I was thinking about how everyone that talks about prepping always assumes that people live in big houses far away from the big cities. It’s like no one in the city preps at all to those people. When they do take into consideration that people in the city preps, they only consider those who live in houses. Now, what about those who live in apartments? That got me thinking more about people in this situation.
That was when I realized that people who live in apartment buildings may want to prep but don’t even know where to begin. It’s time to stop neglecting these “niche” of the prepping community. So, how to doomsday prep in an apartment? Simple, if you follow the guidelines below.
Now, just because it is simple, it doesn’t mean it’s easy. You have a lot of work to do. The worst part of prepping in an apartment is that you have to be way more creative than the preppers who live in big houses. Space and the fact that you’re in a large urban area can present themselves as great obstacles to your goals. Still, it does not mean that you can’t do it.
Also, prepping in an apartment may mean that you won’t be able to prep for as many days as other people. With the limited space, you may not be able to stockpile food for 1-year as many preppers do. Now, the important thing to highlight is that no matter what your obstacles are, you can create a successful strategy with the right mindset.
Before we get more specific with a step-by-step of what you should do, it’s important to point out that you have to be aware of your local laws to make sure you’re not breaking them. For example, in some places, you can’t get a gun permit easily. It’s just too expensive.
Also, you may have problems stockpiling food or storing water since it may be considered hoarding. Again, depending on where you are, it may be a problem. Obviously, since this depends on location, check case by case.
As long as you make sure that you’re following a winning strategy, and you’re not breaking the law, there are no reasons why you can’t prep in an apartment. So, what this means is that no matter what doomsday situation you find yourself in, you’ll be able to survive even if you prepped in an apartment.
Remembering that if you have a large family, things may get even more complicated prepping in an apartment. Also, the higher your unit is, the more problematic your situation can become.
Now, let’s go straight to the important stuff and see how to doomsday prep in an apartment. A great tip is to have a good strategy that will increase your odds at survival. That’s what you’ll learn below.
Prepare an Emergency Kit
The biggest disadvantage of an apartment is that, at some point, you’re likely to have to leave the place and go somewhere else during an SHTF situation. Apartment buildings are usually built in highly-populated areas. Not only that but they also have difficult exit paths and too many people living in there. All these reasons are enough to force you to leave at some point.
What happens is that when you have to leave, you’re going to have to rely on an emergency kit. Not only for those scenarios but in certain situations, you may be forced to leave fast. Abandoning the sinking ship can be easy when you prepare. So, have an emergency kit.
Now, an emergency kit involves basic supplies for you to survive while you don’t arrive at your next destination or settles in somewhere new. You need to have food, water, self-defense weapons, first-aid kit, blankets, and things that can help you build a shelter while on the road.
So, emergency kits are bags full of the items mentioned above. The point of the emergency kit is that it has to be readily available at all times. You shouldn’t have to look for it or even think about where it is when you need it. You and your family already know where you store them and just have to go and grab one before leaving the apartment.
Also, remember to have an emergency kit with less obvious stuff that you may still need. For example, you can include a GPS or maps, batteries, and any source of valuable information. The point is always to have an emergency kit that is as complete as possible.
Have a Solid Bug Out Plan
There are a lot of things that can happen during a doomsday situation in an apartment. So, the thing is that you must have a solid bug out plan for every situation. Since apartment buildings are usually constructed in urban areas and those tend to be over-populated, chaos is likely to ensue. Also, on the long-term, it’s harder to live in a place that is so dependent on electricity and technology as big cities.
For those reasons, you will need to leave eventually. That’s when you’re going to need a bug out strategy. First, you have to think about what you’re going to take with you. Then, you have to think about how you’re going to go from one place to another. This means finding yourself a vehicle.
Lastly, you need a destination. Ideally, you will have a bug out place. Somewhere in the woods or the mountains, where you know you can not only stay for a long time but also has all the minimum requirements for survival.
If you map out a solid bug out plan, you can stay in the apartment for a long time. The point is that after a year or two, you’re going to realize that leaving the city is the ultimate choice. Actually, after 30 days you’re likely to want to leave the city.
Just think about all the riots and crimes that will be enabled in a situation like that in a place full of people that don’t have basic survival skills and that depend on outside forces to survive.
Choose the Best Weapons for Your Situation
Firearm permits are hard to get when you live in big cities like NYC for instance. So, what this means to you is that you might have to get a little creative with your choices. Still, if you can afford a gun permit in a big city, you should get yours.
Now, considering the majority of people who will not be able to get a firearm permit, what you should do is buy other kinds of weapons. For example, knives are an incredible alternative to firearms in this case. You can also get crossbows and swords.
Another great option here is a taser. Even stun guns can be in your arsenal. The only downside of these weapons is that they may need a license as well. Still, their licenses are way easier to get then a firearm.
Even if you are on a small budget, you can start your own collection of self-defense weapons to have in your apartment. The important thing is that you do have your weapons for a doomsday situation since you’ll need weapons, especially in chaotic situations.
