What prep(s) are you LEAST proud of?

[Paratus]

In response to Benny's 'What prep(s) are you most proud of?', I've decided to start the opposite. I think it's good to let others know what we haven't done so well - perhaps letting it out will encourage you to improve on it.

- Please don't share anything that isn't appropriate, or really doesn't belong on the forums.
- Pictures are alright, if you want to show us.

I'll start;

I have a lame food/water supply, and really only have enough of both for about two weeks/one week, respectively.


Apart from general food in my kitchen, this is all I have SPECIFICALLY for the PAW.

[Paratus]

50+ views and nobody will share?

[AK47sForAll]

I'll bite. My food and water supply really sucks.

It's whatever is in the pantry right now... :/

Finances don't always permit, but I want to get at least a little bit of MH for emergencies.

[duodecima]

Paperwork. I don't actually have a legal will yet, which is crazy irresponsible when you have kids. There's some key papers I don't even have copies of, and I have not yet assembled, copied, and foodsavered into waterproof packets for the BOBs. (I hate paperwork. But that is no excuse.)

[Benny]

Our BOBs are not up-to-speed yet... We have them, and mine is halfway packed. But the wife's isn't even started yet.

Mine is half strewn across the loveseat in the family room in disarray as I've been adding items to the pile for inclusion. It needs to get packed up the rest of the way and then humped around for a while to make sure it's even comfortable.

In the grand scheme of things, it has been a lower priority than the other things I've been trying to work on (food and water, medical, etc for bug-in). Now that those things are more under control, we've *got* to get back to our BOBs and make sure they're ready to go.

Also - no cash stash.

[Tater Raider]

Food and water preps, though I'm addressing the water one pretty publically in my signature. It isn't taking long nor is it costing a lot of money.

[LyraJean]

So I had one of those pre-packaged FAK. Lost in a canoe trip sometime last year and never replaced it. Which is bad cause the kit is like $10.

[Braticus Caticus]

Very little reserve cash.

[RedneckReverend]

WATER!
My water preps suck!
I have plans, but nothing done yet. I'm not a big believer in storage, it uses up too fast.
I need to get off my tail and build my rain catch plus store up water purification in case I need to my pond or the nearby river.

[Regular Guy]

Paperwork. I don't actually have a legal will yet, which is crazy irresponsible when you have kids. There's some key papers I don't even have copies of, and I have not yet assembled, copied, and foodsavered into waterproof packets for the BOBs. (I hate paperwork. But that is no excuse.)

This. I have the paperwork but I still have my will from the Air Force, may need to update that.

[Shaper]

Water storage is a real problem for us right now. We are renting a place with no garage or storage shed, so other than a few rain barrels (used mostly for the garden) and some gallon jugs filling up a few closet floors, we are severely lacking given our family size. Luckily, we at least have mass volume filtration squared away, but that is only half the battle.

I'm currently looking into 55 gallon water barrels next, but I am going to have Hell figuring out how to store and protect them where we are right now.

[LtCmdLeia]

Sorry I read the thread but couldn't think of anything until duo posted. My worst preps are my paperwork. I have all our important paperwork set and ready to take with us if need be, but I don't have a will, I don't have a plan for anyone else to know what to do with the paperwork I have ready. I really should sit down with my adult children and deal with this.

[oldsoldier]

Sorry I read the thread but couldn't think of anything until duo posted. My worst preps are my paperwork. I have all our important paperwork set and ready to take with us if need be, but I don't have a will, I don't have a plan for anyone else to know what to do with the paperwork I have ready. I really should sit down with my adult children and deal with this.

I am (sort of) in the same boat. I am a new homeowner, and my last will was pre-deployment in 2004, and likely no longer valid. Lots has changed since then. This is something I SERIOUSLY need to address this year.

[anonymac]

Food/water....Working on the food situation, but water really sucks...Ive got a plan for short term storage, but Im not satisfied with it...

