I'm not trying to live off the grid. I'm not digging a bunker in the garden or stockpiling gas masks. But I am a light prepper, and I'm okay with that label.

For me, it's not about fear or doom. It's about being prepared. Comfortable. Self-reliant enough to not panic if things wobble a bit.

It started with a simple thought: what would I need if things just... didn't work like normal for a while?

What if there was a power outage? A supply chain issue? A big storm? A fuel shortage? I'm not waiting for an apocalypse. I'm just not assuming that everything will always work the way it does now.

So here's what I do:

• I've had solar panels fitted. Not because I want to live completely off-grid, but because it gives me a bit of energy independence. With my system I can last for 12 hours off the grid quite happily (so long I dont tun on the dryer or immersion heater!) which makes a huge difference. If the power goes out I can keep doing what I'm doing, and in the longer term when funds allow I have the option of adding more batteries to extend my energy independence further, so long as the sun shines.  The icing on the cake is that I'm effectively immune to brown-outs, as the system is also a de-facto house-wide UPS, 


• I brought two of my long blocked-up fireplaces back into service and I keep a stocked woodshed. It's a low-tech backup for heating and even cooking if I really need it. There's something satisfying about knowing that if push came to shove, I could light a fire and keep warm. Plus, it smells great and makes me feel a bit like a woodland wizard, so there's that.


• I keep a pantry full of dried goods and tins. Nothing fancy, just things like beans, rice, pasta, flour, tea, coffee, biscuits etc. Enough that I could feed myself (and others) for a while if the shops were empty or unreachable. It's not hoarding. It's planning ahead.


• I'm a qualified first-aider, and keep a very well stocked medical kit, not just with plasters and bandages, but also medicines, rehydration salts, iodine tablets and burn treatments.


• I've got the right tools. Torches, batteries, knives, firelighters, a dent axe, and a camping stove. I'm not gearing up for battle; I'm just making sure I don't have to improvise if things go sideways.

Being a light prepper isn't about paranoia, it's about peace of mind. It's about looking around and saying, "If something went a bit wrong, would I be okay for a while?" and being able to answer, "Yeah, probably."

I'm not trying to escape society. I'm not fantasising about a collapse. I like comfort, connectivity, and indoor plumbing just as much as the next person. But I also know that being even a little bit prepared means fewer freak-outs, less scrambling, and more control when the unexpected happens.

So no, I don't want to live off the land. But I do want to know that if the power goes out, I can still boil a kettle, light a room, and put dinner on the table.

That's not prepping for the end of the world. That's just common sense.