A Short List Of Preparedness Supplies To Get Your Noggin Thinking…

short-list

Preparedness Lists are always fun… And are never wrong or are ever complete.

With that said however, here’s yet another short list of preparedness supply concerns to consider (other than food & water) for a time you hope never to experience.

Maybe one of these will get your ‘noggin’ to thinking about it…


 
Note: The premise is beyond ‘just’ short term SHTF. Lets say it’s in-between that and TEOTWAWKI.

 
Heavy Duty (Sturdy) Clothing: Think of the following two words: “Heavy Duty” (for everything). Pants, shirts, socks, shoes, work-boots, underwear, hats, work gloves, coats, rain-gear. During a time in which you’ve had to implement your preparedness plans, chances are high that you will be working lots more with your hands and physical body. This will stress the clothes that you wear. And today’s typical ‘cheap’ clothes will wear right out.

Sewing & Patching: Items to repair your existing clothing. Items to make new clothing. Extra fabric, sewing needles, thread, zippers, patching materials, patterns. As mentioned previously, your clothes will be put to the test. If there is no retail store to get new clothes, you’ll have to mend and/or make your own…

Canning Supplies: Jars, lids, bands, canning salt, pectin, pressure canner, spare parts, utensils. And know how to do it! During a time period of SHTF or EOTWAWKI, vegetable gardens will be absolutely necessary. Additionally, the means to preserve the garden bounty will be equally necessary…

First Aid: Kit and first aid supplies. Antibiotics, ointments, medications. There will be more injury when more people are working with their hands and body. Safety will be of utmost importance, however injuries will happen. Supply yourself and learn what you can about the application of First Aid.

Eye & Vision Care: Extra glasses! Contacts. Related supplies. I cannot over-emphasize the value of having extra eye glasses. If you cannot see, then you are greatly hindered during a time of collapse.

Sanitary Hygiene Products: TP! (you can never have enough). Feminine products. Need I say more?

Alternative Cooking: Camping Stove and fuel. Assume worst case scenario – electricity is out. Survival Cooking. You must have backup means to cook, boil water, etc..

Alternative Lighting: Candles. (Hurricane) Lantern & Fuel. Flashlight & Batteries.

Alternative Heat: Firewood. Wood Stove. Mr. Heater Buddy & Fuel. If you live in a cold climate, and if you have lost electricity, you will be in deep do-do (or worse) if you fail to acquire an alternative means to heat.

Sleeping Bag & Warm Blankets: Cold Weather sleeping. The Warmest Survival Blanket? Preserve your fuel at night while lowering the temp and staying cozy warm in a cold weather sleeping bag or good warm winter blankets.

Entertainment: Games for you and/or the kids. Books to read. Everyone needs a break. When the iPads, Playstations, and X-boxes don’t work – you’ll have to resort to good old fashioned games and alternatives ;)

Security & Firearms: Yes, during such a time as hypothesized for this list – your personal and household security will be at risk. Only you know your own environment, so prepare and acquire the ‘tools’ necessary to deter and/or defend what’s yours.

Radio Communications: Assume that electricity is out (a common assumption while preparing for TEOTWAWKI ;). Your cell phones, internet, and landlines will not be working. 2-way communications will be doable with devices like handheld 2-way radios (great for neighborhood comms and security), CB radios, or HAM radios (longer range). Many will power via 12-volt battery, however a means to charge them is paramount (solar).

 
OMG there is SO MUCH MORE, however as I said up top, lists are fun. Especially when you as readers add your own comments. It’s like brainstorming – and often helps others who themselves may not have thought of ‘that’…

Your turn:

149 Comments

  1. Good afternoon, Everyone,

    Good news Walmart.com has Augason Farms red and white wheat berries in 26 long term storage containers for $16.25 (Wow!!) Normally 20.83.
    I called Augason Farms directly to confirm USA grown and non-GMO.
    So there you have it, stock up on your dry goods that LAST. ;)

    OK, so as I stocked up for the non-gluten free among us, and bought more white and brown rice buckets for yours truly the GF (gluten free and a bunch of other frees) Shepherdess…

    On our entire homestead, I discovered we had ONE working small fingernail clipper!
    LOL LOTS of rice and wheat but can anyone trim their nails???

    So when you check and stock yer first-aid/personal care kits remember
    toe nail/finger nail clippers.

    Also we just bought over a period of time one of these for each person in our household a zero degree sleeping bag (they are bulky but very excellent in keeping you snug and warm). Very well made.
    TETON sports celcius XXL sleeping bag on Amazon.
    I bought a smaller one same company for me and about $10 cheaper

    countdown to new lambs: 4-5 weeks….

    1. It is amazing how a little item can make a big difference. I got a cactus needle stuck under a finger nail when I was Antelope hunting. It was impossible to get out since I didn’t have any tweezers with me. Three days later I immediately purchased 5 sets of tweezers and I carry them in all my first aide kits. Sometimes it is the little items that can make all the difference.

      1. Wolfgar, I agree about remembering the small items. It’s easy to overlook them until you really need them. I too bought tweezers after having a wood splinter going under a nail. Funny how painful/aggravating some thing that small can be.
        I stocked up on shoelaces, socks and put away a couple pairs of sneakers and work boots I got on a BOGO sale.
        Good advice for sure in your post.

      2. We went out gathering prickly pear fruit one year, for got to take my gloves… OMG had to go to dr. because the spines on those things are so hairy fine they get in your skin and ya can’t see em, I sure wish I’d had some duct tape with me that day, my fingers looked like Brats sausages by the time I got home.

    2. Concur on the nail clippers! Shop yard sales and look for made in the USA. Most if not all of it is now Chinese Cheap steel and prone to breakage. Same for can-openers, or pick up a Shelby P-38 on eBay.

      1. I too concur on the nail clippers. A few years ago, we were out of town on vacation, forgot the nail clippers. We ended up at Walmart to pick up a pair. The first time we used them, they broke. Even though they looked like a good metal pair, the handle broke. The handle was plastic, painted to look like metal.

    3. What DID people do before fingernail and toenail clippers? What is a substitute?

        1. Ugg, that’s all I could think of too. Guess I need to work on my flexibility lol

  2. Real Life:

    DD is working a research paper for school.
    Some parts have to be hand-written…

    “We are ready for the zombie apocalypse., but do we have a pencil?”

    :)

  3. Thanks for the heads up on the wheat. Just ordered some for us. Now I just have to get better at making bread from it. Anyone have any good recipes? I store Hard white wheat. They don’t like the hard red. Thank God Above that I thought to get small test bags first.

    Still working on the food preps. The list is helpful and made me think. We have clothes but could do to expand into a little more camping type gear. Big thing is a good all year/weather tent. Duct tape or 100 mph tape as we call it is great for just about everything. That and para-cord are really good things to have on hand. Now if I can just figure out the method to do those bracelets!

    Guess the big thing I need to do is sit down and make a priority to obtain list. It is a challenge to work toward self-reliance but so far I’m having fun learning new stuff constantly. Thanks to all who contribute to website in articles and comments. They help so much more than you probably could ever realize. Have a great day. I’m off to work on a loaf of bread!

