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Prepping without a TARDIS

By Skean Dhude

A major issue and a hot topic of conversation for all preppers is storage space. Until the time comes when the invent a storage room like the TARDIS from Dr Who then we will always be fighting for more space and looking for ideas for making better use of our existing space.

I’ve live in a larger than average place in the UK and there is plenty of storage space but I have been prepping for years and have built up comprehensive stores of food, water and tools so I don’t have much free space now. I would guess my food and water stores would be no surprise to anyone as they are standard foodstuffs just a lot of them in one place. As I am still adding to them I am always looking for more space for storage.

I’ve been around my house and built little cupboards all over the place, under the stairs, under the beds, in the loft and outside in some cache space, the sheds and the garage. I’m currently building a bigger shed for my outside items as well. Even so space is soon used up with everyday living as well as prepping gear. So how can I improve my use of space?

I could rent space in one of the many rental locations available but I don’t want to because I may not be able to get to them after an event and even if I can they may be raided by scavengers or even Plod. They are out of my control and I don’t like that.

Without a TARDIS the only option I’m left with is making more efficient use of my current space. I’ve several plastic boxes that can be filled and then stacked up. They are really handy but don’t really save space they just make it look neater. The only tool I have for actually reducing space is to reduce the size of the stores themselves which sound counter intuitive. Reduce stores for more stores. How does that work?

I can do this in two ways;

The first way is to remove all the items from the cartons they come in. Many items are in boxes much larger than the contents, it is a marketing thing to make them look bigger. Taking the items out of the boxes while still leaving them sealed in their plastic bags allows them to be packaged in a much smaller space. You can get a lot more in the stackable boxes this way.

If you want to you could go further and remove the contents from the plastic bags but you must then repackage them in air proof and moisture proof containers yourself. Using this technique you can reduce the storage space significantly. Don’t forget to label things though and make sure they are protected from moisture and bugs.

Another way is to vacuum pack things. This is especially effective on clothing and bedding where it can reduce items to one fifth of their uncompressed size by removing all the air and compressing the items. Vacuum packing clothes with the bags designed for this don’t even need any special equipment as the bags are purged of air by an ordinary vacuum cleaner attached to the valve.

For other items a vacuum packer can be used to reduce storage space and aid in preserving by removing air and sealing plastic bags. I’ve shrink wrapped some items to keep them together in my EMP box. Two PMR radios, batteries and a charger all in one shrink wrapped pack. You don’t forget anything that way. Just pick up the pack and go. I’ve done the same with underwear and socks for emergencies. I’ve a whistle, compass, knife and water filter wrapped as well. I’ve also a complete change of clothes. Shrink wrapped and waterproof they will be dry when I need them just by opening the wrap. This is also the way to store stuff in a cache. Shrink wrapped gives it that extra layer of protection as well as keeping it all in one place. No more picking up an item and then searching for the rest of it to make it work. Also handy for storing ammunition if you are out in the wet. Shrink wrap them in small batches and access as required.

I’ve also put some items in the PressItIn tins I bought. A complete emergency fire starting kit in a tin. Tinder, matches, cotton balls all in one place. Another tin has soup, tea, coffee, milk, etc. for a warm drink. Yet another soap, toothpaste and a cut down toothbrush. I try to get one kit in one tin and use bigger tins if necessary sealed with varnish if the tins doesn’t seal by itself. Remembering some silica gel as necessary. I’m also going to do this with an emergency radio kit if I can fit it in a reasonable sized tin. 12V power, UV3R and an extended antenna all in one tin. Can’t put batteries in as they won’t keep a charge that long and I can’t fit a solar charger in easily and keep the size down. Remember that the tin is also doubling as an EMP cage for this item whilst out and about.

There are a multitude of things you can shrink wrap or store in tins to keep them together which helps when you have to grab something and run.

Until the TARDIS comes along or I move to a big barn. This is about the best I can do for my storage space.

