What You Need for Your Home When SHTF

You are reading Part 4 of the Heretica Six-Part Prepping Series. This series covers the critical foundations every individual needs in their home to survive the collapse of traditional systems. The full series includes:

1. Build Your Personal Go-Bag

2. Build Your Vehicle Go-Kit

3. How to Build a Food Pantry

4. What You Need for Your Home If SHTF

5. Bartering Goods and Services

6. Building a Survival Library

Introduction

If the world falls apart at your doorstep, you either have the basics to survive or you don’t. There’s no in-between. You know how annoyed you get when when the internet goes down, or there's a power outage, or a watermain break, or when people freak out and buy all the toilet paper from your local store!? Imagine if those went on for days...or even months. The time to prepare is before the emergency happens. Let's get started!

House Prep Basics: Equip your home to handle short to medium-term breakdowns in power, water, law enforcement, and supply chains.

Scaling: Plan for each person in the household (plus pets if you have them).

Essential Systems to Secure for Your Home

1) Water

• Stored Drinking Water: 1 gallon per person per day (minimum 7 days; more is smarter)

• Non-potable Water: For flushing toilets, cleaning (fill tubs, water barrels)

• Water Filtration: Portable filters, purification tablets, bleach (unscented, for emergency treatment)

2) Food and Cooking

• 7–90 days worth of shelf-stable food (see previous post)

• Manual can opener

• Camping stove, rocket stove, or grill (outdoor use only)

• Fuel (propane, charcoal, wood)

• Cast iron or rugged cookware

3) Light and Power

• Flashlights (one per person)

• Solar lanterns

• Headlamps (excellent for hands-free work)

• Batteries (store extras in waterproof containers)

• Solar chargers for devices

4) Heat and Warmth

• Wool blankets or sleeping bags (rated for cold weather)

• Hand warmers

• Thermal underwear, extra socks

• Safe indoor heat source (small propane heater with proper ventilation if possible)

5) Security and Defense

• Reinforce doors with heavy-duty deadbolts and strike plates

• Reinforce windows with dowels in window tracks, security film, or plywood ready to install

• Motion sensor lights (solar-powered if possible)

• Whistles, pepper spray

• DIY alarms (tripwire with cans, doorstop alarms)

6) Hygiene and Sanitation

• Toilet paper, baby wipes, hand sanitizer

• Heavy-duty trash bags (for waste disposal)

• Bucket toilet setup (bucket + heavy-duty liners + cat litter)

• Disinfectant (bleach, cleaning sprays)

7) First Aid and Medications

Expanded trauma first aid kit:

• Tourniquet

• Israeli bandage or pressure dressing

• Chest seals

• QuikClot or clotting gauze

• Splint material

• Thermometer

• CPR mask

• Prescription meds (90-day supply if you can get it)

• OTC meds (pain relievers, antihistamines, anti-diarrheals)

8) Communication

• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio

• Walkie-talkies for local communication (optional but useful)

9) Mental Health Supplies

• Books, games, puzzles

• Notebook and pens

• Comfort items for children

10) Documents and Emergency Cash

• Copies of ID, insurance papers, medical records

• $100–$300 cash in small bills ($1, $5, $10 bills)

Home Setup Tips

1. Keep supplies organized and easy to access in the dark.

2. Practice "lights out" drills so everyone knows what to do without power.

3. Secure anything that could become dangerous in earthquakes, storms, or civil unrest.

Part 2 Luxury Addition

Most of us wont be able to do the items on this list (because we don't have "Fuck You" money), but if we have a little cash left over maybe we can pick one or two items off the list below.

1) Water

• Larger water storage tanks (like 55-gallon barrels) with a siphon pump

• Berkey water filter (gravity-fed, very high quality)

• Rainwater collection system (with first-flush diverters)

2) Food and Cooking

• Freeze-dried meals (like Mountain House or ReadyWise) with 25-year shelf life

• Wood-burning stove (safe for indoor heating and cooking)

3) Light and Power

• Goal Zero solar generator system (can run lights, small devices, even medical equipment)

• Extra deep-cycle batteries for backup power

• Full solar panel kits (even basic ones to trickle charge)

4) Heat and Warmth:

• Professional-grade indoor-safe propane heaters (like Mr. Heater Big Buddy with carbon monoxide detector)

• Portable wood stove with chimney piping for emergency indoor setup

5) Security and Defense:

• Reinforced steel security doors

• Shatterproof window film professionally installed

• Wireless security camera systems (battery or solar powered, not dependent on Wi-Fi)

• Firearms and appropriate training (only if it fits your comfort level and legal area)

6) Hygiene and Sanitation:

• Composting toilet setup (no plumbing needed)

• Full sanitation station setup (portable hand-wash stations, extra bleach stores)

7) First Aid and Medications:

• Full trauma kit like you’d find in an ambulance (IV kits, sutures, airway support gear)

• Prescription stockpile (one year’s supply if possible through telemedicine services)

8) Communication:

• HAM radio setup (can communicate long distances even when cell towers are down)

• Signal flares or SOS beacons

9) Mental Health Supplies:

• Pre-downloaded Kindle or e-reader loaded with hundreds of books

• Small musical instruments (guitar, harmonica) for morale

10) Documents and Emergency Cash:

• Safe or hidden secure storage for important documents

• $500–$1,000 in cash, spread across $1, $5, $10, and $20 bills

Reality Check: Hope isn't a strategy. Your house should be a fortress — not a liability.

Prep your home now. Share this post with someone you trust.