    1. If you’re using whole wheat, you need to add the liquid and let the dough sit for up to 24 hours to soften the bran. I tried the two step process (where you only add the liquid to half the dry) but mixing the dry into the wet after the fact was a pain in the neck. You also need to use more liquid because the bran soaks it up. I do a no-knead bread which has to sit for 18 to 24 hours anyway.

    2. MM

      I make bread using hard white wheat. I make from a “bread in the bag” recipe and one using Sue Gregg’s 2 step over night soak recipe. What I figured out at the beginning is that the loaves are smaller than what we get at the grocery store. Also, it takes a LOT of kneading and I need to let them bake about 5 minutes longer than I think i need to.

  4. For all who are buying wheat berries: Make sure you purchase a grain grinder(or 2).People seem to forget that berries need to be ground. Absolutely no fun grinding berries with a stick/pipe in a bucket to make flour for bread. Time consuming and hard work.(tried it out for myself.)

    1. Bill Jenkins Horse…

      can one just soak them and use it cooked as a breakfast cereal/mix?

      1. Anon, yes you can, You can sprout them too for wheat grass or to make them easier to grind up. My comment was for those who want to make dry flour for breads. Also people should put wheat into their diet now. Some folks have a hard time digesting it. Better to know now then later.

        1. Bill Jenkins Horse

          thank you. thought it was the case, but just checking.

          brings to mind, Ken’s post (maybe you would link it Ken?) on the inexpensive/nutritious breakfast mix he posted article/recipe on..
          I think that called for similar …

          Cheap Breakfast for surviving Hard Times

      2. Yes!

        Just Rinse wheat berries (do not have to soak overnite)
        Put desired mount in sturdy pot/pan cover with water and a little salt.
        Bring to boil.
        Turn down to simmer, cover pot or pan, let cook about 1 hr till tender.
        Drain.
        Serve with whatever hot cereal toppings you prefer.

        Peace n out :)

        1. Shepherdess

          Thank you. It is easier than I recalled.

          I have to make a point to try these.

    2. Good List #11 might be the ability to grow stuff to replace supplies. I bought a bunch of Earthboxes as they produce prolifically and no farmer skills are necessary. Ex thought we needed a house on a golf course. Divorced Ex and started prepping. A gated golf community provides its challenges to prepping. Need heirloom sees too.

      And FYI In today’s Sarasota Herald Tribune was a small article buried inside
      that said that ISIS is planning a coordinated attack on the US in 2016. They are tired of single man attacks and want to step stuff up. Unfortunately no specific details were provided. Be well and safe my friends.

  5. Ken; you’re NO fun at all… I wanted the TP comment geeeeze. HAHAHAHA

    Ok, here’s a few I was thinking
    1. Hand-Soap/Shampoo/Laundry-Soap/Sanitizing-Scrub
    2. Heirloom Seeds 2-3 years’ worth
    3. Hand tools and sharpening files/stones
    4. Underwear and Socks, their cheap, buy lots
    5. Educational and Reading materials
    6. “How To” books, if/when the Net goes information will be valuable
    7. Ken & Shepherdess mentioned Duct Tape, but Bailing Wire is the second part of fixing ANYTHING
    8. Tarps, and a few rolls of Plastic.
    9. Nonfood Cooking supplies (pans, bowls, utensils) and paper goods.
    10. Wood cutting equipment, non-chainsaw type, Axes, Bow Saws, Trimmers
    11. Did anyone mention Toilet Paper? HAHAHA, Sorry all, I just had to say it.

    NRP
    PS; No I don’t have a TP fetish, just having fun. :-) :-) :-)

    1. Good list.

      I added stuff to blacken out my windows. I also beefed up my building security Oh and I added lots of sun tan lotion and bug spray both for myself and the house. And yes I stock pile TP. I also bought a special plug to plug the sewer lines in case the one into the property backs up. I’m on public sewer. And I bought a bunch of Poo Powder and plastic bags. (If you dont know what that is, type it into Amazon.

      Also purchased a well straw. I have public water but learned that my irrigation well contains potable water. I also went to the county to find out the specifics on the well. It has a high surfer content and therefore may be a bit “fragrant” but it is drinkable. Also purchased a Big Berkey in case the water is contaminated at some point in time..

      And I keep a bunch of water purifiers on hand. Iodine being one and as chlorine does not store well, I purchase a bunch of Calcium Hypochloride pool shock. The stuff is stable. One can do some research on the web and determine how to use it instead of liquid chlorine. Oh and speaking of TP, I bought a bunch of small trash cans with flip up lids and some small plastic bags. Figured used #1 TP could be used for fuel in a Silverfire Hunter which I also purchased for both sustainable heating and cooking. The used #1 TP could be stored in these containers until ready to burn.

      And I have bought a bunch of Faraday bags and then covered them with silver foil and added key electrical stuff. I have also read up on how to dispose of #2 Lime is useful to have on sight. Sorry for all the ..ah… “shitty” comments but it might be useful to some of you.

  6. Oh and I used to do a lot of sailing. There are these portable showers one can
    get at sporting good stores. The hold about 5 gals, can be set out in the sun
    and heated, then hung for a shower assuming you stockpiled soap and toothpaste. Also bought stainless steel hooks for the garage to hang them when heated. Figured the more I did now, the less to do later.

    And I bought a manual carpet sweeper. It uses rolling brushes to scoop up stuff into a bin in the base. I read someplace that ya need to take care of your body and house as ya don’t want to be living in a mess and feel dirty. It will wear ya down. Hope these suggestion help. I also stocked shampoo.

  7. Window screen (kits if you can get them)
    pvc and sprinkler parts
    paper, rubber bands, paperclips, twist ties, tacks, string/yarn/wire (all the little stuff you can never find and just run to the store for)
    toothpaste

    And crayons :) in case NRP comes to visit.

    1. @ Lauren

      Ouch……

      HAHAHA
      NRP

      PS; make sure they’re the eatable kind :-)

      1. I figure you (apparently) don’t have kids or grandkids to give you a hard time so someone needs to do it. :P

    2. Good post Lauren,

      For a cheap alternative to toothpaste to those who don’t mind:
      Baking soda!
      For toothpaste, just make a little paste with baking soda and water and a drop of EO peppermint if you like
      Great for cleaning
      settling acid stomach, just read that it can help with ulcers
      You can use baking soda for deodorant just get a little shaker jar (empty spice jar or whatever)

      My fav natural deodorant is THAI salt deodorant on Amazon…only ingredient mineral salts (no aluminum) last a long time at least A YEAR ($5 as an add on item or $12 regular) Love it!

  8. BDI today is at 290.

    I have those funky wood sticks from the hobby stores wiped with Vaseline and put in a Ziploc bag as tinder. Yes, I do have several magnesium fire starters, water and windproof matchsticks, cotton balls with Vaseline, a small different fuel portable stove, several compasses, laminated maps and maps downloaded as PDFs on each of our thumb drives, tablet, cell-phones, military survival manual, five years of future calendars (these are print and digital ), Morse code instructions, pretty much two of each for each of us.

    ..for hygiene, baking soda for brushing teeth, bar hair shampoo, lots of Ziplocs in different sizes, garbage bags all kids of sizes…and many dynamo style gizmos to operate small devices.

