What’s One Prep You Wish You’d Started Sooner?

[ChamomileCraze]

Wish I’d started learning proper food preservation methods earlier—canning, dehydrating, fermenting, the whole bit. Has anyone else found a particular method you wish you’d mastered sooner? Would love to hear what skill or prep others would go back and start first.

 

[StarlitNavigator]

Wish I’d started keeping a proper inventory of what I had on hand way earlier. All those years I just kept adding extra food or batteries—never realized how easy it was to forget what’s shoved in the back of a cabinet! Now I’ve got spreadsheets and lists everywhere. Anyone else ever rediscover a stash of expired beans

 

[AquaFern1028]

Building up a rainwater collection system is the one thing I regret not starting way back. It’s made such a difference for the garden and even just for peace of mind during dry spells. Wish I’d realized sooner how easy some of the setups can be, even with just a few barrels and some gutters. Anyone else surprised by how much water you can collect off a small roof?

 

[TeaTimeTalisman]

Couldn’t agree more about water collection—once I set up barrels, I was shocked by how fast they filled. Even a light rain can give you gallons, and it’s made tending the garden so much easier. Love not having to rely on the tap as much, especially these days. Did you end up adding any kind of filter for using the water, or just for plants?

 

[BlueHarborTea]

Funny how many of us wish we’d started sooner with food preservation—same here. I always dabbled a bit in canning, but really got serious just a few years back. Now I look at all that store-bought stuff and think how much money (and waste) I could’ve saved if I’d learned to do it right from the start. Canning tomatoes, pickling beans, even making jam out of the berries in the backyard