I inventory my whole home when I look at "preps", not just whats in the storeroom downstairs...I feel like Ive got most things covered, but food/water worries me the most...


Oh I seriously need to write down some kind of will/advanced directives, and notes covering bills, accounts, etc. for the spouse incase Im unable to handle things myself....

[Perkidanman]

Mine has to be this crank/battery powered radio/light emergency thing....that doesn't hold a charge and requires 8 AA batteries.

Power went out one night and the damned thing had to be continuously cranked to provide enough light for the room.

[Paratus]

I actually had my will updated just a couple months ago.... Lots of paper.

Back on subject, I possess no firearms [this may not necessarily be bad], so I have no real defense in some sort of apocalypse. Though honestly, I don't think I really want a gun.

[Chantrea]

Weapons. Anathema to most ZSers I guess, but I do not own firearms and do not plan to own any for quite some time. I like to shoot and know basic safety, and I have no problems with them; but it's not part of my preps at this time.

I would disagree that not having firearms means that you have no "real" defense--but it does limit your options and realistically you should plan accordingly.

I am a lazy gardener (don't plan to at all this season). I have all the 'stuff' for it (including seeds) and have done it, but I think it will take the apocalypse to get me truly interested in it; I think I've been in denial about that for quite some time, so it's almost a relief to let it go this year. I need to research more lazy ways of gardening. We have encouraged/transplanted a ton of edible native plants to our property, but it would not sustain us (other than providing treats/better-than-nothing).

[Nycene]

my knowledge base - my first aid certification expired years ago and i am told the rules for CPR have changed.

also, shoes. i do not have a single pair of boots that are sturdy and in good condition and don't hurt after walking in them for a day (i have a couple pair that meet two of the three critera, but not all three).

[2005RedTJ]

I'd like to be further along on installing deadbolts and such on the house, motion lights, etc... But I am making steady progress on other stuff like food/water and plans for a dedicated prep room. Also been meaning to get around to buying a shotgun - would complement the other guns very well.

[KnightoftheRoc]

Oh, man- where to BEGIN?

Water storage needs work, but is progressing. My paperwork, I didn't even think of till reading this thread. Fuel/power needs, I'm currently working on- some good things happening there. Food, could always use more. Defense, I need to start stocking ammo, because I don't have any re-loading experience. And, even if I get ALL this sorted out RFN, I still don't have a BOL I'm comfortable with.

For a short term problem, I'm pretty well set, but if the zombies rise tomorrow, and it all goes to hell, I'm in trouble about a month into it.

[Chantrea]

For a short term problem, I'm pretty well set, but if the zombies rise tomorrow, and it all goes to hell, I'm in trouble about a month into it.

Yep, I would say that is really the most challenging aspect of long term prepping. *Especially* with consumables that aren't easily replaced. I think this is where the wall happens (people are fine with prepping for the 3-days kit, ect. but a lot of non-preppers start to freak out or poke fun beyond that, IMO part of defensiveness). It's a lot more complicated than stockpiling, that's for sure.

I live in a climate where nutritious, relatively easy to grow stuff can be grown year round (it's not very sexy though, mostly greens & beans, ect--we don't have the heat for the tastiest stuff). But damn, that is going to be a lot of work. Repairing/finding shelter is not going to be a problem, and we have a ton of clothing that can be altered to fit (luckily my daughter is probably getting really close to her grown-up size, boys have a few more years to go) but I'm not a great seamstress (not that anyone will care about being a fashion plate in an emergency), and most of the fabrics of our clothing these days does not hold up real well to old fashioned washing (we do have the equipment to do it though).

I tend to worry about the timing of a long term disaster, knowing that it will probably come FOR ME at the worst possible time. Early spring would be great. Even end of winter, fine. But beginning of winter, that might be pretty bad. I should really take some time and perhaps write some checklists/plans for various seasons to put in there beside the generic 'what to do if' stuff we already have.

