Bugging Out Vs. TEOTWAWKI – Don’t Get Them Confused

Bugging out is a hot topic in the preparedness community, but I have quite a different take on Bugging out than most people do – mostly because I’ve had to bug out three (almost four) times in my life.   Over the next two months, we’re going to take a bit of a practical and deep dive into bugging out.

When we think through bugging out, we tend to think of leaving civilization and not coming back.  This has great implications for our thought process in bugging out, for how we prepare for bugging out, for when we decide to bug out, and for what we plan to take when we bug out.  The problem is that bugging out will almost NEVER be leaving without the thought of coming back.  What is really going on is most of you (and the rest of the prepper world) has confused Bugging out with TEOTWAWKI.  So let’s look at them one on one and side by side.  We’ll take a look at the similarities, the differences, and the implications of each.

Bugging Out

What is it?

Bugging out is leaving your home (usually in your car) for a short period of time with the intent of returning in the not-so-distant-future.

Why might you bug out? 

There are so many reasons why people bug out.  The biggest reason that comes to mind when I think about bugging out is for a hurricane.  You know it’s coming, but with a hurricane, you know can somewhat prepare beforehand.  Another situation where you may need to bug out, but with the hopes of returning to an intact house, is a wildfire.  Fortunately, you should have some warning with this also that it’s headed your direction.  That time can be hugely important.

The problem is that there are times when things will hit you that you don’t expect.  If you are unfortunate enough to have to shelter in place during a tornado only to emerge to find that there is significant damage to your house, you’ll probably need to bug out.  Who expects for that to happen?  Then – who could ever expect their hometown to explode into riots?  Bugging out is a real possibility then.  Chemical spills are an occasion to bug out.  Do you even know if there’s a chemical plant near you or a train track which transports chemicals?

BUT – with each and every one of these situations – whether you can see them coming or whether they hit you upside the head they all have one thing in common.  You believe that you will return to your home.  That’s the whole premise of bugging out!

When do you bug out?

So how does that view of what bugging out is effect you when you bug out?  If the whole point of bugging out is to return at the end of a short-term (even six weeks for a tornado displacement is short-term) disruption, then how does that affect when we bug out.

It means that we know whatever happens we won’t be inconveniencing people for a long period of time.  It should free our minds up so that we don’t worry and put off bugging out (like in the case of a hurricane or riots) until it’s too late.  We know we won’t be there long-term.  Things will settle down and probably do so in the short-term.  So if we wonder if we SHOULD bug out, then guess what – you probably should!  Don’t put it off too long.  It’s freeing!

I’ve written about how it’s HARD to decide when to bug out.  But knowing that the plan is to come home shortly, should make it so much easier.  Do make sure that your spouse is on the same page as you though.  Uhuh – ask me how I know.

How does the difference between bugging out and TEOTWAWKI affect what we bring and what we leave?

Oh, because of our outlook on what bugging out actually is, this should help and free you up when you are packing to bug out!! The plan is to return home, so that should inform everything we plan to take AND everything we leave.  You don’t have to bring cookware because you’ll probably be staying with a friend or in a hotel, but providing your friend (or just your family) with three days worth of easily cooked food will definitely make life easier on yourself or your friends.

But when we consider other necessities like clothes, because you’ll still be living in a regular society, having at least two clean changes of regular clothes is a must.  For bugging out, having light-weight, long-sleeve in summer because it will “provide protection from the sun” is SO NOT necessary!  Along the same lines, having cordage so you can hang dry your clothes probably isn’t necessary.  Does this make sense?

I’ve seen website after website that says you need to include a lightweight durable tent in your Bug-Out-Bag.  Really?  NOT if you’re bugging out.  Remember that bugging out means that we PLAN to return home.  We’re not talking TEOTWAWKI!  If we were, then yes, a shelter of some kind is a necessity, but in our case, our shelter will probably be a friend’s house – or worst case scenario a hotel.  This also means we don’t need to provide a heat source or a way to cook over a fire, or a way to clean all our pots and pans – because we aren’t bringing them because it’s bugging out not TEOTWAWKI.  Are you starting to get the refrain?  There is a HUGE difference between TEOTWAWKI and bugging out!

We should still plan for the unexpected

Now all that being said, we PLAN on coming back to our homes, but sometimes, we find out that life doesn’t go as we’ve planned.  So we try to plan for the unexpected.  Make sure that you have a financial binder ready to go.  I’ve got a whole post on what should go into your binder.  This should always go with you when you bug out just-in-case.  If you’re running from a wildfire and you come back to a charred (or partially charred heap), then you’ll need your insurance information.  You’ll need an inventory of your house room by room so that insurance can replace the items.

Everyone should have copies of documents like marriage certificates, death certificates, college transcripts, all insurance documentation, proof that you own your house, and the list can go on.  I cover what to put in your binder here.

Next time, we’ll look at all this from the perspective of TEOTWAWKI, how we plan differently, pack differently, leave at different times, and have a different mindset.

What About You?

Have you confused bugging out with TEOTWAWKI?  How are you going to look at bugging out differently after reading this article?  How are you going to prepare differently?  Leave a comment below in the comments section so that we can all be better prepared.

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