    Also, homework for everyone who has not tried it out yet and needs small batteries..the button style ones: sacrifice different sizes of batteries (safety first-we are all adults here :) and see how they are constructed. It might be surprising to see whats in it. For those who know what I am talking about, no talking :))))

    PS: I have replaced on all our boots the laces with military grade 550 cord.
    What is also good to have is aluminum foil. Lots of it, you can clean it after use and reuse it again.

    I have also fabric, a sewing kit, zippers in different sizes, buttons, elastic, Velcro, crocheting and knitting needles and upholstery needles…

    Oh, those neodymium magnets will come very handy some day. Just keep them away from anything which can loose data.

    1. @ Texas
      I totally agree with the Aluminum Foil, I have a BUNCH of Tin-Foil-Hats to make :-)
      NRP

        1. LOL, extra foil is for my hats for the sheeple who start to wake up…some of the sheeple might wake up soo bad once they realize what happen, that they will become some of the best preppers…

          Which brings me to something I forgot to say….regarding health and medical. If possible at all, have your own blood drawn, prepared and stored in case you will ever need it. It does have to be in a fridge, but a small price to pay. I also wait for things to settle down for us a bit and will be getting a prescription for IV fluids-glucose and electrolytes. You could improvise with sterile water, sugar and salt for your own bag, but I rather have the sterile version.

          Also, the unscented baby wipes, I got lots of them. As well the hospital grade disinfecting wipes…With the blood, you never know when you might need them. I will do that soon, because our blood type is rare and hard to get by in case of an emergency.

        2. I made some sterile (pressure cooked) medical jars that have pre-threaded surgical needles in them. I’ve been trying to figure out how to make a sterile wash or iv bag from bottles of sterile water. I know there are “vents” you can put in a jar that will let air in as the water drains out, but I want to figure out how to convert it into a true sterile IV. Just braining :) it for now.

        3. I have been thinking about that too. I think I need to get to those science kit websites and procure some stuff from them. I know you can autoclave (sterilization by steam), and then I am thinking how about I use a pressure cooker with an insert where I can put those items in so I can sterilize them. Got to test out my theory first though.

          The other thing is that all my bandages are cotton, because you can cook them out to sterilize. For wound irrigation you can use sterile water and a teaspoon of natural salt (important because you don’t want any anti-caking media in there), and keep it in a bottler (sterile too). Saltwater prevents bacteria from spreading.

        4. Lauren, Many of the IV sets have the ability to use a bag which does not require venting or a bottle which does require venting. Look on eBay. A lot of this kind of stuff requires a prescription but isn’t closely regulated or is sold for vet use. You might want to check into clysis and enemas for hydration.

          Nursing kind of runs in my family. Grandmother was an LPN. Mom was an LPN/RN as I was. Mom went on a nursing tour to Russia back in the late 70s or early 80s. One of the things that she was shocked by was the nurses mixed their own IV solution. The bottles were open topped and the IV tubing was gum rubber. The sterile water was poured into the top of the hanging bottle and the saline or dextrose was added and stirred with a wooden paddle.

          Sounds pretty horrible but it worked (I hate to think what their infection rate was). Anyway you should be able to refill IV bags or bottles. I wouldn’t personally recommend it but in the absence of any other means it could be doable.

          A quick search on eBay just showed IV fluid, tubing sets and IV catheters (needles) available.

        5. Lauren, how about using a vacuum food sealer (without the vacuum) to seal IV solution in a bag ? You could then boil in a water bath to sterilize the contents.

        6. I’m finding that many forms of plastic take to pressure cooking without a hitch. If I can figure out what needs to be done I can try out a test batch and see what happens.

      1. NRP, Ha yes! I also discovered that you can use tinfoil as an improvised battery! I tried it and it works! You just have to roll up the tinfoil to the size of the battery you need. You just have to have at least one regular battery in the device (even if it’s half dead)

        1. Lauren, I can’t remember where I originally saw it. It was on one of the YouTube channels that I visit. Either Southern Prepper1 channel, Sensible Prepper channel or Maine Prepper channel. But anyway, you can just type it into the search engine when you get to YouTube and you’ll see a bunch of how to’s pertaining to it.

        2. It’s not a matter of how-to’s–I’ve been doing this for years. It’s a major piece of one of my projects, and I didn’t even realize others were using it. I use a copper coil rather than tinfoil and all the flashlights in the house are set up this way. If this is being used, likely someone out there is doing the same type of research I’m doing, and if that’s so I want to know about it!

  9. In addition to entertainment items I would also like to suggest educational items. Such as history books, math, science, literature, philosophy, theology, logic and engineering. These will help aid the rebuilding process after the collapse.

    It might also be a good idea to keep a diary or journal of all the events that occur during and after the collapse. It can be used by others as a learning tool after you’re gone, but could also be useful as you’re keeping it as a therapeutic tool for stress and help you keep your sanity.

    Plus it’ll be much easier to keep track of our future history if someone’s keeping track of it as it happens rather than trying to write it down after the fact.

    1. The old textbooks are disappearing. If you have old textbooks, readers, etc, do NOT throw or give them away. History textbooks especially–they may not be unbiased, but a lot less biased than what they’re teaching now. If nothing else it will give your kids and grandkids another perspective when they can see what the previous generations thought.

    2. Grits,

      Go to the Gutenberg site and check out BookBoon. I subscribed to them and downloaded all of the science books they have in a PDF format. Of course, just like Lauren said, keep the old books. I have probably spent over 40 K since I came here in the States in 94. I don’t throw out books and don’t donate either. I do borrow them out if one asks. To me, books are some of the most precious things one can have.

      Also, I got over 3 pounds worth of pencils alone, composition books ruled and squares (actually a really big Rubbermaid bin full of them), ball pens, rulers, and other thingies..I kind of prepared for my future grand-kids too.

      The next thing, and I know some may find it funny, but that is okay, I will be buying baby clothing, a weeks worth of it, in neutral colors, winter clothing, clothes diapers, shoes…etc. These will be scarce when SHTF and life has to and will go on. And yes, my son and I discussed his protection too (now that he is fully on board with my stocking up on things).

      1. Texas, you are a lot like me. I have over 1800+ hardback and softback books in my home. My goal is to have the answers to whatever I may need or whatever interests I have. I am now trying to build a digital library as well.

        1. My MO is pretty much this: how are we to restart society in our corner, whichever corner we may be at that time, when we don’t have the books to give us guidance. I know lots of things, but I also know that I don’t know everything.

          Besides, I love reading books…I hate malls with passion, I rather be home, curled up with a good cup of coffee.

        2. ME,

          I think Britannica has a CD set for like 20 dollars or so, their entire last volume. That is very cost effective in my eyes, might be worth spending the money on it..I remember these costing almost 90 about three or four years ago.

        3. You can also get all the National Geographic books on CD as well. I have them.

    3. Grits, Yes! I have those educational items you mentioned. I also have hardcover copies of the Constitution and plenty of Bibles!

      1. Lifelonglearner,
        I was going to say Bible, as that is what is in my collection, but I wanted to be all inclusive and said theology.

  10. I don’t know if this will help anyone, but a couple years ago I went on a hike with my family and realized if anything happened I was screwed in that I had no way to build a shelter or make fire. After I got home I just couldn’t shake that feeling so I taught myself how to make a 550 paracord bracelet.(thank you YouTube).

