Although there's nothing wrong with that if it's what you prefer.
I'm no expert, but I'm willing to share what I know and hope you'll do the same.
Your preps won't do you any good if you can't keep them from being taken by someone who wasn't responsible enough to do their own preps.
Many times over the years I've seen lowlifes say "I don't need to prepare because if TSHTF I'll just come take yours". Make sure they don't succeed.
This includes weapons, how the preps are stored, situational awareness, and keeping your yap closed.
This isn't a weapons post, but I do recommend you be armed and know how (and when) to use them to keep all your prepping from being for nothing.
A shed out behind your house isn't the ideal spot to store your preps. You might be able to put some security measures in place, perhaps cameras and such, but make sure they'll work in a grid-down situation. And consider sneaking your preps inside the house if TSHTF.
Inside your house, you probably have more hiding/storing spots than you realize. Not everything will need to be hidden, of course, but on the other hand you don't want to be tripping over all this stuff year after year. A prepper isn't the same thing as a hoarder (but there is some overlap sometimes). So you'll need to think about storage.
You can design ways to store things under, or inside, some couches, chairs, and beds. If you are creative you'll think of ways to do this. Look for ideas online.
You can get extra storage cabinets, like the old entertainment center I picked up at a thrift store and converted into a secondary pantry.
Anytime you get new furniture, consider choosing items which include built-in storage.
If you have a crawl space you can access, and keep things dry and pest-free, it may be a possibility. A storm cellar or a garage offers more possibilities. Some things can be stored in an attic.
Always consider the conditions which could harm specific preps and store them to avoid those issues. You can store extra blankets in an uninsulated attic, but it wouldn't be a great place for canned food. Think about the potential for excessive heat, freezing, moisture, pest, and other physical damage. Something can be stored just about anywhere, depending on its needs.
Situational awareness isn't only about noticing the stranger who seems to be following you at a distance. It can be about being aware of the larger situation. Pay attention to what is going on in your neighborhood. What's the mood of the surrounding regions? Are people looking for an excuse to riot and loot? Or, are they putting a foot down and saying "Not here you won't!"? If people are acting nervous you might want to pull your preps closer.
Do you see situations approaching that you can see going bad? Pandemics, elections, hyperinflation, natural disasters? Don't worry about looking silly when nothing happens. Consider it dry run. Don't get complacent. The boy who cries wolf could really see a wolf.
And finally, don't talk too much about your preps. It's OK to encourage people to prep. In a general manner. It's great to even have a tight-knit group that helps each other with preps. But you don't want FEMA coming to your door and demanding your preps "for the common good" any more than you want local losers deciding that they are owed what you have. Loose lips lose preps.
Stockpile what you think you might need, and KEEP it.
One of the more fun things (to me) that qualifies as prepping is stocking up on ammo.
While prices are better now than they have been in a while, I was still having to travel an hour and a half to find prices that made sense. Locally, ammunition was 2 or 3 times the price that I could pay in the bigger city 90 miles away.
Fortunately, that situation has recently changed, but I found a great way to deal with it before the change, and I'm sticking with it, too.
It's a business called Ammo Squared. You sign up and subscribe for a set dollar amount and they set up an ammunition account for you. Then you can have it shipped to you.
If you use my link-- https://ammo2.me/dullhawk --and spend at least $20 in the first month, both you and I get $25 in free ammo. That's a pretty good deal. Then, after you've set up your account, you can share your own link with your friends and both of you can get free ammo the same way. It's kind of awesome.
If you wait until you have an account value of over ...
Every little bit adds up.
Due to medical situations, I've found myself without money to spend on larger projects such as firewood-- which might be a problem-- but there's always something you can do to prep.
A recent project for me was getting all my oil lamps ready to go. That's not the only alternative lighting I have, but it's my favorite.
I checked and changed the wicks (where needed), cleaned off any dust that had accumulated, and topped off the kerosene. You may prefer liquid paraffin since it stinks less, but I have gallons of kerosene on hand. I only broke one chimney, and I had a spare. (Note to self, keep an eye out for more chimneys at thrift stores and yard sales.)
I also decided to try to address a minor problem with the lamps. If you have oil lamps that you don't use all the time you'll know that the oil evaporates. This time I did something I hope will slow that process.
I covered the wick slot (don't know the technical name, but look at the photo) with aluminum foil I had...
