Kira - Member - The Prepared

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Sample Excel Prep Sheet Formulae

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Posted July 8, 2023

What don’t we know about online safety?

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Posted June 1, 2023

Reply to: Sling bag for basic lightweight prepping equipment Posted December 12, 2022

Oooh, this is what I carry my EDC in instead of a purse! I have a small, leather crossbody bag that’s maybe 2″ x 5″ x 8″? One small pocket and two attachment points on the outside. It’s pretty small but holds a robust EDC, Leatherman, extra battery, and all. No links to a bag, sadly. It was a gift from my father who has “a leather guy,” so… no spec sheet. You might be comfortable with a heavier load, but if you’re trying not to stand out to others (and/or have structurally unstable collarbones), a smaller and less MOLLEd bag is nice. The crossbody stays out of the way when you’re walking or biking but allows easy hand access even while walking if you adjust it right. It lies pretty flat, so it doesn’t make maneuvering much harder. The leather is really durable, too. It’s been seven years of rough use and still going strong. You might need all the space those bags you linked will give you, but you can fit a solid EDC into much less if you want to. Heck, I’ve even seen decent ones in just pocket organizers. Welcome to the forum!!

Reply to: Looking for recommendations on an air mattress Posted December 12, 2022

An air mattress is such a good prep!! I’ve done two long stints on them, and they’re lifesavers. Neither mattress was mine, so I don’t know which brands to look for, sorry. If you ever end up using an air mattress with a foam topper for a long time, be careful to air everything out semi-regularly. The last time I was on an air mattress was about five months straight, and when we took down the mattress and foam topper, there was some serious mold growth.

Reply to: News roundup for Fri, Dec 09, 2022 Posted December 12, 2022

Thank you so much for all the news roundups you’ve made!! They’ve kept me sane in insane times, but I’ve sometimes had to take breaks from just reading them because they’re so heavy. I can’t imagine actually writing them for so long.

Reply to: How do you prioritize gear purchases? Anyone have an organized system? Posted December 11, 2022

I have a very beefy Excel sheet I use for this more because I find data table creation meditative rather than because it’s strictly necessary to have ten color coded tabs. The tabs are physical spaces like EDC or Car. Each tab has its own set of variables. I don’t care how much something weighs on my shelf, but I care of if it’s in my BOB. I focus on how likely I am to use something, how important it would be if I needed it, cost, and how hard it is to store and use. Then I rank the priority by category. Then I work through the first priority rank in order of lowest to highest cost, tab to tab, so I finish EDC rank 1, then Car rank 1, through the rest of the rank 1s, then circle back to EDC rank 2 and so on. Because I’m still a student living at home, the priorities are a little different for me than they probably are for you. I have a limited budget, limited space, and limited control of that space, so I prioritize smaller and more usable preps. I’m focusing on my EDC first since those things are smaller, more useful, and have a space already. No idea if this kind of system will work for anyone else, but I really enjoy it.

Reply to: Philosophies for good mental health Posted November 15, 2022

This is really, really good advice!! Both for prepping and also existing in general. I’m also OCD (… and a few other things) flavored, and I cope in many of the same ways you do. It’s always so surprising and oddly comforting to see someone else approaching it in the same way, haha. Thank you for the post!!

Reply to: News roundup for Tue, Sep 13, 2022 Posted September 14, 2022

Quick note about testing going gasless: it’s often unsafe to turn gas back /on/ by yourself (something about pressurization? I never completely understood it), and scheduling someone from the city to turn gas back on for you takes months and is a nightmare in general. This might not apply in rural areas, but it’s worth noting before you accidentally turn off your stove and hot water for a long time.

Reply to: Hikers caught in a wildfire Posted September 14, 2022

Ah, smokepocalypse! I remember that well, haha. That’s terrifying!! I’m so glad you were safe. Better safe than sorry, though. It’s interesting to hear that this is a lot different from even a couple decades ago. I’m old enough to remember before fires were this bad, but not old enough to have done any real hiking before them. Agreed re: connectivity. I lose reception around the foothills. No way I could call for help from the mountains. Sadly, I think you’re right. I’d go on a day hike with fire hazards after checking a map, but I’d be so nervous on a multi day trip with a high risk of fire that it wouldn’t be worth it to me.

