What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12

How are you preparing
Frnc
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12

Post by Frnc »

adamm wrote: Thu Jun 26, 2025 4:25 pm I've a large loft space that's unused but it needs flooring put in before it's usable for prep storage. But once that's sorted, I'm going to shift all of the canned goods etc. up there and fill it out with additional prep stuff. Can anyone recommend some good stand-alone shelf units that don't break the bank?
I got this for the prep room. Seems solid and strong. Shelves are plastic, hollow, but strong, and look like wood.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BHDKJSJ1
Frnc
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12

Post by Frnc »

Swapped some more water out. Was thinking.... the cold tap on the bath is used extremely rarely, so it could have legionella growing in the pipe. So I ran the tap for a few minutes. But you really need to turn it on and run away, as the spray can give it to you. Same with hosepipes in summer, I always forget though.

Updated my water rotation note in Apple notes. For smoke alarms, I've started a spreadsheet, as you can sort them in date order. I've got a few that were bought in 2017, so I need to think about replacing those soon.

Ruthlessly went through a box of old cables and the like. Chucked about half out. I'll still keep it under my bed.

My room is getting much more organised, as well as more practical in other ways, and much nicer to look at.

My rug just arrived. Looks a lot different to the pic, but they are hand made from recycled fabric. It's called a chindi rug, hand made in India. It hides the eight wires to tv, computer, amp and speakers. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005HF1138

Ordered a new bed sheet, duvet cover, pillow cases and a new pillow. The pillow is Dunlopillo latex super comfort, very expensive. My old pillows are looking pretty disgusting. I need to get a couple more, but they will be a lot cheaper.
mcprepper
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12

Post by mcprepper »

Got myself a new problem - rats :o
I’ve been waiting for them since we got the hens but thought I’d got away with it until now. I put the food and water away every night and keep the run clean but, inevitably, there is spilled food that gets left on the ground. I’ve got a rat trap but only caught mice in it so far. I could use my air rifle but I’m concerned about the ricochet as there’s solid surfaces all around the run. So I’ve ordered more rat traps and I’m just going to have to be persistent and patient. They’re pretty bold and stroll out to join the hens after I’ve put their grain down late afternoon - I can see them from the house easily. All rat catching tips welcome!
“Rotation, rotation, rotation”

You never get a disappointed pessimist.
Britcit
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12

Post by Britcit »

mcprepper wrote: Sat Jun 28, 2025 8:14 pm Got myself a new problem - rats :o
I’ve been waiting for them since we got the hens but thought I’d got away with it until now. I put the food and water away every night and keep the run clean but, inevitably, there is spilled food that gets left on the ground. I’ve got a rat trap but only caught mice in it so far. I could use my air rifle but I’m concerned about the ricochet as there’s solid surfaces all around the run. So I’ve ordered more rat traps and I’m just going to have to be persistent and patient. They’re pretty bold and stroll out to join the hens after I’ve put their grain down late afternoon - I can see them from the house easily. All rat catching tips welcome!
I had a huge issue with rats many years ago in my chicken run. Yes, they do go for any waste food, but I had made the mistake of building them a perfect home. I had poured a small (8x4 foot) concrete slab to sit the hen house on. The rats burrowed underneath that, nested a bred like mad.
I put together a few small boxes to put the traps in so the hens didn’t get caught. I also ‘fenced’ in an area about 4x4 foot and put traps in there. So inside the chicken run was a rat trap run that hens couldn’t get in.
I caught 20+ rats in about 10 days.

I used peanut butter in the traps, but I’m sure others will have used something else. Try and find out where they live and breed. Disrupting their home may help move them on. If you have any untidy wood piles , stacks of ‘stuff’ sitting around search under them for any nests.

Of the 20+ I caught, about 4 or 5 were still alive in the traps, so go armed with a lump of wood or a hammer to hasten things along.
Prepping for lifes little mishaps, and some of the bigger ones as well.
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diamond lil
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12

Post by diamond lil »

I had the same thing, we could see them from the kitchen window. Husband found that an airgun doesn't work, they are too quick to spot any movement at all, even a trigger finger. Tried traps, didn't work at all - what did work was the lovely big ginger cat who used to visit us - he cleared the lot of them. I had only seen one at a time but there must've been a nest as he kept bringing in half grown youngsters. If that failed I was going to try borrowing a neighbour's terrier.
Yorkshire Andy
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

Trying to keep cool work tomorrow is going to be hell on earth in this heat 🥵

Paddling pool is topped up... garden water misters are on double reason damp the waste land behind down and reduce fire risk and keep the garden cooler by evaporative cooling....

Solar chargers are topping stuff up and running the pools filter and solar pump unit
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
Frnc
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12

Post by Frnc »

Yorkshire Andy wrote: Sun Jun 29, 2025 9:11 am Trying to keep cool work tomorrow is going to be hell on earth in this heat 🥵

Paddling pool is topped up... garden water misters are on double reason damp the waste land behind down and reduce fire risk and keep the garden cooler by evaporative cooling....

Solar chargers are topping stuff up and running the pools filter and solar pump unit
Spain's already recorded 46°. Found myself casually looking at air con this morning. 28 forecast here in Manchester.

Something I learned recently. If you leave a fan on all night in your bedroom it can give you a sore throat.

I sleep hot. I've put a waterproof duvet cover on my new duvet. It's breathable. Will stop any sweat going on the mattress. Going to look into getting similar for my new pillow when it arrives. Got a new sheet, duvet cover and pillow cases coming as well.

My duvet is pretty thin, but if it gets really hot I'll just use an empty duvet cover.
GeraldTheBonzai
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12

Post by GeraldTheBonzai »

Eventually finished rewiring the shed. Bus bars in, plus a shunt. Charge controller has been upgraded, so can now add some more panels.

Might swap the AGM batteries out for a LiFePo4.

And how do you rotate images... :oops:
IMG_3332.jpeg
Yorkshire Andy
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

Frnc wrote: Sun Jun 29, 2025 1:58 pm
Spain's already recorded 46°. Found myself casually looking at air con this morning. 28 forecast here in Manchester.
Look at meaco branded made in the uk :mrgreen:

Biggest issue is the need to duct the 5" pipe out mine i made a adaptor to discharge via a big plastic freeflow airbrick legacy of the old gas fire
.they've got a ebay shop too for remanufactured / refurbished models

https://www.meaco.com/collections/grade ... nditioners
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
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diamond lil
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12

Post by diamond lil »

Yorkshire Andy wrote: Sun Jun 29, 2025 9:11 am Trying to keep cool work tomorrow is going to be hell on earth in this heat 🥵

Paddling pool is topped up... garden water misters are on double reason damp the waste land behind down and reduce fire risk and keep the garden cooler by evaporative cooling....

Solar chargers are topping stuff up and running the pools filter and solar pump unit

High of 18 here today which is hot enough for me!