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Yes, I think that it still should be organized if you expect anyone else to see value in what you have. If I opened a trunk jammed full of expired green beans, rope, plastic sheeting and other such stuff it would look like a gigantic junk drawer to me.
We all have a drawer in our kitchen that is a disorganized mess of extra stuff that there is no place for. We all have a spare room in our house that serves as a dumping ground for excess stuff that there is no place for. Some people's entire houses are like a gigantic junk drawer, maybe not to the owner of those homes but they are to anyone walking inside of those homes.
If you can organize your stuff so that it makes sense to others, that might help your future heirs to see value in it.
Mom taught me to make that the emergency drawer, where you put things to be used when the power goes out. Hence, batteries, flash lights, can openers, knives, maybe even emergency radios and short wave aerials.
But, once again, it gets a bit more than that for what is the mind that sees that. That of what can I make with this or.......where is that one button to push to solve it all. Unfortunately, I am afraid most of the world sees the latter and even if that is there with modern technology, it doesn't really work when things go broke.
I am still amazed at this world that sees a can past the best by date and things it is worthless. If in anything, remember......those who sell the can are probably doing things to make you buy again, soon.
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Originally Posted by Vector1
I guess it depends on what environment and how the kids were raised. To some extent it also depends on where they live, and if a SHTF event were to occur, would they be willing to seek refuge in such a place. Also if they are city folk and have trouble opening a can with a manual can opener, they likely won't have a clue how to survive or even run a generator.
Probably having a serious talk with them to see if they would be willing to keep such a place/supplies when you pass on.
I do know having been to estate sales, some kids revere and keep family heirlooms, pictures, etc.
While others say "sell it all", including medals won in war and other important family historical items, even the family bible, cherished recipes, and the like.
Yes, that too.....that is, the generator in the garage, what will they make of that?
After 911 happened, my husband bought some freeze dried cans of food rations to have on hand in case the SHTF. That was in 2002. Flash forward 20 years later and we still have all of those cans of rations. I put them in storage bins and shoved them to the back of a long, narrow closet with other stuff in front them. There they sit, untouched, never used in two decades. If they haven't expired, yet, they will soon. One day, I'll haul everything out of that closet and get rid of those rations because I know that we will never use them and there is no way that we will be moving that stuff when we downsize.
That's the case with so much prep stuff. I have a battery controlled radio that I bought years ago. I checked it and it no longer works. How long do water purification tablets last? We have them but never have used them. How long do batteries last?
I am still getting rid of stuff from my mom who passed in 2010.
And all those things she said were "valuable"- weren't.
That's a current conversation with a friend of mine on FB. A friend is moving and getting rid of old stuff from her mom--emotional moment, etc.
But her cousin posted in reply that her own mother has been dead 11 years and she just can't part with her stuff, so she has it in a storage facility that she's been paying for all these years. Currently $250 a month. Insane.
I cleaned out my mother's house last year. 63 years she lived there, not much of value. Had a yard sale followed by a "curb alert" on Craigslist to give the unsold stuff away (they show up like ants at a picnic) and then gave other stuff to a charity that runs a thrift shop.
After 911 happened, my husband bought some freeze dried cans of food rations to have on hand in case the SHTF. That was in 2002. Flash forward 20 years later and we still have all of those cans of rations. I put them in storage bins and shoved them to the back of a long, narrow closet with other stuff in front them. There they sit, untouched, never used in two decades. If they haven't expired, yet, they will soon. One day, I'll haul everything out of that closet and get rid of those rations because I know that we will never use them and there is no way that we will be moving that stuff when we downsize.
That's the case with so much prep stuff. I have a battery controlled radio that I bought years ago. I checked it and it no longer works. How long do water purification tablets last? We have them but never have used them. How long do batteries last?
Well, like I said earlier, they were giving us C rations when Reagan was in power......C rations were replaced by MCI rations in 1958. Which, by the way, in the interest of that lesson......Tabasco sauce is in healthy supply in the pantry. https://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/...military-meals
Tools, stored food, freezers, ropes, duct tape, books on repair, first aid kits, hoses, and the like.
As to expired canned goods, it is only expired if the can is bloated or can seal integrity is violated; otherwise, there is decent chance that was is in it is decently good. That date on the can, best by, does not mean worthless or dangerous afterwards.........after all, they were still feeding us Korean War C rations during the Reagan adminstration.
Most of what you've described won't be really usable in 10 years.
However, preppers are supposed to follow a method like Mormons do. Basically it's FIFO (First in, First out) you buy a large supply to start, then you use them as you go, after you have a routine set up, then you'll have a better idea of what you adore, like and tolerate.
Like scrambled eggs, 1 canister was good for 10 years. So you'd buy 2-3 and USE IT as you went along on life. Didn't like it? Don't buy it again. If you DID like it, buy more. (That one can Had 46 servings)
The idea was to be "Prepared" when SHTF not trying to scramble for the last case of ramen fighting off hoards of ravenous customers. But also to rotate the food, so you knew whst it tasted like, so you were aware.
And most of its high sodium anyway, so you have yo be aware of the drawbacks.
Tools, stored food, freezers, ropes, duct tape, books on repair, first aid kits, hoses, and the like.
As to expired canned goods, it is only expired if the can is bloated or can seal integrity is violated; otherwise, there is decent chance that was is in it is decently good. That date on the can, best by, does not mean worthless or dangerous afterwards.........after all, they were still feeding us Korean War C rations during the Reagan adminstration.
Your best bet is to find another prepper who will appreciate your stuff.
Anyone else would toss it all.
When we had that power outage here in Texas two years ago, the state, county and city agencies jumped in and helped with food and water. Not just government agencies, but local churches, groups etc - everyone that could helped out.
Now if you are a loner and live out in the boonies cuz that is what you want to do - I guess this stuff might come in handy.
You mean the neighbor preppers? Ya. The people that had stuff to help others. Gensets, extra food, blankets. That's exactly what a prepper does. They also routinely rotate everything and test tools to make sure they still are in working condition.
It won't?
"Tools, stored food, freezers, ropes, duct tape, books on repair, first aid kits, hoses, and the like."
Care to explain that?
I might understand the short sightness on the first aid kits. The meds, no, but the bandages, yes. As to the rest, that just depends.
Your ropes, bandaids, bandages, hoses, duct tape will dry rot in no time. Food has already been discussed ad nauseum. Even C rats die of old age or simply turn gross.
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