Actually, after Katrina years ago, I started thinking in terms of months.

Sure, it may not be easy to gather that much material, but if you focus on the important stuff, and then get a little extra each time you go shopping, eventually it will pile up.

For example, if you like canned soups, buy an extra couple of cans each time you go shopping. Date them so you know which are the oldest. Rotate your stock and eat the oldest ones for your regular meals. If you buy two extra cans a week, in one year you will have a hundred cans. If in an emergency situation you consume two cans per day, you have a 50 day supply. You can eat the soup cold right out of the can.

Don't forget the toilet paper and other personal needs items. Get some lye. You may not be able to flush for a while so you'll need some trash bags too. Put the bag in the toilet, do your duty, add some lye, close off the bag. You might even want to plan ahead on where you'll store the bags.

In general, stock things that have long shelf life's and don't need to be cooked to eat. It may not be 'nice' eating cold beans, but even if you have a camp stove and some propane, the propane won't last forever. Save that for the more important needs, like heating or sterilization.

If you take prescription meds, talk to your doctor about getting an advance supply for your emergency supply. Date and rotate that like the food you use it.

Decide what you need per day to survive, multiply by how many days you want to survive. Get a little here, a little there. If you find a great deal on a flat of beans at the big-box store, go for it.

Once you've built your supply all you need to do is maintain it by rotating the stock.

Just a few random thoughts from an admittedly ill prepared person. But I have given it a bit of thought.

Brian