Monday, October 22, 2018

What Else...

do I store besides food and water.  That question was asked of me by one of my commenters.  I have been thinking about it over the weekend and have come up with a list.

Before I get into that, I want to mention that there are countless websites full of opinions on what to store for an SHTF situation.  I have seen videos where people have entire rooms dedicated to preps and have everything under the sun stored 'just in case.'  Some store extras to use for barter.  Others order ready-to-eat meals or #10 cans of freeze dried food.

Me...I live in a three room apartment and use all three rooms.  My storage space is minimal at best, so I have to pare the lists down to the absolute necessities.  That being said...

I have a propane camp stove and a propane space heater should the gas to my building be shut off.  I have no place to store larger propane tanks, so I buy the small ones, pack them into boxes and keep them in the closet farthest from my exit door, which is also the coolest room.

Those with a medical condition need supplies.  I stock 4x4 sterile pads to cover wounds, antibiotic cream and ace bandages.  That is the minimum to properly care for my legs.

I don't buy first aid kits.  I have found that often when a kit is advertised as being say, 100 pieces, 80 of those are bandaids.  So instead I buy a variety of bandaids, a cream for burns, peroxide and alcohol wipes for cleansing an area needing treatment in addition to the above mentioned supplies..  I also have rolls of gauze.  I don't buy the tape sold with the medical supplies, for I have found it useless.  Masking tape or even duct tape works better.

I keep Vicks, Vaseline, lip balm, hand lotion, cough drops and vitamins on hand.  Also a diarrhea treatment and Pepto Bismol.  My Dad always swore by 7-Up or Ginger Ale for upset stomach, so I use those as well.

I keep extra dish soap and sponges along with Borax, washing soda and Fells Naphtha soap for making my own laundry soap.  Also bleach and bar soap.

I have been negligent in taking care of lighting needs should the power be out for an extended time, but my list of 'need to buy' includes at least three oil lamps and fuel (kerosene is too flammable to risk storing in my apartment - thus the oil) candles, flashlights and batteries.  I am also wondering if those solar lights that people use in their yards might work.  Wooden kitchen matches are a must for lighting stoves, lamps and candles.

I have a wicker picnic basket full of sewing supplies.  If a person has a hobby, now would be the time to collect materials.  I have lots of yarn and fabric.  And books.  I have a Kindle, but it would be pretty difficult to charge it without electricity unless I had a solar charger.  A selection of board games, playing cards, paper, colored pencils and markers are going into a box for a worst case scenario time if the grid goes down.  If I didn't have anything to occupy my time and mind, I would be a raving lunatic in no time at all.

And a selection of hard candies.  I know that sounds silly, but if things get bad for a long time, a Tootsie Roll Pop or a butterscotch disc might be the very thing to make us feel better.  A little treat never hurt anyone and it might just keep the kids from doing damage to one another.

I'm sure there are many more items one could stock up on, but that is about all I can cram into my small living space and still be able to get from one room to another without having to crawl over stuff.  :)

What items do you consider necessary to store?

17 comments:

  1. It all sounds perfectly logical. You really shouldn't let anyone local know that you have supplies, though. They're liable to knock you over the head and steal them when things go south.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gorges...Some things just can't be helped. Those who come into my apartment regularly see my shelves full of home canned food.The apartment is just too small and the shelves too large to be able to hide them. But I do not advertise.

      Delete
  2. I'm always learning -- your comment about storing your little propane tanks as far from your exit door had me literally sitting up and rethinking my storage of those items. Thanks.
    I have three rooms in my apartment as well. I've eeked out space by closing off one doorway to the bedroom and using that space as an extra closet. I enter the room through the bathroom -- a weird arrangement but it works with this floorplan. I also closed off one of the doorways to the kitchen for the same purpose creating essentially a galley style kitchen. On the living room side, I put up a matching curtain to the other window curtains. From the kitchen side, I positioned a cabinet to hide the 'entrance'. So that storage is well hidden from the casual observer.

    Unlike you, I also have a dedicated outdoor space that is fully fenced. The downside is that the fence is not full height and anyone can easily look over the fence and into my yard. So, I can't store much out there. But I do have a water barrel that I collected for free. As well as a few mason bricks that can be rearranged to make a 'rocket stove' should the need arise.
    Will close here. Can't wait to read the comments.
    Cheers, SJ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SJ...I did some research on fuels before I bought the propane camp stove and space heater. For my situation, propane seems to be the best solution. Same for the lamps. I would prefer kerosene, but the oil made to use in the lamps is less likely to cause me problems. I wish I could arrange things like you do for extra space, but my apartment is set up with the living room to the front, bedroom to the rear and the kitchen in between. There is only one door in the kitchen, so I figured if I stored flammables as far from the door as possible, at least I would have fighting chance to get out if need be.

      A wee bit of a yard would be lovely, but all I have is a communal deck to the rear of the building. Anything left there usually grows legs and walks off. Good for you on your score of a water barrel! I hope others will comment. We all need to learn from one another.