    However I modified it a bit as when I made the bracelet I wove into it a ferro rod, exacto blade, 50 ft. of 7lb test fishing line, 12′ of steel wire, 2 spinners, 3 fish hooks on leaders, and 10 feet of jute twine.
    Eventually I made a hat band for the Tilley hat that I wear everywhere and it has over 75 feet of paracord, as well as everything mentioned above and I don’t even have to wear it on my wrist.

    While this isn’t really a “prep” item, it does make me feel a lot more comfortable knowing that if I’m ever stranded I am much better prepared along with my other EDC items.

    1. I forgot … there’s also 4 lead weights and a few other things, but you get the idea.

      1. Thanks for the Youtube hint for doing the paracord bracelet. What you did sounds pretty nifty. No idea why I never thought of Youtube. I always get something from what everyone posts here.

        1. MM, It’s my privilege to help any way possible. If you want to weave things into your 550 cord I would suggest using electrical or Duct tape. It holds everything in place and you just knot the cord right over the goodies inside.

    2. Good idea Serenabit. I have seen paracord belts. Just imagine how much you can put into a belt. Maybe you can make a complete survival paracord belt and sell them, or have them for barter.

  11. Baking Soda is a great idea… in addition it can be used to
    put out fires. I also stock up on fire extinguishers and a hood/mask
    in case I need to put out a fire.

  12. I have come to think that my biggest prep deficit is HIDING PLACES.

    I am alone and can’t stay awake 24/7. Nor can I watch all four sides of my house all by myself. So I expect people will break in and take what they can find. Maybe even the government will come calling and demand that any extra food and supplies be shared with the general population or given to the military.

    I can find one hiding place in my house (about 2′ X 2′ X 2′) that I think no one will think to look. But I don’t have the carpenter skills to wall off a secret hiding place in my basement, or wall off a section of closet, and even if I could afford to hire someone to do it, then that person or company would know where my hiding place is. I could possibly dig a few small holes in my back yard, sufficient to hide a few cans of food, a small stove with fuel, or some medical supplies. But someone will take my tp, most of my stored food, my pet food, and maybe even my pets if they are hungry enough. I am discouraged lately and think that in a serious emergency, I will not survive or be forced into a FEMA camp.

    1. @ DaisyK

      Don’t get discouraged. I found “how to” books that cover a wide variety of topics at Home Depot. There’s always the library as well. You can practice building small scale models of what you’d like to build. That way you get a feel for the work and if you make a mistake, its a learning experience.

      My ex-FIL forced me to learn construction techniques many years ago. Hated it at the time but it turned out to be a god-send. Also, Home Depot used to have small workshops showing people how to build small items. May not be what you’re looking to make but it gives you a chance to handle tools while being supervised. Just a thought. I took advantage of the Home Depot classes for practice.

      1. KK and Daisy, some of these stores have ladies classes…check their site out for schedules or go in and talk to a manager…

        1. Texas

          Rub it in why don’t ya! Looking for a gluten free alternative for the phyllo. Maybe I just need to get a different husband. Someone who can eat wheat, barley and rye.

          kk

        2. LOL, oh, can you imagine the joy of eating a chunk of feta, fresh tomato and a big chunk of fresh rye or spelt bread when the SHTF. And a cup of coffee on the side, the one from the gezve. And some real black tea…ugh, getting homesick.
          I don’t have a gluten problem, but I have a serious problem eating processed foods here.

          Now, we have Sprouts open here in my corner, and they finally offer french bread without all those chemicals…can’t get enough of it…I get up early in the morning and get it while its still warm.

        3. Texas

          You are naughty. I remember hubby wanting to try coffee made in a gezve. So I obliged and made 2 cups for us. The look on his face after the first sip was priceless. He never asked for it again. And yes, I know how to make a great cup cuz baba taught me how as a child.

          Now the gezves sit unloved in the cupboard.

          kk

        4. I got to ask…baba as grandma? No, our gezve is used daily…Starbucks does not cut it…at least my DDH loved sarma, he could never get enough of it…

        5. @ Texas and kawartha kween
          Ok, you two need to STOP with the ajvar and baklava talk……. as I sit here eating my McDonalds heart attack hamburger (not really), But y-all eat/make foods I’m only dreaming of these days…. YUMMMMMMMM
          NRP

    2. Daisy,

      Are there any like minded people in your area that you trust? Not necessarily family members or even friends, but people who can add to your skill sets, and you would be an asset to them as well.

      Maybe that would be a good article Ken; to allow people to post their area or region where they live, if for no other reason but to know that there are like minded people everywhere. (And maybe someone close enough to rely on in a SHTF situation for moral support if not physical.)

      1. I live in north central Wyoming. I trust the boys who have been mowing my lawn and doing lots of odd jobs for me (new roof on my porch, new fence, etc.) but they are all in college now except the youngest and he is swamped doing all the yards he and his brothers have been doing. (Winter is out because he is a straight A student and active in sports and his church)

        1. It can’t hurt to have a conversation with the remaining college student that you trust; just open the topic along the lines of your concerns. I might say something like “if the SHTF or people go crazy and the law isn’t around, do you know people in the area that I could trust to help me? When he suggests himself or other college kids, ask who if you are away?

          You may want to meet their parents. If the kids have a good work ethic and are trustworthy, they likely learned it at home. Just my thoughts.

        2. There are no colleges here. That’s why my high school lawn boy’s brothers are far away. I wish I could get my brother to come and do a few of these things, but he is hundreds of miles away and doesn’t drive. I have offered to come get him, but he says no. I am hoping that if TSHTF my nephew and his wife will come here and bring my brother with them. I have invited them.

        3. Maybe invite him and his parents to dinner as a thank you and see how you feel after meeting them.

        4. Lauren,

          I think that is a very good idea, to have them to dinner, or something, to check them out/see how she feels. Don’t know, even then, I would give it a bit of time/few “meet ups”…Good thing to be cautious about.

          There are folks I would invite to dinner, have coffee with, etc, but I would be concerned to discuss a lot of these things with.

        5. If they’re preppers too (or moving in that direction) the topic will probably come up quite naturally. Since they have several children in college she could easily introduce making sure they’re prepared for living on their own and see where the conversation goes.

        6. I actually think they are pretty prepared. I have had conversations with the father, not too specific. Around here you can start a conversation about how far it is to the nearest supermarket and ask for gardening/canning tips. I know they have a large garden and the boys and their father all hunt.

          Once, when the two youngest were 14 and 16, I ran into the father while I was shopping and he mentioned that those two boys were deer hunting. I asked who they had gone with and he replied, “They just went by themselves.”

    3. DaisyK

      Daisy, I have always thought of you (in my time reading this blog)as a sort of
      Granny of the show ,”The Clampetts”

      Canny/Crafty/Wily/Tenacious/No One’s Fool/Well Prepared.

      I have often thought you are much better informed/prepared/skilled/knowledgeable than I. Having said all that, if I were you, I would be cautious about who/whom you let in on any preps you have.

      I have heard in the news of a few cases, where relatives wanted to get grandma or grandpa packed off to a home, or the neighbor or local investor wanted the house/lot for a development,and again wanted the person off to a “home”, and had the person committed/certified incompetent.

