How to Protect Your Home and Survive a SHTF Crisis

How to Protect Your Home and Survive a SHTF CrisisIn recent years we have seen an increase in the increased risk and possibility of SHTF crisis type situations actually happening. Most emergencyies are relatively small.  However, that is not always the case. To be honest, if you really want to keep your family safe, you definitely wouldn’t want to risk planning for anything other than the worst case scenario!

So let’s take a look at some of the main steps for how to protect your home and survive a SHTF crisis. You’ll probably find a calm and analytic approach may even save your life, if you do your planning well in advance.

1. Start by Assessing What You Need

If you haven’t made an inventory of what you might need in a crisis situation, it’s never too soon or too late to do so. Evaluate your needs, and see what you don’t have. Do you have enough batteries for radios and flashlights, got yourself a hand crank lantern? Do you have a portable generator in case the power goes out? Have you prepared a place to stock up on food rations and water?

All these considerations have to be kept in mind. Make a list of all the necessary survival tasks and supplies, and then do your best to check every item on that list as soon as possible.

2. Get Your Home Ready

Installing new strengthened windows, strong metal doors and a sturdy fence can be among the best means of keeping your home safe in a SHTF situation. Additionally, you will want to replace all outside locks with some heavy-duty deadbolts and prepare a few secret hiding places that friends or family members can use, if they find themselves outside at a bad time, possibly even having to run away from an angry mob.

3. Top Up on Supplies

When it comes to food, make sure you get supplies that will last for a long time. Cans of soup and meat are a great idea, and you should also get stocked up on cans of peas, beans, pickles and other vegetables. If possible, avoid buying large quantities of white bread and food that tends to go bad after a shorter period of time. Instead, consider getting your own flour and preparing survival bread by using one of the numerous recipes you can find online, although truth be told, if you cannot get by without bread when you have ample other foods stored, then you are going to struggle!

4. Instruct Your Friends and Family Members

Even if you don’t have all the supplies and weapons you need, you can gain a great deal of assurance simply by instructing family members and friends on what to do in an emergency.

Consider setting up a code for easy communication or a special knock to avoid opening the door to looters. Also, instruct your children to stay in areas you designate for their safety.  They should keep away from the windows.  Teach them to communicate immediately if they hear strange noises.

5. Keep Up with the News and Emergency Broadcasts

You’ll need to have a minimum amount of electricity allocated to radios and phones. It might be the case that your phones are not working and the likelihood of an internet connection will be slim at best.

However, an emergency radio can be great for keeping up with emergency broadcasts and getting the scoop on what’s going on outside, when you have to sit tight, and when it’s safe to go out.

Before a crisis happens, always check the most important local and nationwide news bulletins. You can even set up a Google alert on your phone.  That way you’ll be alerted if a SHTF situation is at hand.

Safety First: 5 Things to Think About Before Remodeling

The time has come for the big renovation! While you’re probably deep in planning the new look of your house, there are some other things you should keep in mind. Safety! Some people opt for moving out while the renovations take place.  Ohers choose to stay at home and navigate the new circumstances in the best way possible. But a construction site is a place where a lot of dangers creep if you haven’t eliminated them on time. Here are 5 things to think about before remodeling to ensure the safety for yourself and your family.

Make It Well Lit

A lot of times accidents could have been prevented if only someone knew what they were stepping on or walking into. So to make sure none of such things can happen at your place, make the whole construction site well lit. This means installing lighting at night all around the place. Think: where are you usually walking coming home, or taking the garbage out? What about going to the garage or backyard to fetch something? The terrain can be bumpy, or there might be nails on the ground. By installing good lighting you’ll be able to see where you’re walking and avoid anything that can do you harm. Apart from that, good lighting is always a plus when it comes to potential burglars breaking into the house. The fewer shadows – the less chance for someone to hide.

