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Best online places to buy backup glasses?
Jay ValenciaContributor - August 31, 2020 I wear glasses and so does my wife. We’re not interested in getting laser surgery, so that means an extra pair of glasses are part of our preps at home. I think most people do that. But now I’m wondering if I should have an extra pair specifically for our BOB and maybe our EDC. My prescription hasn’t changed so my guess is I can just use that to order a few pairs online for us?
Where would you recommend?
Read MoreWhat did covid-19 expose as a weakness in your preps?
Dragoon - August 26, 2020 No prep is ever done or perfect. So whenever something bad happens I try to learn from it as a real-world stress test.
What did the last few months with covid make you realize was a weakness in your preps?
My husband and I already had the important supplies on hand like respirators and food. But the biggest “d’oh!” moment for us was that we didn’t have some of our food supplies labeled with purchase dates to know which food should be eaten first. It probably won’t matter, but if we needed to survive on what we have for a long time, it would be nice to know what will spoil first. We solved this by putting a Sharpie marker on a string by our food shelf and will write the year on everything we buy.
We also did not have enough gloves. We had a box of 100, but two people can run through those pretty quickly when using a pair or two every day over months.
If you could go back in time before COVID, what would you change about your preps?
Read MorePrepping for Hurricane Season
Matt Black - August 25, 2020 NPR’s Life Kit has an article and accompanying podcast episode entitled, “It’s Peak Hurricane Season. You Should Have These Plans Ready” by Debbit Elliott. I’m not in a hurricane prone area, but some of you may be. I’m wondering what other preps you might have.
Read MoreRecommendations for solar camping lanterns?
KKW - August 24, 2020 Does anyone have recommendations for solar lights? I thought it might be nice to have some lanterns in case of no power. Thanks!
Read MorePreserving eggs with calcium hydroxide
Alisa Felix - August 24, 2020 Has anyone tried using calcium hydroxide to preserve eggs? It has a bunch of other names like slaked lime, but you basically combine it with water and then jar it. And the eggs can last a couple years with no funky taste.
But based on what I’ve been reading, it won’t work on eggs you get from the store. It has to be eggs that haven’t been washed yet… something about the natural coating still needs to be there? So if you have chickens or know someone with some, it could be an easy way to store them long term.
I haven’t done it yet but just wanted to throw it out there in case someone else has. Or maybe it doesn’t work at all?
Read MoreTornados
Cia - August 24, 2020 Could anyone give advice about preparing for a tornado? We live in central Missouri, tornado country. I just told a friend in Oregon yesterday who is thirty miles from a wildfire that we weren’t in danger from wildfires or hurricanes here, but we certainly are from tornados. We have a closet under the basement steps: how should we prepare it? Thanks!
Read MoreLooking for advice: galvanized stock tanks for raised garden beds?
Kelsey DonkContributor - August 23, 2020 My partner and I just bought our first house and we’re looking for some advice from this expert prepping community! 🙂 We live in Minneapolis and like true Northerners, we spend all year planning for and dreaming of our brief window of spring and summer weather.
We both love to garden and have done lots of gardening in community gardens and on our rental balconies and in rental yards, but this is the first time we’ll actually be able to invest in a long-term garden of our own! We’re so excited.
I’m planning on getting some galvanized stock tanks for raised beds (with holes drilled in the bottom for drainage, of course). Does anyone have experience with this? Any tips for growing vegetables or setting up the stock tanks?
We move in to our new house late next month. Is it smartest to wait until spring to dig up the grass and plop the tanks down? Or should I do that this fall while the ground is still soft and before the winter freeze descends?
Read MoreNewbie prepper
MrsG - August 22, 2020 and probably looking for a little input or advice. Prior to Covid really hitting (around February) my partner came home from work and suggested we stock up on food. I always keep a pretty stocked pantry and freezer but I immediately went out and got extra–rice, beans etc. We were one of the first areas to shut down and I have to say it was incredibly comforting knowing I could feed my family for weeks before needing to go out.
I have some generalized anxiety and I think I was able to feel calmer going into the pandemic having that little stockpile. So that led me here. Now I’m trying to get started having more preps in place BUT I feel really overwhelmed with all the things I could do and the number of decisions to make.
Example–I would like to create bug out bags for the family, but even just contemplating a backpacks for each of us stymies me. I’m relatively tall but pretty small-boned—so what size do I get? (an example of how my brain spins out). Anyone have some good advice on getting started and not overwhelmed?
Read MoreIs there a Window Security Film that does double (or triple) duty?
mseg77 - August 21, 2020 I’ll post a comment directly to the article but thought I should separately as well – I apologize if that’s not appropriate and admins, please delete if so.