If you can’t get a firearm, you should do a mix of ranged weapons and melee weapons. This way you have tasers that can be useful in dangerous situations, and you also get knives, axes, and other weapons that can have other uses beyond self-defense.
So, as long as you are careful when selecting your weapon of choice, you’ll be fine. The secret is to be strategic about your choices according to your budget and the law and mixing things up to have more than one option. Check out these self-defense products I highly recommend.
Be Creative with Storage
Now, the most significant difference between a big house and an apartment is the space that you get. Obviously, apartments are smaller, which limits your options when it comes to stockpiling food and storing water.
The main challenge that you’ll find is how to store everything that you need. After all, you’ll hardly survive without basic supplies. You need to have the space to store your 30 days supplies of food, water, medicine, and everything else like your equipment.
So, what it has to be done is to identify the places that you can get your things stored. First, and most obvious place, is the pantry. Then, the closet. Depending on the size of your closet, you can get really creative.
After you’ve identified the most obvious places, it’s time to think about the ones that no one does. Like the couch, the bed, the bathtub, and any other non-obvious place in your apartment. Those “hidden locations” are crucial to your prepping strategies.
For example, you can place your weapons hanging on the walls to get more space. Ideally, you’ll have a place to store food, another to store water, then one for medicine, and another one for equipment. The emergency kit is best if kept close to each family member.
The key here is to be creative and find places to store your supplies that aren’t as obvious so you can get more space to have even more things for your survival. If you depend only on the obvious pantry and closet, you won’t make long enough. You need to be creative. I recommend this plan for those wanting an effective and doable way to organize your home.
Start Gardening
A new trend in big cities lately is gardening on rooftops or community gardening. Both options are great and valuable as long as you have a bug in strategy. This way, you ensure that you and your family will have food that is hard to stockpile for as long as you maintain the garden.
Now, depending on the catastrophe, you may not be able to go outside and grow vegetables. In this case, you could study the possibility of doing it indoors. Obviously, you will be even more restrained on the space situation and sunlight may not be ideal for you to grow the vegetables.
If you know how to garden and has the available space to do it in your apartment building, select your favorite vegetables and grow them in quantities that are enough to sustain your family. One more thing is that it’s ideal to cultivate them in a place that is very close to your apartment since you don’t know if you’re going to be able to leave any time soon.
Give preference to grow tubers and roots since they tend to give more sustenance than leaves do. Even when you’re planting you should have a strategy that contemplates quantity, calories, and expiration. If you remember to strategize everything and count on every possible scenario, you’ll be more than fine.
So, to recap, learn how to garden if you don’t yet, do it in a place close to your apartment, and grow vegetables that satisfies your food strategy. For those wanting a plan on how to start growing your own food, click here.
Be Careful with Neighbors
One of the things that you have to be extra careful when living in apartments is neighbors. They can be the cause of your demise or even be the helping hand that you need, depending on how you plan this.
When you live in an apartment, you have more neighbors that live close to you than in a house. What this causes is a bunch of people knowing too much about everyone’s life. It’s not even about having noisy neighbors, it’s just that it’s easier to spot behaviors and notice everyone.
So, as you know, neighbors can be a problem while prepping. First, because they may accuse you of hoarding, which could be a problem, and then because they may come after your supplies when doomsday takes place. You don’t want to have all this work to gather basic resources, having to find space in a small apartment and have everything taken away by neighbors, or because of them.
Now, to not attract too much attention to yourself, you should stockpile food and store water slowly. Take your time to build your supply. If you get hundreds of canned foods, somebody will see, and that can be a problem for you.
Also, if you feel like starting a group of apartment preppers, be careful with whom you talk to about this. Neighbors are actually the main concern when it comes to prepping. If you do take basic security measures just to make sure that your own neighbors won’t be a problem, your strategy has all the components to work out.
Fire is Your Major Enemy
Another obstacle, besides neighbors, is your building catching fire. When you live several feet above ground, it’s not an easy situation to get out of a fire. This is why you need an escape plan. During a fire, you have limited exit ways. So, what you need to do is think about what options you have and develop a plan for each of them.
If you have pets, fires can be an even worse problem than the one it already is. Also, the higher your unit is the bigger the problem can be. Just think about that you only have one to two exit options when you live in high store buildings. If you don’t want to turn things into even more dramatic events, the best you can do is to be prepared for fires.
So, the best strategy for fires is to have a few methods to try and put out the fire. The first option shouldn’t be to abandon your shelter. Unless the fire is too big and it puts your life immediately at risk for even trying to cease it. Now, after you’ve tried to put out the fire and didn’t work, the next step is to grab your emergency kit and leave the building.
This is when you’re going to need an escape route. Ideally, you’ll have this figured out before you even need it. Come up with 3 different ways to leave the building safely, and even test them before necessary. After you’ve done this, fires will not be as big of a problem as it’d be now.