      Often a basis for this was tendencies to “hoard”…What some of us would call “prepping”. I have truly seen these cases in the news, and certainly in two of them, the individuals did not have many “things” or “supplies”. It was heartbreaking. So, be careful who you let be aware of what you have/what you store.

      For some suggestions which may be of interest..

      – do you shoot? this is not a possibility for me…if you have a shotgun/gun, get good at it. Make many regular trips to “the range”, so folks realize you are a sure shot.

      -can you get a bigger dog?

      -get some theatrical makeup, learn how, to make yourself up as if you have some disease…Even if the authorities came to confiscate goods, they might think twice about taking from “an infected home”.

      —-not sure what would work, but I have heard of several cases of the “plague” in the states in the past five years.

      —-re the plague…well I actually read somewhere (maybe it was a fiction story, cant recall), someone kept several dead rodents froze/wrapped in freezer, to toss out and about in such a case, and to claim they were dead from some terrible disease.

      Storing Food

      -do you have a box spring under your mattress? Do you really need/care if there is a box spring? Many folks put a board under the mattress anyway.

      ——–You can either get a sheet of plywood cut the dimensions of the box spring (cut slightly smaller so it is hidden by the mattress), or you can use boards cut to the correct size. Then lay across the box spring. This might be best, as it would be easiest for one to manage. Slice the material in the box spring, and pull the springs out, then lay boards across the inside bottom of the box spring (so nothing falls out).. Put stuff in, lay fabric top back, put boards on, put mattress on. There you have a fair bit of storage.

      ——-Any spare beds? do the same.

      ——Could do the same in the couch seat…under the cushions, etc.

      —–I had an old couch that the fabric on the back fell off, and there was a fair bit of room back there.

      You live alone, do you have much laundry? do you need your washer dryer?

      — have read of folks either storing things in these machines, or, taking the innards out, and storing. I read that if you shove something like a crowbar/heavy screwdriver under the front edge of a top washer, you can flip the top up, etc etc..

      – You mentioned a while back, you were going to increase your garden size? If you have someone do some of the digging for you, you could have them dig a largish/deepish hole in front/beside it. Tell them it is for rainwater watering system/compost leaching system/etc.. You could bury something (safely sealed from wet) there.

      Do you have any drawers in your cupboard/in a desk/stove bottom drawer/filing cabinets?

      — drawers always have space behind them.

      Any medicine chests in the wall/bathroom/etc?

      – again, have seen these wiggled out, and sometimes fair bit of space

    4. —buy some plumbing pipe the same diameter as what’s under your kitchen or / and bathroom sinks….. put whatever in it, glue it up behind other pipes under the sink.

      —pry the kickboard off of the bottom of cupboards…usually fair bit of space under there (some folks put drawers under there so it is easier to pull stuff out)

      —usually a fair bit of space under a tub…- sometimes the side of the tub can be pride off/set back

      —does your kitchen/dining table have an “edge” which comes down a couple of inches? Have seen someone put a piece of wood under there to hide smalls in. You could turn table upside down, put few things in, press board against, and tap a few small nails in to hold.

      —find yourself (local garage sale?) a nice BIG plastic statue. Peel the bottom off/slice a hole etc.. Store stuff in there. Time I saw this on a show, the person was “apparently” quite religious and had a number of these, “religious” statues and hid stuff inside them. (I’ve seen some rather huge plastic statues of animals…bears/dear/etc)

      —Pull off the rubber ends on the ironing board leg and voila! a tube for hiding

      –Have a ‘secret’ jewelry box or box of some kind sitting on the dresser or tucked away in a dresser drawer. Put some cash in there and cheap jewelry, maybe even a small key that doesn’t open anything. This is your decoy and will hopefully let the thief think he found the stash he’s looking for. Have it full of ‘junk’ that looks valuable, the more the better.

      1. To Suggestions:

        Those are very good ideas. I have thought of some of them already for small items, but for all the #10 cans, my pet food, the big rolls of tp, paper towels, and my big jugs of water, I need a much bigger space.

        Yes, I have a couple of handguns, a stun gun, and some pepper spray. I am not strong, so a long gun is out of the question; I can’t hold it steady. I might replace my very friendly 68 lb dog when he dies. He is 14.

        I have several posters saying “Quarantine” “Biohazard” etc. and plan to put one of them up, depending on circumstances.

        I am not strong enough to lift my mattresses; I could store some stuff under the beds, but I am sure someone would look there. There is nothing but floor under my tub. If the electricity is off I can certainly put some things in my washer and dryer and plan to do so.

        I am expanding my own garden this year, without help, by using grow pots and other containers. I have bought one container that is 3′ X 4′ and another that is 50″ in diameter, plus a number of smaller containers. I could dig a space under one of the containers, hide some stuff there, and use the dirt I dug up to help fill the containers.

        I haven’t had an iron or ironing board for decades. I am strictly a blue jeans girl. I have already thought of putting small objects behind my books in my bookcases. I have a LOT of books. I can hide cash in between pages of books. A statue is a good idea; I will look for one.

        Thank you for all of your ideas.

        1. Pull the books to the front of the bookcases and stack stuff behind them.

          If you have end tables, cover them with small tablecloths for a while and then replace the tables with buckets.

          Ask a neighbor to help you put a sheet of plywood under your mattress, over the box spring. Some people do this to make a firmer mattress, and if he (or they) asks you can use this excuse. Once that’s in place, crawl under the bed and cut the cloth from the bottom of the box spring. Place boards across the supports and you can fill the space from the bottom.

          If you have a couch or chairs with skirts, there is usually a great deal of space in there. Tip them over and see.

          If you have an old TV (or any other big appliance) that you don’t use you could gut that and use it for storage as well.

          Filing cabinets that you aren’t using or are only partially using.

          Big boxes in the closets with a layer of stuff over the supplies.

          Check to see if your cupboards have a space underneath or behind them. They often do, behind the kick-space. If so, carefully pry off the board under the kick-space and fill that area, then nail it back on. Spaces behind ready-made cabinets, or on top between the cabinet and the ceiling. Just remember that if you ever want to move you’ll need to empty all your hiding places!

        2. Yes. That is what I plan to do with my books/bookcases. Two of my big bookcases will exactly fit across my two biggest/most vulnerable windows. I will remove the books, get a neighbor to help me move the bookcases, then put SMALL cans/packages of food, aspirin, toothpaste, etc in the shelves, then put some of my books back in front of the stored items. I am thinking that the bookcases, filled with cans, books, etc might stop bullets, and if I put something heavy in front of them, no one will be able to tip them over to get inside my house.

          I have some smaller bookcases that I can move myself and other items to put in front of some of my smaller windows. Maybe someone will help me move my fridge in front of one of my windows. I have heavy steel front and back doors, with deadbolts and lockable screens, as well. A determined person or mob will still be able to get in — or burn me out.

          I do have a hidden space in one of my cupboards. About 2′ X 2′ X 2′. I didn’t find it until I had lived here a year and a half.

          The only furniture I have, is my desk and chair, a small dining table (not big enough for company,) 4 straight chairs, 2 recliners, and a love seat, plus my beds, one dresser, and lots of bookcases. Not much room for anything except for under the bed, behind books, and maybe at the back of the drawers in the dresser. I have a shed in back, but it is not heated or cooled and everything in there gets dirty from the dust blowing in the wind. (This is windy Wyoming.)

