I think it’s extremely sensible to have some food and supplies tucked away, just in case. Of course I think that: I have a preparedness website. However, whether you’re a complete beginner with no idea where to start, or a seasoned survivalist reading this from your nuclear bunker, the OAR system can help you to organise, build and manage a stockpile of supplies. It’s especially good for those just starting out, those who don’t know where to start, and anyone who feels that preparedness is a huge, all-or-nothing mountain to climb. Let’s get started.
The OAR System
OAR stands for “Organise, Acquire, Rotate”. First you organise, laying the groundwork for success. Then you acquire the supplies you need, and finally you rotate to make sure you get the good of them and to keep your skills sharp.*
(*I’m counting knowing how to cook delicious meals with nothing but cupboard stuff as a skill that needs to be kept sharp. I like eating MREs in a trench as much as the next guy, but nothing beats a good home-cooked meal, even if there is a disaster outside)
Organise
The first step is to figure out what you have, what you’d like to have, where you’ll put it, and how you’ll organise it. This is mostly covered in the How To Make A Preparedness Audit post linked here, but in short, this step means:
- going through all of your existing food storage to find out what you have, and to figure out a way to inventory it. A simple table stuck to the inside of a pantry door would do the trick, and could be edited with pencil, erased, and re-edited as needed. This inventory scheme has to be easy, or you won’t stick to using it day-to-day. Trust me, I know.
- figuring out which meals can be made with only shelf-stable, long-life ingredients, and how to vary them to avoid going mad
- figuring out how much water you’ll need per person, per day (it’s a gallon, by the way) and how you might store that
- checking your insulating or heating situation
- looking at the contents of your first aid kit and your supply of any essential medications
- and the other essential areas listed in the audit article
- noting down anywhere where you find a gap, something missing, something that needs to be reorganised or something that could be better-supplied
While you’re doing all that, you can also get rid of any clutter in your home, rearrange where things are stored and generally have a big clear out. You’ll be able to free up a lot of space which you probably didn’t know you had.
Pay careful attention to the places where storage solutions can be put in place – some small shelving units, for example, or plastic tubs for dry goods and gear.
Once you know what you need, where you plan to put it, and how you plan to organise it, it’s time to…
Acquire
This is the fun bit!
I’ve said “acquire” rather than “buy” here, because you can get a lot of stuff without needing to part with money – you can swap or trade, browse Marketplace listings or freecycling sites, make your own or go in with friends for stuff – there are loads of ways to get the things that you need.
Mainly, though, there probably will be some shopping involved. By making an organised list of what you need to get, you can prioritise things and figure out how best to go about acquiring them.
My advice is to shop around for the best prices on supplies that you will use regularly, and test each shop before buying 200 of something, just to make sure the supplies are actually good. Keep an eye out for sales, particularly seasonal sales or elimination of overstocked products after a big event or holiday – big supermarkets do this all the time, cutting prices on their Christmas food (or whatever) to clear it all out, even though most of it will still be good for months.
As you pick up equipment, make sure to pick up the skills that go with it – for example, a canner will do you no good if you don’t know how to can things, or what can be canned safely, or what recipes wind up actually tasting good.
Finally, for equipment or supplies that need a more substantial investment, my advice is always to save steadily, at a comfortable pace. DON’T go into debt to prep. It is NEVER a good idea. Save at whatever pace you can, and buy your equipment and supplies outright.
Rotate
Once you have the supplies, you need to rotate them – anyone who’s worked in retail or food service already knows what I’m talking about, and might even be having flashbacks as they read this.
Essentially, the oldest stuff goes at the front, and the newest at the back, so older goods are used up before they expire. If you just pack new stuff in front (which is easier and which you’ll probably be tempted to do) then there’s a chance that you’ll never get back to the older stuff, and it’ll go bad, take up space, and possibly spoil other stored goods too.
Rotation also applies to equipment that needs maintenance or skill to use – make sure to keep them in good shape, check them over regularly, and occasionally take them for a spin so that you remain confident in their use. Some preps, like a wood-splitting axe, are dangerous if misused – so take a little time every now and again to stay competent, and your future self will thank you.
Then Rinse And Repeat!
That’s it! It really is as simple, and as complicated, as that. Once you’ve reached a good level of stock for, say, three days off-grid, then you can continue to use the OAR system to maintain your stock health and expand it to a week off-grid, or two weeks, or more.
It’s a scalable system that never stops being useful. It’s been incredibly useful for me, and I hope it will be for you, too!
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You had to go with “Acquire” rather that “Buy” as OBR makes no sense :-)
On the rotating food, I check the BBF (best before date) on the cupboard foods that I buy and then write that on the front of the tin / box / packet with something like a sharpie. It can be a bit time consuming, but it makes it a lot easier to organise your food if you can actually see the dates on the front.
My foods often have vastly differing BBF dates, even when brought on the same day. I
I really appreciate the detailed, down-to-earth guides you post. I’m new to prepping and your site has been a huge help understanding what to prioritise and how to get started. I’m also finding that shifting to this prepper mentality actually helps day to day living too, my kitchen has never been cleaner!