      Delete
    2. About things growing legs and walking off-- at my house, I lost a birdbath in the front yard that way. It's replacement was cabled in place to several huge cement blocks my hubby buried deep underground.
      I didn't mention that I have some Rubbermaid knockoff totes outside by my front door that hold several 1-gallon jugs of water. No value really to anyone but myself. So far they haven't walked off.
      Also commenting on CWs post - I keep a very small 'cinch-sac' style bag in my bedside table. Similar items that she's listed as well as a copy of my passport and the dog's shot records and a change of socks and undies. There is also an extra collar and leash for MrDog in the bedside table drawer and large flash light. Should the need arise, I can roll out of bed and grab those items and exit the bedroom by either the regular door or an alternate sliding door to the side yard.

      Delete
    3. Forgot to signoff on the above.
      Cheers, SJ

      Delete
    4. SJ...Here where I live, with a neighborhood bar next door and another behind the building, virtually nothing is safe on the building's deck. Duane had a tomato plant growing out on the deck and the tomatoes disappeared before he could pick them. That's why I don't try to grow anything there. Or store anything in tubs there.

      I've been thinking about a bag like you and CW talked about. I have several yards of denim that my neighbor gave me. I saw a pattern for an envelope-style bag with a flap covering the top. It has a handle long enough to be used as a shoulder bag. Something like that would be easy for me to carry and could be made large enough to hold everything I need. I'll need to give that some serious thought and perhaps give it a try.

      Delete
  3. Vicki, your preps and planning will go a long way toward your level of comfort should things go "south" or weather related issues arise. I would like to also suggest one more idea that might be useful should one need to leave their residence in a hurry. I have a small lightweight backpack style purse that I keep close at hand. It contains a minimum of a week's worth of my daily medications, an extra pair of reading glasses, my checkbook, some extra cash and credit card, a small LED flashlight on a lanyard, a bandana (multiple uses), a few family pics for ID purposes, phone charger,and very small jewelry case. This can be put together quickly and adapted to one's personal needs. In a situation when a person must evacuate home immediately, this bag is worth it's weight (about 6 lbs.) in gold. I have often thought about people forced to leave in cases of wildfires, flooding, and chemical spills with nothing. It doesn't need to happen with a little planning before an event. Thank you for letting me share.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CW...I am so glad you commented about your backpack. We see so many who have 'bug out bags' and that's a good plan. I had rather dismissed the idea because unless someone sets fire to my building, I am here for the duration. But reading your comment made me realize that something like that is good for many situations other than for the hardy types who think they will just head out and live off the land if everything falls apart. I think I would add a change of clothes if possible. Nothing like a clean change of underwear and sox to make a person feel better. :)
      Now that I think about it, I believe I have a smaller duffel bag with a shoulder carrying strap that is hiding on a shelf in my closet. I need to get it out and fill it. Thanks so much for the reminder.

      Delete
    2. Vicki, I love the idea of a change of clothes too. I do have another very small rolling bag with two changes of clothes that would also go with me if possible. The backpack style purse is for the absolute necessities of life. I could take it anywhere without drawing any unusual attention. Take care...

      Delete
    3. CW...Good point. I expect the bag I had in mind would draw attention. Perhaps a regular backpack would be better. Everyone carries one of those these days. Thanks.

      Delete
  4. I use the space saver vacuum bags for toilet paper.

    Red

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Red...What a great idea. I assume that the tp is squished down some so it takes up less space. I'll bet I could fit lots under my bed if packaged in vac space saver bags. Thanks so much for sharing that idea. I wouldn't have thought of it. :)

      Delete
  5. Be careful with the propane cylinders, Vicki. Storing them inside isn't a good idea, as when they leak, the propane, being heavier than air, tends to pool in some low space. There, it waits for some source of ignition! In a fire, the heat will cause the relief valves on the cylinders to activate, with catastrophic results! They should also be stored in open air; not in a box in a closet. Understood; you have to do what you can with what you have. Just be as safe as possible...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pete...Thank you for you concern. I understand about propane being heavier than air and the problems that could result from a leak. I just haven't been able to find a good solution. My apartment is in a downtown area of a suburb. There is no garage or storage shed available. The only thing I could think of is a heavy duty ventilated lock box of some kind attached to the communal deck, but in my neighborhood I doubt it would last a week before walking off. I suppose I could divide them up - one in a closet, one behind a chair, one in a corner, etc., so they aren't all together. Thing is, I live in blizzard country where snow and ice storms can easily knock out the power for days and my space heater is all I have then to heat at least one room and keep from freezing in an emergency situation. I welcome suggestions.

      Delete
    2. I feel your pain. I think all of us have some kind of storage or readiness issue that could be safer. Sometimes you just gotta ride the knife-edge and hope for the best. 'Any place in your abode to put some kind of wicker end table/storage unit type of thing? This would keep the cylinders out of sight, but would let them breathe if needed...

      Delete
    3. Pete...Don't know if you will see this or not - I just now checked my comments for spam and found your comment instead. I think I might be able to squeeze in a wicker storage unit somewhere. I will see what I can find. That is an excellent suggestion. Until then, I took the lid off the box to allow air flow. I might be able to hide a few cylinders on my home canned food shelves where they would be out of sight but could still breathe. One way or another, the box in the closet has to go, and thanks for making me aware of the problem. It is appreciated.

      Delete