I just finished reading a novel about the aftermath of an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) attack, and it has me thinking about survivalist issues.
As an urban-dwelling minimalist, let’s just say I’d be up the creek if the SHTF. I have three days of food and water at best, and nothing to speak of in terms of tools or other supplies. (I’m certainly not bragging about this, and in fact am a little embarrassed to admit it.)
Although I know it’s prudent, every fiber of my being is against the notion of stocking up. However, I think when it comes to emergency preparedness, I’ll have to fight against my minimalist instincts. Although my city isn’t prone to natural disasters, terrorism and pandemic diseases are a concern.
But here’s my dilemma: I would imagine if a BIG catastrophic event occurred, a period of lawlessness would follow. (In the book, roving gangs of looters ransacked the houses of those who were “prepared.”) I’ll likely never own a gun, and certainly wouldn’t be able to shoot someone stealing from my vegetable garden or pantry. Therefore, even if I did have adequate supplies, I would fail miserably at “defending” my property.
I’d be more inclined to strap on a backpack, get out of Dodge, and hope for the best. To that end, I should probably be learning how to boil chickweed, purify water, hunt small game, and catch and clean fish (none of which are likely to happen, either).
In general, my philosophy is to take each day as it comes, and not worry about the future. What will be, will be. However, I’m starting to wonder if that attitude is too irresponsible in this context.
At this point, I think my best option is to befriend someone who lives on a defendable, self-sufficient property, or knows how to survive in the wild. So if any such person reads this blog, and would like to see it continue after a worldwide meltdown, please consider taking me in. Living within walking distance of London would be a big plus. I’ll organize your closets, and dispense inspirational minimalist quotes, in exchange for food and shelter. ;-)
I’d love to know how everyone else plans for potential emergencies. Have you stocked up on food, water, and supplies? Can you be self-sufficient if necessary? Or would you hit the road, and put your fate in the hands of Providence?
On another note: I’ve run out of Real Life Minimalists! Would anyone like to be featured on Monday?
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I understand your dilemma with this one. We all face problems and potential disasters from the natural disasters to terrorism to pandemics to financial crises. Any of these can range from personal to local to regional to global. For some of us, the threat is seasonal. For others its more or less frequent. Still, it is inevitable that at some point we’ll face some crisis. All we can do is prepare for whatever crises we are most likely to encounter.
We live in hurricane country so every season we are threatened with being wiped out or at least going without infrastructure, access to markets and other services for days or even weeks on end. That gives us a very different perspective on preparation vs. minimalism. Additionally, we still have children living at home and are responsible for their well being. We keep about a month’s worth of food on hand and during hurricane season we also keep a month’s worth of water on hand. We stock up on candles and oil lamps, have a hand-cranked radio, extra toiletries and trash bags, any required meds, etc. I don’t really consider this type of stocking up going against the minimalist tendencies I have. I see it as just good sense. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
If the SHTF, then I would hope to be in a position of being able to grow food for my family, raise animals and hunker down. If not, then backpacks with survival gear and my seed stock would be what we’d grab and run with. One thing I read about was having a place preplanned to run to. Preferably more than a tankful away from a city. In that case, one would have to have extra fuel on hand to get them past the point most people would run out of gas if they were making a run for the countryside.
As for hunting, gathering and fishing, the game won’t last long because a great many people would expect to do the same.
Wow, Jenna Ann, you’re well-prepared — I guess you have to be, living in hurricane country. Thanks for the ideas!
Eventually any product bought will run out and nature is currently so fragile that it would not support the earth’s enormous population foraging and hunting as it takes a large amount of land to support a hunter gatherer lifestyle.Ordinary tap water stored in large containers is fine and will also save resources by not using packaging which comes from trees.They did a study between water sold at supermarkets and tap water and found that tapwater was cleaner.Also you can boil dirty water in a pot while covered with a lid, run a tube from the lid into another pot and the clean water will drip down the tube, hence you will have very clean H20.You can also grow potatoes in a bucket from your windowsill.
You can survive for about 45 days without food or very little.Learning how to conrol the mind and body is also helpful.Indian Sadhus survive on a very meagre diet.
In London you can also apply for small patches of land from local councils where you can grow your own food for a very small fee.
If a person can look forward to eating lunch and dinner today they are wealthier than most as there are many people suffering in this world.
All you need for an emergency is knowledge and a knife.There is plenty of materials discarded by people which could be useful in a survival situation.Supermarkets also throw away an incredible amount of food in perfect condition which could feed many.