          Most of my preps, other than current supplies in my cupboards, are stored in cardboard boxes in my basement. They are against my back wall, and I have put boxes of old clothes, boxes of old pictures, and boxes of books in front of and on top of the boxes of food. I will have extra books after I remove the double layers in my bookcases when I put food behind the remaining books. So I will have more books to pile on top of #10 cans. Then hopefully it will look like all the food boxes are filled with books. That is my best plan.

        3. DaisyK

          glad it gave you some ideas. it’s always tough figuring things out.

          re the statue…after I wrote that, it occurred to me
          a Budha statue would be more helpful than some. He was sort
          of a mmm fat dude, and if you found a big enough one, …..

          only suggestion I have re statues, is whatever yu find, if it is of religious nature, get a few other things of similar religious nature, to spread around so it doesn’t seem “out of place”.

        4. Daisy K

          there you go…just make sure if you get a Christian Statue, you have a few odds and ends to set about so it doesn’t look out of place. If pressed on your views/opinions on said religion, you can respond with a demur “oh my momma would not like me discussing such personal matters”.

        5. been thinking on this, DaisyK…

          don’t know it this would work/keep. Other may have suggestions on this.

          It has kept rolling around in my head, for awhile it was a big fad to have
          “buckwheat pillows for improved sleeping”/ “grain hot paks to heat in microwave for sore muscles”, etc…

          maybe you see where I am going?

          I was thinking you could make up vacu seal packs, or double zip lock bag packs , with put in oxygen absorbers, etc (as someone would do when storing pails of same).

          make these either in
          Pillow size for each item (beans/rice/dried soup mix/freeze dried veg/etc)
          or
          Several smaller packs, maybe assortment, to fill a pillow

          You could make or purchase some throw cushion/decorative pillow covers, and cover these.

          You would have an assortment of goods/easily accessible, and may not be noticed by someone looking for the goods.

        6. They would probably be noticed by my cats, though and there wouldn’t be anything left but a mess after my kitten gets through with them.

        7. Actually, that’s not too bad an idea after all. I could fill old pillows with instant rice or instant potatoes, put the pillow cases on, and then store them on the top shelf of my 2nd bedroom. It would just look like I had some extra pillows in my guest room for company.

        8. DaisyK

          just make sure if you do pillow/throw cushion storage, that you follow the techniques on here for keeping things…diogenic earth/moisture absorber/etc etc.

          I think that if you don’t have a food saver, put in one Ziploc/and then in opposite direction another Ziploc.

          you might one to try on like this/in a throw cushion, and see…your cats may not have any interest, who knows…

          of course, if you had a footstool or such with a lid that lifts up, it might not look out of place to keep “throw cushions” in there too (and safe from cats).

        9. DaisyK

          you mentioned somewhere that eventually you may get a larger dog, etc..

          Can I suggest you start thinking now, what kind/size/who has a dog you like the temperament of (get from their litter). It is not an easy decision to get another dog, when one has passed.

          However if you sort of get it organised in your mind now, it will be somewhat easier. And, it may well take some long while to find someone whose dog you like the “manner” of. (often it is suggested to look at the parents to see what the “attitude” of the offspring might me)

          also, as you consider a dog, think of one which can be raised up from a pup
          to be a helper. It would be useful to train it for various aspects

          -get this or that for you
          -security of course, and if you and he are alone much it will naturally protect you as his pack
          -sniff out any vermin
          -train it to alert you if you have any infection, ear infection or such
          -train it to pull a blanket up over you…(if you ever had an injury this could come in handy)
          -train it to bark/woof when pot on stove boils
          -the more you can train it to do, the more useful it will be as you age, the longer/more you will remain independent
          -the more you train it to do things, the more it will bond with you/the more protective it will be

          etc..

          just stuff to mull over now. especially to keep an eye out locally for who might have a dog with the sort of size and nature you are looking for. These things take time.

        10. On the thought of your hand guns, on the advice of military and poice contacts the more loaded mags you have the better because having to take the time to reload a mag would put you at a disadvantage if you’re by your self with multiple attackers outside and if you have revolvers then speed loaders would do.

        11. I’m not able to lift heavy things any longer myself.. Had my son make me some hollow wooden lamp bases so I can store important things inside of them.. Bought a nitroglygerine pill container that attaches to my key chain and I keep some spare cash in it rolled up.

          This past summer I grew swiss chard, sweet potatoes, and other vegies in little kids play pools , pots, buckets and such. Pulled my old in the wall medicine cabinet out of the wall, added some shelves in the wall for storage and hung a big old mirror over it. I keep a cattle prod next to my bed of a night and believe me that thing hurts when you get zapped by it. Had to use it once on a guy that broke in my house , got him right in his you know what.. you could hear him screaming nearly a block away, LOL.

    5. @DaisyK, I too am alone, but I have 4 100+ lb German shepherds from Schutzhund lines in Germany to carry down that protection instinct and keep intruders out. I also have guns hidden close to where I sleep and in my living room. Your home should be your safe place.

    6. DaisyK

      if you could do these up secure enough that your cats would leave them alone,

      I was thinking of “draft catchers”, those long tubes folks make/put at bottoms of doors and windows to keep drafts out…

      you could make these up with a different thing in each (beans / rice/etc), and have them handy if needed. Just put some type of tough outer covering on each so cats are not too interested.

      also, it used to be very common to have “door stops”, a large heavy (usually metal) smallish (one foot high) door stop. You can easily find something similar (usually used for outdoor décor), made of plastic..I myself have a few small dogs, etc.. These usually have a circle in bottom you could take out, and again put different ingredient in each. Then use them as “door stops”.

  13. A good tip I picked up if you are storing flashlights. Don’t leave the battery’s in them as the acid will leak and cause corrosion on the connections.

    1. ME and all,

      any truth to not keep batteries in the fridge because the cold kind of zaps them?

      Heard confusing tips on that….

      1. Texas, I actually heard just the opposite. That keeping battery’s in a refrigerator slows down the chemical break down making them last longer. I store all mine in the garage frig deli drawer.

      2. @Texas
        I agree, storing batteries in the frig seems, for anyways, to keep longer. NRP

  14. Always enjoy coming here :) wonderful community and lots of ‘thought prompters’.. Good stuff! .. Just thought I’d toss in my 2cents, I found some canning jars with lids at goodwill. As well as some smaller metal ‘plates’ like in some mess kits.
    I went there specifically to scout for budget ‘prep gear’. The other good find there has been small zip pouches for organizing bags, kits and other small items. I’ve found at least 8-10 useful containers for $1-2 each. Which is a lot less than even amazon had the for (gasp!) .. It always seems that small items just get tossed into pockets and either get lost or requires an excavation to find them.
    The pouches are great for that. Depending on the style, size and shape, I also make them into fire kits, survival kits or hygiene mini kits. That way there’s always one kicking around to hand to someone before they go into the woods or when they want a nail clipper, tweezers or bandaids :)
    Thanks everyone for the countless good ideas!

  15. …LOL, you’ve uncovered my secret plot ;)

    Seriously though – I find it very rewarding that so many people contribute here in such a helpful way. Because there’s nothing more ‘turn off’ than visiting a site where the comments tend to descend into fighting, bickering, or trolling. Or a site which is all ‘one way’ with the writer being the ‘know it all’.

