30 DAY PREPAREDNESS CHALLENGE — DAY 28 THE 5-MINUTE GRAB-N-GO CHALLENGE (CAN YOUR FAMILY ACTUALLY GET OUT THE DOOR?)
Posted by Mimi on Sep 28th 2026
THE 5-MINUTE GRAB-N-GO CHALLENGE
CAN YOUR FAMILY ACTUALLY GET OUT THE DOOR?
Welcome to Day 28!
Look at everything we've done this month.
We've packed.
We've planned.
We've stored.
We've checked.
We've made lists.
We've talked about food, water, pets, kids, clothing, sanitation, first aid and emergency supplies.
But today we're going to find out something VERY important:
CAN WE ACTUALLY DO IT?
Today we're practicing our:
5-MINUTE GRAB-N-GO CHALLENGE!
Now before somebody tackles Grandma, throws the cat through the car window and backs out of the driveway at 47 miles per hour...
STOP.
This is NOT a race.
We aren't actually evacuating.
We're simply practicing the first five minutes of leaving home.
No panic.
No speeding.
No dangerous rushing.
No throwing Grandma into the backseat.
And please...
DO NOT ACTUALLY THROW THE CAT ANYWHERE.
TODAY'S CHALLENGE
Set a timer for five minutes.
Then pretend you've just been told:
“WE NEED TO LEAVE.”
What happens next?
Who gets the kids? (Teens often have earphones on...whike they hear you?)
Who gets the pets?
Who grabs the emergency bags?
Who grabs medications?
Who grabs important items?
Who makes sure everyone is accounted for?
Where do you meet?
Which exit do you use?
Where are the car keys?
Today we're finding out.
BEFORE YOU START
This is important.
Today's drill should be calm and safe.
We are NOT practicing:
❌ Running through the house
❌ Speeding
❌ Carrying more than we safely can
❌ Shutting off utilities
❌ Doing anything dangerous
❌ Frightening children or pets
You're simply going through the motions.
Think:
PRACTICE — NOT PANIC.
If someone in your household has mobility limitations, an injury or other accessibility needs, practice at the pace that is safe for them.
The five minutes isn't a pass/fail test.
It's just a tool.
READY?
Pick a starting point.
Maybe everyone is:
Watching television.
Making dinner.
Playing in their rooms.
Working.
Relaxing.
Doing whatever your family normally does.
Then somebody says:
“GRAB-N-GO!”
Start the timer.
⏱️ 5:00
And GO.
FIRST — GRAB THE BAGS
Remember Day 15?
We actually put our Grab-N-Go Bags on.
Hopefully we discovered back then whether we'd accidentally packed a 742-pound emergency bag. ?
Today:
Grab it.
Put it on.
Don't just set it beside the door.
ACTUALLY CARRY IT.
Can you?
Can the kids carry theirs?
Is anything falling off?
Is anything difficult to grab?
Can you manage the bag while helping a child or pet?
Broken-Wrist Mimi has entered the chat again.
I can tell you right now:
TWO HANDS ARE VERY CONVENIENT.
Which raises another good preparedness question:
“COULD I MANAGE THIS BAG IF I WERE INJURED?”
If the answer is no, that's useful information.
We're learning.
WHO GETS THE KIDS?
If you have children, does everyone know who is responsible for them?
Depending on their ages, children may be able to:
- Get their own Grab-N-Go Bag
- Put on their emergency shoes
- Go to the family meeting place
- Help with a pet
But little children may need an adult assigned to them.
Don't assume everyone knows.
SAY IT OUT LOUD.
“Mom gets the baby.”
“Dad gets the dog.”
“Older kids grab their bags and meet at the front door.”
Whatever works for YOUR household.
WHO GETS THE PETS?
Remember Day 8 — Pet Grab-N-Go Bags?
Today is when we discover whether our pet plan works.
Where is:
- The leash?
- The carrier?
- The pet emergency food?
- Their water?
- Their medication?
- Their Grab-N-Go Bag?
And here's the BIG question:
CAN YOU ACTUALLY GET THE PET?
Because there's a big difference between:
“The cat carrier is in the garage.”
and...
“THE CAT HAS REALIZED SOMETHING IS HAPPENING AND HAS ENTERED ANOTHER DIMENSION.”
You don't need to terrorize your pets for today's drill.
Simply practice locating the carrier, leash and supplies.
If your pet is comfortable participating, great.
If not, don't turn preparedness practice into a wrestling tournament.
WHAT ABOUT MEDICATIONS?
If someone depends on medication, today's drill may reveal an important problem.
Where is it?
What would you grab?
Do you have a medication list?
Do you have the information you need if you couldn't bring everything?
Don't change medication storage or create emergency medication supplies without following appropriate pharmacy, manufacturer and medical guidance.
Today we're simply asking:
“DO WE HAVE A PLAN?”
WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?
Remember Day 1?
Shoes and flashlight by the bed.
Remember Day 26?
Emergency clothing.
During today's drill, look down.
WHAT'S ON YOUR FEET?
If you had to leave right now, could you safely walk in them?
If not, where are your practical shoes?
How long did it take you to find them?
Little details matter.
WHERE ARE THE KEYS?
This one sounds ridiculous...
until everyone is standing at the door and somebody says:
“WHO HAS THE KEYS?”
House keys.
Car keys.
Whatever you normally need.
You don't have to keep them in a location that compromises your security.
But the people who may need them should know the plan.
Today's drill is a perfect time to discover:
WE HAVE EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE ABILITY TO LEAVE.
WHAT WOULD YOU GRAB?
This is where things can get interesting.
You have five minutes.
What do you reach for?
- Phone?
- Charger?
- Medication?
- Wallet?
- Identification?
- Important documents?
- Glasses?
