Prepping, one step at a time. Where would you start?

[mamapants]

Right I would in theory love to be properly prepared for any emergency, ranging from powercuts to full on zombie apocalypse.
Sadly I'm not even vaguely organised. Although do have a well and a log burner.
So I need to start basic and build it up.
So am thinking I need to start by having a first aid kit in my house and some kind of kit for the car- what do I need?
Where would you start?
Or if you are also starting out what are your first steps?

[Stratter5]

First Aid kit - you can pick up ready made ones from Boots, or online. atticus has a great car kit posted (on the snow thread I think). Powercuts - just keep a stash of candles (don't forget somethin to put them in to burn), and a couple of good torches. A wind up radio can be added eventually.

I'd then clear our somewhere for storage, and start buying a bit extra every time you shop - it builds up fast that way. Just think of the tinned/dried basics you could make a meal out of, and throw in some big bottles of water.

[Stratter5]

Car kit thread

[Heyheyheygoodbye]

I'm not exactly a beginner but I am very low-level and looking to upgrade.

I just bought my first car and in it I keep blankets, protein bars, bottled water and a fire extinguisher as well as a small first aid kit and the usual car stuff - antifreeze etc

In my home I have a well-stocked first aid kit and plenty of cat food/litter since I once had to trudge two miles through deep snow to get some! I also keep a good stock of baby wipes, sanpro, and soap/shower gel as well as big bottles of cream for DH's eczema. I have a wind-up torch and our important paperwork is all in a fireproof box.

What I'd like to do now is get a wind-up radio, plenty of batteries, and some kind of Kelly Kettle. I also want to start stockpiling some food, water and water purification tablets. We don't have much space at the moment but hope to buy somewhere next year.

[ScrappyMalloy]

I seem to be a seasonal prepper, as I get organised this time of year, and then it all runs out of steam heading into the summer. I think you are way ahead of me, just with your well!

Inspired by this Topic, which I excitedly came across yesterday, I have cleared out my food cupboards, put all the food in some kind of order, and reorganised my tins and packets on their proper shelf.

I have tins of vegetables (which are in water, so no need for extra),tuna, baked beans, hotdog sausages, tomatoes, and butter beans. All the soups and sauces seem to have vanished, tut.

The water has been used too, in our motor home.

There are some packets and ingredients for bread making, but not much.

I checked the candle stash, and have only millions of tealights left, so have chunky cheap candles on my list. Also need matches and lighters.

I am off to check out the ruins of my car prep from last year, using the excellent list on the other thread, then time to find all the torches.

[mamapants]

Thanks. Have just been online looking at first aid kits as that's an easy one to start with. I guess I'll need one for house and one for the car.
Going to read the car thread now for inspiration.

[atticusclaw2]

I pick up a couple of bits each week when I go to the supermarket. Might be a few tins or matches or lighters. Its easy to do it gradually and end up with a decent stock of stuff.

This week I've bought hand heaters (from the driving in the snow thread) and a 4 pack of lighters from the pound shop.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

That is a genius tip about buying tinned vegetables already in water so easy to cook. So simple, but I hadn't thought of it.

[ISpidersmanYouMeanPirate]

I started by identifying what I was prepping for.

So basically:

• something that makes you stay at home/can't get out to the shops (pandemic, riots, supermarket/producers strikes...)
  

• something that makes life at home more complicated (power cut, water cut...)
  

• something which means you have to evacuate quickly (fire, floods, hurricane...)
  

• something which makes getting home difficult (transport strikes/terrorist attacks, car snowed in) and you don't have a car
  
• ditto but you do have a car
  

Then I went through the basic needs: foods, water, shelter, light, first aid, comfort...

[mamapants]

Good method there spiders
Have ordered my first aid kit. And so far have an ice scraper for the car- thank you lidl.
We have candles and some torches in the house. And various dried foods already.
Am going to definitely just keep adding a bit at a time. And read here for tips.
Am definitely doing car as next priority as we tend to get a lot of snow here and Ihave two young children so want to have all the essentials.

[winchester1]

Do you use your well already, if not have you checked you can and actually tried?

[mamapants]

Hi winchester we don't use the well at all, at some point we'll have to fit a pump- no idea what we'd need.
If we needed to use it now it would be a case of tying rope to a mop bucket!

[cozietoesie]

Nothing wrong with that if the water is sweet and fairly close to the surface! ( It's quiet and low cost/maintenance.)

[winchester1]

O we are bucket on a rope too (pump broke last winter and we've not replaced it yet). I meant more is it open and the water level high enough to get too.

[mamapants]

We do periodically check it as concerned about it flooding. The water level is high enough and it has just got wooden slats over it at the moment. We are just kind of ignoring it mainly at the moment as see. To always have other jobs that need doing.
Would love to do something properly with it though. There seems to be a well in every other garden up the hill and down the hill from us. Some have covered them over and some have hand pumps.

[cozietoesie]

Water has to obey the laws of nature like everything else so I wouldn't be worried about a well 'flooding' - it should come to the level of the water table more or less. (Is it spring-fed or down to water seepage?)

Your main tasks with a well, other than maintaining any well-head mechanisms such as pumps, are to keep it intact and ensure that nothing falls in and drowns/contaminates the water. Children and pets seem to have some sort of magnetic attraction to the things so maybe have a look soon at the slats and check that they're secure.

[SideOrderofChips]

I'm sorting my shed out this week. Its a big concrete shed (1930s house) and its full of shit so am clearing that out and using the shelves in there to start storing my tins, packets.

If you are storing in a garage or shed remember to use sealed containers for ackets to prevent damp and insects

i have a small gas camping stove as well

[winchester1]

I don't but if your un the UK id mostly be wary of mice and rats.