29th October 2013 | Category: Food Storage, Homestead |

The Reasonableness Test

By Skean Dhude

In all aspects of life we learn best by trial and error. As babies we try something and it hurts or we get scolded and we learn what we can do and what we can’t. As we get older these errors usually work out more painful or, as more usual, financially disadvantageous.

In prepping however we don’t always have the capability of fully testing our preps and so this leaves us with an element of doubt, or it should if you have any sense. So, to get around this we discuss our plans and theories with others and get their opinions. The rub however with this is that most people don’t have any real experience either, it is mainly all theory mixed with opinion and even worse is tempered for their own particular requirements so it may be OK for them but totally unsuitable for you. So first option is to test your theories in real life we do so. Nothing ever beats a real test. In my working life I’ve seen highly experienced professionals make fundamental mistakes on paper and when tested it is the stupid, trivial things that trip people up.

So as we are unable to perform a real test we must use a reasonableness test.

A reasonableness test is where you actually consider the theory in a cold calculating way. Is it sensible, does it actually hold for more than a cursory look. Think about how life works and then ask is this a good way to resolve the issue? It works for most things and isn’t limited to just prepping. We use it automatically normally but some things, especially where we have little experience, we don’t even try and it is a pity because it would save a lot of issues later on.

So let’s take an example of something that we cannot really test until it actually happens. The idea that someone can be begging for food for his family and will accept charity from yourself and move on to a different location without bothering you again. Many preppers advocate keeping food specifically for that on the basis that it is better to help someone than to not.

Does that make sense to you? Someone will be starving, be given some food from your stores and then move on. It does to many preppers, particularly women who believe that is so. I could very well be but in my simple view I look at examples in the real world.

We provide money to people who are not working. Those people get enough to live on but not enough to have a really good life yet they continue to have kids they can’t feed because they pull at our heartstrings and we provide funds to feed them. By providing funds for these poor kids we have increased the requirement for funds beyond what it was last year. They want more year after year. What a crap life they have though. They come to expect this to be given to them and we are in the state when many won’t help themselves they just have their hands out. There are many stories about men with two or three women and over a dozen kids. They are not moving on, they are leeches fastened tight to their food source.

I also put myself in that persons shoes. I would love to move on but I have been trying people who have nothing to spare. I’ve now come across someone who has some to spare. I’ll keep it to myself because I don’t want to lose that resource by letting other people know but I won’t move too far. Now, when I need food I may send around one of the kids instead to get that extra tearing of the heart-string but I will try. If they come back with nothing I will consider more drastic action, after all they must have plenty if they were giving some away. If the place is well defended I may even involve third parties to help but I won’t move on on the chance someone else is as generous. That meal I was given won’t last too long and our strength will go whilst we make the journey. If I was on my own maybe I could make it but with a family? No chance.

Another good point is the reaction of people when they feel like the law is not going to step in and do anything, the riots of a few years ago. People who didn’t even want anything wrecked property and stole items from shops. They knew Plod was not going to stop them so they felt untouchable. How will they feel when Plod is not around and it looks like he won’t be back?

So here I am now planning an assault on someone who has shown kindness to me and helped me. Knowing that it is him or me I am looking at taking something now. Their helping me once isn’t enough for me, I need more to enable my family to live.

So I can see that the theory does not make any sense to me, it is not reasonable. It may do if I was alone, where I may be able to trade labour for a meal for myself but not for a family.

In my view then this theory does not pass the reasonableness test.

So do this where you can, breal the problem down into parts and see if you can find similar issues that you can see how people reacted. Base your observations on real life as much as you can and not some keyboard jockey with no experience but a very strong opinion that makes it sound like he knows what he is talking about.

22nd October 2013 | Category: Information |

Versatility of Wood

By Skean Dhude

I’ve been looking around at some of the items that can be made from wood and was pleasantly surprised by some of the items that have been made. Wood is a very versatile substance which can be used in a multitude of ways.