Reply to: Hikers caught in a wildfire Posted September 12, 2022

They definitely didn’t sound like they were prepared to climb! It makes sense that they were desperate enough to do so, but that part scared me to death. It didn’t sound like emergency services helped them that much? GPS also sounded less than helpful (might have misunderstood though). A satellite phone doesn’t seem like it would have helped them a ton, and maps would have even less input on where fire is at. Point taken re: their orientation and communication being vulnerable. In another scenario, that could have been the difference maker for them. I’m so glad to hear topo maps still help on roads! One of my baby preps is a national road atlas in my car. I’ve never used it, but I’m sure glad it’s there.

Reply to: Hikers caught in a wildfire Posted September 12, 2022

I was shocked to hear they didn’t even check! Google Maps, the fire department’s social media, most news stations… there’s so many ways to find where fires are at. My understanding was that they ran out of water which makes sense to me if they were caught hiking in that much smoke for hours. They may not have, though. Good point re: recording being a distraction from moving. Dropping gear is a good idea!! It wouldn’t occur to me in the moment, but it isn’t worth your life to lug that much around. Maybe they to worried they’d have to shelter for days?

Hikers caught in a wildfire

News 21

11

Posted September 11, 2022

Reply to: Bald eagle photobombs my horses. Posted July 25, 2022

Bald eagles are so cool! Conservation efforts for them seem to be working really well (at least where I live), so I get to see them more and more often. Have you noticed any increase where you live (and/or any problems with farming from increased eagle presence?)

Reply to: What are your softcore preps? Posted July 25, 2022

Oooh, Stashers sound amazing. I’ll look into those. The reusable sandwich bag I have sees pretty constant use. Reusable makeup tools are a very real prep! My eyelash curler does not see a ton of use to be totally honest, but it’s great thinking to use one with replaceable pads. Reusable makeup remover pads seem like they could work well in that area too, but I haven’t tried them yet.

Reply to: What are your softcore preps? Posted July 25, 2022

Thanks so much for some AC-less ideas! Shifting things like showering to later in the day would never have crossed my mind. For windows, I’m a fan of covering them with aluminum when heat is intense, especially if your curtains don’t block all the light. You can put the foil on cardboard to reuse it, but I’ve been guilty of just taping rolls straight into frames when I’m desperate and out of cardboard.

Reply to: What are your softcore preps? Posted July 25, 2022

Hi, Those are all awesome! Have you found re-soling shoes to be challenging? Is that the sort of thing you bring shoes to a cobbler for? (Are there still cobblers?) I have massive respect for every woman who’s taken the dive into reusable period products. That’s thankfully not a concern for me because I’m on birth control, but I’m sure I’ll try those out at some point in my life. (They still scare me a little to be 100% honest with you). Wool seems perfect for the PNW! Thanks for the reminder to look for that wardrobe wise. Digital hygiene is something I need to work on for sure. It’s not the worst, but it could be a lot better. I switched to using Ecosia (which at least claims to not track you) from Chrome and have started strengthening logins, but I still use Gmail and Google Drive and Google Docs for school/work. Major tech companies are a system you can’t not participate in right now, at least for a lot of people/lifestyles. Still, using stronger passwords can’t hurt.

Reply to: What are your softcore preps? Posted July 25, 2022

That’s so awesome! Vehicle maintenance is a great thing to pass on to kids because it’s so important and it’s so important not to break your car while you try to do it.

Reply to: What are your softcore preps? Posted July 25, 2022

I feel you on that one! My EDC is used constantly, especially the charger and pens. My water bottle is not EDC yet but really should be.

Reply to: What are your softcore preps? Posted July 25, 2022

That’s some great advice! Self-repairing is definitely a massive step forward for preparedness. Thrifting for tools never occurred to me, but that does sound like the perfect way to start building a toolbox.

Reply to: What are your softcore preps? Posted July 20, 2022

Hi, Those are some great habits!! I often have oats for breakfast as well with flaxseed, fruit, and peanut butter mixed in. I’m trying to balance prep-friendly food with fresh fruits, veggies, and eggs, but I’ve got a ways to go. The 2 in 1 out method sounds like a great plan. I haven’t quite gotten the family on board with it yet, but I’m trying. Intermittent fasting sounds like an amazing prep, and I’ve heard great things from friends and family who do it. I’m not to that level–if I ever will be–but I am trying to be mindful about what, when, and how much I eat. Cooking and mending are two areas I’m trying to improve in as well. I can sew… kind of, but I’m far from where I want to be. There’s a few recipes I can make, but I’m not to the place where I could easily make dinner every night. Mom is adamant that I learn how to feed myself before I head to grad school and has been teaching me, so that skill I’m pretty confident will click with more time. Oooh, good question. When I have a more permanent adult home (maybe grad school, maybe post grad school), I’d love to garden. Even if it’s just a few vegetables in a window, I love to get my hands dirty, and localizing food production is great for prepping and the environment (those often seem to go hand in hand). I also want to learn basic car maintenance. I’m not going to invest too much time into the ins and outs of a combustion engine because I’m not sure how much longer those will be standard, but knowing how to change a tire or how to jumpstart a battery both seem like important driving skills.