Personally I would hit the road and not worry, find a nice spot with a good view if I was about to kick the bucket and die peacefully while everyone ran aroung like crazy as they usually do on a Saturday on Oxford street with my few, minimalist possessions and have a good laugh at the futility of man.
Thanks for the info, Jason. I always enjoy hearing your perspective on things. If the SHTF, perhaps I’ll head to Primrose Hill. ;-)
There’s a lot of negative connotations that come with emergency preparedness because of the militants that seem to be hoping for a worldwide meltdown being so prominently in reports about preparedness. I like to think I’m more of a sane, normal person, but one who recognizes that bad things happen. I was in the southeast US when the hurricanes came through a few years back and I remember people being without power (some for weeks), stores closed, and people lined up in droves at Red Cross stations distributing water. So while a total collapse of society is probably low on the scale of likely events, natural disasters do happen with enough regularity to make preparedness a wise choice.
As for me, me and my wife have our hiking gear always packed in the backpack ready to go: sleeping bag, water filter, tent, camp stove, rain gear, some dehydrated backpacking food, etc. If for some reason a disaster struck and we had to leave fast, we’d at least be ready to rough it for a few days. And if disaster doesn’t strike, my stuff is always ready to go on a weeklong hiking trip. :-) We don’t stockpile a lot of food, and now that we’re moving into our RV fulltime we really can’t. But in my youth I went through some survival training so I hope I could always remember how to live off the land. Or maybe not. Who knows? Humans are resourceful people though, so I like to think we’ll figure it out.
As for guns, it’s certainly a touchy subject. I have been around guns my whole life, but not in the macho testosterone wannabe army man way that many gun nuts seem to have. To me, guns were, and are, just tools, no different than a screwdriver or a hammer. I own them, my wife and I both know how to shoot them, but they’re not something we think about a whole lot. They’re there if we need them, but other than that, they’re not part of our identity like they are for so many.
Hi Japhy! I like your level-headed, common sense approach. I think in our case, we should at least have a backpack with some basic gear; as you said, it also comes in handy for hiking trips. :-)
You should read ‘Emergency’ by Neil Strauss (author of ‘The Game’) if you haven’t already, it deals with exactly this subject and makes for an interesting read on someone preparing themselves for global catastrophe.
In the spirit of minimalism/environmentalism, I’d be happy to post you my copy to read!
:)
PS Love the site, keep up the great work – this is by far my favourite of the numerous minimalist blogs I follow (which is somewhat of an anti-minimalist statement!)
ws102, thanks for the nice words and your kind offer — I’ll be picking up ‘Emergency’ on my next trip to the library!
What was the novel?
One of the many reasons I hope to return to Cascadia (coastal NW USA/SW Canada) is that a lot of water falls from the sky there, and the mild climate makes it possible to grow food for most of the year. Seem like good features to have in case the SHTF.
Hi heather w! The novel is One Second After by William R. Forstchen.
On living off the land, may I suggest you go to the Channel 4 website and watch A Cook On The Wild Side, Hugh of River Cottage fame.
Also just reading “The Wild Life – A year of living on wild food” by John Lewis-Stempel, enjoying it very much.
Also found this entertaining site: http://www.awalkaroundbritain.com . It didn’t take an EMP threat to get these guys out there.
Enjoying your posts, thank you.
Jon, thanks so much for the recommendations!
I just checked out the A Walk Around Britain website – what a wonderful project. It reminds me of one of my favorite artists, Richard Long, who has spent much of his life walking the British countryside (as well as many other parts of the world).
P.S Miss Minimalist,
I think the ideas behind this site would make a good television series helping people de-clutter and re-access their relationship with owning so much stuff.Also, looking at people who have simplified their possessions.Now is a good time as people are questioning the fallout from the economic boom.I think it would be quite successful if you presented and wrote it.Plenty of production companies in London would probably be interested.
Great idea, Jason — if a series like this were on the air, I might even get a TV!
I’d love to do the writing and presenting, but have zero knowledge of the television industry. So if anyone with experience and/or connections wants to collaborate, I’m in. :-)
MM, I wish you had a weekly program on CNN or BBC like Business Traveler or The Art Club or something but about living a minimalist life! Maybe you can write a sort of ‘program proposal’ and we can start a petition and send it to CNN or BBC. Or maybe someone has better ideas out there. :)
Hey Mia, I’d be up for that! :-) I’ll give this more serious thought…
If anyone has advice/ideas on how to sell such a concept to the mainstream media, I’d love to hear them.
