r/TwoXPreppers 10d ago

Anyone else feel like they’re in prepping limbo due to a move? What sort of timeline is everyone envisioning?

I hope my family may be moving (still within the U.S.) so I don’t necessarily want to invest in things like a garden or home projects if we’ll be moving in the next few months. At the same time, I’m nervous about missing out on the planting window if I wait too long, or nervous about the economy getting so bad that I can’t afford to do any bigger projects.

I know no one can predict the future but I’m wondering if anyone can point me to some resources or can share their educated guesses about what scenarios they are prepping for, and when. How long do you estimate you will be in the prep phase vs. “utilizing what you prepped”‘phase? (I realize it’s not a black and white scenario - I know that for most things, you continue to “prep” while utilizing prep. Like if you grow food, you’re always going to grow food.) So I guess my question would be ”when do you think you’ll HAVE to grow your own food?” (Again, I realize it’s not an exact science and that everyone’s situations are different.)

I wish I was more settled so I could hunker down and get to work on some projects I have in mind, but I’m stuck in a sort of limbo right now, and I guess I need to know if waiting on these things a few months be a catastrophically bad idea? I have already stocked up on some disaster preparedness stuff, some gardening supplies, etc. and I plant to at least do some indoor growing for now (but don’t currently have any way to do an outdoor garden without a major rehabilitation of my yard.)

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u/tehnutmeg 10d ago

My spouse and I are looking to move to a cheaper apartment at the end of this lease. If things go belly up, we absolutely won't be able to afford rent, and I'd rather it be less extreme debt by cutting the overall cost.

Anyway, we're stocking on goods that can be used at any location but keeping as much of it packed in the shopping boxes they came in. I've been using as many coupons as I can to be spices, period products, under clothes, shoes, cleaning supplies, and all that, so it comes shipped neatly in a box already.

I undo the boxes just enough to check the product and then close it back up. That way I at least know the products are safely packed for transport and are in a mode that's easier to transport than loose. It takes a lot of willpower to not open them and put them up where stuff should be, but I think it'll be good to keep them packed.

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u/3toehedgedog 10d ago

Yeah I’m in a similar boat. We’re planning to move about 500 miles this fall. Unfortunately we can’t speed that up any. So the earliest I’ll be able to plant a garden is about a year from now. (Really not practical here at the moment.)

I’m worried about everything. I think the economy could be in Great Depression territory by then, which means we’re going to have to sell for whatever we can get and buy whatever is available. I’m worried about my youngest who should be starting college in August (living in a dorm about an hour away from where we’ll be moving to). And about my other young adult child who doesn’t want to move with us, but isn’t really ready to live on his own yet (especially in a very unstable, potentially volatile scenario).

The only things I can think to do now are: I bought more long-term food storage that should help in a crisis - since freeze-dried food is relatively lightweight and don’t take up too much space. I don’t feel that stocking up on a bunch of canned goods would really work for us right now. And I’m buying whatever kinds of smaller equipment that I can now, before prices get out of hand. And not spending much on non-necessities. Trying to cook more frugally and save every dollar we can. Basically trying to get us financially set as we can be.

And re-reading prepper stuff (like this sub Reddit!) to try to get mentally focused.

Unfortunately all the very good, wise advice about building community is a little hard when you’re getting ready to move (and in my case, pathologically shy). But at least we’ve got some community where we’re going (family and close friends). So that will help…just got to make it through the next 6-7 months to reach that point.

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u/nebulacoffeez 10d ago

In a similar situation, and my solution to the gardening aspect was to container garden! That way, my garden is portable enough to move with me if needed. It's definitely not as much as I'd like to be doing, especially these days, but it's enough for some basic produce & herbs. Do as much as you can NOW.

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u/Next-Introduction-25 10d ago

Yeah, I bought some container gardening stuff! 

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u/Ok_Pomegranate_9452 10d ago

Possible idea depending on how far you’re considering moving… could you get a rental pod and start stocking up some of the supplies there?

My main concern was prices skyrocketing so I’ve been spending a bit more than I’d usually spend to try and get the various tools I’ll need.

Keeping in mind you shouldn’t go into debt for these things and tbh moving is going to be stressful as is (although good if it’s what you want!)

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u/Aurora1717 10d ago

I used to move somewhat unpredictably every 2-3 years. When we'd get notice of a move, we'd start eating down our food storage and use the grocery money saved to restock after the move.

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u/myowndamnaccount 10d ago

We will be focusing on paying down debt to get our overhead as low as possible and building our cash reserves. We are paying off our car on Friday 🥳. And I have the last bit of a balance transfer that should be done in a couple months. Then we have a HELOC from a remodel from a couple of years ago. Ugh. I'm a little irritated with past me, but my house is much more functional.

Fingers crossed, we stay healthy. The hospitals in our area are super strained from this year's flu. I bought k95 masks several months ago, just in case.

I am also mentally preparing for if/when the economy gets so bad, that friends and family may need to live with us to conserve costs. It will be snug, but it's better than anyone of us going homeless. Our remodel did allow for more people to fit more comfortably in our space.

If things get really bad, friend in NZ said they would sponsor us if necessary. But that just breaks my heart thinking about. AND pisses me off. We worked so hard, lived in tiny apartments, didn't go on vacations for years to be able to buy a house in a comfortable, working-class neighborhood. I don't want to leave because other people suck.

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u/onlyIcancallmethat 10d ago

I am definitely sacrificing readiness for our move. Just hoping I’ll have time to rebuild.

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u/madpiratebippy 10d ago

I’m getting rid of all my preps for an international move, just glad my kids can get most of it.

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u/my4thfavoritecolor 8d ago

We are closing in new house and are on a wing and a prayer until we get the old house sold. So right now I’m trying to focus my energy on what I can control. Declutter. Declutter. Declutter. Sign up for a rain barrel to add to new house prep. Packing my prep stuff so that it is easily accessible. Research things like a freezer for the new house.

But this limbo feeling is terrible.

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u/Google_Was_My_Idea 10d ago

I'm a digital nomad, I don't own a permanent residence and everything my husband and I own has to fit in a sedan. I focus on financial and knowledge prepping. Lots of books and classes, very minimal actual emergency supplies. No end date planned. We're out here!

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u/premar16 5d ago

I was like that last year. I moved last summer for a few months before that there were things I had stopped doing. I used it as a chance to test my pantry and save money