This Prepared Life

Allison Michael
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Welcome to This Prepared Life, a podcast for women where preparedness feels peaceful, practical, and possible. Hosted by Allison Michael, this show is about creating a calmer, more resilient life through everyday preparedness and intentional living. Inside the episodes, you’ll find realistic food storage tips, Allison’s Three Layer Food Storage system, preparedness skills, homemaking rhythms, and encouragement to help you care for yourself and your family with more confidence and less overwhelm. From emergency preparedness and food preservation to homemaking and building a well-stocked pantry, this podcast offers practical guidance to help preparedness feel more natural in your everyday life. Whether you’re filling your first pantry shelf or have been preparing for years, you can expect simple action steps, honest conversations, and a reminder that preparedness does not have to come from fear. Here, we believe in being prepared, not scared — one pantry shelf, skill, and intentional step at a time. 

  1. 3d ago

    Preparedness on a Budget: 10 Ways to Prepare Without Spending a Fortune

    Do you ever feel like preparedness is something you'll get to someday... when you have more money? You're not alone. In this episode, I'm sharing 10 practical ways to become more prepared even when money is tight. From shopping store sales and learning new skills to building your food storage one step at a time, preparedness doesn't have to happen all at once—and it doesn't have to cost a fortune. Whether you have $5 a month or $50 a month to spend, you can make meaningful progress. Preparedness isn't about having the biggest pantry or the newest gear—it's about taking intentional steps with the resources you have. Resources: Website: https://www.thispreparedlife.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thispreparedlife/ Join the TPL Membership Community: https://www.thispreparedlife.com/community Home Food Storage Book: https://amzn.to/4aMOZfH If this episode encouraged you, I'd love for you to leave a review and share it with a friend.

  2. Jul 7

    Building a Prepper Pantry That Works with NO Waste

    When you hear the words "prepper pantry," what comes to mind? For many people, it's buckets of rice and beans collecting dust in a basement. But long-term food storage doesn't have to look like that. In this episode, we're talking about layer three of my three-layer food storage system: your long-term food storage. I'll walk you through what belongs in this layer, how I package and rotate my food, and why I believe your prepper pantry should be built around the foods your family actually eats. We talk about: • What layer three food storage really is • How much long-term food storage you actually need • The best foods for long-term storage • Packaging with Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers • Why I store recipes instead of random foods • How all three layers of food storage work together • Common mistakes to avoid when building a prepper pantry If long-term food storage has ever felt overwhelming, I hope this episode helps you simplify the process and build a system that works for your family and your real life. Resources: My NEW book Home Food Storage: A Preparedness Plan for Creating and Using an Emergency Food Supply is available for pre order! It ships in September of 2026 just in time for National Preparedness Month.  My go to place for mylar and oxygen absorbers, use code TPL for a discount I have been freeze drying for years now and it is a huge part of my layer three pantry. This is the freeze dryer I purchased many years ago. Find me at: Website: https://www.thispreparedlife.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thispreparedlife/ Join the TPL Membership Community: https://www.thispreparedlife.com/community If this episode was helpful, I'd love for you to leave a review and share it with a friend.

  3. Jun 30

    Wish List VS To-Do List: A Simpler Way to Plan Your Week

    After years of trying to get everything done, I realized something important: overwhelm is not a badge of honor. In this episode, I'm sharing one simple mindset shift that has completely changed the way I plan my week. Instead of making a never-ending to-do list, I create what I call a wish list. It's a small change, but it's helped me feel less overwhelmed, more intentional, and a whole lot more at peace. We talk about:  Why busy doesn't always mean better  The difference between a wish list and a to-do list  Giving yourself grace in busy seasons of life  Letting go of unrealistic expectations  Focusing on your next best thing instead of trying to do it all If you've been feeling overwhelmed by everything on your plate, I hope this episode encourages you to slow down, release some of the pressure, and remember that your to-do list doesn't define your worth. Resources: The planner I use: https://amzn.to/4eI4Ey5 Website: https://www.thispreparedlife.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thispreparedlife/ Join the TPL Membership Community:  https://www.thispreparedlife.com/community If this episode encouraged you, I'd love for you to leave a review and share it with a friend. I appreciate your support! Some links and products contained in posts and pages here may contain affiliate links. Should you make a purchase through those links I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Any products I mention here, on social media, or in the podcast are products that I would use myself, use for my family, or use on my homestead. I will never give reviews I do not fully believe in or accept products and give false reviews.

  4. Jun 23

    How to Build Your Home Grocery Store

    What if your food storage pantry functioned like a grocery store? In this episode, we're talking about layer two of my three-layer food storage system: your home grocery store. This short-term storage layer is made up of the foods your family already eats and uses on a regular basis. The goal isn't to buy a year's worth of random food. It's to intentionally build a working pantry that saves money, reduces waste, and makes everyday life easier. We talk about: • What layer two food storage actually is • Why I think of this layer as my home grocery store • What foods belong in layer two • How to determine how much food your family actually needs • Simple packaging and storage ideas • How to rotate food from your grocery store into your kitchen • How this layer can save you money on groceries If you've ever wondered how to build a food storage system that works for real life, this episode will help you take the next step. Preparedness doesn't happen overnight. It is slow and steady work, and it adds up faster than you think. If this episode was helpful, I'd love for you to leave a review and share it with a friend. Resources: Website: https://www.thispreparedlife.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thispreparedlife/ Join the TPL Membership Community: https://www.thispreparedlife.com/community