My husband and I are on the path to a more minimalist lifestyle. But we are also aware of potential emergencies (natural or otherwise) and we are prepared. Some think people who keep a stock of food and water are crazy doom-sayers, but I think we’re all smart enough to know that a tragedy can happen anywhere, anytime. Even if it’s just one of us losing our jobs and we can’t afford to buy groceries for a few weeks. We have enough food and water to last us for a long while. We have basic staples like rice, beans, flour, and some other dry and canned goods stocked up. We eat from our supply and keep it replenished.
To me, having this stuff on hand *is* minimalist. Many of our canned goods are home canned from our garden. Our pantry is simple–well stocked, but simple. Having a constant supply of oats, rice and beans and pasta and sauce means we save countless trips to the store. Plus, buying many of these staples in bulk saves money and wasteful packaging.
Great point, CW — I love how you reconcile stocking up on staples with minimalism. You’re right; if you’re eating from your supply, it can certainly make your life simpler.
For several days a few years ago my city’s drinking water was contaminated. I was amazed (naively) at the hoarding of water from the stores and realized that if something like this happened again I should be a little prepared. So I do have about 4 gallons of water sitting at home in case of an emergency.
I remember at the time becoming a little more concerned about having food for some sort of crises but realized I’d have to go with something packaged (I eat mostly fresh) and then noticed everything had an expiration date. For me it felt like a waste of money to buy food, have it sit around until the expiration date, throw it away (unless it was a Snickers bar) and buy more. I guess I’m just not going to survive.
I am always interested in reading about how others prepare for disasters, hoping it will give me some hints that I could possibly undertake.
Hi Zoe! In our former house in the States, we had about a month’s supply of canned goods and water. It was expiring around the time we moved, so we ended up donating the canned food to a food bank, and using the water on our garden.
It was easy to keep such a supply when we had a basement; I can’t imagine where we’d put it in our flat (that’s part of the problem)!
i grew up on a farm in tornado country. we had a garden, stockpiled a certain amount of food and water, and guns were used only for the occasional varmint. but SHTF means something worse these days, and i do not know if any sort of preparation will be truly sufficient.
I agree, Mara. I think planning for natural disasters is prudent, as the expectation is that things will be back to normal in a matter of days or weeks. However, I can’t imagine trying to plan for a BIG catastrophic event that could change life as we know it.
… :-)
Umm, are servers and ISPs till going to be operational after this meltdown?
I’m not fully a minimalist or a survivalist, although I am interested in both areas of knowledge. Two recommendations: 1) add two books to your backpack: one on camping/wilderness survival skills and one a floral/fauna/land guide local to the area you think you would end up. 2) Read them over several times before you need them. :-)
LOL, David, I was joking — even if they were operational, I doubt anyone would care much about minimalism while fending off starvation, etc. ;-)
Great idea to have such books on hand. Can anyone recommend a good one on camping/wilderness survival skills?
There are some threats where adequate preparation is prudent. The examples given by people who live in hurricane zones appear to be sensible. However it is impossible to prepare for every contingency. Life rarely unfolds as you think it will. In my experience it is not so much stuff but skills and relationships that will serve you best.
Agreed, Jason — hence my search for a survivalist friend. ;-) Of course, I could also make the effort to learn some skills on my own!
I second the recommendation of Emergency! above, and would add Community Emergency Response Team training or its local equivalent, which educates you about how to deal with disaster and hooks you into the community network. I’m signing up for it this summer.
That sounds like a great program, Aurora!
I always keep enough for at least 2 week. You never know what might happen but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared.
Emergency supplies you should have:
-Water: one gallon/person/day.
-Ready to eat food: breakfast bars, nuts, beef jerky, fruit cups, dried fruits, cans of cooked beans, etc.
-Food for pets. We keep an extra bag of cat food & dog food.
-Batteries for radio & flashlight.
-Medicine: Band-Aids, Neosporin, Tylenol, etc.
-Personal sanitation: baby wipes, garbage bags, etc.
-Fuel for back-up generator
-Logs for fireplace
Great list, Jersey Mom — thank you!
@ Zoe: If you don’t eat packaged food, still have it just for emergency purpose. When it’s close to expiration date, give it to the food bank.
What was the book? I’m very interested in reading about what would happen. The documentary “33 Minutes” was the first time that I was even introduced to the idea of an EMP attack. I thought about what would happen and thanked my stars that Daddy is a hunter and a fisherman, so my family would not starve in the case of lawlessness.
Mneiae, the book is One Second After by William R. Forstchen.
You’re lucky to have a hunter/fisherman in the family!
I had a small survivalist moment prior to the Christmas holiday due to a freak 14″ snow storm. Power was out for 6 days, water was out for 3 days (no power = no pumps = no water), and the temps were below freezing.