I read the “hardening your home” article (https://theprepared.com/homestead/guides/home-hardening-basics/). We’ve been looking at adding window film for a while, but mainly for purposes privacy (shaded, NOT blackout or mirror-finish, preferably) and to help with heat/cooling efficiency. It’s a single-story home in a suburb neighborhood of the Capitol here in CA w/ 2 sliding glass doors. I’m wondering if there is a product, or if someone has experience/suggestions with a film that does both/all three (security + privacy + thermal), and well? This is the product referenced in the article https://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B00FRLJU0S/tp-kb-20?th=1
Read MoreWhat media sources do you consult?
Whatevs - August 20, 2020 Besides this website, what media sources do you consult for preparedness? Looking to cast a wide net.
Read MoreHow Soap Works / Soap > Sanitizer
Matt Black - August 13, 2020 I listen to a lot of podcasts. I find it frees my hands and eyes, especially when I’m busy with my prepping projects and I can actually learn a thing or two other than the latest deathtoll numbers.
One area of interest (especially given the importance of hygeine amidst the current pandemic) is how I’ve seemed anxious about the shortage of sanitizer and disinfectant (and their skyrocketing prices).
Turns out, according to a July 30th episode of How Stuff Works, soap is better. And it has everything to do with soap’s structure. Spoiler! Soap physically tears apart the cells of germs, viruses and microorganisms!
This episode covers (in 54 minutes), the origins of soap, how to make soap, how soap works, and how using soap compares to sanitizers and disinfectents.
How Stuff Works: How Soap Works: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/105-stuff-you-should-know-26940277/episode/how-soap-works-69248640
Read MorePrepping strategies for larger families
chicksnhens - August 12, 2020 Alot of prepping advice is based on the number of people you are prepping for…”save X amount of rice/water/supplies for each person in the family.” This is pretty manageable if you have a small household, but what do you do when you have a bigger family, with constantly shifting nutritional needs and preferences?
Right now I have 3 kids under 5, which means they don’t eat all that much now, but they will in a few years. Their preferences also bounce around like crazy – one week they LOVE a certain food or snack, and the next week they won’t touch it. We are also considering adding a 4th child at some point, so it is possible we will end up with a family of 6 to prep for. Right now I don’t have the space, mental bandwidth, or finances to stock up on a full supply of food for 5-6 people that will last a year, especially when half my family is guaranteed to refuse a bunch of it at some point.
To date, my strategy is to simply stock up on the items I know I’ll definitely use, and to prioritize items that have longer shelf lives: rice, pasta, sauces, canned tomatoes, baking supplies, specific snack items, peanut butter and jelly. I’m less about aiming for a certain amount on hand per person, and more about making sure I have enough to get us through the next 3-6 months if these items disappeared from the stores tomorrow. Any other tips on how to approach prepping for bigger families?
Read MoreWhat can I plant now in a 36 x 24 x 10″ wooden box?
Haus Monkey - August 11, 2020 I recently moved into a new house and the previous owners left a 36 x 24 x 10″ wooden raised box in the backyard. So I want to know if it’s worth it for me to keep it and plant something edible in it, or not.
I don’t care much about what I plant. That is, I’m thinking about stuff I can eat – not flowers. I’m fine even if it’s just herbs.
FYI the box faces South. The soil in it was already there so I have no clue if I need to do something with it or not. I’m a total newbie, in case that wasn’t clear! Thanks!
Read MoreWhere is the hurricane/fire coverage?
hbic - August 10, 2020 I’ve been kind of surprised to not see even mentions of recent natural disasters on the blog or the forum. There are millions without power due to Tropical Storm Isaias right now and thousands were evacuated from the Apple Fire this weekend, and both of those seasons are just starting. Would love to see some new content geared towards preparing for hurricanes & wildfires, particularly with COVID potentially complicating evacuation plans. Thoughts?
Read MoreThoughts on mens’ “Dress shoes” that are also practical?
Hazard Awareness - August 10, 2020 I subscribe to the belief that the “best” piece of equipment is the one that you have, when you need it. Not the one sitting in a closet at home or on a store shelf.
With that in mind, in regards to every day carry, my employer requires business casual, dress shoes required.
Dress shoes usually fall under a category of Form>Function. While the “dress-boots” I have now are certainly comfortable and don’t hinder me at all, I was wondering if anybody had any recommendations for footwear that they enjoy and provide some protection without the “look” of work or combat boots? Any thoughts appreciated.
What are you doing with your stimulus check?
JB - August 10, 2020 Finally got mine. Are you guys spending some of yours on more preps, especially in this window before we might have more lockdowns? If so, on what?
A lot is sold out, so I was thinking about getting some workout stuff but I haven’t decided. Not being able to go to the gym is really effecting me, and I think fitness is a part of prepping.
Read MoreWhat did you learn from the experience from COVID-19?
FPV California - August 10, 2020 Did you learn something fundamental? Were you rocked to your core? Or did you learn something little that you just want to share with the world?
For me it was the realization that 2 weeks of prep just won’t cut it. I was prepping with a big earthquake in California in mind. But with toilet paper disappearing for a month it finally dawned on me how desperate the whole state will be after an earthquake. With so many people in need there’s no way there will be enough logistics to feed everyone or supply water for weeks or months. I’m going to have to rethink things.