Keep the Tools Away

Good construction workers will try their best to not leave anything behind, but mishaps can occur here and there, and this is especially dangerous if there are kids in the house. Children love toys, and above all, they are curious beings who love everything that looks like it could be used as a toy – so a tool poses a real threat, as it can seem interesting enough so they want to play with it. Tell the contractors to not leave power tools at your place overnight – or at least not plugged in and within reach, if it’s too much of a hassle to bring them and take them away every day.

If jobs are large and happening all over the place, a good idea is to have a tool gathering at the end of the day. If the tools are definitely staying at your place overnight, ask the workers to collect them and put them in one designated, secure place out of reach of the little ones. The workers themselves will benefit from this as there will be no issues over who left what where, but the more important thing is, no child will find a tool somewhere on the site and wonder what the button does.

Keep the Construction Site Isolated

This is an even better idea to prevent children and pets from rummaging around the rubble.  This will prevent them from accidentally hurting themselves, or running into a worker. Isolate the construction site by installing temporary barriers systems, or temporary fencing. These portable fence panels will prevent little ones from stepping onto the area where they might get hurt.  They also signal to everyone else that the area is shielded for public safety. Safeguarding the site, but also passersby, this is an ideal solution for ensuring safety, but also because it can be easily removed once the work is done.

Change Your Family’s Habits

This will require some planning and talking. What are the areas being renovated, what do you use them for, and how do you plan to replace them? Make sure everyone is on the same page and knows what they should be doing. You will obviously have to get used to changing the way you use your home and teach your children to follow in your footsteps. Sometimes this means teaching your spouse not to cut corners! If the remodel is focusing on an area you use every day, work together with the contractor to set up alternative areas that will fulfill your needs while the work is being done. Hopefilly, of it is a bathroom, you have anther to use. If it’s the kitchen, set up a temporary kitchen in an extra room, or a garage.

Make sure you always, always use it for everything you usually use your kitchen for. That means no going to the old kitchen to grab some tools! If you’re relaxed about it, kids will follow, and that’s the last thing you want them to do while the renovation is underway. Help them remember to stay out of areas where the work is being done. Lock the doors, put up physical barriers we’ve mentioned, or add signs if they can read.

Know the Dangers of Unfinished Areas

Even when the tools are stored safely, and there are no workers around, unfinished work area has a lot of potential hazards – especially to children, but also adults who are unaware that some things are off or malfunctioning. For example, sometimes the room looks done, but the wall socket covers are off. You most definitely don’t want your child examining this. And if there’s nothing that might physically hurt you, there can be things full of dirt and bacteria, or just being plain unsafe. When safety features are missing, the area is a hazard. Prevent unwanted situations by staying away from unfinished areas, and teaching children to do the same.

Renovating can be a daunting task, even when it’s the contractors doing all the work. And of course, it especially rings true when you’re on the site, trying to lead your life as usual. But if you take into account all the safety measures and mostly keep away, it gets a little easier. So take care, and have a lovely new home!

What You Need to Know Before Downsizing Your Home

Are you one of the growing number of people thinking about downsizing your home? Though moving into a smaller house sounds like an exciting endeavor, it is also a logical choice for most, especially money-wise. Despite its potentials, moving into a smaller space can be overwhelming, so knowing a few things beforehand can save you a headache.

For that purpose, we have set out a list of must-knows for all those who plan to live in a smaller square footage.

Know How Much Space You Actually Need

Downsizing is a great concept but it is important to stay realistic about it. In a moment of inspiration, you might want to get rid of all your things and belongings, but you should think about it clearly. For the new small house to become your new home, it ought to satisfy your needs and wishes, at least the most important ones.

Even after you have thought about how much space you need, sticking to an exact number of square footage might not be possible. Different homes will have different layouts, so be prepared that there may be a range of footage you ought to consider so as to meet your immediate needs.

Also, if you aren’t living alone, you need to find the compromise for all family members.

Decluttering Is the Hardest Part

You can start decluttering right away, like getting rid of magazines that keep piling up. However, you can start decluttering for real only after you have established the dominant aspects of your lifestyle you want to keep in your new home.

