Shelter

Shelters are the backbone of any prepper’s operation. A quality shelter can keep you safe from the elements, provide security and comfort, and even give you the ability to grow food and store supplies if necessary.

But not all shelters are created equal; they’re often quite different depending on where you live, your needs, and how much time you have before an unfortunate situation happens.

In this article, we’ll discuss some key points of a good survival shelter and alternate options that might work better for your situation.

Bug In Vs. Bug Out Preppers

As a prepper, you should know the difference between “bug in” and “bug out.”

Bugging in refers to staying in one’s home during an emergency or disaster. A bug-out bag is prepared to help someone leave home quickly if they need to go somewhere safer.

Of course, it would be ideal if you could stay in your home and manage whatever happens there. It’s more comfortable and familiar than going outside into unfamiliar territory (which also increases your risk of getting lost).

Bugging out means leaving your house for a safer place because there are no longer any supplies available at home that will help you survive through the emergency or disaster situation with enough comfort for everyone there.

This article will take a detailed look into both of them, so you can be ready to implement them.

Bugging In

Bugging in is staying at your home and waiting out a crisis instead of evacuating. This can be a great option for preppers who live in areas that are prone to natural disasters or for those who have enough supplies to make staying at home an option. If you plan on bugging-in in your own home, here are some important tips to follow:

  • Be sure that your house has been fully prepared with food and water before any emergency strikes. You should have enough stored up so that you won’t need to leave the safety of your own home until help arrives or conditions improve outside (or both).
  • Make sure all family members know where they should go during an emergency situation so that they can meet up later if necessary (if someone gets separated from their group). It’s also important that everyone knows their role within the group; they should know what type of maintenance they are responsible for doing, how much food and water there needs to be stored at each location where people will be sleeping…etcetera!
  • You should have a plan in place for what you’ll do if the power goes out or if your water supply becomes contaminated. It’s also important to have a backup generator that can run on gas or propane so that you don’t lose access to power during an emergency situation.

This was a brief introduction to bugging in, and if you were not aware of it before, you are now. Some experienced preppers may also be shocked to hear this term, but this is nothing to worry about because it is a relatively new term.

Bugging out

Bugging-out is when you leave your home to go somewhere else. Bugging out is only a temporary solution, as you will need to find a new home and eventually return for any supplies that were left behind. If you do not plan ahead and prepare for this eventuality, bugging out can be dangerous.

The most common type of bug-out bag is a backpack with essential items needed in an emergency situation. The exact contents will vary depending on the person’s needs and their situation, but it is important that everyone have at least one prepared in case they ever need it.

Bugging out is not the best option, but it can be necessary. If you are unprepared and find yourself in an emergency situation, then bugging out may be your only choice. However, if you have prepared and planned ahead of time, then leaving your home should not be too much of an issue.

When Should I Bug-In vs. Bug-Out?

Bug-In When The Threat Is Localized

The most obvious scenario in which to stay put is when the threat is localized. For example, if you’re caught in a forest fire, and there’s no way out of it, you may be better off staying where you are and waiting for help.

Or, if a tornado touches down nearby and cuts off access to your bug-out location, it might not be worth leaving just to save a few hours of travel time—you could spend those hours more efficiently by staying put!

Although these may seem like extreme situations, thousands of people go through them every year. Situations you could relate with is if there is a riot happening in your area. You make appropriate arrangements to make sure that the place you are staying in is as fortified as possible.

Bug-Out When You Are Not Safe In Your Own Residence

An important distinction between “stay” versus “leave” is whether or not you can get back home after an evacuation has been ordered or has been put into effect for your area. If roads are closed due to flooding or landslides happening on them, then you need to bug out. You may need to make a shelter from scratch or find one, both of which are skills one must learn.

Bugging out can also be extremely important when there is little to no resources or security in your current location. You may need to collect your items and move them to a secure location where you don’t have to worry as much.

Tips For Bugging In

If you have decided to make your current place of residence your home for the next few months, then are some important things you need to take into account.

  • Decide On The Amount Of Privacy You Need

Privacy is perhaps one of the most important topics of this article. When you’re building a shelter, one of the most important things to consider is how much privacy you need. You’ll have to take into account how many people will be staying in your place or if you’re planning on having multiple shelters.

The number of people will play an important role in how much privacy each individual person gets. If you are building a family shelter, then it’s likely that everyone will be sharing just one room together.

