cookiejar

*snip*

So you think you have *NOTHING*

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You've toyed with the idea of starting preps, but think you have nothing. Running out and buying a ton a stuff isn't necessarily what prepping is all about.

1. Stop and take inventory of what you really have. Start in one room of your home and make your way through the rest of the house. For example; Kitchen list your appliances and how much storage space you have. A seperate inventory for food would be a good idea.

2. Go over your list. Are you interested in dehydrating, but don't have one? Or your old one is not working? Make a note of what needs to be replaced or updated. Highlight these items. WIth a different color highlighter, mark which items you haven't used in the past year. Also highlight things for which you have duplicates .

3. Decide of how you'll get rid of these items you no longer need. Some people do yard sales, others could choose to barter. A consignment shop might work for you. Charity organizations take donations, as well. If you sell them or receive money for this stuff, put the money away where you can use it for preps that you have to buy. Now is the time to get rid it. Do it. Get it out. We need the space, and the money.

4. Now is also the time to get organized. Did you find stuff in the hall closet that really belongs in the bathroom? Move it. Did you forget about the Christmas wrap you stuck under your bed last year? Get it out and put it where you know you have it when you need it. Make lists for the inside of cabinets and closets telling you what's in there if you need to. Make sure everything you have is treated like exactly what it is...an asset.

5. Look at your highlighted list for each room on what you need to replace or purchase and start the hunt. Yard sales, consignment shops, the newspaper, thrift stores, auctions, dollar stores, and retail stores are all outlets for what we need. Depending on your budget, you make the decision on where you'll get what you need. Just remember...the more you save, the more money you'll have to reach your goal.

6. Store what you use and use what you store. There is no need to follow a generic list if half the stuff on there is stuff you don't use. Start collecting food and household/personal need items as you find them on sale or can trade a friend some of the stuff you don't use for some of the stuff he/she can't use.

7. Acquire a library. Either use the county or town library near you or purchase books on information you need. Ask questions at the vegetable market about your local growing trends. Talk to the butcher at how-to. Find out what the local hospitals, schools, and fire departments offer for free information. Get everything you can that will strengthen your knowledge of applicable subjects.

8. Stay busy and stay focused. Remember...everything you have is an asset. Take care of it. Treat it like it's valuable, because it is. Keep everything in good repair/working order. Organization will help you find things you never realized.

9. Learn about what you can do that doesn't cost anything. Water storage is an inexpensive, but potentally life saving prep. Find out how to do it and how much you need. The internet is an excellent resources, but remember...just because you read it on the 'net doesn't make it accurate. Follow USDA recommended practices for food storage and follow it carefully. The quality of what you get out of food storage will only be as good as what you put in it.

10. Practice, practice, practice. It's a constant exercise to get rid of what you don't need and fixing what you have. Maintain your home as you maintain the rest of your life. It needs love and attention just like the rest of the important things in your life.

By

AZ Grammy

I snipped this from another website. It had some pearls of wisdom and a huge dose of Hope! A huge ingrediant in surviving any crisis big or small. Hats off to AZ Grammy

Individually sealed plastic wrapped pickles.I'm not making that up. I watched a guy buy one and almost said,"Sweetie, for the price of that single serving dill pickle, you could have wrapped yourself half a jar's worth."

It was in a convenience store next to the boiled eggs in little individual plastic *holders*.

I have to tell you, I did something wicked to Darlene when she was moving. I opened a cabinet to find Jars and jars of empties in pristine state. For a hoot I called Darlene over and said blithely (Just to see the reaction)

 

"Your not gonna take all these empty jars with you are you? Want me to dump them?"

 

Just to hear her dead serious tone (Think a female Clint Eastwood voice and look), "THOSE ARE CANNING JARS (Like I wouldn't know ) AND ARE COMING WITH ME.

 

I know, I was taking my life in my hands wasn't I?

 

Some of us have to live on the edge.

I am bumping this up because it has been one year since Darlene moved to the mountains (see up in the Sunporch). I remember coming over to help her pack and confronting the sheer AMOUNT of canned preps she had. You'll never know or probably believe how much that was...but Darlene walks the canning walk as she does the canning talk.

Remember, Darlene was in left field on Percocet from her massive knee surgeries. So, it was pretty easy to mess with her.

Considering I found a clip of bullets in her china cabinet...perhaps I was taking a few chances here.

Here's to one year of success for the Canning Princessa!

So wrong, Leah and yet so funny

I agree Louis,

I also kept track of the collapse in Haiti since it's closer to my area. Food riots, kidnappings, etc.

But all these personal accounts have merit and valuable information to glean from them.

It's pretty startling.

I'm trying to find the utube links I had before with short excerpts of the troubles people faced as situation worsened.

Come on in and share your jokes and funny stories. Please add a caution in your subject line if you think your joke might be offensive to anyone.

This is a direct quote from the entrance to this forum.

Just plain and simple, sometimes we have children reading in this forum and to knock off the rude/crude stuff or it will be deleted immediately. If the joke is fine but the responding posts are rude or crude, they will be deleted immediately. Watch the language. Occasional humorous adult-toned jokes do come up, JUST label in the subject line if it is risque or questionable humor. Watch the language! Politics has a forum-take those jokes there.

Thank you,

CookieJar

Moderator

Go Arby go!

Sounds like your really thinking this out!

Keep sharing the ideas.

An image of ceiling shelves

*Ahem*

If you have attended a historical museum, site or reenactment and coveted any of their items.

I.E. :Cooking pots, sewing gear, wagons, tools etc. etc.

If you've ever taken a picture at such sites of the thing you've coveted for future reference.

If you've marked such sites mentally for TEOTWAWKI *gleaning*.

:kettle:

Point taken Fritz

and Campy caught me on another part of the forum trying to see if anyone had used the Baytec company.

I found a Coca cola bottler here in Miami, now to get up the nerve to call and see if they sell old syrup barrels food grade being so good and I will scrub those babies out.

I have some unusual issues Fritz in that if a Hurricane comes the dropping berometer pressure has literally *popped* a cheap water bottle before (I may have had it filled too close to the top too).

Has anyone heard of keeping water barrels up off the ground on something like a pallet?

Read the fine print on some of the bladder/pod style tub fills. Some of them say one-shot-deal. (But maybe with handy duct tape it could be used more than once??).

I have an Aquapod too for one bathroom.

Here's a couple more links for water ideas and threads discussed in other Mrs. S forums-

55 gallon water barrels

http://www.mrssurvival.com/forums/ubbthrea...true#Post177402

water needs?

http://www.mrssurvival.com/forums/ubbthrea...true#Post176147

Girllllllllllllllllllllll

I'll have you know I can dance The Cha Cha Slide and the Solja boy! I have visual impact when I get on the floor

Classic but fun

Because it's good to see that stupid is forever and can still make someone grin...

Got any classic faux pas? Qoutes of the clueless?

We need to add to this

I bumped this up again because a newbie with a name like Crazy 4 Canning should fit in just perfect right here!

C4C admit your addiction!!!

:24:

On second thought...

Don't ask!! Don't ask!!!!!!

Gives a whole new meaning to *finding parking at the mall*

What a coincindence this resurfaced

and there's a nice corrosponding image in Humor Me right now to compliment it...