of this fire starter is a simple blend: roughly half melted wax and half liquid fuel, like charcoal lighter fluid or clean kerosene. The double boiler keeps the wax hot and liquid without letting it reach ignition temperature. Once melted, you slowly mix in the fuel, stirring until it blends smoothly. Now, a quick warning that matters. Some fuels sound useful but absolutely are not. Denatured alcohol or rubbing alcohol turn the wax into a gummy mess that won’t set or burn correctly. Skip them entirely. Lighter fluid and kerosene, on the other hand, soak into the cotton beautifully, lock into the wax as it cools, and create a compact puck that lights fast and burns long—exactly what winter demands. Turning Cotton Pads Into Winter Insurance Once your wax and fuel are mixed, things move quickly. Using tweezers, dip each cotton pad into the hot mixture. Let it sink for a moment so it drinks deeply. Then lift it out, let the excess drip off, and lay it flat on parchment paper or nonstick foil. As they cool, you can feel the transformation. What started as flimsy cotton becomes firm, smooth, coin-shaped pucks that feel solid and purposeful in your hand. Give them fifteen minutes at room temperature—or just leave them overnight—and they’re cured, sealed, and ready to ride through months of snow, thaw, and refreeze. You’ve just turned throwaway bathroom supplies into long-term winter survival tools. Why Color Matters When Everything Turns White Winter hides things. Fresh snow smooths the world into a blank page. Gear disappears. Contrast vanishes. And a pale, waxy fire starter dropped on the ground can become invisible in seconds. That’s why adding color isn’t cosmetic—it’s practical. Food coloring doesn’t work well in wax. It streaks. Beads. Refuses to blend. But crayons? Crayons melt cleanly and tint the entire batch. Drop in a bright orange or yellow crayon, and suddenly every fire starter pops against snow, ice, and dark pack interiors. When light is fading and the wind is biting, that little flash of color might be what keeps you from losing the very thing that gets your fire going. Storing Them Through Deep Cold and Summer Heat In winter, these pucks are rock-solid. Freezing temperatures keep them firm and clean. You can toss a handful into a sandwich bag, jam them into a corner of your pack, and forget about them until needed. They won’t smear. They won’t stick together. They won’t fail. Summer is different. Heat can soften them just enough to fuse into a single lump. That’s where parchment or wax paper earns its keep. Stack one pad per square, and they’ll peel apart easily even after hours in a hot vehicle. For long-term storage, a small plastic jar—an empty peanut butter container works great—creates a nearly indestructible fire kit that can last for years. How They Perform in Wet, Freezing Conditions Out in the field, using one is refreshingly simple. Even if it’s been underwater—dropped in a creek or deliberately soaked—the wax shell protects the cotton inside. Tear or twist the puck open, fluff the fibers, and they catch a flame or spark almost instantly. Once lit, the fire starter burns hot and steady, long enough to dry marginal tinder and coax reluctant twigs into life. Depending on thickness and fuel ratio, burn times typically run four to ten minutes—an eternity when everything around you is cold, damp, and stubborn. That steady flame is what turns frustration into progress. Pair It With Fatwood for Serious Winter Power If you’ve got room for a little extra weight, pairing these starters with fatwood takes things to another level. Fatwood—resin-rich pine from old stumps—lights easily, burns fiercely, and doesn’t care much about moisture. Two short sticks and one waterproof starter create a layered fire system that’s brutally effective. The starter gives you immediate flame. The fatwood stretches it into intense heat. And that heat brings frozen logs to life. When your fingers are stiff and the ground is soaked, that speed matters. A Small Habit That Changes Winter Nights In the end, this isn’t really about a clever DIY project. It’s about building a habit. One quiet afternoon. A pot of water. Some wax. A stack of cotton pads. And suddenly you’ve stocked your winter world with dozens of reliable, waterproof sparks. Then, when the sky turns heavy and snow starts falling sideways, you’re not gambling on damp matches or hoping your tinder cooperates. Instead, you reach into your pocket. Feel that smooth, coin-shaped pad between your fingers. And you know—really know—that in a few minutes you’ll be crouched beside a living flame, listening to wet wood crackle as heat pushes back the cold. In winter, that confidence is worth far more than its weight.

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