PREP Apartment Prepping Tips

[RCSAR]

I'm not in an apartment and have never lived in one.

I DID have someone ask me how to get started on prepping in an apartment.
They will be moving into a house in 12 months but wanted on tips to start with until they did move out.

Being in N Texas I said the first thing they need is water....a way to move it... and a way to purify it to make it safe.

Any other thoughts on what to start with in a small area knowing you will be in a house in a year?

 

[Housecarl]

Think in terms of what you'd need to bug out or in for the most likely things then work your way out in terms of water, food, sanitation and other supplies as well as in terms of time: 72 hours, a week and further as applicable and reasonable.

Also get to know your neighbors.

 

[plantman]

I would start out with blackout cloth. If you have prepped for light, having solar and batteries in your supplies, your lit up apartment will shine like a beacon in the night when all your neighbors are burning paper and scrounging for candles. If you've prepped for light, you will probably have prepped for food...watchout.

Blackout cloth can be purchased from any fabric store, its beige and has a vinyl-ish side. That's the side you want to face the window. Check for leaks.

Sadly, I would say, don't get to know your neighbors outside of a friendly hullo or two. People, when hungry can turn on a dime and if they see you wearing freshly laundered cloths with clean hair and well fed rosy checks they're going to start acting up. Play the part of someone who can't believe what is happening and eat your preps in secret.

 

[Be Well]

Figure out a composting toilet and a place to dump it, and a pile of sawdust/chipper shredder stuff or whatever. The water is a huge issue. What floor? I can't even imagine living in an apartment at all, what to speak of in a SHTF situation. I lived in an apartment for a few months around 1992 and I couldn't stand it at all. Couldn't sleep, too much noise and "vibes" of all those packed up human beings. Plus it was in Oakland.

 

[Housecarl]

"Get to know your neighbors" doesn't mean invite them in for dinner and your confidence en mass, but at a minimum know who lives around you and what they are.

 

[RCSAR]

Thank you Be Well for mentioning sanitation isues. It slipped my mind 100%

Light dicipline is a must have. Any suggestions on a lighting system she can expand when she gets her country home?

I did tell her to keep the "rule of threes" in her mind when planning. As in 3 ways to do everything!

 

[BREWER]

Thank you Be Well for mentioning sanitation isues. It slipped my mind 100%

Light dicipline is a must have. Any suggestions on a lighting system she can expand when she gets her country home?

I did tell her to keep the "rule of threes" in her mind when planning. As in 3 ways to do everything!

Greetings, RCSAR: You might pass these links onto your friend. She can peruse them at her leisure and they are written by women who are preppers themselves. They often focus on small spaces and creative ideas. Laundry is one of those topics we rarely get into;however, our very own Seabird started a thread recently on that subject http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?472226-Hand-Washing-Machine&highlight=laundry

http://www.theorganicprepper.ca/

http://www.backdoorsurvival.com/

http://thesurvivalmom.com/

Supplies
Vic was running a special on a honey bucket w/hygiene supplies very recently
safecastle.com

Shane's site. She should have some Potassium Iodate
http://ki4u.com/

They are running a sale on water preparedness supplies now. They have the http://beprepared.com/mobile-washer-hand-operated-washing-machine.html seabird mentioned on sale, too
http://beprepared.com/

Just a side bar. A year is a very long time from now with everything moving so quickly. Perhaps your friend should have a small storage unit out of town where she can stash some important items safely, and she should have a BOL in mind. Just sayin'. Take care BREWER

 

[seraphima]

Big Berky. Gravity flow water treatment- one can get water from the roof. Good locks. Dried food- try starting at Walmart for simple things to try. Bikes, preferably with panniers or carts. Good boots, clothes that cover and do not stand out. Slide-under-bed plastic boxes. Totes. Weapons. First aid knowledge, then supplies. Good luck!

 

[changed]

Have a bug out bag with all your important papers and documents in case a fire starts in the apartment next to yours.

 

[WalknTrot]

In an apartment, it's important to have a place to cook and heat water when the power is off. If they have a gas range, fine. But if not, a propane BBQ grill with a burner is real nice to keep on the deck/balcony (if they have outside space). Even better and less obvious to the neighbors is a propane (small bottle) camp stove. It can be safely used inside.