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Sample Excel Prep Sheet Formulae

0

2

Posted July 8, 2023

What don’t we know about online safety?

2

2

Posted June 1, 2023

Hikers caught in a wildfire

News 21

11

Posted September 11, 2022

What are your softcore preps?

GearSkills 46

15

Posted July 18, 2022

What would a non-nuclear world war look like?

Scenarios 21

15

Posted March 4, 2022

Reply to: Sling bag for basic lightweight prepping equipment Posted December 12, 2022

Oooh, this is what I carry my EDC in instead of a purse! I have a small, leather crossbody bag that’s maybe 2″ x 5″ x 8″? One small pocket and two attachment points on the outside. It’s pretty small but holds a robust EDC, Leatherman, extra battery, and all. No links to a bag, sadly. It was a gift from my father who has “a leather guy,” so… no spec sheet. You might be comfortable with a heavier load, but if you’re trying not to stand out to others (and/or have structurally unstable collarbones), a smaller and less MOLLEd bag is nice. The crossbody stays out of the way when you’re walking or biking but allows easy hand access even while walking if you adjust it right. It lies pretty flat, so it doesn’t make maneuvering much harder. The leather is really durable, too. It’s been seven years of rough use and still going strong. You might need all the space those bags you linked will give you, but you can fit a solid EDC into much less if you want to. Heck, I’ve even seen decent ones in just pocket organizers. Welcome to the forum!!

Reply to: Looking for recommendations on an air mattress Posted December 12, 2022

An air mattress is such a good prep!! I’ve done two long stints on them, and they’re lifesavers. Neither mattress was mine, so I don’t know which brands to look for, sorry. If you ever end up using an air mattress with a foam topper for a long time, be careful to air everything out semi-regularly. The last time I was on an air mattress was about five months straight, and when we took down the mattress and foam topper, there was some serious mold growth.

Reply to: News roundup for Fri, Dec 09, 2022 Posted December 12, 2022

Thank you so much for all the news roundups you’ve made!! They’ve kept me sane in insane times, but I’ve sometimes had to take breaks from just reading them because they’re so heavy. I can’t imagine actually writing them for so long.

Reply to: How do you prioritize gear purchases? Anyone have an organized system? Posted December 11, 2022

I have a very beefy Excel sheet I use for this more because I find data table creation meditative rather than because it’s strictly necessary to have ten color coded tabs. The tabs are physical spaces like EDC or Car. Each tab has its own set of variables. I don’t care how much something weighs on my shelf, but I care of if it’s in my BOB. I focus on how likely I am to use something, how important it would be if I needed it, cost, and how hard it is to store and use. Then I rank the priority by category. Then I work through the first priority rank in order of lowest to highest cost, tab to tab, so I finish EDC rank 1, then Car rank 1, through the rest of the rank 1s, then circle back to EDC rank 2 and so on. Because I’m still a student living at home, the priorities are a little different for me than they probably are for you. I have a limited budget, limited space, and limited control of that space, so I prioritize smaller and more usable preps. I’m focusing on my EDC first since those things are smaller, more useful, and have a space already. No idea if this kind of system will work for anyone else, but I really enjoy it.

Reply to: Philosophies for good mental health Posted November 15, 2022

This is really, really good advice!! Both for prepping and also existing in general. I’m also OCD (… and a few other things) flavored, and I cope in many of the same ways you do. It’s always so surprising and oddly comforting to see someone else approaching it in the same way, haha. Thank you for the post!!

Reply to: News roundup for Tue, Sep 13, 2022 Posted September 14, 2022

Quick note about testing going gasless: it’s often unsafe to turn gas back /on/ by yourself (something about pressurization? I never completely understood it), and scheduling someone from the city to turn gas back on for you takes months and is a nightmare in general. This might not apply in rural areas, but it’s worth noting before you accidentally turn off your stove and hot water for a long time.

