single person preps

[Hereallweek]

Hi all, long time lurker and occasional poster in preppers, but I NC a lot.

At some point this year I'm likely to end up living on my own long-term. I did have a couple of months last year when I was on my own and figured out a few things I'll need in place (hello, vomiting virus) that a couple or family wouldn't need as much, but has anyone else got any ideas? I'm primarily thinking if I'm too ill to keep going downstairs or not feeling up to cooking, but I might be missing a trick?

Bedroom - sick bowl, old towel, thermometer, medicine, sealed bottle of water, wrapped snack that's easy on the tummy like a plain biscuit, charged phone

Kitchen - really comprehensive first aid kit, foods I know I can keep down when I'm ill that make me feel better like homemade chicken stock/broth in the freezer

Garage - lots of rock salt as I might struggle to dig out the drive on my own

Two local key holders in case someone needs to get inside to help me

What haven't I thought of please?

Key box?

Power bank in your bedside drawer.

Fire escape ladder? Smoke alarms.

Lock on bedroom door and good security. Possibly ring type camera.

Just add water food. (Cous cous, noodles, Cup shots, cuppa soup)

Two or three boxes of each type of painkiller. (You can use quite a few with flu)

Keep up to date with flu jabs

List of phone numbers on paper.

Friendly neighbours.

Thanks @WestBridgfordTornado , I've got everything except two - the fire escape ladder because I've a first floor bedroom with garden below at the moment so I think I could hang out of the window and drop the rest if life or death.

And I'm not sure about key safes/boxes, surely it's much easier for a burglar to break into a key safe and then let themselves in than tackle an up to date lock on a solid front door? I can't think where to hide it that's immovable to screw it to but totally hidden.

I live overseas and am very conscious of not having many family members nearby.

Solar power lanterns for power cuts (I keep them on the window sill)
Battery unit for restarting car
Battery operated car tyre inflator
AA membership
Bread maker and large bag of mix (love this!)
Hydration powder or solution in your first aid kit
Spare toilet bag and underwear in a bag in case you have to go to hospital in a hurry and do not have a relative to collect stuff in your house for you (I use the bag for the gym and holidays also)
I have 2 sets of keys with me always. One set is zipped inside my handbag. My daughter once locked my everyday keys in the car and I was able to whip the other set out.

In 15+ years of living alone, I have never once needed a single thing that you listed in your OP.

Oximeter to monitor blood oxygen if you have a respiratory infection. About £15.

Ah, I have a gastro issue that makes me more vulnerable to food poisoning - I had two incidents last year plus getting the vomiting virus. And I live at the top of a hill in Yorkshire and have a steep driveway, hence all the grit :)

I think I have some version or alternative for pretty much everything else suggested so thanks everyone for reassuring me x

I'm solo in a European capital, with my DH and DD in another EU capital.

I just got a 2nd key and plan to have that in my office (open very long hours daily except Sunday) so someone can get it to get to me if needed. And I can easily get it for visitors.

I've had to build a small toolkit - Lidl tools are perfect, and I have an IKEA rechargeable powered screwdriver and different bits for that, some duct tape, superglue etc.

I have a camping solar panel to recharge a powerbank - but am considering a proper solar generator as I have a very sunny living room and it's an all-electric apartment. If I do, I plan to get a single ring induction plate as an alternative means of cooking as open flames are not allowed so my camping gas stove can't be used. (My current alternative plan is a chafing dish with a few rather than just 1 tealight - as I don't think there are specific rules about candles).

I have a small but covers most emergencies first aid kit and meds for diarrhoea, upset tum, cough and cold, pain meds etc. I am also taking vitamins and supplements to make sure I am healthy generally, and making a big effort to eat plenty of fresh fruit and veg and not too many processed foods. Like keeping up my yoghurt and berries for breakfast habit (but now in a bowl and without seeds and oats as I don't have a smoothie maker anymore) and getting back to an old habit of lemon juice and honey with warm water in the mornings before food.

I worked to rebuild my pantry fairly quickly when I arrived - having a few packet soups, pastaria type all in 1 mixes for pasta'n'sauce/risotto etc, and part baked bread on hand. And plenty of basics and a variety of spices/seasonings to pull together meals if life has got too hectic and I haven't made it to the shops (much more restricted opening times than I'm used to) or if I come down with something. And bottled water too - 2 bottles of still for emergencies but I go through a lot of sparkling on an ongoing basis.

I've also worked to get sensible meats in the freezer and do some batch cooking to have sauces made up to defrost and reheat midweek (I don't have a microwave for ready meals).

I don't have a car, but I know the public transport routes fairly well and I have printed out the options locally in case the metro goes off for alternatives. I have a public transport card to make it easier. I have a bike as well but the weather has been rubbish and I've been too busy to get out on it yet and I am close enough to walk or use metro everywhere.

I got a "granny trolley" for my shopping - everyone uses them here and it does make it easier. I am able to get my heavy 6pack of 2l sparkling water as part of my weekly shopping easily. Or get a couple of bags of compost from the local hardware store.

I have a few things growing on my balcony - salad leaves, herbs, peas, tomato etc. I'll add more as the weather is heating up. Partly as an interest, partly to have good quality veg to eat and partly as cost of living is high especially veggies which are both more expensive and far lower quality than at home.

I'm working on improving my fitness as I would need to rely on myself if something happened.

But I know I need to build things like a bug-out bag (there are various threats here at times) or hospital bag, and fill a few gaps in my first aid kit. And figure out how to keep the apartment cool in summer (I have an air con unit, and some door stops for keeping doors open when windows are open for airflow (not when aircon is on) in cooler parts of the day, but it is a warm city in summer).

@BiddyPop there were some great threads on the main site during the heatwaves of last year and the year before on keeping rooms cool, definitely worth searching them out. From memory the biggest hack/investment recommended was lined blackout curtains in sunny rooms. Or I was recently in Spain and noticed that many apartments had permanent awnings over their balconies, which would block out direct sun without sacrificing light.

I'm single in first floor flat. I keep basics like candles, camping lanterns, battery radio, wind up torch. Plenty of soup in sachets and long life milk and about one month supply of tinned foods. I do need to go through my first aid kit. I'm urban inner city so less likelihood of being cut off by bad weather. My real concern is being too unwell to get out to get provisions. I have regular commitments so if I don't turn up some where, people would be concerned immediately because I'm the kind of person who always let's people know in advance of planned absence or change of plans. I think my steps are proportionate.

I live on my own and got properly ill (fever and chills, aches, generally rotten) recently and it wasn’t great. I have family and friends very far that would come if needed but as it was just a virus albeit nasty I managed on my own. It’s a hard thing to prep for as unless it as an apocalypse it’s always nicer to eat fresh food but having some cans and freezer stuff meant I could make beans on toast, fish fingers etc on the days I couldn’t drag myself to the shop.

obviously keep paracetamol in the house and thermometer, bp and oximeter (some smart watches do this) as I was quite worried about going from a nasty virus to needing medical help and not noticing as on my own.