Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Preparedness - Organizing my bedroom

This weekend I organized my bedroom. I have lived in my apartment for nearly three years and it looks like I just moved in. On the floor lining the wall of my bedroom were sheets and workout clothes. In my closet there were winter camping clothes piled on the top self, everyday clothes on the middle shelf (in neat organized stacks), and winter workout clothes plus bags piled at the bottom of the closet. All these items were present, but where in piles that would be hard to pack from if I had to leave town or (lord forbid) walk out of town in a hurry.

I used two boxes of something like this item from target. Oddly, wal-mart did not have this item and target did, only their version had six cubes instead of 4.

This was my first step to taking an inventory of what I own and creating a list what I need to be prepared (or planning to plan, as I like to call it.).

My next step will be to take an inventory and organize the hobby closet. Which is where my camping supplies, wrapping paper, extra blankets, and sports equipment are piled. I have chosen to use the 16 quart version of this, as my basic component for storing stuff in that closet. Those boxes will be my bug out house boxes. I have choose the 16 quart version for one main reason. A woman or a child could pick it up even if it was fully loaded with heavy gear. The 16 quart version of the boxes are not too large to be hard to move. If I find it hard to organized that closet with those boxes, I will buy larger ones for certain items that are not on the bug out list, but the ones I choose to but out with will stay small and light enough for anyone to move.

cube

2 comments:

Sandcastle said...

What if you just threw some extra clothes, a tent, a sleeping bag, some nonperishable food, a flashlight, a water filter, and some camp cooking supplies in a backpack. Then you could have a camelback and two jugs of clean water next to it. When the shit hits the fan, you grab that stuff, your gun, and haul ass. In a real emergency I think you would want to take as little as possible, and have it packed in a way that was easy to carry.

Man of Issachar said...

"What if you just threw some extra clothes, a tent, a sleeping bag, some nonperishable food, a flashlight, a water filter, and some camp cooking supplies in a backpack."

I agree so I have nonperishable food, a flashlighy, extra mag, extra ammo, and 64 oz of gaterade in my car right now in an alice pack.

I also plan on adding some of the supplies you mentinoned to the truck.

"In a real emergency I think you would want to take as little as possible, and have it packed in a way that was easy to carry."

It depends on the emergency, if you are doing a large scale evacuation my goals would be ....

1) beat the rush
2) carry as much as possible in my car\truck, because I don't know how long I will be gone. (a decent percentage of the katrina victims still have not returned)

I think my system will allow me to load everything i need QUICKLY, so that I can beat the rush.

The stuff in the closet, will be for long term (I know I have been with out power for a week before in memphis - only once but still) at the apartment or for a longer term evacuation.