When a lot of people think about prepping, they think about huge stockpiles and bunkers. However, prepping is often about quality over quantity. You can have all the gear in the world but it won’t make a difference if you can’t operate them.
This also means that if you don’t have the room for these large quantities, that doesn’t mean that you can’t be prepared for the worst. Here are just some of the ways that you can blend prepping and apartment living.
Working On a Budget
While some have nice apartments in the heart of big cities, there are also a lot of apartment dwellers who live where they do for the sake of a tight budget.
If you’re living on a tight budget, you might feel like you can’t prep properly but this is a huge misconception. Anyone can start prepping and every great prepper came from humble beginnings.
The best bet is to start your investment with the necessities. This includes food, water, and shelter. Self-defense would be your next concern and then you can move up from there. Even if you have to those resources a little at a time, don’t worry – you’ll get to your goal eventually.
A good tip for new preppers on a budget is to go to a warehouse store. These stores let you buy in bulk for a low price, so you can pick up plenty of non-perishables even if your budget is rather humble.
Make Storage Where You Can
When you’re living in an apartment, spare space isn’t usually a luxury. This can make prepping even more intimidating. After all, how do you prepare for disaster if there’s no space for supplies?
It can go a long way to invest in a storage system but some of these can come at a hefty price. It’s also a good idea to learn how to make the most of a small space as a prepper.
Don’t Be Afraid to Use Some Tech
A lot of people prepare for a total disaster and that’s great! However, that shouldn’t mean that you should ignore modern solutions entirely. If you want to be prepared for any emergency, it’s a good idea to see what technology has to offer. There are two main ways technology can help you: home security and emergency care.
Even if you’re a renter, you can still use a home security system. These range in complexity and prices and can even be just as simple as a doorbell camera. Your apartment probably already has its own security system in place but, remember, prepping means you’re preparing for something to go wrong.
Medical alert systems are a great thing to keep handy too especially if you have an older family member or someone with chronic health problems in the household. The latest technology features the ability to contact a doctor or nurse when you need one or even emergency services with the press of a button.
Make Sure Everything Is Portable
When you’re living in an apartment, it’s a good idea to keep a bug out bag ready with your essential supplies. This doesn’t have to include everything you own but you should be ready in the case that you have to leave your apartment.
Homeowners have the advantage of being pretty certain that they can put their own home on lockdown. Unfortunately, apartment dwellers don’t necessarily have that kind of independence.
If you have a friend or family member who has a house nearby, try to make a plan with them to meet there if anything goes wrong. This will give you and those in your group a central base to work from if an apartment building is compromised for any reason.
Become Self-Reliant
If you live in an urban environment, you may not worry too often about self-sufficiency. This isn’t inherently a bad thing but when you’re prepping, you want to be ready for a situation in which you can’t run to the store or order takeout.
A great way to start is to grow some veggies and herbs in your apartment. A vegetable garden in your apartment isn’t going to be as big as a full garden, of course, but there are plenty of vegetables small enough to grow indoors.
Have a Plan, Know the Plan
This is a pretty basic prepping idea but it’s important to keep in mind. If something were to happen, what would you do? Have a plan for different scenarios. For example, what would you and anyone you live with do if there was a fire in the apartment building?
The idea of knowing and practicing these plans is especially important if you have young children in the apartment. Running “drills” can be a good idea if it’s possible.
Prepping is something everyone can do. Even if you have to get more creative in a small space, you can be just as prepared as someone in a large house.