A big part of prepping is accumulating lots of stuff. It is not everything but it is a pretty major part of what we do. I am going to talk about some simple strategies to accumulate needed stuff.
First lets break this whole thing down a little. To simplify things a lot there are two kinds of stuff, single use and durable goods. A rifle cartridge is single use while the rifle is durable. Significantly different strategies can be used for these types of stuff.
The main way I stock up on durable stuff is by holding onto the older stuff I have. A pair of pants that are a bit worn is far better then no pants. Wrong color, odd fashion from a couple years ago, whatever. Still a lot better then being neikid. An older beat up pan that have been replaced becomes the camping pan. I have bunches of blankets because I never throw them out. Some are odd sizes or colors but they would keep me warm.
Single use stuff can not be accumulated in the same manner because once it is used it is done. Can't eat a snickers bar twice. This stuff must be purchased in quantity prior to needing it. Pick up 6 spare chap sticks so when I need one it is in the medicine cabinet. Keep extra cold medicine lying around because you never know when someone will get sick. A few bucks worth of OTC stuff makes getting sick a lot less crappy. What I like to do is just get two when I need one. Sometimes getting more then that makes sense.
Durable stuff can be purchased in advance if you desire to do so. There is some wisdom in this plan. I particularly like the holding onto older stuff plan because it is free. You will not care if an older pan has some scratches when the other one has a hole in it. Some combination of purchasing stuff in advance and holding onto older stuff is probably the best way to go.
The big thing is to KEEP EXTRAS OF STUFF YOU USE. You do not need twelve of everything in Cheaperthandirt, or Sportsmen's Guide. Picking up a spare jacket at a good price though it isn't something you would normally wear isn't a bad thing but you probably don't need to have fifty of them. Ditto for 1940's era Swiss mess kits, it is great that you get a discount for purchasing 12 or more but that doesn't mean you need twelve. Aside from a few spare sets of unfashionable work clothes, footwear and some tactical gear (spare holster, some sort of load bearing gear, etc) if you do not currently use it then there very well might not be a reason to own it. Do however keep in mind how your needs would change if modern utilities were nonfunctional. Can't just flip on the light if the power is out so you might want some flashlights and a lantern or two.
So hold onto your old stuff and pick up extras of disposables.
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12 comments:
Good points. It's taken me a while to break the "it's worn, unstylish or broken, so toss it" habit. I've learned that I can repair and continue using things that used to think were unusable. To whit, sometimes "broken" just means "temporarily not working."
Also, I'm trying to imagine new uses for items that won't work for their original purpose. Today's example: my truly unrepairable shoes have leather tongues that I cut off and made leather washers when attaching fenders to my bike. Small, I know, but it represents a new mindset on resourcefulness and not being as wasteful as I usually am.
Btw, it takes space to stock stuff and to hang onto old stuff that I expect to have a use for one day but not currently. With very limited home space, I've starting giving stuff away to charities and folks via craigslist.org and freecycle.org. Lightens my "stuff" burden and occasionally I can see something for a few dollars that I use for debt reduction and preparedness goals.
"Can't eat a snickers bar twice."
Sure you can. It's just not quite as tasty the second time. :)
Some stuff could be stockpiled for barter items if the deal is a good one.... Heh heh heh, "survivalists, the ultimate recyclers".... I toss nothing if it might be useful, and is durable...
One thing about reading everyone's blogs...makes you stop and look at things in a totally different light sometimes...
Appreciate the post, my friend!
Just a few of my find's and deal's. I picked up 20 korean war mess tray's,like you see on MASH,solid stainless steal,for 10 buck's at the swap meet.. sold half of them to my buddy for 10 buck's!Got a pile of those cheap boy scout camp kit's,cheap but usable.Any scratched up pot or pan become's camping gear. That cooler that has a crack in it?? still good for dry stuff.
9:01, Differentiating between worn, unstylish, slightly damaged and downright unservicable is a fine balance. A scratched and dinged up pot becomes the camping pot while one that has a big crack in the bottom is unservicable.
Limited space is am issue. With limited space you can't keep all of everything but should keep some essential stuff. Just food for thought here is what have I done with running shoes. I have my current running shoes, the ones before them are my walking/ hanging out shoes, the ones before them are the lawn mowing/ nasty chore shoes. That could be done with other stuff more or less.
Mayberry, You have a point IF you are completely squared away for your stuff AND you have spare cash to buy them (that wouldn't be better used somewhere else) AND you have the space to store the stuff.
HermitJim, Glad you liked it.
12:37, Sometimes a deal is just too good to pass up. Old cooking wear as camping gear is something I grew up with and it makes a a ton of sense.
I was sitting in my shop this morning, looking at the storage racks, and I thought how much useful stuff people throw away. For instance, 1 gallon Gatorade jugs hold water, rice, beans, salt, etc. Glass jars and some bottles are useful as well. I'm fortunate in that storage space is not a problem for me, as I have outbuildings. Nor do I have to worry about moving my supplies, since I am probably living now where I will live the rest of my life,barring some unforeseen event. I hope you folks are not throwing your brass away. Pick the brass up and keep it in a coffee can or something. The day will come when you will decide to get into reloading if you do a fair amount of shooting, and then that brass will be valuable to you. If nothing else, I would imagine you have a friend or neighbor nearly who would use it. My own practice is not to shoot other peoples reloads, so I wouldn't advise trading it for loaded ammo but that's your call.
I like your points TOR.. Like what 9:01 said get out of the habit of thinking that everything that is one use item is a throw away. On the farm we have a scrap iron pile that looks like junk to some but is valuable steel that can repair something else. The shiny wrapper from the snicker bar can be used as a bird deterrent in a garden or part of a fishing lure. I have been looking at things like that for years.
The wife and I have moved 4 times in the 20+ years we've been married and the first couple times she wanted to know why I was hauling all that trash(bolts, nuts, washers, plumbing parts etc.) She didn't ask that the last time though, cause everytime, we have needed something from the "junk" stuff.
Very good points. I'm a psycho when it comes to "recycling" food. It may start out as a roast, then is turned into sandwiches, then ground into hash. I'll make up extra just to can it, as well.
I have enough dryer lint saved up to spin yarn and knit a coat!
Some of those military mess kits make great opportunities for multiple cache kits as well. Those Swedish Trancia alcohol stove / pot combinations are great for this.
I've found some great bargains at Salvation Army as far as clothing goes, especially with jackets / BDU shirts and pants. Even some boots - bought some Sorels with felt liners for $7! Hard to beat that.
It can get hard to store though - definitely be picky. The old tried and true wool Pendleton Cruisers are darn warm.
I can't remember how many times I have gone to my bolt and misc bins. It sure saves alot of time and money since the nearest hardware store is miles away and closed on sundays which is when I need those screws or bolts or nuts alot of the time! Steve
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