Disasters -- whether natural or man-made -- are scary. We don't like to think about them, so we put off planning for them. We feel safer living in the now instead of preparing for the future -- and as a result, life sometimes catches us with our pants down. 

That's why we sat down with self-described "prepper" Lisa Bedford, who pens the popular blog, "The Survival Mom," which features anything and everything you want to know about prepping for "what-ifs." Here, she tells us why now is the time to start preparing for the unknown.

momlogic: Let's start with the basics. What types of disastrous what-ifs are we talking about?

Lisa Bedford: Disasters are scary things to think about, and I think a lot of moms think "it" will never happen -- and that's why they don't prepare. Every individual and family should prepare, first, for whatever emergency they believe is most likely to happen. In today's economic climate, most families should probably be prepared for several months of unemployment or an overall decline in their income. That is what my family has prepared for first. Here is what we have done so far:

• Paid off as much debt as possible.
• Stocked up on several months' worth of food and supplies (cleaning supplies, over-the-counter medicines, shampoo, etc.).
• Saved money.
• Paid ahead on our utility bills.

We happen to live in a desert, where a drought could bring about water shortages and required cutbacks on the use of water. Therefore, I have also stored many gallons of water. Another possible crisis in our area is a long-term power outage. If that happened in the summer, the heat would be overwhelming and deadly. We are looking for ways to incorporate solar panels that could keep our refrigerator running and maybe some small appliances.

Our solar oven, the Sun Oven, would allow us to continue to cook food and purify water, if necessary. Busy moms on the go should also be well-prepared for emergencies that might happen away from home. A well-equipped emergency bag or bin kept in the trunk of the car should contain items necessary for medical emergencies, weather-related emergencies (such as ponchos and an umbrella) and items to keep the kids occupied and fed. I have a list of these necessities on my blog, "Don't Leave Home Without It: The Vehicle 72-Hour Kit."

ml: Why is NOW the time to prepare?

LB: If not now, when? It's better to prepare when time is on your side and you can research, learn and plan. Too many people do their "preparing" in a panic right in the middle of a crisis when they aren't thinking clearly. Do you really want to be the woman in the news, looking at empty grocery-store shelves because she didn't think to stock up on water or diapers before the crisis hit?

If our economy continues to worsen, prices and the availability of goods will never be better than it is right now. Moms can use coupons and store sales to bag huge quantities of goods at bargain prices. That may not be as possible if we experience inflation or family incomes continue to decline. There's a lot of empowerment in being prepared.

ml: When an emergency happens, we will all have at least a few items on hand. Name a few household items that could have double uses in case of an emergency.

LB: A key to being prepared isn't just having stuff, it's having the know-how of what to do with the stuff! A gallon of vinegar, for example, has multiple uses -- but if you only know to use it for salad dressings, it isn't much help. So be sure to learn all the ways you can use whatever it is you stock up on. Most moms are crunched for three things: time, space and money. If you stock up on supplies with multiple uses, you come out ahead in all three categories.
 

• Vinegar uses: hair rinse; equal parts with water makes a great all-purpose cleaner; polish for chrome and stainless steel; dab on bug bites to make the "ouch" go away.

• Wheat berry uses: grind them to make your own healthy flour; soak them overnight to make a hot breakfast cereal; use them to make wheat sprouts, which add nutrients to salads and sandwiches.

• Baking soda uses: sprinkle dry on animal (or kid) pee spots on carpet, then vacuum up; mix with water to make toothpaste; mix with water to make an antacid drink; make a paste with water to put on bug bites and sunburn.

• Light stick uses (kids love these!): keep a few in your car to use for signaling in case of an emergency; have kids wear them around their necks after dark on camping or hiking trips; they're waterproof, so kids can even wear them when they're playing on the beach or by a lake after dark. 

ml: What are the most important rules of "prepping?"