If you are afraid you might begin decluttering and never finish, create a list first. The list should contain the things you own and later on, you can update it with information on the new items you will need for your new home. Label every item with keep, donate, give to a friend/family, or sell. You can use sticky notes as additional visual aids to place on your belongings and each colour can reflect a particular category.

Downsize Your Appliances to Suit Your Small Home

Not every piece of furniture will have a place in your new smaller living arrangement, but another feature can make it more functional. You might want to replace a double door fridge freezer model for something not as overbearing. Also, consider getting compact washer and dryer, as they are designed to blend in. Though they will take on smaller laundry loads than the full-size ones, they will save quite a lot of living space.

An Organized Storage Room Saves Space

Although you might be a highly organized person, there will always be some knick-knacks that you need to keep but have nowhere to put. This is especially obvious when there is no extra space in your home.
A storage room can be a lifesaver in this respect as long as you maximize the space use. It is important to keep that space organized, so make sure that all the items, like your tools and your stock of home appliance supplies are easily stored and reached when you need them.

Clutter-Free and Smart Storage

Once you have got rid of most of your clutter, you will feel oddly liberated. But the trick is to keep up the good work and keep your home clutter-free. Each belonging should have its own place and you should make a habit of putting things away.

Moreover, a smaller space will inspire smart storage ideas. Try to combine them with your furniture, like under your living room sofa and bed. You can also hang some shelves and pots from the walls, both as a storage and a decoration idea. The important thing is to not go overboard, by creating only as much storage as you need and not closing up the space.

Use Color and Light to Your Advantage

Apart from the furniture and appliances in proper sizes, you can also use colors and light to give the illusion of more room and make the space airier. Light colors of walls and furniture can make a room look bigger even when there is a limited source of natural light. In addition, good lighting and mirrors can open up and brighten up the space.

Less Stuff, More Freedom

It might seem hard to go small, but it will give you the freedom you just can’t have in a large space. The financial factor is the most noticeable one, as having some extra cash can give you more opportunity to go out and about.

Also, a smaller home can mean moving into the heart of the city, consequently shortening your commute but also shortening the distance between you and the events happening downtown.

Taking a step towards being a small homeowner can be challenging but if you know all the facts, there is no reason to fear it. Free yourself from the stuff you don’t need and you will be able to have more room for things that matter as well as more time to actually enjoy them. By using functional pieces and light, you will make the space work even better than you might have believed it ever could.

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7 Affordable Gifts You Can Get Your Prepper for Christmas

christmasLooking for unique prepper stocking stuffers?

If you’re after regular gift options you can find everywhere else, this may not be the gift idea list for you.

You won’t find pocket knives, paracord bracelets, waterproof matches, or flashlights here.

About this time of year, there’s an innate desire within us to gift something unique.

Perhaps, something you haven’t thought of before.

Hopefully, we can help inspire you with some new gift ideas that your prepper can add to their arsenal.

Toilet Paper Tablets

When we first saw these, we couldn’t have been more excited to share them as a gift idea.  They’re cheap, small, chemical-free, and they’re simply brilliant.

  • Add water
  • It expands
  • Open it up
  • It dries

You instantly have emergency toilet paper, a make-shift diaper, or even a fire starter.

They’re perfect for disaster situations, hunting, camping, the bug-out bag, etc.  It might be a good time to upgrade your survival kits with these convenient, space-saving tablets and leave the toilet rolls for the bathroom.

Adventure Medical Advanced Clotting Sponges

The thing about preppers, they prep for everything as much as possible, and this includes medical supplies.  These newly, redesigned sponges have moved away from using exposed powder on wounds to using a hemostatic sponge that holds zeolite beads.

The idea is to soak up water molecules from blood and leave behind blood platelets and plasma that work to clot the wound up to three times faster than the body’s natural process alone.  Beef up your prepper’s medical supplies with the latest life-saving supplies while sticking to your budget.

Game Stockpile

Sometimes we get too distracted by the physical priorities of prepping that we may neglect supplies that help to ensure our mental and emotional survival.  If you have the space or just a bookshelf to spare, make room for some games.