Reply to: Hikers caught in a wildfire Posted September 14, 2022

Ah, smokepocalypse! I remember that well, haha. That’s terrifying!! I’m so glad you were safe. Better safe than sorry, though. It’s interesting to hear that this is a lot different from even a couple decades ago. I’m old enough to remember before fires were this bad, but not old enough to have done any real hiking before them. Agreed re: connectivity. I lose reception around the foothills. No way I could call for help from the mountains. Sadly, I think you’re right. I’d go on a day hike with fire hazards after checking a map, but I’d be so nervous on a multi day trip with a high risk of fire that it wouldn’t be worth it to me.

Reply to: Hikers caught in a wildfire Posted September 12, 2022

They definitely didn’t sound like they were prepared to climb! It makes sense that they were desperate enough to do so, but that part scared me to death. It didn’t sound like emergency services helped them that much? GPS also sounded less than helpful (might have misunderstood though). A satellite phone doesn’t seem like it would have helped them a ton, and maps would have even less input on where fire is at. Point taken re: their orientation and communication being vulnerable. In another scenario, that could have been the difference maker for them. I’m so glad to hear topo maps still help on roads! One of my baby preps is a national road atlas in my car. I’ve never used it, but I’m sure glad it’s there.

Reply to: Hikers caught in a wildfire Posted September 12, 2022

I was shocked to hear they didn’t even check! Google Maps, the fire department’s social media, most news stations… there’s so many ways to find where fires are at. My understanding was that they ran out of water which makes sense to me if they were caught hiking in that much smoke for hours. They may not have, though. Good point re: recording being a distraction from moving. Dropping gear is a good idea!! It wouldn’t occur to me in the moment, but it isn’t worth your life to lug that much around. Maybe they to worried they’d have to shelter for days?

Reply to: Bald eagle photobombs my horses. Posted July 25, 2022

Bald eagles are so cool! Conservation efforts for them seem to be working really well (at least where I live), so I get to see them more and more often. Have you noticed any increase where you live (and/or any problems with farming from increased eagle presence?)

Reply to: What are your softcore preps? Posted July 25, 2022

Oooh, Stashers sound amazing. I’ll look into those. The reusable sandwich bag I have sees pretty constant use. Reusable makeup tools are a very real prep! My eyelash curler does not see a ton of use to be totally honest, but it’s great thinking to use one with replaceable pads. Reusable makeup remover pads seem like they could work well in that area too, but I haven’t tried them yet.

Reply to: What are your softcore preps? Posted July 25, 2022

Thanks so much for some AC-less ideas! Shifting things like showering to later in the day would never have crossed my mind. For windows, I’m a fan of covering them with aluminum when heat is intense, especially if your curtains don’t block all the light. You can put the foil on cardboard to reuse it, but I’ve been guilty of just taping rolls straight into frames when I’m desperate and out of cardboard.

Reply to: What are your softcore preps? Posted July 25, 2022

Hi, Those are all awesome! Have you found re-soling shoes to be challenging? Is that the sort of thing you bring shoes to a cobbler for? (Are there still cobblers?) I have massive respect for every woman who’s taken the dive into reusable period products. That’s thankfully not a concern for me because I’m on birth control, but I’m sure I’ll try those out at some point in my life. (They still scare me a little to be 100% honest with you). Wool seems perfect for the PNW! Thanks for the reminder to look for that wardrobe wise. Digital hygiene is something I need to work on for sure. It’s not the worst, but it could be a lot better. I switched to using Ecosia (which at least claims to not track you) from Chrome and have started strengthening logins, but I still use Gmail and Google Drive and Google Docs for school/work. Major tech companies are a system you can’t not participate in right now, at least for a lot of people/lifestyles. Still, using stronger passwords can’t hurt.

Reply to: What are your softcore preps? Posted July 25, 2022

That’s so awesome! Vehicle maintenance is a great thing to pass on to kids because it’s so important and it’s so important not to break your car while you try to do it.

Reply to: What are your softcore preps? Posted July 25, 2022

I feel you on that one! My EDC is used constantly, especially the charger and pens. My water bottle is not EDC yet but really should be.

Reply to: What are your softcore preps? Posted July 25, 2022

That’s some great advice! Self-repairing is definitely a massive step forward for preparedness. Thrifting for tools never occurred to me, but that does sound like the perfect way to start building a toolbox.