Fortunately, I’m something of a mini-survivalist so I wasn’t standing in the MRE & bottled water lines in 20F temps when the National Guard showed up to make sure no one died of dehydration, starvation, and helped keep order after gasoline and kerosene supplies were rationed.
Personally, I keep a small stockpile of dry goods (enough for 6 or 7 days) for 4 people and have a collection of tools and consumables to get me and the family through the ordeal. By tools I mean a wood fireplace or propane grill to prepare food and melt snow for drinking water, lots of batteries for radios and flashlights, first aid kits, a few hundred bucks in cash just in case the debit/credit card machines go down (they did), etc.
If it’s just you, then you can try to squeak by and try to live off the land. When you become responsible for others who can’t adequately fend for themselves, then that’s the real problem. If you have kids or older parents you want to help survive, that’s when you don’t have a choice about being well prepared for the unthinkable.
Good point, Matt SF – I’d definitely make preparations if children or other dependents were involved. That’d be an entirely different situation than just two adults.
I think this is a really insightful post. I keep a well-stocked back up pantry of basics that are easy to fix-not really for emergencies-but because I find it minimalizes the time and stress that comes with food shopping. I do food shop each week, but sometimes I’m just going for produce.
On nights when I come home from work dead tired, it’s nice to be able to access my stash, take a break from lots of cooking (normally I love to cook), and I don’t have to waste money or time going to the grocery store or eating out.
So, in some ways, having this sort of excess can be minimalist.
Hi Jessica! I like the idea of how a well-stocked pantry can simplify your life. :-)
I’m an urban dweller & aspiring minimalist. We buy fresh groceries for each meal and can’t stockpile anything in our tiny kitchen.
As far as emergency preparedness, we own a fire extinguisher and have a pair of HEPA-filtration particle masks hung up as decoration in our kitchen. My dad also gave me a crank-powered electric lantern/radio that’s still in the box.
If SHTF, boyfriend and I would trek/hitchhike/steal a car to travel 40 miles north into the countryside where my right-wing younger brother has more than enough guns to arm the dirty dozen.
c, I have the same problem – no space for stockpiling. However, I don’t have any right-wing, well-armed relatives either.
@Japhy – Zombie Squad (http://www.zombiehunters.org/) is trying to give survivalists a better name.
They fall on the geek/hipster/punk/left side of the spectrum, and organize blood drives, emergency preparedness drills, and fundraisers for relief work—as well as leading survival trainings/seminars for the less militia-minded among us.
Wow, great link, c — thanks for sharing it!
Replying to you on my blog.
fatstupidamericand.wordpress.com
FSA, thanks so much for your detailed response — very insightful commentary!
I’m probably being naive regarding the chances of something catastrophic happening like that. I’d probably have to hit the road. Maybe I’d head down south to my grandparent’s house/farm in Kentucky? I think that sounds like a plan :)
Also, I’m a bit of a minimalist myself (I write for thesimplerlife.net) and I’d love to be your next Real Life Minimalist! Catch me on Twitter @samspurlin
Hi Sam! Nice blog — I’d love to feature you as a Real Life Minimalist! Just click here for the details.
I am probably stupid for my answer, but after spending over 7 years in the military and living in a constant mentally and physically demanding and exhausting situation, I really just choose to live and not think about it. I put away what money I can, live each day as if the S did really hit the fan and try to just enjoy and be happy. I don’t think anyone is every prepared enough because you can’t plan for everything. Sure, I will probably be the first to die but I am living now. : )
Heather, this is pretty much how I feel — I’d *prefer* to enjoy each day without worrying about the future. On the other hand, I can see the value of some sort of preparedness…
oh dear Miss Minimalist. I’ve had these exact same thoughts. That’s all I have to share…nothin but empathy.
I figure, if cast in a survive or die sort of situation such as being discussed here that, honestly, I’d be quite content to die. That’s okay too.
I can certainly understand that, meagan, particularly if things turned really ugly (ie. as in The Road).
it´s such an american thing to be worried about disasters, terrorism and what not, I think. I don´t even care if it´s naive or not.
I liked the thought about how usually the prepared households get rummaged.. Ive never so far for example been scared of walking around alone nights because there´s nothing to take from me (and i don´t look that hot either :-)
I´m certainly taking it day by day. Constant worrying is unhealthy :-)
Thanks for your comment, Kai. Hearing everyone’s different perspectives on this issue is really fascinating!
I think I’ve changed my mind.I would stay in bed,invite a girlfriend over(kiss her passionately),do some performance art, dance all night,drink all my water and eat all my rations.Go outside and look forward to using ikea furniture as firewood.