One small thing I learned is you can chop up green onion and it keeps in the freezer. I like to dress up my Top Ramen with more ingredients and green onion is one of my favorites. In the past I would just use fresh from the store, but in order to reduce my trips to the store I tried freezing it and it worked out great.
Read MoreWhen to bug out… and where?
Runcible - August 8, 2020 Hi y’all,
I’ve been trying to manage my fight/flight impulses recently, but I find my fear at a constant idle of anxiety. We have the food, defense, and energy preps we might need to shelter in place in our home for a few months, I think. We have good relationships with our neighbors. But home maybe doesn’t feel like the safest place?
I live in a town recently mentioned as a potential target for Federal Troops coming to quell civil unrest, in a seismicly active area, a town with great wealth disparities and a large population of folks living pretty marginally. As times get worse, crimes of desperation will surely increase.
We’re trying to decide, in this very uncertain and potentially pre-cataclysmic economic time, when the best time to bug out is. Certainly, if we were to try to sell our house and investments it would be prudent to make those moves before housing and stock markets falter. That’s super hard to predict.
Advice sought: what triggering event/events would you use as economic indicators/triggers to make you pack it all up and move it on out?
Further: where would we go? If we can keep our jobs and schooling running remotely, what are the best options? Should we stay within driving distance of our work HQ and friends, or should we try to immigrate to another country? Hunker in the woods or near a Costco or on a tropical island?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on these matters. It’s OK to call me overwrought, or to say you’ve had similar thoughts, or hear about your bug out locations and triggers. I seek a variety of opinions.
Read MorePop culture prepping (not the crazy kind)
North Coast - August 8, 2020 Any sane prepper-oriented podcasts/books/other media people have found useful and entertainig? Not so much subject matter how-to guides, I’m thinking more conceptual, scenario-driven or narrative-driven fiction (or nonfiction). I know the site did a round up of movies a while back. I found a couple new ones that way (and saw a couple I absolutely could not make it through–I’m not in it for the apocolypse long haul!) A few other things that come to mind are:
-The Big One podcast from KPCC. https://www.npr.org/podcasts/674580962/the-big-one-your-survival-guide This actually is sort of a how-to guide, but interspersed with a speculative scenario and interviews with scientists and experts. I don’t live anywhere near earthquake territory, but I thought it was really interesting!
-My Side of the Mountain book by Elizabeth Criaghead George. I loved this book as a kid and I recently read it with my first grader, and now he is very into learning how to make fire, live in the wilderness, etc. Get em while they’re young, right?
-Pagami Creek Fire Entrapments — Facilitated Learning Analysis, published by the US Forest Service after a 2011 forest fire in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5371477.pdf I have spent a lot of time paddling and camping in the Boundary Waters and I found this report fascinating. It’s mostly a tick tock of the Forest Service’s emergency-response actions, but it is really well written. As part of that response involved interacting with campers near the impacted area it really got me thinking about how I would react in that situation. There’s also a 30 minute documentary with interviews with the rangers you can find on Youtube (search Pagami Fire from user WildlandFireLLC). I haven’t looked but I bet similar reports exist for other fires in other regions. Outside Magazine also had a really incredible piece about this fire from the perspective of campers https://www.outsideonline.com/1914461/sky-burning-caught-pagami-creek-fire?page=all
Any other suggestions?
Read MoreClothing
JS - August 7, 2020 Hi,
I was just wondering whether anyone included any clothing in their kits? If so, what do / would you keep?
I was thinking that if the supply chains got disrupted for these items, then surely after a few years, clothes would be in short supply.
Also, regarding clothes washing, there was a ‘dry-bag’-style thing I saw on Indiegogo a few yrs ago that had special bumps inside to help dislodge any dirt.
JS
Read MoreDealing with food allergies/sensitivities and prepping
Alicia - August 7, 2020 I’ve been gluten free for years and just prior to this pandemic my husband developed a serious gastro-intestinal issue that reduced his diet to literally 5 items (and growing, thankfully). This definitely has put additional challenges on prepping, especially for BOBs. I’m glad to find that companies have started offering and labeling GF freeze dried food options. What I’ve not been successful at finding is emergency rations. I can find protein bars, but their shelf life is months, not even a year. Has anyone had success in finding (or making) very long shelf life rations for restricted diets? And I know my situation is fortunate, I can’t imagine emergency scenarios with life threatening allergies.
Read MoreBest equipment for survival from EDC to SHTF
Rider - August 5, 2020 The truth needs to be told about the survival equipment that is out there and is not worth the money. Start out with knives. I have over 25 knives. Not all great ones. But I didnt know. So lets start with knives and move from there to other items. Dont believe that one company has the best price and their beliefs of what works. Unless you seen in action and held in your hand only then can you tell whats good and whats junk. So the discussion here is what do you have that works. Not wants on sale.
Read More