Reply to: What are your softcore preps? Posted July 20, 2022

Hi, Those are some great habits!! I often have oats for breakfast as well with flaxseed, fruit, and peanut butter mixed in. I’m trying to balance prep-friendly food with fresh fruits, veggies, and eggs, but I’ve got a ways to go. The 2 in 1 out method sounds like a great plan. I haven’t quite gotten the family on board with it yet, but I’m trying. Intermittent fasting sounds like an amazing prep, and I’ve heard great things from friends and family who do it. I’m not to that level–if I ever will be–but I am trying to be mindful about what, when, and how much I eat. Cooking and mending are two areas I’m trying to improve in as well. I can sew… kind of, but I’m far from where I want to be. There’s a few recipes I can make, but I’m not to the place where I could easily make dinner every night. Mom is adamant that I learn how to feed myself before I head to grad school and has been teaching me, so that skill I’m pretty confident will click with more time. Oooh, good question. When I have a more permanent adult home (maybe grad school, maybe post grad school), I’d love to garden. Even if it’s just a few vegetables in a window, I love to get my hands dirty, and localizing food production is great for prepping and the environment (those often seem to go hand in hand). I also want to learn basic car maintenance. I’m not going to invest too much time into the ins and outs of a combustion engine because I’m not sure how much longer those will be standard, but knowing how to change a tire or how to jumpstart a battery both seem like important driving skills.

Reply to: Making your own first aid supplies after a disaster Posted July 20, 2022

Great topic!! The pandemic really illustrated how quickly medical stockpiles can run out. I’m by no means a medical professional, but this is what I’ve gathered from my own research and experience. Bandages have historically been made with torn up fabric, but the reason we use gauze instead is because it’s a) sterile and b) designed to not have bits come off in the wound. While you could probably improvise decent bandages with cleaned cloth in a long term emergency, gauze is always a better choice if you have it on hand. Also, gauze is cheaper than a new shirt. I’d really recommend you don’t use paper or non-medical tape. Toilet paper is designed to break up in water, and blood is mostly water. I’ve definitely used it to press on a cut that’s bleeding, but even for a small cut, it breaks up after a few minutes. Most tape does not stick to skin well, and stronger tapes run the risk of pulling up skin and leaving a bigger wound than before. (To be fair, my family has fragile skin, but duct tape on any wound sounds bad.) In a long-term disaster, our best bet is probably going to be traditional medicine. They’re not usually as effective as modern medicine, but medicine was not invented in the last few centuries, and a lot of traditional remedies have legitimate effects. Some modern medicine is even made from artificial or purified traditional medicines. There’s other threads on here- I think even a starred one rn- that have recommendations with books for grid-down medicine. All that said, there’s a lot of medical supplies you really can’t make well yourself. The human life expectancy used to be much shorter than it is now, and modern medicine has been a huge part of that. We’d be returning to a time where injuries or diseases we hardly notice today could easily cause death or disability. Accepting limitations to prepping is never fun, but with medicine, you have to.

Reply to: Becoming hysterical during an emergency Posted June 20, 2022

Great points with the parasympathetic and post-parasympathetic responses! Freeze has a great reason for existing evolutionarily. Think of all the predators that look for motion- a prey animal (including a baby or vulnerable predator) freezing could fly under a lot of radars. Fight and flight are both sympathetic responses to primarily adrenaline/epinephrine iirc, so they’re as trainable or not trainable as freezing. To your point, all of these responses are trainable to a degree. None of these are reflexes because they all start in the brain (and even a reflex can be overridden), so freezing once in one situation doesn’t mean you would freeze in a different one or that you can’t learn a different response to the situation that caused you to freeze.

Reply to: How to survive an active shooter Posted May 26, 2022

You’re totally right. The model might work for older students, but it does nothing for young students and nothing to stop this from happening. It also doesn’t help much if you can’t physically run (like my sister and I). This model replaced the older model I went to middle school with (mostly lockdown dependent), but it clearly hasn’t stopped deaths from shootings. I mostly shared it in case some people had grown up with the older model and hadn’t heard the revised one yet. Maybe it could be adapted on a policy level in grade schools to evacuate classrooms, but it does nothing for you and your kids right now. Sending your kids to school right now must be nerve wracking. I’m so sorry you’re in that position. As far as the collectivist response, I don’t know enough about guns to know whether that would work or whether that would just make it easier for people to be shot in large numbers. We definitely need a better response to prevent and stop shootings, but I’m wildly unqualified to even begin thinking through how to do that.

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