Survival-themed games and cards are plenty.  But, I can tell you from experience, you can quickly fill this available space with cheap options from a thrift store with board and card games, coloring books for both kids and adults, and vintage classic toys like Legos and blocks.  $20 can go a long way when you’re stretching the dollar while building your stockpile.

Traction Cleats

This is another space-saving and convenient supply to add to your list of stocking stuffers.

The thing about emergency situations is you can never be quite sure where you’ll be when it will happen, or where you’ll find yourself.

Traction cleats will help give your prepper a sense of security of sure footedness.  Accidents, trips, and falls can quickly change a situation from bad to worse and then life-threatening.

Equipping your mobility with a sense of security may make all the difference in an emergency.

Gun Magnets

If your prepper has an arsenal of firearms, you may want to consider gun magnet mounts.  Hidden gun compartments and shelves can get expensive if you’re not particularly handy with tools, although we’re sure you can figure it out how to build one yourself.

For an instant fix to hiding your firearms in places that provide quick access, a gun magnet set is definitely a unique gift idea.  Here is a list of unique presents for a gun lover you might want to look over as well.

Binoculars

We all know optics play an important role in being prepared for your survival in many different scenarios.  So, I don’t think we need to get too much into its benefits here.

Also, it doesn’t mean you have to spend hundreds of dollars to land a quality bino for your prepper.

You can spend less than $100 and still see brand name manufacturers like Nikon, Vortex, and Celestron.

However, these gift ideas aren’t just for the prepper, these are some unique gift ideas for the hunter as well.

Bonus: Honorable Gift Mention

Berkey Water Filter

Okay, so this gift idea isn’t technically on the affordable end of the spectrum, but it’s so deserving of a mention.  A Berkey water filter is an excellent gift because it can be used for everyday use and not just for when the SHTF.

How would I know?  I have one.  It sits on the counter, and it provides peace of mind knowing that it’ll be there to provide some of the cleanest drinking water not only for prepper situations, but for everyday life.  Granted, filters may be considered high-maintenance parts as Dave mentions here.

Having the Big or Royal Berkey may not be affordable at this point.  If you prefer to equip your prepper with some bug-out bag upgrades, the Sport and Go Berkey may be the “right-now” solution.

Alternative Gift Ideas

Sometimes, gifts for a prepper or a prepper family can go beyond a physical present.  Here are some ideas that can mean the world to that special person:

  • Offer to help your prepper on a special project. A lot of the time, prepping is time-consuming, and a lot of it is done alone.  Get the kids involved and build bug-out bags together, practice using your prepper gear, or spend a night without electricity and running water and improvise on what you can do in a real-time emergency.
  • Babysit for free for your prepper spouse, family, or friends. They may need some productive time to shop for or pick up supplies, work on a project, do some canning, or gardening.
  • Use your food storage. Baking goodies or cookies to give as a gift has been done for as long as humans have thought of others.  It gives you a chance to put your first-in-first-out method to use.  You can then refresh your stockpile once everything goes on sale after Christmas.

A Gift from the Heart

One of the most appreciated aspects of a prepper’s attitude is you can never have too much of anything.  Whether you’re gifting them another pack of MRE meals or another book on canning recipes, it’s always appreciated because extra knowledge and supplies never get old.

But, beyond that, a thoughtful gift has a lot more meaning than how much it costs.  Looking for a unique way to stretch the budget while giving something meaningful is a win-win.

8 Basic Rules Of Safety During Reloading Your Own Ammo

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Are you scared of reloading your own ammo? Well, there are reasons why you should be. By dint of internet, you may already be aware of the massacre a wrong step while reloading the ammo can create. There are pictures and videos of handgun explosions or peeled barrels waving on the internet.

To say the very truth, the modern reloading process of ammo is much more dangerous than it was back in the 1800s.  Reloading ammo was simple and almost a danger-free endeavor then. It was as easy as it could be done in the camp at night or even on the battlefield between the shots.

However, today, even a small mistake while operating the metallic cartridges can lead to very dangerous situations.