  5. Jun 16

    Why Your Kitchen Pantry Matters Most in an Emergency

    When we think about food storage, our minds often jump straight to buckets of long-term food and catastrophic emergencies. But in reality, most of the situations we are likely to face will have us reaching for the food already in our kitchen. In this episode, we're talking about layer one of my three-layer food storage system: your kitchen pantry. This often-overlooked layer is actually your first line of defense in everyday emergencies, from power outages to unexpected life disruptions. We talk about: • What layer one food storage actually is • Why your kitchen pantry is more important than you think • How much food to keep on hand • Why your pantry should reflect the way your family really eats • Simple ways to build a practical, functional kitchen pantry • How to think about food storage in terms of recipes instead of random foods If you've ever felt overwhelmed by food storage or wondered where to start, this episode will encourage you to look at your kitchen in a new way. You may already be more prepared than you think. If this episode was helpful, I'd love for you to leave a review and share it with a friend. Resources: Website: https://www.thispreparedlife.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thispreparedlife/ Join the TPL Membership Community: https://www.thispreparedlife.com/community

  6. Jun 9

    My Kids Ate My Food Storage: What I Learned

    My kids ate my food storage. Well, not all of it, but after several of my adult children moved back home, our household went from three people to seven almost overnight. What happened next gave me a real-life test of my food storage system that I never planned for. In this episode, I'm sharing what foods disappeared first, what I had too much of, what surprised me, and what changes I'm making as a result. This unexpected pantry experiment taught me a lot about what our family actually uses. We talk about: • What ran out first in my layer two pantry • The foods I had stocked well • Where my food storage system needs improvement • Common mistakes that happen when multiple people access food storage • How food storage needs change during different seasons of life If you've ever wondered whether your food storage would actually work for your family, this episode offers a practical look at what happened when mine was put to the test. Sometimes the best way to learn about your food storage is to use it. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love for you to leave a review and share it with a friend. Find me at:  www.thispreparedlife.com https://www.instagram.com/thispreparedlife/ https://www.youtube.com/@thispreparedlife

  7. Jun 9

    5 Simple Preparedness Tasks You Can Do This Week

    Preparedness doesn't have to be complicated, expensive, or take hours of your time. In this episode, I'm sharing five simple preparedness tasks you can do this week to help your family become more prepared for everyday emergencies and unexpected disruptions. These are practical, affordable steps that can make a big difference over time. We talk about: • Water storage and simple ways to get started • Keeping ready-to-eat meals in your freezer • Buying one extra item each grocery trip • Creating a power outage kit • Developing an emergency evacuation plan If you've been wanting to get more prepared but aren't sure where to begin, this episode will give you a handful of easy action steps you can implement right away. Remember, preparedness doesn't happen all at once. Small steps add up over time, and every step forward counts. If this episode was helpful, I'd love for you to leave a review and share it with a friend. Find me at:  www.thispreparedlife.com https://www.instagram.com/thispreparedlife/ https://www.youtube.com/@thispreparedlife

  8. Jun 9

    Let Go of the Pressure to Do It All

    After a long pause from the podcast, I'm sharing some of the lessons I've learned through one of the hardest seasons of my life. Life can change in ways we never expected. Sometimes the season we are in requires us to let go of the pressure to do it all and focus on what matters most. In this episode, I share a simple analogy that has helped me think differently about capacity, expectations, and grace. We talk about why it is okay to say no to good things, how our ability to carry responsibilities changes from season to season, and why focusing on the next best thing can bring more peace than striving to do everything. I also share a little about the life changes that led to the pause in this podcast and some of the lessons I learned during that time. If you have been feeling overwhelmed, stretched too thin, or discouraged by everything on your plate, I hope this conversation encourages you to give yourself grace and take one intentional step forward. Remember, you do not have to do everything. You only need to focus on the next best thing. If this episode encouraged you, please leave a review and share it with a friend. Your support helps more women discover This Prepared Life. Find me at:  www.thispreparedlife.com https://www.instagram.com/thispreparedlife/ https://www.youtube.com/@thispreparedlife

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About

Welcome to This Prepared Life, a podcast for women where preparedness feels peaceful, practical, and possible. Hosted by Allison Michael, this show is about creating a calmer, more resilient life through everyday preparedness and intentional living. Inside the episodes, you’ll find realistic food storage tips, Allison’s Three Layer Food Storage system, preparedness skills, homemaking rhythms, and encouragement to help you care for yourself and your family with more confidence and less overwhelm. From emergency preparedness and food preservation to homemaking and building a well-stocked pantry, this podcast offers practical guidance to help preparedness feel more natural in your everyday life. Whether you’re filling your first pantry shelf or have been preparing for years, you can expect simple action steps, honest conversations, and a reminder that preparedness does not have to come from fear. Here, we believe in being prepared, not scared — one pantry shelf, skill, and intentional step at a time. 

Information

  • Creator
    Allison Michael
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    37
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 This Prepared Life
  • Show Website
    This Prepared Life

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