Prepping Baby Steps: Water Refill, Kit Refill

I bought several large bags of charcoal briquettes and stored them in plastic buckets to protect them from the humidity. We live in hurricane territory and the volcano stove is one of my backup cooking options when we have no power for 2-3 weeks.

Made some homemade beef jerky marinated in garlic salt. So now have about three pounds of that on hand. Cleaned out the shed and found a perfectly good bag after some surface washing, that could be a bug out bag. Filled up some more water. Taking care of my garden, so I'll have lots of things to dehydrate later on, as well as for us to eat this summer. Unfortunately my next door neighbor is very annoyed that I have a big vegetable and fruit garden. She made very loud comments to her husband that if I wanted a farm, I should go live out where there are farms. Ahh well, I lived here first and my plants are not in her space, they are well within my property lines. It's just that all they have is grass in their yard and I think that's what they think there'll all suppose to be. She shouldn't have bought in the county, where we're still considered rural and have different convenants. I bet she's overjoyed our other neighbors moved out. They had chickens. LOL.

In the interests of being more comfortable for a walk, I'd suggest that women also pack a comfortable sports bra. I keep one in my wifes BOB. I like the shoe idea, will have to keep a pair close by.

I will be transplanting the last of the 200 pepper plants we are growing this summer. Btw, they are all being grown in pots — along with our tomatoes, squash, zukes and cukes etc — so lets put the hammer down on this nonsense that you need to live out in the middle of nowhere to help free yourself from the fragile Big Ag food chain

I am going to the bank to get small bills of cash to put in our cars and 72 hour kits. What will we do in a crisis if everyone only has $20 bills?

I am just starting my preparedness, so this post was incredibly helpful for me. It's good to know that this can be spread out over a period of time, because the cost of doing everything at once was frighteningly high.

Those huge 275 gallon food-grade PE tanks with wire enclosure can be found really cheap. I got two (550 gal total)for $75 each, rinse them out, added some bleach and they are sitting in the backyard still clean from last summer's hurricane supply. Also have gutter drain-spouts positioned so they can be refilled with collected rain-water.

well I am well on my way with the water so I think 2 and 3 are the ones I am going to work on this week. maybe do an impromptu camping trip and see how well we would do if we got stranded somewhere. Dont think the kids would mind too much if we "broke down" at the lake for a day or two!

I'll add one other thought that people could add as a baby step-a small sewing kit. You can pick up small ones at the dollar stores that will at least allow you to sew a button back on or mend a small tear or pulled hem, or set up one tailored to your needs with a small outlay. Needles, small spools of thread, snips, buttons of different sizes and colors, sew on hook and eyes, and safety pins can help keep things in check-especially if you have small children. More extensive kits could have iron-on patches for jeans and a mini-iron or fabric glue. I'll personally be over-hauling my 72 hour kits and camping trailer this weekend, along with a lot of sewing and cooking.

Molly, the drinking jugs of water are made of a plastic that doesn't hold up as long over time. Even if you pick up one or two of the 5 gallon water storage containers, they will last longer and be less likely to leak or have other issues, without feeling you are overdoing for a single household. Plus it will take up less overall space for the container than 5 – 10 1 gallon water jugs. :)

I'm new to this…is there a reason not to buy jugs of drinking water? I'm a one person household and don't feel I need huge quantities. Thanks, Molly

The hard candy is a "comfort" food. More of a psychological component to your kit.

I will be adding water to our supllies. We will be changing out the stuff in the car from winter clothing to spring/summer.

Where is a good place to get cheap but safe 5 gallon water containers from? And also, what is the hard candy for???

I'm also working on my food storage. going for at least a year supply.

I'll be doing #1 since I need 5 gal water containers to put the bottled spring water in that I have already purchased.

I'll be scouring the yard sales for canning jars, and getting my food better organized.

I will be filling the last two 5 gallon water containers I bought several months ago. And maybe double checking that I have all of #3 in my kit.

I will be rinsing out & filling the 55g barrel I bought this month from EE