 

[Illini Warrior]

#1 - what's the strategic location of the apartment and how defensible? .... prepping in place might not be an option at all .... if the apartment is in a poor section of town - racial situation - retail looting potential - ground floor position *** bug out for sure .... highly unlikely in an apartment situation you'll have much of a unified neighborhood - your neighbors could be your worse curse ....

it always comes down to water ... storage is the problem with apartments .... get a couple/few of the 5 gallon poly water jugs - fill and deck across for a bottom shelf in a closet - using municipal water you'll never need to move them ....

a Water Bob is a poly water bladder for deploying in a bathtub - "last minute" filling before the municipal water supply goes kaput - very common with the hurricane prepping crowd .... upwards of 100 gallons of protected potable water - good as GOLD in an emergency situation of any kind ....

also "last minute" - portable 5 gallon versions of the Water Bobs .... they store almost flat and can be squeezed into storage areas not normally useable .... that crack between the frig & wall - under furniture - space around the underside of sinks - bury them under the clothes in a drawer ....

sooner or later you'll need a large container 5-6-7 gallons for hauling water .... biggest laugh is watching the sheeple during Katrina & Storm Sandy hauling water in a cookpot - waiting for hours inline for a gallon or two - spilling half carrying it home .... don't be one of those

 

[coloradohermit]

Storage space is often limited in apartments. I found canvas/fabric storage containers at Big Lots and they sit nicely on top of the kitchen cabinets to hold lots of dry goods. They also stack neatly for moving purposes. I'd also suggest, for cooking, one or two little collapsible sterno stoves. They fold up real small and sterno, or any canned fuel is small enough to store a bunch of.

 

[TxGal]

Definitely water first, a Katadyn Combi is handy since it's small and portable (if you have to get out on foot), Big Berkey for at home. A good backpack. Some MH packs of freeze-dried fruit & meals, camping light and batteries. A while ago someone on the board mentioned small battery-operated fans available at WM for around $5. We got three, and when our a/c went out for a week having those little fans blowing on your face was unbelievably helpful. Then, the usual canned food items that don't really require heat to eat - beef stew, soup, canned fruit and veg's, etc. A first aid pack with plenty of antibiotic ointment, Benadryl cream, and Afterbite for fire ants and mosquitos, Benadryl tablets and aspirin/ibuprophen. So much to consider, but it can be done.

 

[Dreamer]

Focus on an excellent bug out bag, set up to sustain them longer term where at all possible. Add in whatever totable food preps already set up to go, as much as possible. This focus lets them build a solid core of gear in a form that will alway be beneficial. Why prep with a Coleman for the apartment and whatever bug out bag stove if for the same money as two can have one well suited to long term use but also portable as can be. Take that mindset and they will make the best use of limited space AND acknowledge that they are not in a place where they can or should expect to be able to stay very long term in a disaster situation.

 

[Millwright]

I would only prep for a short term event in an apartment, not the SHTF scenario.

A week or two without utilities after a storm maybe, but not long term survival there.

The rest of my efforts would be directed at an alternate location and the things to make it viable. The hard decision would be how much bug out stuff would you want in the apartment and how much to preposition elsewhere?

 

[gillmanNSF]

Apartment living isn't for everyone. I've never lived in a house since I left the one I grew up in 35 years ago. Always thought some day I would, but now, I know, I probably never will, as they're expensive to own and rent around here. Space in an apartment is limited, true, but I've always managed to create new space and make efficient use of that space. Still, one has to take care of pests such as mice and ants and nosey landlords who can come in to "fix" things while you're away. Best keep the #10 cans away from the circuit breaker side of the closet and use totes you can't see through to hide what's inside.

Getting to know neighbors....I've had enough neighbors to know that most are opportunists and none of them think like I do. So in an event of some magnitude, it would be best to feign ignorance and offer your "last" can of hash or "last" package of macaroni and cheese to supplicate a neighbor and give the illusion that we're all in this together and that the government will surely step in and help.

Keep some big jeans so that after a month you can wear them as proof that you're barely getting by, though I don't think that many renters would stay that long. Everyone has family they would be concerned about, including myself, and they would hopefully go there in a time of crisis, which would leave some apartment buildings largely vacant. Of those that do stay in their cozy condo or single family dwelling, one would expect bands of people to start scouting for food in these vacant units. If they don't find anything and you're the only one left, these bands might assume you've stocked up and may try to gain entry into your unit.

The more I think about it, the more I realize there is no effective defense of your stuff in an apartment. The more you defend, the more reason to think that you have a lot of stuff to hide. Best to leave early on to get some place safer than to try and do so after a month or two when leaving a heavily populated area might be as difficult as passing through one.

Best to prep for the short term, maybe a little more, so that when you do leave to an alternate destination, you arrive there bearing supplies not empty-handed. Keeping your vehicles in working order would seem to be part of this prepping regimen.

