[CSM]

I am still struggling with preparing for a long term electrical outage or a long term natural gas outage.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a city dweller, in a small house, to prep for such events? I don’t have much of a land footprint, so storage is an issue.

[Axeslinger]

Food, water and a means to defend them. For water, I would recommend one of the gravity type filters like a big berkey...and a couple of extra elements. With that you could take just about any water and make it potable. I made my own out of an old coffee urn and a stainless steel salad bar bucket and lid and some true berkey elements for about $100.

Food, get some long term storage stuff, like mountain house. I'd bet you could store several cases under the beds in your home.

Also, remember that in a sudden SHTF, like a grid down, you should fill your tub as soon as possible while theres still some water pressure. Eat all your fridge foods first then your frozens.

[LadyBuck]

WaterBob for your bathtub, if you have one & LifeStraws for your bugout bag.

[bgill]

A milk carton type crate holds 32 regular 15 oz cans. Turn the crate upside down, cover it with fabric and you have a stool.

Open your bedroom door to a 90 degree angle. Peek behind it. That is storage space. Line the wall behind the door with 6” shelves.

There is storage space under the bed, under the couch and living room chairs. There is space behind the couch and wall. There is space under the bottom dresser drawer. Look at the bottom and backs of your end tables, night stands, chests, etc. Buy coffee tables or such that have storage rather than just four legs and a top.

Add a shelf above head height in a hallway.

If your fridge is smaller than the opening, fit that space with a tall narrow roll out framed shelving unit. Sometimes a shelf or two can be placed above the stove top - I put one in a 1940s style kitchen, wide enough for 2-3 rows of veggies, the store brand labels happened to match the kitchen color so actually looked cute. When you’re doing a bathroom or kitchen remodel, dump the soffits and extend the upper cabinets to the ceiling. Is there a bar in the kitchen that’s never used? Fashion a curtain or something under it where the stools would go to give you tons of storage.

On that Preppers tv show, one woman stored small items (soup, gravy, ranch dressing mix and maybe jello or pudding) in hollow doors - fix the top of the door to have access.

That big cooler and suitcase you use once a year has valuable space inside.

Declutter your stuff.