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For anyone not in a mandatory evacuation zone, Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Sunday had some simple advice:

"Stay inside as much as possible after sunset tonight. No reason you can't go to the store today to get the kind of stuff that you need,” Bloomberg said.

Judging from the carts full of supplies early Sunday morning, it seemed folks in Brooklyn had already had the same idea. There were cases of water and boxes of batteries but the number one item on everyone's list: Tarps.

"I'm buying a tarp, a pump and some batteries,” said one shopper.

"I'm buying a ton of tarps and twist ties,” said another shopper.

"I'm buying tarps because I have two skylights in my den that tend to leak in heavy rain,” noted a third shopper.

In other words, residents who spoke with NY1 seemed to be more concerned with keeping the storm out than going out, not that they have much of a choice. A complete shutdown of the mass transit system has many resigned to spending the next few days at home -- provided they get there before the subways and busses stop running.

A similar shutdown saw the city's transit system grind to a halt last year during Tropical Storm Irene. This time around, some feel the call may have been made too soon.

"What happens tomorrow morning if there is no storm and people have to go to work? So I think maybe they should make the decision at two in the morning,” said one Brooklyn resident.

Others are content to hunker down and weather the storm at home, sharing the official opinion that it's better to be safe than sorry.

"Better to take some precautions I guess,” said one Brooklyn resident.

"If it’s gonna help people then fine. People can deal with being home. We just bought puzzles,” said another Brooklyn resident.