    On the other hand, I know that I DO NOT know it all, and I enjoy writing about a topic and then sitting back and reading the rest from you all…

    1. This is why I appreciate this sight so much. It is informative with good ideas from both the host as well as the commentors. Very good and important information being shared by all with little or no condescending remarks.

  16. Lots of ziploc style bags in different sizes.

    Shoe polish and a waterproofing product. My European trained custom shoe maker grandfather taught me to polish footwear before wearing them for the first time. It protects the leather. When you can’t replace your shoes they need to be cared for.

    Several tubes of shoe goo for minor repairs.

    Several pairs of sunglasses. In winter you don’t want to suffer from snow blindness.

    Walking aids like canes, crutches etc.

    Tensor bandages and braces for knees, ankles and wrists.

    1. kawartha kween, I had to laugh a bit!!! You must plan on walking for sure or have a real ‘thing’ about feet, LOL – Your list 4 out of 5 in some way have to do with them. Shoe polish and waterproofing, shoe goo/glue, canes and crutches, wraps for ankles…. et.al.. And you’ve good points. I rarely hear or think of the eventual need for shoe replacement. Let alone maintenance. Definitely made me think on that issue.

      I agree that for dress shoes – good hard leather with a finish(shine) that new shoes should be polished well and often to keep them nice and presentable for the social functions. I’ve a pair I wear only with a tuxedo that I do exactly that with them.

      But for hiking shoes, I’ll stick with the old tried and true method of soaking them in warm water for a half-hour, slathering my feet with cold cream, socks on and reslather those and then walk them dry. Takes a day at least. The outside then once they’ve dried can be water-proofed in whatever means you have (if at all). For the eventuality of things going south, the last thing I’d want were shoes that had to be broken in or I had to worry about appearances. Seriously, I want boots that don’t squeak, pinch or cause abrasions and such.

      Still, the idea of replacement – the shoe goo for repair was a good one. I already use 3M 5200 quick dry marine sealant to repair loose soles. Works pretty good. I’ve tried epoxies; but, the end result is a sole that is too stiff and quickly snaps the adhesive.

      1. @ Heartless

        Don’t have a “thing” for walking or feet. Got a mobility challenged hubby. Back in the day we called them handicapped. I’ve got my own issues with mobility thanks to arthritis and a serious accident. So yeah, I guess I tend to focus on being able to move about.

        Forgot to add wheelchair to my list.

        kk

        1. @ Heartless

          Please don’t apologize, I wasn’t insulted by your comments. We all have to work with whatever we’ve been dealt in this life.

          I can still climb a ladder, slowly, so I’m still in pretty good shape. We all find ways of coping with disabilities.

          And I’m not looking for sympathy either. If I wanted sympathy it would be found in the dictionary between sh*t and syphilis.

          Oops, my bad!!! ;-)

          kk

  17. Seldom see it mentioned, maybe because it’s so obvious, but a good spade/shovel, is an absolute necessity (burying refuse, those little poop bags, and as a garden tool). If I could just have one it would have to be a plumbers drain spade (sharpshooter, bill-dukey). I keep several shovels of all configurations.

  18. Shepherdess:

    Thanks for letting us know about wheat sale at Walmart online.
    Just ordered 3 white wheat berries and 1 red to sprout for wheatgrass.
    Great price. By ordering this way I get free shipping which means a
    big difference in price. And I actually like that it’s 26 lbs and
    not 50. Thinking storage in very small apt and storage in R.V. which
    I want in 1 to 2 years hopefully. Have wheat grinder and now can use.

  19. Love your list Ken. Everyone’s lists and advice are great!
    I need to get more canning supplies! (Thanks for the reminder Ken)
    So much has been covered here but I’ll add 8 of my own:
    1.)Coffee (we drink a lot of it so we have A LOT stored)
    2.)Spices of all types
    3.)Cold/cough and Flu medicines
    4.)Coffee filters
    5.)Garbage bags
    6.)Tooth brushes
    7.)Buckets with lids
    8.)Wagons to haul water (in said buckets with lids) if need be

  20. Lag bolts, with nuts and washers, pcv pipe in 3-4 ft sections, a few caps for pipe…cable or strong rope, windlass or pulley. wire, copper and aluminum and steel in several guages…zip ties. cord and twine in several sizes.multiples of fire starter items…
    Books on any subject you have any remote interest in..indepth books, with illustrations and detailed instructions. supplies specific to crafts which will be needed…including spinning wheels..and materials to card cloth.
    Collodial silver, peroxide, medical tape, elastic bandages, clean and sterilized dressings. ointments and creams for prevention and treatment of bites and infection. Vinegar, Bleach, Borax, Soda, Soaps, Stomach meds for diarrhea and constipation..and antacids
    medical appliances for joint or limb support. supplies for animal care, leashes, collar, buckles and a means to secure the animal..quick links appropriate weight chain/cable for care. extra cable of smilar type for other assorted needs and quick link or other devise for securing a cable..
    I noted above someone mentioned the rubber bands… and other assorted items.. Be sure to store these in a vacumed container to protect… and don’t forget the extra parts for the pressure cookers.. replacement relief valves and rubber gaskets if yours takes them.

  21. Socks– don’t forget to buy them for all seasons.
    Nail clippers– get both finger and toe nail sizes.
    Tweezers for sure, maybe some forceps.
    A sewing kit with various sized needles.
    Dental floss, do not neglect your gums, and great for sewing when strong thread is needed.

  22. A lot of good ideas have been stated. I would add tools to trim hair. I have cordless clippers but in pinch, use a comb and barber scissors.

    1. Jan,
      I found some manual clippers / shears on Amazon and plan to use them to keep the melon shaved after my battery powered clippers are no longer serviceable. I guess they’re made for shearing sheep but I think they will still do the trick. May even be able to keep the beard trimmed with it. If all else fails there’s still the little scissors on the Swiss Army knife.

  23. Hand tools like axes, bowsaws, shovels, maddock, etc.
    Think about what you will need to do and the hand tools you will need.
    REPLACEMENT HANDLES and blades for the hand tools.
    Wood splitting maul with a steel or fiberglass handle, or multiple handles for maul with wood handle.
    Chain saw supplies/parts.
    Stihl has premixed canned chainsaw fuel with long shelf life-expensive though.

  24. Scissors- I have a hard time keeping track or them so I like to have a few extras on hand

  25. Arent we just supposed ta go on down to the FEMA trailer and get checked in? PFFTTTt”‘

        1. Yep, I was just wondering what all of them fema dudes would think if all of us showed up and just said to them times up….just a thought ( I am a grumpy old woman-with pride being grumpy lol…and I nominate NRP to be the second in command :))) I’ll bring up the rear….oh, and I agree about trusting other preppers. I trust no one but my kids. We have been burnt so many times that I rather be stamped up in public as a loner or anti-social then wondering who is going to sell me or the kids out and try to blow out our brains for a penny.
          The sad part is, that we don’t talk about any of this stuff even in our own home…paper-thin walls, neighbors..so we take walks every night far away from buildings and cars and people…out of range so to speak.

        2. Texas..

          I think that is wise to not discuss most things where there is any chance of being overheard.