- Emergency bag?
- Pet supplies?
And then...
Do you suddenly find yourself standing in the bedroom debating whether your favorite lamp needs to evacuate too?
Today's exercise helps separate:
NEED.
from
REALLY DON'T NEED RIGHT NOW.
WHICH WAY ARE YOU LEAVING?
Remember Day 17 — Know Two Ways Out?
Today we're using that plan.
Which exit would you normally use?
What if that exit were blocked?
Can everyone identify another safe way out?
We're not climbing through windows or doing anything unsafe today.
Just point it out.
“IF WE COULDN'T USE THIS DOOR, WE'D USE THAT EXIT.”
Simple.
WHERE DOES EVERYONE MEET?
Remember Day 18 — Family Emergency Meeting Places?
Once everyone leaves the house...
WHERE DO YOU GO?
Choose the meeting place you've already discussed.
During today's drill, everyone should be able to answer:
“WHERE DO WE MEET?”
If half the family says the mailbox and the other half says the neighbor's driveway...
GOOD!
You just found something to fix.
That's why we practice.
TIME!
Five minutes are up.
STOP.
Don't worry about whether you “won.”
There is no prize.
Nobody gets a trophy.
Although Mimi thinks clean socks might still be an acceptable prize.
Instead, ask:
WHAT HAPPENED?
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF TODAY'S CHALLENGE
Gather everybody together.
Ask:
WHAT DID WE FORGET?
Maybe it was:
- Someone's bag
- Medication
- Glasses
- Keys
- Pet supplies
- Phone
- Diapers
- Shoes
- Jacket
- Important information
Or maybe everyone remembered everything...
but it took four minutes to find the cat carrier.
Write it down.
THAT IS NOT FAILURE.
That is EXACTLY why we're practicing.
WHAT SLOWED YOU DOWN?
This question may be even more useful.
Was something:
- Hard to find?
- Buried in a closet?
- Too heavy?
- Blocking an exit?
- Difficult to manage?
- Impossible to do while carrying a child?
- Difficult with an injury or mobility limitation?
Maybe your supplies are scattered throughout the house.
Maybe everyone thought someone else was getting the dog.
Maybe nobody knew where Dad put the keys.
Maybe your emergency bag is so heavy you need a forklift.
Whatever you discovered...
FIX THE SYSTEM.
Don't blame the person.
GIVE EVERYONE A JOB
One of the easiest improvements you can make is assigning simple responsibilities.
For example:
ADULT #1
Gets children.
ADULT #2
Gets pets.
OLDER CHILD
Gets their own bag and goes to the meeting place.
ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER
Grabs a specific medical or emergency item.
Your household will be different.
The point is:
EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
And always have a backup plan in case the person normally responsible isn't home or can't do their job.
BROKEN-WRIST MIMI HAS A QUESTION
Here's something this month has taught me in a VERY practical way:
WHAT IF THE PERSON WHO USUALLY DOES EVERYTHING...CAN'T?
What if Mom is injured?
What if Dad isn't home?
What if Grandma can't carry the bag?
What if the person who normally handles the pets can't do it?
Could someone else step in?
Could someone else find everything?
Could someone else get everyone out?
That's not just an evacuation question.
That's a preparedness question.
And tomorrow...
We're going to talk about it.
DON'T FIX EVERYTHING TONIGHT
Did today's drill reveal six problems?
Great.
Write them down.
Then start with the easiest one.
Move the pet carrier.
Lighten the bag.
Put the spare glasses where they belong.
Explain the meeting place again.
Move the shoes.
Make sure everyone knows where the emergency supplies are.
ONE LITTLE THING AT A TIME.
That's how we've done this entire challenge.
TODAY'S 5-MINUTE CHALLENGE
Before you call Day 28 — DONE, try this:
☐ Set a five-minute timer
☐ Say “Grab-N-Go!”
☐ Get your emergency bags
☐ Put on practical shoes
☐ Account for every person
☐ Check the kids' plan
☐ Locate pet supplies/carriers/leashes
☐ Think through essential medications
☐ Locate keys
☐ Identify your primary exit
☐ Identify your backup exit
☐ Go to or identify your meeting place
☐ Stop after five minutes
☐ Write down what you forgot
☐ Write down what slowed you down
☐ Fix ONE easy problem today
Most importantly:
KEEP IT CALM.
We are building confidence.
Not fear.
DAY 28 — DONE!
Today we didn't add more stuff.
WE TESTED THE PLAN.
And maybe everything went beautifully.
Or...
Maybe somebody couldn't find their shoes.
The dog thought it was time for a walk.
The cat disappeared.
Nobody knew where the keys were.
One kid grabbed snacks but forgot their emergency bag.
And Mimi discovered she can't do half of this with one hand.
That's okay.
Because we discovered those things TODAY.
Not while smoke is in the air.
Not while we're being told to evacuate.
Not while we're frightened.
Not while we're rushing.
PRACTICE REVEALS THE GAPS.
And gaps we know about...
we can work on.
One little fix.
One little practice.
One little improvement.
ONE LITTLE THING AT A TIME.
— Mimi
PackFreshUSA
TOMORROW — DAY 29
This month I've talked a lot about emergencies.
Power outages.
Evacuations.
Water.
Food.
Sanitation.
But during this challenge...
I BROKE MY WRIST.
Well...
That wasn't on my 30 Day Preparedness Challenge.
Tomorrow we're talking about an emergency we don't always prepare for:
WHEN LIFE HAPPENS.
What if the main breadwinner suddenly can't work?
What if someone gets hurt?
What if money gets tight?
What if the emergency isn't happening to the whole community...
BUT IT'S HAPPENING TO YOUR FAMILY?
Sometimes preparedness isn't about surviving the end of the world.
Sometimes...