 

[Housecarl]

Apartment living isn't for everyone. I've never lived in a house since I left the one I grew up in 35 years ago. Always thought some day I would, but now, I know, I probably never will, as they're expensive to own and rent around here. Space in an apartment is limited, true, but I've always managed to create new space and make efficient use of that space. Still, one has to take care of pests such as mice and ants and nosey landlords who can come in to "fix" things while you're away. Best keep the #10 cans away from the circuit breaker side of the closet and use totes you can't see through to hide what's inside.

Getting to know neighbors....I've had enough neighbors to know that most are opportunists and none of them think like I do. So in an event of some magnitude, it would be best to feign ignorance and offer your "last" can of hash or "last" package of macaroni and cheese to supplicate a neighbor and give the illusion that we're all in this together and that the government will surely step in and help.

Keep some big jeans so that after a month you can wear them as proof that you're barely getting by, though I don't think that many renters would stay that long. Everyone has family they would be concerned about, including myself, and they would hopefully go there in a time of crisis, which would leave some apartment buildings largely vacant. Of those that do stay in their cozy condo or single family dwelling, one would expect bands of people to start scouting for food in these vacant units. If they don't find anything and you're the only one left, these bands might assume you've stocked up and may try to gain entry into your unit.

The more I think about it, the more I realize there is no effective defense of your stuff in an apartment. The more you defend, the more reason to think that you have a lot of stuff to hide. Best to leave early on to get some place safer than to try and do so after a month or two when leaving a heavily populated area might be as difficult as passing through one.

Best to prep for the short term, maybe a little more, so that when you do leave to an alternate destination, you arrive there bearing supplies not empty-handed. Keeping your vehicles in working order would seem to be part of this prepping regimen.

I broke up the time in my initial reply as 72 hours, a week and longer based on the expected sesmic "event" we're all waiting on in the Bay Area.

Beyond a week, bugging out is probably going to be the best option, particularly in a hard hit area or one that's "iffy".

 

[Dozdoats]

Once again, a copy of Alas, Babylon comes to mind as a great prep tool...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0060741872...qmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_464dwefffl_e

Having lived in various apartments over the years ... it is NOT something I would plan on doing if TSHTF for whatever reason. OPMMV of course ...

 

[TerryK]

Go here. http://apartmentprepper.com/

As others have said, apartment will work for short term (a week or so) emergencies, not for shtf.

So far, in my lifetime, they have all been short term emergencies.

 

[ainitfunny]

I could never again live in an apartment. Did it with DH for a few months in the first year of marriage and discovered WE ARE NOT "APARTMENT PEOPLE". That was always our picture of hell on earth. We ONCE bought a barely livable "one step above outright DUMP ( un - recently remodeled 95 year old single family home) across from a violent BAR in the inner city (virtually a ghetto neighborhood) over even considering an apartment. It was the ONLY house that, at that time, we could afford and buy without either of us having a JOB. All we had after we both were laid off, was his $700 a month Air Force retirement. THAT is how much we BOTH hated "community living."

That dump was only $27,000 (no money down) when the "cheapest" homes were going for $50,000 at the time. It was so bad that No bank would loan money on it, so it was "owner financed". We were sad to be reduced to living there, BUT GOD MADE THAT MISFORTUNE INTO A GREAT BLESSING.
That house, once we got work, was QUICKLY PAID OFF and fixed up a little and QUICKLY sold about 3 years later for $45,000, which we used to pay most of the price of a much better, 60 thousand dollar house in only a little better city neighborhood which we were able to pay the 15,000 owed on it in a couple years AND finally sold it for $75,OOO and used the whole sum as a down payment on the $112,000 home I now have, far from the city, which we quickly paid off the loan $112-75= $37,000 mortgage in about 7 years giving us what we never expected, a decent 4br home with shared waterfront in a high end good neighborhood not close to Tacoma, all paid off before we retired!! From dump to paid off nice home it only took 12 years. And that was WITH never having high house payments along the way (our house payments were always lower than renting even a one bedroom apartment around here)!!!

Had we NOT lost our jobs and had to sell our new 4br home before it foreclosed, we would have been paying high house payments for 30 years, well into (8 years) AFTER we retired!! So, losing our jobs and the house was the BEST thing to have happened to us in the long run!! God is GOOD. It is just hard to TRUST HIM when everything SEEMS to be turning to sh*t. But I am getting better at relaxing, and accepting whatever happens and looking for the larger BLESSING that was hidden in HIS PLAN to bless us.