Good plan, Jason! :-)
I grew up with a mother who was not only a hoarder, but she stored huge amounts of dried foods and good for the ‘impending disaster’. As a teenager over half my wardrobe and all the space under my bed was filled with boxes of dried food. the pantry was full of preserves and goods were stashed everywhere.
It was horrible to live with her constant fear of something happening! It really affects kids badly and makes you fearful of everything.
I’m almost 50 and the disaster still hasn’t happened!
I just won’t live like that.
if a disaster happens it happens. i’d rather enjoy the days have than worry about one that hasn’t arrived yet!
Louise, that’s a really interesting perspective on things–thanks for sharing!
Emergency preparedness is like buying insurance. You have to assess the risks and costs, and you’d probably come to the conclusion that there are some things you just can’t prepare for. I mentioned in a previous comment that I lived in a flood zone, and hurricanes would be the most likely cause of that flooding. Practically, the longest we’ve been without power has been ~3 days, which isn’t so bad in the hurricane season (though it could be chilly in the blizzard season). My camping stove will burn unleaded gas, so fuel isn’t a problem in the short run, and my pantry has enough dried and canned stuff to keep my household going for a couple of weeks at a pinch (though some of it requires water to cook, which would be in the shortest supply). Beyond that, pick your disaster…if it’s a total collapse of civilization I’ll probably end up eaten by the cannibals, and I don’t think the fortress and weapons collection necessary to prevent that is within my financial reach. I used to read a lot of post-apocalyptic scenarios…
I agree, Rob D — preparing for a short-term event is prudent, but trying to prepare for TEOTWAWKI is probably futile.
I prefer to be a free spirit so I refuse to hoard and worry.
I can understand that, Anna!
I’m surprised so many people think they could just up and leave easily following some sort of terrorist attach or natural disaster. Thousands of others will be wanting to do the same thing and the highways will be bumper to bumper within hours. Would you rather be stuck on a freeway in your car, trapped, or at home? I’d rather be at home. Running away means you’ll be able to bring less supplies with you. I think you’re better off hunkering down where you are. There are far fewer risks.
That’s probably so, fern — unless you’re in an urban area that’s become chaotic or dangerous.
P.S. Btw am I the only one who doesn’t get all the comments posted here on my RSS reader? I think I’m getting no more than 11 or so comments per day.
Mia, I’ll look into this.
If anyone else is having a similar problem, please let me know!
I also read “One Second After”. The aftermath conditions were a bit more civilized than we can logically expect them to be. Really enjoy your blog. I’m a long term minimalist, and became interested in survivalism as a teenager back in the 1950s. (All disasters at that time involved THE BOMB. Now we have more variety–epidemics, chemical hazards, and alien invasion.) Over the years as my two daughters grew up and my husband learned to live with my minimalistic survivalism, my philosophy about such things has been refined. It has also been tested by neighborhood gasleaks and so forth. I still use a book from 1980 called “Life After Doomsday” by Bruce D. Clayton.
Here are some things to keep in mind. Have a go-kit. Keep your important papers, your medicine, and some cash in it all the time. (A medium backpack is better than a bag that you have to carry, especially if you have to evacuate a few cats.) You can just keep the filled back in a closet but make sure it’s easily accessible.
Add some water purifier tablets and a few water pouches or bottles. Ordinary (clean) 33 gallon trash bags can serve as ground covers and tarp tents if they have to, and they will hold your body heat fairly well if you need to sleep in them. (Dirty, they can shield you from the public eye if needed, and confine waste.)
Don’t forget safety matches (box in sandwich bag),the flashlight, batteries and some rope. A few first aid supplies, but remember that you might have to carry all this stuff on your back. As for food, the simpler the better. I’m vegan, and even during non-emergencies my staple is peanut butter. I could exist on a 40 ounce jar for two weeks–so that’s all the food in my go-kit (with a spoon of course). It’s good to keep your car gassed, but remember that you might have to walk at some point.
runi, thanks so much for this advice! I like your go-kit because it involves just a handful of versatile, everyday items. I can handle that. :-) I didn’t realize trash bags are so useful, and I think carrying a jar of peanut butter is a great idea.
Going on a 10-day backpack trip is educational. An active person will need about 2# per day of totally dehydrated food. As a college student I carried a 40# backpack (20# of gear and 20# of food)on a 10-day wilderness ecology trip. Didn’t carry water, but took a water filter.
Water is the most important item in preparedness. A little piece of land with a little solar pump on a well is a nice touch. Water is needed to grow and prepare food, for sanitation, and to drink. Having a vacation hide-away that doubles as a retreat is a great idea.