Today, I was in the woods and a man rode past on a wooden bike. Sounds like the start of a joke but I can assure you it isn’t. Every part of the frame was made from wood. It had ordinary bike wheels on, an ordinary saddle and a rear brake. It looked so rickety I thought it would just fall apart but it held my weight easily. Some pallets for the wood, scrap wood, screws and nails and it was all done.

This guy wasn’t local as he lived somewhere in Norfolk and he had many items made of wood. He carved wood as well to make cups, bowls and plates. He also had a trailer for the bike made of wood which he didn’t bring with him. He used it to store his forage and any other items he found on the way.

He made items for friends out of wood but apparently most of us want something that looks nice where he made functional items that didn’t always meet our visual standards. His bike was a perfect example of that. Fully functional but looked like a two year old had been involved in the manufacture and had the final word on building it. Front forks were two different woods, different length and different shape.

I’ve looked at building with pallets but this guy has tried to build everything he uses from recovered wood. He has beehives, treehouses, chicken coops, duck houses, sheds all built from recovered wood. He has built his own bows and crossbows, bolts, arrows, etc. A couple of boats completes the set. He says most of the wood comes from pallets but much of it comes from windfall and reclaimed furniture. It was the bike that convinced me. If you could make a bike from windfall and pallets you are not going to be short of building material.

And, of course, if it all goes wrong you can burn your goods to keep warm. Which kind of raises the main issue with everything being made from wood.

29th October 2013 | Category: General |

Having Babies

By Skean Dhude

After an event we as will still continue to have babies. It is a natural instinct and almost everyone will want to participate, some more willingly than others. Even if you are not interested in repopulating the species babies are going to be expected. (sic)

Initially, though there will be some pregnant women at various stages of pregnancy who will survive the event. These people will need to be looked after as they are our future. Women who can have children will be coveted after an event even if they are not always going to be treated such.

Human nature means that even though we may not be in the position to consider children now, when our children grow up or the social restrains are removed it won’t be long before any family with girls in a certain range will start to fall pregnant.

Contraception may be something we try and put aside but eventually we will run out of pills, condoms and the other standard techniques and be down to blind luck and,*cough*, self control. There are other contraceptive techniques available but that is another article. One written by someone else.

So, we need to consider what we need to do for our pregnant women.

One option of course is to do nothing. This is a viable option as far as pregnancies go and is a technique used all over the world but we must remember that this gives us a very high infant and mother mortality rate, even discounting the human lives lost it is a tremendous waste of resources to carry a child for 9 months and lose one or both of them.

The issue is that we will not have the capability of maintaining the high survival rate we have now. We have professionals who specialise in delivering babies, with specialist gear to handle most of the issues we can expect during pregnancy and childbirth. We will have difficulty with premature babies or even any issues that happen during childbirth like an umbilical cord wrapped around a babies neck.

The best we can do is prepare for the basics of childbirth. Looking after the mother to be and keeping her clean and warm. There will be no anaesthetic, but there isn’t in most places now, so it will truly be back to a natural childbirth.

Best reading up on these things now, There isn’t all that much equipment you need. The main components are knowledge and a cutting tool. Everything else is a bonus which may not be available at the time such as hot clean water, warm clothes, sanitary pads and a bed.

Ideally you would have a room set up with the following in;

  • Warm clothes for Mum.
  • Warm blanket for baby.
  • Ties for the cord (2)
  • Scissors.
  • Towels (a lot)
  • Sanitary Towels (The thickest you have)
  • Knickers (The bigger the better)
  • Plastic sheets to protect bedding.
  • Bucket for disposable waste.
  • Plastic bags. One for washable waste the other for disposal.
  • Container for placenta.

Don’t forget that after the baby comes the placenta. In the olden days the placenta was eaten by the mother but that has fallen by the wayside, although some still do it, however that may make a comeback after an event.

Childbirth is one of thoe many areas that anyone can do, if it goes smoothly, when it goes wrong it usually is life and death. It is worth noting the contradiction though that planned home births are less risky that hospital births. You won’t get to practise either. It is either a childbirth or not.

17th October 2013 | Category: Medical |
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