When it comes to survival, having a stockpile of stuff is not enough.  You need to have skills, too.  And yet, when it comes to preparedness skills, there is no hard and fast set of rules.  There are simply too many variables for a one size fits all list of things you must know and things you must learn if living conditions and economic realities become dire.  It is for that reason I often write in generalities.  That way you can pick and chose those skills and those items that fit your lifestyle.

A case in point is that I no longer insist that you grow your own food.  Some of you may consider this blasphemous but let us get real here.  Without proper soil, light, and growing conditions, you are going to waste considerable time and effort and end up with squat.  You will starve!

Wouldn’t it be better to learn how to cultivate a few herbs in pots and become proficient at using herbs for health and first aid?  You will still learn how to work the soil a bit, so when and if the time comes, you can lend a helping hand to others that do have proper growing conditions.

That is just one example and I am certain you can think of others.

Lately I have been falling in love with lists which is why I am sharing them more frequently.  Today’s list is a bucket list of survival and preparedness skills that almost anyone, living anywhere, can learn and master.

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1.  Put together a first class first aid kit and learn first aid

You can have the best gear in the world and three years of stored food but if you are hurt or sick, you will may not live long enough to see you way through.  Put together a first class first aid kit and know how to use it.  Get a good book on survival medicine (like this one) and turn to it for advice as various ailments come up in day to day life.  Learn how to heal with herbs and essential oils and put that knowledge into practice.

Additional Reading:  How to Create an Emergency Ammo Can First Aid Kit

2.  Learn to forage, fish, or hunt (or all three)

While growing your own food or raising farm animals may not be possible, you can still seek out food to forage (even backyard dandelions!) as well as seafood to fish, or game to hunt.  There are very few places where at least on of these options is not available.

Additional Reading:  Should You Eat Roadkill? 8 Important Rules to Consider First

3.  Learn multiple ways to start a fire and keep it going

A lot of preparedness sites promote learning how to start a fire.  Indeed, fire making is important, but so is keeping the fire going.  Practice keeping your fire going for hours at a time and in all sorts of weather conditions.  Trust me, starting the fire is often the easiest part.

Additional Reading:  The Easy Way to Start a Wood Fire

4.  Locate local sources of water and learn to filter and purify that water Reliance Products Lugg... Best Price: $18.39 Buy New $17.87 (as of 11:15 UTC - Details)

You may have to think outside the box when it comes to sourcing water, especially in the desert.  There are no simple answers so get creative.  Remember that canned goods are a source of water so in some areas, you may be better off storing canned goods than bulk foods.  Whatever the source, make sure you know how to purify the water so it is safe to drink.

Additional Reading:  Emergency Water for Preppers Part 2: Purification

5.  Put together a sewing kit and become proficient at sewing and mending by hand

For one reason or another, this skill is often missing from lists of survival skills.  You will be surprised at how well a hand-mended garment will hold, even when performing arduous physical labor.  Keep in mind that you are going to need needles large and small, thread in various weights, and scissors.  Need some practice?  Cut up a shirt or a pair of pants that are headed for the rag bag and mend them.  Then, the next time you are cleaning house or working in the yard, wear them.  How did you do?

Additional Reading:  5 Uncommon Skills That Will Be Useful After the SHTF

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