Minimalist and survivalist balance each other nicely. One helps declutter what we don’t need. The other helps us obtain what we do need. Thanks for your web site, Missy Minimalist!
This is actually my job (emergency preparedness), and I teach classes on how important it is to be prepared. I have to admit that it is a lot harder to hide away the emergency food and water in our little apt than in a big house, but it’s worth the logistical challenge. My dh and I like to do ultralight camping, which in itself is a challenge to get maximum survival capability in minimum space, so our camping backpacks are our go-kits, with some quick additions. I recommend this as a good short-cut to the basics.
One problem is that so many people focus on the worst case scenario (common question in my classes: well, what if D.C. gets hit by a nuke? Me: (with a confused look) um, die.) that they discourage themselves out of a more manageable, and much more probable, crisis. Or they conflate basic preparedness with crazy militias, when it’s just common sense and self sufficiency (or a reluctance to put your survial in the hands of unknown hypothetical rescuers).
If nothing else, talk with your family and establish 3 meeting places (e.g. Mrs. Johnson’s driveway; the Quizno’s 1 block away; and a far-away one like Grandma’s house 1 hour’s drive away) and a central check-in point. That way you are covered for individual emergencies (house fire), local emergencies (block cordoned off), and big disasters (dirty bomb).
Check out Ready.gov for a free user-friendly emergency planning tool. They have good information that they coordinated with the Red Cross. Remember, September is National Preparedness Month!
Hi Francine
I didn’t comment on this post at the time because I had and still have complex feelings about the topic and didn’t know what to think, really.
I remember in the days of the Cold War (for you youngsters, basically before the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989) worrying about what I would do if those pesky Russians sent a nuclear bomb heading my way. I lived quite near a place of military significance and my conclusion was that actually that was quite lucky, as I’d probably be instantly killed by a bomb and wouldn’t have to worry about surviving in the post-nuclear fallout.
My feeling still is that life after some cataclysmic event would be so terrible and so unlikely to continue for long in any meaningful way, that storing up candles and tinned food is probably not useful. I HASTEN TO ADD, I’m not suggesting that people in hurricane or earthquake zones shouldn’t be prepared, I’m thinking more about unusual events and events occurring in places like the UK which tend not to have very extreme weather conditions. We actually have a problem here with people panic-buying whne there is snow forecast – you can guarantee that there will be no bread or milk in the shops because people have rushed out and bought ten times more than they can possibly use, and there is none left for everyone else.
My husband has Type 1 diabetes, and would die within a matter of days if he was unable to access supplies of insulin. He certainly isn’t interested in acquiring guns and storing food.
Sorry for rambling on, it’s an interesting topic, and one which presents minimalists with an interesting challenge.
Mental preparedness & a little faith can take a person a long way, I too keep survival/camping gear, but I also consider myself a minimalist. A person can be both. God has my life planned but along the way I like to learn a few skills here & there to make life a little more comfortable. Unfortunately I live in Texas so you & I getting together would be unrealistic if SHTF. Although I would love to learn as much as we can from eachother. By the way I’m new to your blog, thanks for having me.
P.S. Your my type of woman, love the simple minimalist attitude & way of life.
here is something you learn liveing in areas of the gulf coast or torando alley to working in earthquake zones to beening in a war zone in the military that you have the following items after everything is over and you standing there alive and now you need to rebuild
1-shelter
2-food
3-basic items for liveing for cooking to canning to gardening to skinning a animal
4-some way of defending you self from the animals that seam to come out the event .. {{where you do not belive in gun control or not aftr the event the two legged animals will come out to gt what you and your family has ..so remember they have no remose about useing force or hurting you to get the things that they want ..remember that ..}}
5-medical from takeing care of one basic needs to advance medical problems
6-way to teach your kids after the event
7-way to have some form of after hours enjoy to board games to cards or reading to oneself for pure enjoyment
8-good clothing and shoes to take care of one person body from the warm weather to cold with snow on the ground
9-personal grooming supplies to keep one body clean and disease free after the event
if you have these basic items you can survive anything in one lif..
i been what is called a survivalist by the main stream media but in real life i been a person who worryed about his family and be able to put something on the table and give them a place to survive and make it through the problems that happen so far and to be able to come out on stronger on the other side after the event ..
I used to live in a mild state of fear about “disaster striking”. I had my backup plan, two friends who lived further out in the country than I did with a natural spring and a self-sufficient garden. Then they got divorced and left the property! There went my backup plan.