It’s a good thing that now you are aware of the dangers associated with reloading ammo. But don’t allow these make you too scared that you kill your potentials to be a would-be hand loader. Where there are risks, there are also ways to avoid them. Today we’re going to discuss the basic safety rules during reloading the ammo.

Follow the Manual

Though reloading ammunition isn’t difficult, you must sequentially follow certain steps. So it’s always wise to go through a manual first and memorize the instructions. You shouldn’t work even with a slight confusion. So the first thing to do is to collect a reliable reloading manual and go through it thoroughly.

Verify the Sources of Loading Data

Nowadays almost every powder and bullet company put their load data online. The talk forums also provide loading data. Too many to count. But the question is how much reliable they are.

Of course, you can trust the recipes found in a renowned company’s website. But you shouldn’t trust all the information that waves on the social media without verifying. So the data found from other than a reliable source, shouldn’t be considered in the first place.

Contact directly with a manufacturer or leave a question in the comment box. You can also compare with a good loading manual. You can do even neither. Don’t take the data into account.

Work With One Type at a Time

While you’re at the reloading bench, work with one set of the bullet, cartridge, primer, and powder. It’s because if you, by any chance, mismatch a component or overload, it may give rise to dangerous situations. For example, if you charge a 150-grain bullet in the place of a 120, you’ve already put yourself in danger.

Similarly loading a case with a powder different from the data will produce a loud noise as you trigger the gun. Working with more than one item at a time increases the chances of shuffling the quantities. So when you’re done with one powder, take it away from the bench. Then start working with a new one.

Wear Safety Glasses To Protect Your Eyes

The risk of eye damage is higher while working with primers. An unintentional blast can occur anytime while handling or seating bullets and primers. Though it may not risk your limb or life, damaging your vision is possible from a primer blast. So before anything happens to your eyesight, it’ll be wise to wear a glass when working on the reloading bench.

But it’s also important that you can see clearly with the glass while reloading. Prescription safety glass will give you the feel as if you’re wearing normal glasses. By ensuring your eye’s safety, they will also help you to see clearly.

Keep the Ammunition Separated

It’ll help you to test the loads on the range. The best way avoid mixing is to write the load specifies on them with a permanent black marker. Similarly, while working with different seating depths, write them on the case. The same goes for primers and powder charge. Keep records for loads. It’s better if you can make a list for different charge weight, primers.

Choose Top Quality Reloading Tools

Building high-quality ammunition requires high-quality equipment. Nowadays digital devices like scales, calipers, brass trimmers, dispensers are taking place of manual measurements. The results they give are quite satisfactory. But while buying them, make sure the brand is reliable.

Consider Using a Powder Check System

You have two options in this regard- visual and mechanical. The mechanical system is indeed a die system.

The visual system is adaptable only when the powder fills more than half of the case. If you forget to check the powder case whether it’s empty or not working, it’ll fail to avoid squib loads. Otherwise, a visual powder check system is the best reloading gear to spend money on. That’s why I recommend it for all practical reloading, especially progressive presses. Also, read the instruction before using it so that you can properly operate it.

Don’t Use Old Primers or Unknown Brands

The same goes for the powders. If you find any unmarked powder or old lose primers in the drawer don’t use them for building the ammunition. Just remember, the cartridges are the miniature of pipe bombs as you load them. Don’t endanger yourself and your surrounding by assembling unknown powders or primers.

Tips

  • Do reloading the ammo with full isolation and concentration. Set up the reloading bench so that nothing can distract you.
  • Don’t reload or test the load when a kid is around you or near the place.
  • Just because the manual listed a load as the maximum will be safe for your gun. The maximum load for one gun can be over pressure for other. So choose that suits your gun.
  • Keeping records of your previous good loading detail will help you to recreate it again. Keep hand notes or save notes in your laptop of the loads that goes well with your rifle. Also, record the development process.

Final Verdict

If you’re playing with bullets till today and your fingers and eyes are still protected, then you’re lucky. But luck may not favor you all the time.

So it’s time you followed all the safety rules to keep you and your dear ones safe.