[KnightoftheRoc]

For a short term problem, I'm pretty well set, but if the zombies rise tomorrow, and it all goes to hell, I'm in trouble about a month into it.

Yep, I would say that is really the most challenging aspect of long term prepping. *Especially* with consumables that aren't easily replaced. I think this is where the wall happens (people are fine with prepping for the 3-days kit, ect. but a lot of non-preppers start to freak out or poke fun beyond that, IMO part of defensiveness). It's a lot more complicated than stockpiling, that's for sure.

I live in a climate where nutritious, relatively easy to grow stuff can be grown year round (it's not very sexy though, mostly greens & beans, ect--we don't have the heat for the tastiest stuff). But damn, that is going to be a lot of work. Repairing/finding shelter is not going to be a problem, and we have a ton of clothing that can be altered to fit (luckily my daughter is probably getting really close to her grown-up size, boys have a few more years to go) but I'm not a great seamstress (not that anyone will care about being a fashion plate in an emergency), and most of the fabrics of our clothing these days does not hold up real well to old fashioned washing (we do have the equipment to do it though).

I tend to worry about the timing of a long term disaster, knowing that it will probably come FOR ME at the worst possible time. Early spring would be great. Even end of winter, fine. But beginning of winter, that might be pretty bad. I should really take some time and perhaps write some checklists/plans for various seasons to put in there beside the generic 'what to do if' stuff we already have.

This is what makes them a disaster, no? If everyone in Japan had had a month's advance notice, it would have still been a big deal, but the tsunami would have taken very few lives, the reactors would have been secured, and the worst it would have done is a bit of "urban renewal". Watched by the entire population from the safety of the mountains, and on TV.

[Cockroach]

Like Duo and several others mentioned, I need to get my legal paperwork and Will in order.

[Chantrea]

I tend to worry about the timing of a long term disaster, knowing that it will probably come FOR ME at the worst possible time. Early spring would be great. Even end of winter, fine. But beginning of winter, that might be pretty bad. I should really take some time and perhaps write some checklists/plans for various seasons to put in there beside the generic 'what to do if' stuff we already have.

This is what makes them a disaster, no? If everyone in Japan had had a month's advance notice, it would have still been a big deal, but the tsunami would have taken very few lives, the reactors would have been secured, and the worst it would have done is a bit of "urban renewal". Watched by the entire population from the safety of the mountains, and on TV.

I do see some separate issues here. I agree that if you knew a month in advance that a major tsunami was going to hit, it would be enough for most people to move their stuff and get out of the way (I think there are always people who will lowball it though). Not sure I agree that nuclear reactors could have been adequately secured from that force in a month, but probably better than they were. I think there are disasters that there are very few things you can do to prepare for them (for example, a massive asteroid strike that alters the atmosphere so that sunlight can't reach the ground for a few years--well, all the seeds in the world won't help you if you don't have enough to get by on for 5 years or whatever; or a nuclear bomb detonating right over your location--nothing is going to save or prepare you for that.)

I was more speaking of making/reviewing plans for how to pick up the sustainable long term plans in any season. I don't stockpile food with the idea that it's going to carry me through a long term (by long term I mean over a month) disaster; it's a stopgap/supplement/insurance, but I need to be able to kick in to a sustainable plan, and stockpiled foodstuffs are not sustainable: when they're gone they're gone. Kicking in to relying more on gardening would be relatively easy at some points of the year, harder in others. As I'm thinking now, there are things that I could work on that would give me a jump start (making sure I have the mats on hand to make greenhouses/covered rows and stuff for sprouting if that's not feasible). I have not spent a lot of time figuring out how to make that work on the scale I need it to though, that's what I see as the gap in my preps.

I am not omniscient, I will never be, and to be honest I have not nor do I plan to even attempt to prep for everything. So that doesn't stress me out. Expanding my thinking about how to get things started in the off season though is something that I can do now (could even test out), and should do now if I want to be responsible, though.