Seriously, when I went minimalist I considered “states of emergency”. What I decided, after a ton of soul searching, was that I didn’t want to live in fear of what might happen. A person might get sick, a person might go through a natural disaster, a person might face an alien attack (smile)…
In the end, no amount of preparation can really prepare us for every possible scenario that could occur in our lifetime, so I’ve chosen to release fear and get on with my life. I’m interested to hear an update on your post. As a minimalist have you prepared a “mini survival kit”?
Cheers,
Tanja
We live on a solar farm in upstate NY and my husband comes from a long line of survivalists. We have our own pond and the ability to purify our own water, in any season, cook via woodstove using the wood from our land and store vegetables and seeds from one season to the next. We also have our own flock of chickens and their eggs keep 5 households happy weekly.
Most importantly, we have a good relationship with our neighbors and our community. If you read many survivalist books, you’ll find that only communities survive, not individuals. Our house is located between an orchard and a vineyard and we are surrounded by people who still have victory gardens, know how to sheer sheep and spin wool, etc.
This is one of the reasons why, even though I have ordered your book and intend to put it to good use, especially in our bathrooms, kitchen and kids rooms, I have to disagree that minimalism is not somewhat elitist. Here on a working farm I depend on my extensive scrap wood pile for example to patch together compost bins and roosts for the chickens. (This year alone I’ve built two compost bins, two picnic benches, a swingset, tree house, piano table and bench, display shelves for photos, kitchen shelves, sandbox, raised garden beds, a strawberry fountain, toddler bed, chicken roosts and rabbit huts, and book racks.) We depend on the extra space in the barn and garage to house our extensive tool collection, the 2-4 cords of wood we need each year, and hay and straw to feed for our livestock. Even I, as a woman, use all of our tools more regularly than my husband with the exception of the chain saws. If something were to happen, and the US govt does encourage US citizens to be prepared to be quarantined in their own homes for 3 months, due to possible influenza epidemics, we are prepared. I keep the basics in my pantry at all times. I store flour, beans, oats, rice and potatoes in abundance, most of which I keep in airtight bins and much of which comes from local farms. We also store from local farmers about 3 gallons each of maple syrup and honey at all times and a few bushels of apples and carrots. It makes grocery shopping much easier and I never HAVE to go to the grocery store. But minimalists depend on small farms like ours and much larger scale ones for their needs, on a very regular basis because you make the choice not to store much for yourselves.
We have two bins or modules as you like to say for emergency supplies. We have one that is dedicated to medical supplies, including face masks, neosporin, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, gauze pads and medical tape, etc. You’ll find many lists that people recommend online for what to store. I also store homeopathic herbs that doctors used during the 1900s to successfully treat influenza during the epidemic, but we also use what we store so that it is continually being replaced. We also have a second bin that is filled with strike on box matches, candles, wind-up flashlights, a wind-up radio, extra batteries, hot packs, etc.
Where we live there are sometimes bad storms that prevent people from being able to run into town for up to a week at a time and can leave the power out. I love that I don’t have to fight a neighbor for the last waters and cans of soup on the shelves before a storm warning. We don’t have to go anywhere if we don’t want to but we usually choose to strap on our snowshoes and explore the trails on our land. The land after a snowstorm, now that is a minimalist’s landscape!
I have been reading your blog with interest and thought. My first comment is on minimalism – to be a minimalist one has to live in a free country,where there is no need to hoard because things are easily replaceable, where governments do not stop supplies as a political statement. Minimalism is a choice, and a luxury that we should be grateful for.
Secondly, on survivalism – it is good to be prepared for a short time span, regardless of the nature of the need, but in the event of terrorism, America is big, there are many, many places to run to and hide or seek shelter. In the UK it would be more difficult, everything is so close together, and overpopulated, with many immigrants not understanding the language, or the Keep Calm and Carry On attitude of the Brits.
World War II was from 1939 to 1945 – how does one prepare for such a long span of survivalism? With intelligence, faith and a lot of self help. Watch some of movies from that era, one lived for one day at a time, grabbed what pleasure one could and prayed for peace. I know, I lived in Eastern Europe at that time, I also lived in Britain after the war, and now I live in the U.S. In the event of a catastophe of whatever kind, when my immediate “ready pack” ran out – I would look for someone like Jason to be beside – an intelligent survivor with a good sense of humor.
LOL I used to be so fearful of this. I know when the SHTF I will not be prepared but at least I know I’ll be in a better place when I’m gone from this world. :D I will probably be dead is i dont find someone to confide in..
..have you heard of Jasmuhin’s “living on light”.