Have a Security System
When you’re prepping in an apartment or any home for the matter, you are going to want to have a good security system in place. This security system doesn’t involve only the use of cameras and alarm systems. It’s also about having your weapons in place and everything else that will help you protect yourself.
So, start by having a good locking system on your doors set up. Then, think about installing cameras and the alarm system. Do this not only on the main doors but also in the places that give access to the prepping material. This is crucial for your plan to actually work in your favor.
Once you have all that in place, pick the weapons that you’re going to use. As mentioned above, choose weapons that fit your profile, and that abides by your state-laws. Obviously, you want to take your time and plan this carefully.
Since you live in an apartment building, it’s also a great idea to have access or even your own equipment installed on the front door of the building. This way you can better control who’s coming in.
So, remember to install cameras and a security system, and also have your weaponry in place alongside other security strategies.
Store Water
When you are prepping in an apartment, it is difficult to store all the basic resources because you have limited space. Basically, you can go wrong with a lot of your choices. When it comes to water, specifically, you need a lot of room.
Since water has, in a way, an expiration date, you should store it correctly and have the space to make the necessary adjustments. The best places to store water in apartments are closets or other small rooms. The pantry, if you have one, is better used for food. A nice water storage tip is to not let your water gallons under constant sun exposure. This helps the proliferation of certain organisms like algae.
Since humans need, at the very least, 1 gallon of water per day per person, you have to be creative about the places that you’re going to store the water. So, you can place things onto the bottles to gain more physical space. As longs as you follow these guidelines, you won’t have prepping problems.
Again, the rules for prepping in a house and an apartment are nearly the same, except that you have less space, which can be a deal breaker. The lack of physical space will force you to be more creative, which is also good.
Think about all the places that you can store water that you haven’t thought about it. For example, you can place the bottles under tables, inside the closet, and under chairs. The possibilities are many if you keep an open mind.
Stockpile Food thinking Like a Lazy Guy
Again, you are in an apartment and this is probably located in an urban area. This means that space and certain prepping strategies won’t be available. So, what you can do is to stockpile food utilizing smart ways to finding room that you don’t have.
Also, in a doomsday type of situation, you may lose access to electricity and even fire. So, this is the moment that you’re supposed to stockpile food like a lazy guy. This method should be applied by everyone because all situations should be evaluated.
What you do here is that you think like a lazy person. This means that you stockpile in great quantities so you don’t have to shop all the time, and you also stockpile food that is ready to be eaten or cooked fast.
This strategy is important because with limited access to electricity, for instance, it’s important to have food that won’t need you to cook it. All you have to do is take it out of the box and eat it.
So, your strategy will consist of a lot of canned food, but you can still diversify with another thing that you might like it. The whole point of this strategy is to stockpile food that is easy to prepare and that you can stockpile in great quantities without the need to constantly changing the units.
If it’s not your style, you can ignore the lazy guy strategy. Now, if you are willing to try new things, this strategy works because it doesn’t count on you being super disciplined. For those who want a simple to store food product, click here.
Gear Up for Communication
A lot is said about food and water storage and many other things, but communications devices are something quite often overlooked by many prepping articles. Imagine nowadays having to meet someone in a mall and not being able to communicate with them. It’d be a nightmare!
During a doomsday situation, you don’t want to have to worry about being able to communicate with your family members. That’s why it’s important that you get all the devices that will help you do that. For instance, you can start by buying a satellite phone and a walkie-talkie. Those devices would be crucial for communication during doomsday.
Now, obviously, you have to not only have more than one device in your apartment, but every family member should be aware of them and how to use them. Also, you should do your research and see what kind of device would be still working in every possible scenario.
Have lots of burner phones as well since the satellites may be working for a while and it’d still be the main form of communication. Anything that can help you find people and talk to them it’s a useful device. This means that even laptops can be useful depending on what threat you’re facing and if the internet and electricity are still working.
The point is that you need all those devices not only to be able to find each other during a moment of crisis but also to be able to find other people and communicate with the outside world. Here are some two way communication products you might want to check out here.
Rehearse for the Main Event
At last, something that people never talk about is the fact that life is not a video game and, therefore, you only get one chance to get it right. The point is that you have to know exactly what you’re going to do. You don’t want to risk losing valuable time that may cost your life in the process.
That’s why it’s so important that you and every family member already knows what to do in every possible scenario. This means where the emergency kit bags are and in what situations to go for them. What to do when the best is to stay. Like security protocols, food ration, and every other crucial information to your survival.
If you have to decide about those things when things are already happening, you not only lose valuable time but you often make the wrong decision. You’re just too stressed out to make an informed and rational one.
That’s when you make mistakes and cause bad things to happen. So, what you can do is to plan everything and then rehearse what to do in each possible scenario. This way everyone knows what to do, and you nail doomsday. Here is a plan that guides you to be prepared the right way…just in case.
