We're bugging in

[Great-Kazoo]

I have a bit more equipment and flexibility than you do since I have a house rather than apartment and I'm a Scout leader but here's a partial list of my set up for a shut-in:

- Gas grill with 2x20 lb propane tanks
- Coleman 2-burner white gas stove
- 2 Coleman dual-fuel backpacking stoves (white gas/unleaded gas)
- 8 gal white gas
- 2 gal unleaded gas
- 2 Coleman 2-mantle dual-fuel lanterns
- Sleeping bag rated to 10 F
- Sleeping bag rated to 40 F
- Sleeping bag rated to 50F
- Camping ceramic water filter
- Aussie collapsible fire pit/grill
- Dutch oven
- Mess kits
- First aid kit
- Wilderness First Aid reference book
- 19W solar panel
- 5 Li-Ion rechargeable batteries for recharging USB electronics (approx 35000 A-h total)
- Recharger for Ni-MH and alkaline AAA and AA batteries (8 slots)
- 20x rechargeable AA batteries
- 20x rechargeable AAA batteries

The Coleman lanterns will help me keep a small room warm if I need it and I can supplement that with one of the backpacking stoves but it doesn't take much.

On water storage, I don't keep more than 2 gallons stored daily but I can store 60 gal if I have a heads-up. I figure worst case, I'll use the ceramic filter on the hot tub water but that's my last-resort plan.
I regularly keep about 3 weeks worth of non-perishable food around -- haven't formalized it but starving is really my least concern. I might be vegan my last week or two but I definitely won't starve.

Of course, I have my 10 book cases worth of reading material in the event of a shut-in so I don't have to worry about lack of TV or Internet. People forget having something to do but that's why people go cabin-crazy when shut-in. What are you going to do to pass the time besides clean your guns when you're shut or bugging in?

Could it be improved? Sure but I just don't want to store more gas on-site than that until I get close to a SHTF scenario and I can go get more 5 gal water containers easily, I just don't want to have to cycle through all that water regularly.

Only 2? We have that in one cabinet . Can never have "enough propane", If you know how to read them, garage sales can net you 1 or 2 extra tanks. Nice stash of AA & AAA batteries, been looking at solar panels.

[Wulf202]

What do you do to keep it fresh I tried some walmart bottled water after a year and it tasted strongly of plastic

In a clean container that doesn't have contaminants permiating thru the plastic it will get stale. Assuming you didn't store it near something that would cause it it was the walmart bottle not being clean. Try it with arrowhead.

My first water class I brought 3 year old water. Stored in a clean container in the elements. Frozen and thawed plenty of times. It was stale but had no other issues. Pouring back and forth improved the taste quickly.

[Wulf202]

Am I the only guy that drains the water heater once a year to get the sediment out?

You're one of the few but it doesn't stop sediment and flushing it won't get 100% of it.

[Zombie Steve]

You're one of the few but it doesn't stop sediment and flushing it won't get 100% of it.

Understood. Siphoning is probably a better way. The point was not to overlook having access to 40-50 gallons almost everyone already has in the house.

[Wulf202]

Its a good point.

Toilet tanks have 2 gallons unless you put the blue stuff in it is clean. The pipes can be drained for a few gallons. Grey water in the p traps and washing machine drain can be treated.

[jerrymrc]

Only 2? We have that in one cabinet . Can never have "enough propane", If you know how to read them, garage sales can net you 1 or 2 extra tanks. Nice stash of AA & AAA batteries, been looking at solar panels.

Over the years I have picked up some here and there. I now have 3-30's, 1-40 and 5-20's filled. Have another couple of 20's I need to fill.

Go rechargeable with adapters. I have 12 "D" and 6 "C" adapters for the AA size. I have solar to charge with and even though I can charge through an inverter I need to make a separate 3V 3A solar panel to run the charger. I need to finish my last 175W of panels. currently down to 3 with about 130W of charging ability.

[hatidua]

That's the key word IF you Buy in BULK. I have a few 123 lights that are collecting dust, just because i refuse to buy them anymore.
AA batteries are everywhere. Same for C, d and even the AAA's a lot of the small LED's use.

I really try hard not to buy any light that doesn't run on AA/AAA but a few things are hard to get around. If Streamlight or Surefire would make a TLR-1/X-300 that ran on an easily sourced battery, I'd never even consider another 123 battery. My Steripen uses those little 123's as well, so I keep buying bulk-packs of them to have on hand "just in case".

I specifically bought the Yaesu Ft-60R radios I have because they can transmit with the full 5W's with AA's and few others did.

[TheGrey]

Lehman's is a great resource, albeit a bit spendy (or maybe that's just me- I could go through a lottery-winning's worth of cash at that store.) www.lehmans.com

Besides a massive amount of Alladin lamps, they specialize in Amish goods and non-electrical things. Take a look and see how many things you can't live without!

OP, do yourself a favor and go through your apartment and close up all windows and remove your light sources. See how dark those rooms are? Imagine various in which you would lose power, in each season, and try to figure the best way to make your residence not onbly habitable, but comfortable. 7 days is a fine start, but if you're bugging in, there's no need to 'rough it' as though you were camping on tarmac. Watch for sales on blankets. Have you been to Saver's off of Quebec street yet? It is a Prepper's paradise for spare blankets, sheets, pots, spare clothes and so on. What if you are stuck in your home for over two weeks? Canned goods can get very tiresome very quickly, so you and your wife may want to try and work some sort of meal plan.

By the way, you're being awfully narrow-minded about a retirement area being "nothing but drains." Shame on you! My Grandma would kick your butt for speaking so about the elderly.

During the Great Depression, in which people either learned to live by their wits and make something out of nothing, or they didn't make it,- you didn't turn away any resource. There's a wealth of information out there. You might consider taking a look at the untapped resource of knowledge you have there. Canning, making meals, repairing items, medical knowledge and so on...do either of you know how to put food up?

[jerrymrc]

Lehman's is a great resource

I have bought from them before. Also take a look up top at the links.

[Wulf202]

Get one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Emergency-Buck...et+toilet+seat

- a 5 gallon bucket from Home Depot

-and one of those HUGE rolls of garbage bags at Costco. Bag individual incidents. Chemical toilets tend to be less 'fresh' than advertised...

If you're bugging in you can use the trash bags in the regular toilet.