Another newbie from London

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pupeno
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2017 8:39 pm
Location: London, UK

Another newbie from London

Post by pupeno »

Hello,

I'm yet another newbie prepper from London. Specifically, south west London.

I've always had a passing interest on prepping and self sufficiency. I lived in Argentina during the 2001 crisis that saw the state go headless and that was quite an experience. I'd be interesting in meeting other preppers to learn and hang out with similarly minded people. What's the best way of going on about it?

These days I have an almost finished bug out bag, although I'm not entirely happy with it yet. I'm also working on prepping for staying at home without power or utilities but I'm just getting started with it (where to store drinking water is my main issue right now).
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J. Pablo Fernández https://pupeno.com
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Deeps
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Joined: Sun Nov 09, 2014 8:36 pm

Re: Another newbie from London

Post by Deeps »

Welcome to the forum, water is bulky, have a read of the forums but if you're struggling with your 'normal' storage, do you have kickboards for under the stowages in the kitchen ? Most modern kitchens have under cupboard boards that can be pulled off (fnarr fnarr) and can hide all sorts, not practical for day to day access but an option. Something else to consider in a built up area like London is cooking smells if you're planning on staying put, I don't know if this would be an issue for you. Enjoy the forum though and have a nose around.
Britcit
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Location: Shetland

Re: Another newbie from London

Post by Britcit »

Welcome to the forum.

If you have space in your freezer, store bottles of water in there. I believe freezers run more economically when full, and if you have a power cut the bottles will help keep the temperature stable for longer.
They can be just taken out if you buy food to freeze.


I don't have so much of a space issue, but I still keep bottles in the freezer to aid during power cuts.

Just an idea for you to consider.
"There are none so blind as those who will not see. The most deluded people are those who choose to ignore what they already know."
pseudonym
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Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 10:11 am
Location: East Midlands

Re: Another newbie from London

Post by pseudonym »

Hello and welcome to the Forum. :)
Two is one and one is none, but three is even better.
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pupeno
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2017 8:39 pm
Location: London, UK

Re: Another newbie from London

Post by pupeno »

Hello and thank you for the welcomes.

Storing it in the freezer is a good idea. At the moment it's filled up with food, but I'll keep it in mind.

We do have some under-the-stairs storage. I just have to convince the other people in the house that storing water is better than whatever crap we have. This should be easier than it is.

I even have a rain water butt outside that I filled up with running water. I use that as secondary water source, as it might not be easily drinkable.

About cooking smell when staying put. That opens the whole conversation of whether you should stay put or flee London. Normally, bugging out should be the last resort, but big cities like London can go crazy real fast and might be hard to evacuate. I'm not sure what's best at this point.
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J. Pablo Fernández https://pupeno.com
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Deeps
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Re: Another newbie from London

Post by Deeps »

If you are going to store water in the freezer make sure you don't fill it all the way to the top, leave a gap for expansion in the bottle. I keep 4 2L bottles in the chest freezer, not so much as spare water (although of course its that too) but you can extend the life of your fridge if the lecky goes off. Putting the frozen bottles on the top drawer of your fridge will keep it cool for longer. If you have an idea how long the lecky will be off for you can plan how often you go into the fridge, keeping the temp effective for longer too.
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pupeno
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Location: London, UK

Re: Another newbie from London

Post by pupeno »

Oh, yes, I know about leaving the gap from my experience making things explode in the freezer for fun when I was a kid :lol:
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J. Pablo Fernández https://pupeno.com
Arzosah
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Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2012 4:20 pm

Re: Another newbie from London

Post by Arzosah »

Welcome to the forum!

As far as water storage goes, do you have a chest of drawers that sits on a built in plinth? I do, a very old one, and it just takes some half litre bottles of water quite nicely. Keeps them dark, keeps them out of the way.

Bugging in/out, nearly everything will need you to just bug in - a power cut, a broken water main, snow. Evacuation for a local temporary problem is likely too - an unexploded WWII bomb, a flood, that sort of thing. So a bug out bag might take you to a local community centre, or a friend's floor, or a B&B. Bugging out as you can read about in fiction based in the US is a bit difficult in the UK! I have quite a lot of fun with local maps in order to bug home, so to speak - after all, none of us are at home 24/7, its very possible that you wouldn't be at home if something happened. Like the time I was at a weekend meet with friends and my National Express bus went on a three hour diversion to avoid floods. Nat Express took the strain for me that weekend, but what if they hadn't?

Just a thought - in any case, welcome on board, and enjoy looking around to see what's useful.