          Besides not wanting to spilling the beans on your goals/preps/etc,
          you most definitely do not want nosey Ned overhearing part of what you are discussing and filling in the rest/making up the rest. Some folks live to cause grief for others.

        3. We have been practicing that for a long time…No, we don’t talk in public…But sometimes its really been like you want to throttle some folks for sticking their noses where it does not belong.
          Heck, I don’t even tell my parents, they are brainwashed soo bad that they put socialism and communism on a pedestal like its their Savior…Ugh.

        4. @ Texas
          HEY!!!!
          How did MY name come into this conversation?? HAHAHA
          FYI, I’m NOT a grumpy-old-fart, I’m a self-proclaimed a$$hole, ROFLMAO And wear the badge proudly.
          As William T. Sherman said “I will not accept if nominated and will not serve if elected.” Or maybe I would just to see what happens, entertainment is a lovely thing.
          NRP-for-President YEAH !!!! OMG it’s going to be a longgggggg day.

  26. I good resource book I use and love is “Tools For Survival” Book By James Wesley Rawles.It covers a wide area.

    •Food Preservation and Cooking Tools
    •Gardening, Farming, and Ranching Tools
    •Sewing and Leatherworking Tools
    •Making your Own Tools
    •Electrical Tools and Electronics
    •Mobility and Countermobility tools
    •Welding and Blacksmithing Tools
    •Firefighting Tools
    •Timber, Firewood, and Lumber Tools
    •Rifles, Shotguns. an Handguns
    •Archery, and Less-Than Lethal Defense Tools
    •Medical and Sanitation Tools
    •Knives and Traditional Tools
    •Lifelong Learning and Skill Building

  27. Someone several replies back wanted to meet other preppers in his/her area.
    There are these groups called “meetups” They are self organized on things like kayaking or Elvis fans … namely a variety of things. I was thinking of joining a permaculture group as it would give me ideas for things I could
    plant around my house which were also edible. There may be a prepper meetup
    in your area or you could start your own meet up. Hope this helps.

    1. PP,
      having been here for some time now on this blog, sometimes what crosses my mind is that we the folks on Ken’s site, could restart society, just by knowing how much combined knowledge, experience and wisdom there is among the bloggers…
      In any case, my closest person would be NRP ( I will bring crayons and TP and a nice bottle of a single malt )….

      1. @ Texas
        Now we’re talking girlfriend…. ” ( I will bring crayons and TP and a nice bottle of a single malt )…. ” HAHAHAHA
        NRP

        1. But, but but, we need laughter too, its the best medicine and good spirits ( emotional and liquid form ) are absolutely key to survival :)

    2. Hey Ruthie, networking is a big part of prepping. You don’t need to tell anyone that you are prepping. Just network, hopefully with others in your immediate vicinity. Get to know them, talk to them. Get a feel for what they do. I have a carpenter, welder, hunters, and people who garden extensively all with-in walking distance of my house.

      After every big storm, everyone seems to end up walking on the road checking on neighbors to see how they fared. It’s also a good way to determine who is truly prepared by how well they got through the storm. Those unprepared you will know to avoid in a SHTF situation.

      1. Thank you for the reply :) you made some good points. I haven’t evaluated the skill sets of some people. My neighborhood is very mixed, as we live ‘in town’ currently. There’s apartments & industrial buildings around the homes.. So it’s a fairly mixed bag on WHO is around. We have a couple long-term neighbors, one set I trust implicitly. I’ll have to get a feel for the other ‘homeowners’ and negotiate the apartment buildings differently. I’m planning to move back to the boonies as soon as I can make it work. But for now, I’ll have to be practical about living in town :)
        Thanks again!

  28. All of these are such great ideas. Another great prep item is a solar powered radio that also has short wave stations. You can get news from other countries if our electrical system goes down. These radios have a hand crank if needed. Some have a flashlight also. If you own a well you need to make a well bucket (plans on line) from pvc and a rope and pulley.

    Books on identifying wild plant to eat if necessary is a great idea.

    Screen wire to make a solar dehydrator for food grown. They are simple to make. I make one with boards to form a tray like structure and attach wire to bottom. Add legs and something to cover the top like more wire or cheese cloth to keep bugs out. Place in the sun and dry your food. Store in air tight container.

  29. I meant store the dried food in an airtight container not the dehydrator.

  30. I hear ya about not trusting people. Have been disappointed (aka scre___) many times by people I trusted. Makes me want to spend more time with my cat and less with people. Fortunately there are still a few good people out there. But ya cant even trust your relatives. SAD what the world has come to.
    My guess is that it is going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better.

    1. @ PrepperPam
      I agree 1000% there, My best friend now = Blue my 120# Black Lab.
      Trust is very hard to give and earn when ya have been screwed by someone.
      Knowing how to judge people is something that all preppers really should refine. Sooner or later ya will be in a situation whereas your instincts (gut) will need to let your brain know about someone or something happening, a sixth sense so to speak.
      NRP

      1. Regarding human behavior and how to trust someone: I had a very good friend who passed away several years ago. He was a very successful business man, a self made millionare. Put hisself, his daughter and all his grandchildren through college. He was also very charitable. His major in college was psyclology. I learned a lot by being his friend and many sought his advice, which he freely gave to all. His studying of human behavior never stopped in his entire life. He taught me his priorities:
        Service to God, then to family, then to your career. In that order. I wish we had become friends earlier, you are missed Hamerick!

  31. Oh and I bought a months worth of paper plates, I figure they can be burned in the rocket stove and I would not have to deal with doing dishes for a month. I figure the first month after the SHTF. I will have tons to deal with and I dont want dishes to be one of them.

  32. AS I mentioned to Daisy, having a good protection dog is on the top of my list. It is always locked and loaded, is a warning siren against intruders, can be a life saver, a deterrent for break ins, and a comfort to have as a best buddy.

  33. Has anyone mentioned alternate power sources?? Even if its small solar panels to recharge those twoway radios. I’ve invested in the BOB size Goal Zero Serpa 100 Kit, a little pricy, but I found it was well worth the price.

    Also EMP Preps of Galvanized trash cans lined with a blanket of pasteboard to make sure its contents don’t touch the metal interior. Contents:
    zip drives, light bulbs, laptop, emergency radio, two way radios, etc.

    Another source of aternate power are the K-Tor products for charging power by utilizing manual power.

    1. Got that right! I also bought a bunch of rechargeable batteries and a solar
      battery charger. Got a solar car battery charger too. Walmart has them.

  34. so much mentioned, hard to come up with something new

    how about a well made/study/smallish crowbar?

    useful for many things, not the least of which is hitting someone if needed.

    one could practice

    a backward hand wave of the curved end knocking sunflower heads off, golf balls off a T, etc.. Get good at that and it may come in handy.

    (hey, DaisyK…got yourself a small crowbar?)

  35. Aluminum foil and suspenders.

    Suspenders will help when the pants don’t fit anymore. They also help when you carry.

    Aluminum foil for cooking, heating, IR blocking, signaling, wrapping, exhaust fixing, window blackout, mouse proofing, and Wifi directing.

    1. Also re: alum foil, as a barrier on wet ground to start a fire on, to place raw fish to cook in top of coals in the absense of cookware.

  36. On Prep items

    Bolt Cutters

    just occurred to me there could be many uses for these

    (don’t know if someone mentioned this…)

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