Could solve some of our mimal/surv problems!!
we use the red cross’s preparedness list for our emergency kit (it’s a 32 gallon sealed trash can – we purchased it just for this purpose, so it’s never been a trash container!) and every six months (when time changes and we change the batteries in the smoke detectors!) we rotate out the food & batteries and freshen the water and check to make sure that the items are still appropriate. We’ve also added a smaller container for our dogs (food, first aid kit, spare leashes, tie out, towel & blanket) as we live in an earthquake area (as well as volcano!) here in WA state. With our oldest son living in Japan (and thankfully safe!) – the reminder of having the means to support your household for upwards of a week was very real & very fresh. While you can’t prepare for everything, having this container sealed in the garage is a bit of piece of mind for us.
@ CC – So glad to hear that your son is safe.
1. Nobody mentioned bicycles. I’d rather be cycling out of an urban area than walking or sitting bumper-to-bumper, anxious about petrol running out…
2. In Switzerland, everyone is supposed to have the necessary survival rations stored in their nuclear bunker (required i eavery building), according to prescribed lists, which good Swiss housewives do, rotating eveything out regularly…
On #1, Great point! I used to bike to work all year round, in central Ohio, and then later in southern Ohio (10 miles one way for several years), so I have proven that cycling can, in many situations, be a viable source of transportation. Having the right kind of gear for winter/wet weather riding to work (as well as spare parts and tools) certainly didn’t help me declutter, but I decided it was well worth it. My wife and got by with only one car much of that time also, which we wouldn’t have been able to do had I not been biking to work.
I have a nice weather road bike, and an “off road” bike for slippery/nasty conditions. Depending on what the SHTF conditions are, one or the other might be a good choice to “escape” the area.
I definitely consider keeping myself in good physical condition to be an important part of my survival plan.
On #2, I believe the Mormon Faith directs/encourages it’s members to keep an extended amount of supplies on hand for emergencies.
Having lived through / in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the failure of the levees, here are a few things I have learned. If TSHTF – get out of dodge and stay there until it is safe. Nothing is worth staying home for in the face of an avoidable catastrophe (hurricanes. Earthquakes and other events you have no warning of come under an entirely different heading). Nothing. Plan to leave with only your supplies and important papers. In the aftermath of Katrina there was marshall law. In the interest of public safety, if you were found outside your home your were forced to evacuate. There were looters everywhere, a lot of them with automatic weapons. At the beginning of hurricane season we make sure we have a place to go out of the danger zone. We have at least a week’s emergency supplies. You might need them if your car breaks down, you are in a hotel room or, at the very least, it will suppliment the supplies of your generous hosts. N.O. is a major port of entry for all sorts of goods. There were shortages of fresh and canned foods all the way up to Memphis until new supply lines could be arranged. Once home, we found very few stores were open and when they were they had very few supplies. Some areas didn’t have power for weeks and sanitation was questionable. It’s not a question of minimilism at a time like that. It is survival.
Interesting that you bring this subject up. I am more survivalist than minimalist. I just started reading your blog a few weeks ago, figuring I could maybe learn something from people who “live with less” on a regular basis. I was baffled by your “walk away, empty handed” (in case of an emergency)post. Walk away to where? A government shelter? I simply do not trust FEMA or anyone to rescue and take care of me. I am not a “the end is nigh” type of person, but I do intend to keep myself and my family alive, no matter what type of emergency arises, without becoming refugees dependent on the government. I think it is prudent to be armed and prepared. Having said that, the most important “thing” to have is a set of skills. Tools and gear will not save you if you don’t know how to use them, or how to recognize food when you see it, how to improvise sanitation so you don’t die of dysentery, etc.
A lot of survival books are all about surviving in the wilderness. What about people in cities? Cody Lundin is an author of a few great books about urban survival of disasters or whatever. I recommend “When All Hell Breaks Loose” and “98.6- the Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive”
Here in Australia, the SHTF over the past few months. Having to evacuate our home meant I was faced with this very reality. I have thought about writing about it more, but am waiting until all the emotions settle. Our evacuation ended up lasting 8 weeks. I’m not sure I can draw any conclusions just yet that contribute to this conversation, as the emotions are raw and the heart still feels for what followed in New Zealand and now Japan. But I really value this topic being brought up Miss M.
One of the things that I admire about the response of New Zealand to the Christchurch earthquake is how it generally brought out the best in people. There was a little looting, but not for a minute was there anything even approaching a breakdown of society, quite the opposite. I say, stock up on water and food, and get a battery radio and a torch, but most important of all make sure you live in a country where there isn’t a big rich/poor divide, because when the SHTF the people left worst off will trust that they can rely on their fellow citizens and government to help them, instead of erupting into crime to get their needs met.