Expert survivalists say that it is important to furnish your shelter with even the most rudimentary items. It makes a real difference both in terms of practicality and psychological stamina.  People are more willing to stay in a furnished shelter for weeks if necessary. When people see furniture and a clean place they are less likely to be afraid.  Huddling together on a dirt floor is dehumanizing and lowers morale.

You can make chairs, benches and bunks from all sorts of materials. Folding chairs are an excellent idea if you want to store a lot of tiny chairs in a small space. You can also use wooden crates and plastic milk crates as seating.

To keep a shelter cleaner cover the earth walls with plastic or bed sheets. It also prevents dust and dirt from falling on people who sleep on the floor. Just be careful if you are using sheets with candle lighting as the sheets can be very flammable.

Bunk beds are easily made out of plywood. They can be topped with foam to make them more comfortable.  If you use futons make sure that they are bug repellent and kept away from lighting sources.

You can also make a hammock out of a bed sheet if the walls of the shelter are strong enough.  If your sheets are long enough two people can sleep in a hammock.  To save space you can hang bed sheet hammocks one over another with the lightest person or child sleeping on top.

You want to make sure that anything you build accommodates the heights of everyone who will be let in. You do not want anyone sitting in a hunched position for days on end and getting a sore back. If the place is cold and you are short blankets you can keep warm with pads of newspapers inside the hammock.

You can also make comfortable suspended chairs out of bed sheets. Clothing or a folded blanket can be used to make the seat more comfortable. Without this the sitter’s circulation can be cut off in the legs.

It is important to keep each chair or hammock to each person. This prevents infection from spreading. Remember people may not be able to bath or shower for weeks!

Remember that it is your goal to keep people in a shelter for as long as possible to avoid dangerous exposure to fall out radiation. If the place is making people crazy they are more likely to leave and perhaps die.

A shelter must be kept clean and sanitary or the occupants can risk a serious illness. Water must be disinfected by boiling it for ten minutes before drinking. You can also treat it with iodine or chlorine.

If you are storing water in bags in a pit then it is also a good idea to add 1 scant teaspoon of ordinary household bleach for each ten gallons.  Always siphon the water out instead of using ladles or cups to prevent contamination.

It can be quite difficult to store food in shelters. Many shelters are damp which can cause storage containers to break. Be vigilante and keep paper containers dry. You also have to watch out for ants, roaches and weevils that can cut through paper and plastic to reach food inside. One way to avoid bugs is to suspend bags from the ceiling near the entrance to the shelter.  You can stop crawlers by smearing grease on the suspending string or wire.  Keep in mind that strong plastic containers and metal containers protect food best.

To prevent food poisoning it is a good idea to serve all food in a shelter within a half an hour of it being cooked. Canned foods should be eaten right after the can is opened.  Bowls and plates should be cleaned immediately to prevent insects and animals from being attracted to the shelter.

You may not be able to use dishes in your shelter so instead you can serve the food on squares of plastic.  You can use plastic spoons and forks that are disinfected with chlorine bleach solution (one tablespoon of Clorox bleach to a quart of water.)

If bugs are a problem do not use insect sprays. They can be quite toxic and cause real problems with breathing. It is best to use mosquito netting to cover the ventilation openings of a shelter. This is especially important after a nuclear attack as the fly population usually explodes.

Ants have been known to chase survivor’s right out of their shelters.  When building one be sure not to locate it near an ant’s nest.

Each person should have their own personal cup, bowl and spoon to prevent the transmission of germs.

Skin diseases are especially prevalent during hot weather.  Fungus infections and rashes can be a problem. It is important to wash off sweat and dead skin.  How often you do this might be dependent on the availability of your water but one cup of water and a small cloth should be able to give several cleanings a day.