In this instance, everyone needs at least some level of privacy—it’s essential for couples who want some alone time (and sometimes even kids do), but it’s also important for individuals who just need space to collect their thoughts without being disturbed by anyone else around them.

Similarly, if there are groups living together, then they too may need places where they can go where they won’t be disturbed by other people around them.

  • Use A Dedicated Place For Storage

Providing a space for your prepped supplies is essential. You can do this in a variety of ways, but all of them will require some sort of container, bag, or box. One method that many people like to use is to have an underground storage area, which can be built in the backyard or basement and covered with plywood.

The advantage here is security and protection from the elements; however, if you live in an area prone to tornadoes or hurricanes—or both! —you might want to opt for something above ground instead.

Another option is finding an old shed that hasn’t been used as much anymore and using it as a storage unit (a neat idea if there are multiple people who need access). If none of these options sound feasible or affordable for your situation, then just make sure whatever you choose has adequate insulation from heat/cold so food doesn’t spoil too quickly!

Now, the question is, why is this important? Well, a dedicated place is required as no house is pre-equipped with enough storage space for months-worth of food. So, you need to make sure that you plan accordingly. One fridge and a few cabinets will certainly not be enough in a bugging scenario.

Tips For Bugging Out

Bugging out is something that some people have to do. Their current living conditions are not reliable, or they need a place where they will have better access to resources. In that case, they need to take care of a lot of things to make sure that the place they choose for their shelter is good enough. Let’s check them out.

Do an Assessment of the Location

When you are choosing a location for your shelter, you need to consider the following:

What is the weather like?

If it’s going to be hot, you may want an underground shelter. If it’s cold, consider building a lean-to structure with large logs and branches. This will help in trapping as much heat as possible, so you don’t have to suffer in freezing conditions.

How much space do you need?

If there aren’t many people around and there isn’t any danger of getting attacked by other humans or animals, then maybe all that’s needed is a small tarp thrown over a pile of leaves or sticks to keep them off the ground.

However, if there are more people around than usual and they might try to break in (or worse), then perhaps building something more substantial would be better. There is an unlimited choice of materials available. All you need to do is choose one that will go well with your environment.

Choose The Correct Size For Your Shelter

Next, you need to decide how large your shelter needs to be. Think about how many people will be in the shelter, and make sure that it has enough space for everyone. You should also consider how much gear, food, water, and privacy each person needs. This will help you figure out how much space each person needs in the shelter.

For example:

If you are planning on having two people in your prepper bunker (or other type of underground home), then a typical size would be about 500 square feet. However, if you think there may be more people coming, then this might not be enough room for them all or their supplies, so consider having approximately 1,000 square feet instead of 500 (especially if they’re bringing in their own supplies).

If you are not looking to build one and are looking to occupy one, then you should still take care of these factors. A place too big will only need more effort and resources to maintain and secure, which is not ideal in a prepping scenario.

Choose A Place Away From Strong Elemental Interference

The highest priority when choosing your shelter location is to find a place protected from the major threats you face in your area. If you live in a tornado-prone area, for example, it’s important to be away from trees and low-lying areas. If you live in an earthquake zone, choose an elevation that will protect against collapse from land movement.

If flooding is a threat in your area (this can include storm surges), you’ll want to find an elevated spot that also has good drainage around it. Flooding usually comes with high winds, which are also dangerous; if possible, choose a place that has protection against strong winds as well.

Other Important Shelter Tips That You Must Know

The shelter is a vast topic in the world of prepping. There can never be enough knowledge about it. This article has tried to cover many of its aspects, but still, there is a lot more to know. Let’s take a detailed look into other important shelter tips that can save your life.

Basements Can Be Life Saving

Basements provide protection against a multitude of threats, but they are more vulnerable in some situations.

  • Floods – Basements can protect you from flooding by providing an extra layer between the water and your house. However, if your basement is unfinished or does not have a sump pump installed, it may not be able to handle the pressure of water on its own. Make sure that any windows are sealed off with storm shutters or plywood before flooding occurs so that you don’t find yourself trapped in your basement with no way out if the water rises high enough to breach its barrier.
  • Tornadoes – If tornadoes strike nearby while you’re inside your home during an emergency situation (for example: during a power outage), go into your basement immediately! This will give you instant access to supplies like food and medical equipment, which will help keep everyone healthy until things return back to normal again after this crisis passes over our heads once more without causing any further destruction on top of what’s already been done today–thank goodness for small miracles!
Take Into Account Your Pets

If you have pets or livestock that would be unable to accompany you during a bug-out situation, then bugging-in is probably your best option. If you have a bug-out shelter, then you can leave your pets or livestock behind as long as they don’t create an odor problem for neighbors.

