Self-Reliance Archives - Apartment Prepper

How to Get Started with Prepping

This post is by Bernie Carr, apartmentprepper.com With all the recent disasters – wildfires, floods, tornadoes, and now the coronavirus spread, I am seeing more people becoming concerned about preparing. Within the last month or so, I have been seeing more visits resulting from readers looking for information on prepping or becoming more self sufficient while living in an apartment. One of the most frequently asked questions is how does someone get started. I don’t claim to be an expert […]

Homemade Liquid Hand Soap

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This post is by Bernie Carr, apartmentprepper.com I tend to get itchy, chapped hands so I wanted to see if I can make an inexpensive liquid hand that is gentle and non-drying. I am a big fan of Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Magic Soap, as you can see from this review. So I used the soap bar version as a base for my liquid hand soap. Here is what I did. Ingredients: 1 bar of soap – I used Dr. Bronner’s […]

Prepare to Help Your Community in an Emergency

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This post is by Bernie Carr, apartmentprepper.com There have been several large disasters in recent memory – Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy, the 2016 Louisiana floods, tornadoes, ice storms, where hundreds of people lose vital infrastructure, or are displaced. It take several weeks or months to recover. Even though a state of emergency is declared, sometimes even ahead of the event, people bemoan the fact that the government wasn’t around to provide much needed help. Well, the truth of the […]

Substitutes for Toilet Paper

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This post is by Bernie Carr, apartmentprepper.com I recently posted about being off-grid for 48 hours, and using a lot of baby wipes due to the lack of water during our adventure. One thing that would run out quickly in a survival situation if you did not have a huge stockpile would be toilet paper. Not having a lot of space we have about three months worth on hand right now, but that can run out quickly. Also, a large […]

Grow Great Vegetables in Containers with these 4 Tips

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Do not let the lack of space keep you from growing some great tasting fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs at home. Regardless of whether you have a balcony at your apartment or a small backyard in the city, it is possible to reap a bountiful harvest every gardening season. […]

Off Grid Tip: How to Tell How Much Daylight is Left

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This post is by Bernie Carr, apartmentprepper.com I mentioned a while back that we “unplugged” from devices at our recent camping trip: no GPS, no cell phones or laptops. The kids felt strange at first, but eventually got used to it. Apt Prepper son used this trick he learned watching Les Stroud, Survivorman – to find out how much time is left until the sky goes completely dark. It was around 7 pm or so at the time, and he […]

Make Your Own Moisturizing Salve

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This post is by Bernie Carr, apartmentprepper.com I have been looking for a homemade moisturizer recipe in a long time when I came across the recipe for Miracle Healing Salve over at Backdoor Survival. But I delayed in trying it out right away because I first had to gather up the ingredients (I’m on a budget) and I had a little mishap with essential oil that made me a bit shy about proceeding. After reading up on the proper ways […]

Update on Homemade Vanilla

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This post is by Bernie Carr, apartmentprepper.com Back in November, I started my homemade vanilla project. Now that it’s been three months, I wanted to let you know how it’s coming along. Every couple of weeks, whenever I remember to do so, I swirl the mixture around a few times. The mixture has now turned a much darker brown. As far as smell, the vodka smell is still lingering, but the vanilla smell has gotten much stronger. I don’t think […]

Recipes and Tips for Sustainable Living

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I was excited to receive a review copy of Recipes and Tips for Sustainable Living by Stacy Harris. Stacy has written several cookbooks and writes the Game & Garden blog. I am always interested in ways an apartment dweller living in the city can adapt a sustainable lifestyle so I asked the author, Stacy Harris the following question: What activities do you recommend for apartment dwellers living in the city who what to take small steps toward sustainable living? Stacy’s […]

How to Make Eggs Last Longer without a Refrigerator

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This post is by Bernie Carr, apartmentprepper.com I like eggs for breakfast, especially “over easy” eggs. Dehydrated eggs are great for scrambled eggs but I have not found a dehydrated egg product that can make eggs over easy. After a bit of research, I found out that making eggs last longer is very easy. All you really need are fresh eggs and mineral oil. Mineral oil is found in the first aid section of a pharmacy or even the grocery […]