In an emergency situation such as an economic collapse or a zombie apocalypse, many people will be desperate enough to do undesirable and inhumane things just to survive. It’s a sad yet inevitable scenario in an EOTW setting. Those who have food, water and supplies will become primary targets by those who haven’t. It may not be enough to pack a firearm to defend yourself when you’re being swarmed by hungry and desperate people. The best way to avoid this is to have secret emergency kits.
By all means, you must stock up on food, water and survival gear. However, you don’t have to let everyone know you’re prepping. If your neighbors find out what you’re keeping in your home, there’s a possibility they will approach you for help when SHTF. If this happens, you’ll have the unfortunate dilemma of deciding between doing the humane thing or keeping your supplies for your family.
What you can do is to stock up on supplies with the thought of helping other people, especially relatives and friends. This way, there’ll be enough for your family until things go back to normal. Still, you should avoid letting other people know about your secret emergency kits, especially since there’s a thing called Executive Order 1360903. By law, the government can confiscate your supply when a national emergency strikes.
There are a number of ways you can hide your supplies. Below are some brilliant ways to keep your secret emergency kits and supplies safe from intruders.
Plastic Bins or Drums
Purchase large plastic drums or bins and label them with something that looters will not be interested in. Make sure not to use clear bins so it’s impossible to see what’s inside.
Pack your supplies and even a firearm in plastic bags before placing them inside the plastic bin. Then cover them with whatever you can find to disguise your cache. For example, you can fill the drum or bin with dry dog food and label the lid as such.
Empty Shoe Boxes
When you see a shoe box, you either think it’s filled with a pair of shoes or photos and other mementos. Few will think that it contains energy bars and a couple of bottles of water.
Don’t throw away your shoe boxes. Fill as many as you can with emergency supplies and stack them up inside your closet. Make sure the boxes at the top levels contain actual shoes. You can distract the looter by taping photos of shoes on the side to make them think that the box contains that particular shoe. Just don’t use a photo of rare Jordans or other expensive shoes.
You can also do this with bankers boxes. Fill the top boxes with files while the lower ones contain your supplies.
Furniture with Secret Storage Space
Robbers looking for loot often head to cabinets and drawers first. Some may even drop to their knees and see what’s under the bed. That means you can’t hide your secret emergency kits and supplies in them. You need secret compartments.
You’ll want a platform bed frame in which the flat surface can be lifted up to expose your secret storage space. Another way is to arrange low shelves to create a rectangle. Make sure they’re facing each other. Nail or screw them together. Attach thick plywood to the frame using a piano hinge so you can lift it up to get to your secret stash.
One way to hide your boxes of bottled water is to turn them into your bed frame. Arrange the packs side by side to create a rectangle. Place a plywood board on top. Cover with bedding and then the mattress.
There are pieces of furniture that comes with secret storage spaces. You can also build your own if you just think outside the box. You can also look for designs online.
Old Appliances
Take out the insides of an old TV set and you got yourself a little space for your secret emergency kits. The fact that people will no longer be interested in a TV when the power grid is down makes it a great hiding place.This will also work for old washers, dryers, CPUs, and boom boxes.
Trash Can Survival Kit
This may sound gross but a trash can is a great hiding place for your secret emergency kits. Of course, you won’t be using old garbage cans. You need to invest on at least one brand new can, fill it with supplies, and place it somewhere that it won’t stand out. A huge trash can in your bedroom is not suggested.
You will want something light enough to move around such as plastic trash cans or recycling bins with wheels. A steel one will make a loud noise in case you drop it or hit something. Remember, you need to be discreet to avoid attention. Also, your trash cans should sturdy enough to withstand force. In case of an earthquake, your secret emergency kits will have a better chance of surviving in a rugged container.
You also want your supplies to withstand flood or rainwater, in case you stash your trash cans outside. Choose a can with a lid that fits perfectly and securely. This will lessen the chances of water and pests getting to your valuable stuff. Place everything in a sturdy garbage bag and tie it tightly.
If you’re worried about the possible risks of keeping your food and water in a trash can, you can pack them in a BPA-free container first. You should also avoid putting your secret emergency kits under direct sunlight.
An ideal place to keep your trash can emergency kit is in the kitchen away from the actual can you use for your trash. You can put a “recyclable” label on the cover so intruders will instantly think it contains trash.
Secret Garden
Your backyard can be home not only to your garden. It can also hide your supplies and other important items necessary for your survival. Place your supplies in airtight containers and bury them under your garden.
You can lessen your effort by eliminating the need to dig holes. Use raised beds or planter boxes to hide your stash and plant your herbs instead.
Hidden Cache in Woods
If you’re an avid fan of The Walking Dead, you may recall that Richard of the Kingdom hid some supplies in an abandoned camper trailer in the woods. What makes it a great hiding place for your secret emergency kits and supplies is that it is in a place where few people wander in, at least during normal days. Also, the old trailer looks like it has been abandoned for years so anyone scavenging for supplies will take little interest in it. Richard took extra precaution by covering the trailer as much as he could.
If you live near the woods, you can use the same tactic to hide your supplies. You can even hide your stash inside the doors or under the hood. Remove the fuel tank so you have space to hide more supplies.
If there are no old abandoned vehicles, you can dig a hole large and deep enough to hide your secret emergency kits. Just make sure you place them in a sturdy, waterproof container first before burying.
Easter Eggs and Buried Treasures
You’re not looking for actual eggs or clues and shout outs dropped by Marvel in their films. You will be looking for secret emergency kits you’ve hidden in strategic locations. When you need to bug out, you should have a pre-planned route towards a safe shelter or your bug-out location.
Plant Easter eggs or bury hidden treasures along the path. Dig beside a tree and bury a plastic box filled with food and water. You can also leave them inside a bush or other thick vegetation. Just remember where you hood all your secret emergency kits so you know where to look once you pass by.
Altoids Emergency Kit
Secret emergency kits are not just about hiding food and water and other important supplies in strategic places in your home. You can keep one in your bag or even your pocket.
Use an empty Altoids tin to store first aid items, medicines, waterproof matches, a multitool, a fishing kit, and other tiny survival gear. Click here to know more about Altoids tin survival kits.
One important thing to consider in having secret emergency kits is to spread them out. Don’t keep everything in one place even if you believe they’re hard to find. A few bottles of water, some canned goods, and survival gear hidden here and there will likely go unnoticed. Visit The Gentleman Pirate to know more survival hacks and other techniques you need to know when SHTF.
When society collapses, it won’t matter if you’re packing a licensed firearm or not. You’ll do everything to protect your family and carrying a gun is one way to do so. During normal times, you can till bring your firearms as long as you have the necessary permit. Furthermore, you can bring your concealed carry almost anywhere in the United States. Get a CCW training online via survivallife.com and learn the “loophole,” which will allow you to carry your firearm legally in 28 states.
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