However, if the location of your shelter is unknown by anyone but yourself and your family members, it should be safe from any unwanted attention.

Pets, such as dogs, can also be a line of defense against potential attacks. They can fend off potential thieves and can even be used for hunting in extreme scenarios. Regardless of what you choose, to bug in or bug out, make sure that your pets are a part of your decision.

Have A Fully Stocked Safe Room

Having a safe room in your home is the first step in being prepared for an emergency. A safe room should be stocked with water and food, first aid supplies, emergency supplies, and tools that could help you get through the aftermath of an event.

Another good thing to have in your safe room is a generator so you can keep the power on during emergencies. If there is no generator available, then make sure you’ve got enough batteries so you can use flashlights or lanterns while power is out.

You Will Need A Lot Of Water

Water is essential for survival. It can be used for drinking, cooking, washing, and cleaning. You should have a minimum of one gallon per person per day if water is not available from any other source.

Some sources of water include:
  • Rainwater collection – if you have the space to collect rainwater, this can be a good source of drinking water
  • Streams/lakes – avoid contaminated bodies of water like rivers near cities and farms (check with local authorities to determine if these are safe)
  • Cisterns – set up an above-ground cistern using plastic barrels or other containers that will allow the water to be filtered before it goes into your system; make sure they are anchored down properly, so they won’t tip over during strong winds or earthquakes; make sure they’re high enough off the ground that animals won’t get into them; remember that bacteria grow under warm temperatures so keep your containers out of direct sunlight at all times!
Make Sure You Know The Locations Of Nearest Gas Stations And Rest Areas

You will want to know the distance to the nearest gas station and rest area, as well as each of these things’ locations on a map. You may be able to survive without them (more on that later), but it’s better to have access when you need it, just in case.

Also, consider how long each trip might take, based on the condition of your vehicle and road conditions: if it takes 3 hours for you to drive 20 miles because there are no roads through those 30 miles of the wilderness after all, maybe do something else instead.

Consider Your Supplies

There are a few things to consider when you’re getting ready to fortify shelter. First, think about the tools you’ll need. In addition to the hammer and nails (or whatever else it may take), have an axe on hand as well. This is especially important if you live in a wooded area where trees can be used for building materials and firewood.

Another thing to keep in mind is that after choosing your shelter, you will have some extra supplies left over, so don’t forget about them when thinking about what supplies and materials are necessary for survival during an emergency situation or crisis situation.

Consider how long those extra supplies will last in storage–and whether or not there’s room for them at home–before deciding whether or not they’re worth keeping around just in case something happens tomorrow morning!

These tips are meant to help you be prepared for the worst-case scenario. So don’t wait until it’s too late; start thinking about how you’ll survive when disaster strikes. You can never be too prepared.

Think About The Temperature

Heat sources should be safe and controllable. A fire is a good option, but it’s important to remember that fires are not the only way to heat your shelter. If you’re using a heater or stove, make sure those are also safe and that they have a low chance of causing carbon monoxide poisoning if they malfunction.

If you're planning on building a fire in your shelter, here are some tips:

  • Be careful with fuels like propane and kerosene. They aren’t combustible when they’re stored properly, but if they leak all over the place (or get spilled on other materials), then there could be an explosion risk associated with them. The same goes for liquid fuel stoves. Never leave them unattended during use!
  • Use dry kindling material when starting your fire – leaves work great as kindling! If you want something more substantial than leaves, then try newspaper or cardboard boxes instead; these things burn very well without much effort at all since they’re made primarily out of paper pulp which burns easily (and quickly).

Make sure everything has been dried thoroughly before using, though. Wet materials don’t burn well, and you will not be able to create an effective heat source.

In a shelter situation, the same heat source can also be used to cook food. Whether it be a deer you hunted or a chicken that you raised, the heat source can be used to cook the meat to perfection. So, you can put it to good use.

Finally!

So, now you know the basics of a shelter. Are you ready to go forth and find a shelter of your own or fortify your existing one?  We hope this article has been helpful in providing information on how to build one.

We understand that not everyone will have the skills or materials needed to ready up their own shelter, but hopefully, this article is a good starting point for most people.

If you are new to this, take it one step at a time. All pro preppers were amateurs at one point. All you need to do is make a decision that is properly thought about.