Image via WikipediaI'm taking a break from some major spring cleaning. Wife is gone having girls night, so it gave me a chance to do some well needed cleaning without distraction.
This is actually a process that has been going on over the course of a few days, but the whole time I've been thinking about the ramifications it has had on my preparedness -- bear with me. What I'm basically describing here is "spring cleaning" that can turn into an effective cataloging system of your preps, and making a little cash to buy what you want and need.
I must have "hoarder" in my blood. If I see a good deal, I jump on it, and stock up. Often times, however, these deals come in small fragments, and I get carried away with other things before I can sort and organize them. Then I end up with several rooms full of "crap." Several fires burning, and nothing ever gets cooked if you know what I mean.
I have a problem with keeping things that I find value in, but don't use on a regular basis if at all. Not only can this lead to a fire hazard, it's a pain in the ass, because I know I "have" something, but can never find it.
This is where ebay, craigslist, and SHTF classifieds comes into play, and can be quite a motivation for prepping, believe it or not. Or at least, that's how I've shaped it to keep me motivated and getting this done.
For me, I'm going through entire rooms making piles of stuff with purposes. Clothes for example. I have way too many clothes. I take care of them, and I hate throwing out usuable items, so I end up with a lot of crap. I've had plenty of construction and labor jobs over the years, so I have a "work clothes pile." Now I have a job that I have to dress up a bit, so I have another pile for that. Then I end up with a pile of "this is absolute crap, and it's not worth keeping, but I can use it for parts to repair other clothing". The latter of which gets me in trouble with collecting crap, but I try to find a purpose for everything and get my money's worth. My problem is staying on task and keeping it organized.
Anyhow, so I'm going through all this stuff, (we'll keep using clothes for an example) and I'm making my piles. I find I have a bunch of clothes I either don't fit, or no longer want. The pile grows larger.... So I've been putting stuff on ebay like crazy. Not one item at a time, but lots of it. The trick is starting the lot low at 99 cents to get attention. People watch it...How could they resist such a good deal? Then keep a modest buy it now price, and reasonable shipping (maybe push it here and there). Describe it accuratly, I don't wanna sell junk and call it treasure, and let people make it their own problem :) PRESTO! Crap gone, money in pocket.
Long story short, I'm getting rid of crap I don't need, organizing what I do have and inventorying it in the process, and making a bit of cash. Essentially a garage sale without totally blowing OPSEC, or having to deal with people all day.
Now the same is true with hobbies. I've found out what things I'm not into anymore, but have had parts saved for for years. I'm finding what I forgot I was into, and what could be usable as a prep. Jetison the waste, inventory the assets.
I'm turning around and taking that cash and buying things I need, and, what-the-hell, some toys, too :)
The hard part is just the time to do it, for one, and two, making yourself part with something you know has value, or you would like to have. In a perfect world, I could setup surround sound with vintage SONY speakers in every room of my house. But damnit, do I need to do that? When am I going to get around to doing it, and are there things I'd rather have then a stack of speakers in a storage room collecting dust. I think I'd rather put them on craigslist, and take the money and fill the jerry cans full of diesel before the summer prices hit.
I've never really thought of spring cleaning like this before in terms of preps, but then, I haven't been in the prepping mindset until a couple years ago. Not to mention, people buy the dumbest crap. One man's junk is another... you know the drill.
So, take a look around your house and say, "do I really need that?" "Is it time to dump this stuff?" "If someone would buy it, what would I rather put those funds towards?"
1. Clear out BS and make the wife happy
2. Organize your preps and usuable items in the process of organizing essentials and toys
3. Make a bit of cash
4. Feel better about your living space
I know this kind of a random post, but I think it has its application in a prepping mindset. Thanks for reading my rant :)
Now back to cleaning....
This is actually a process that has been going on over the course of a few days, but the whole time I've been thinking about the ramifications it has had on my preparedness -- bear with me. What I'm basically describing here is "spring cleaning" that can turn into an effective cataloging system of your preps, and making a little cash to buy what you want and need.
I must have "hoarder" in my blood. If I see a good deal, I jump on it, and stock up. Often times, however, these deals come in small fragments, and I get carried away with other things before I can sort and organize them. Then I end up with several rooms full of "crap." Several fires burning, and nothing ever gets cooked if you know what I mean.
I have a problem with keeping things that I find value in, but don't use on a regular basis if at all. Not only can this lead to a fire hazard, it's a pain in the ass, because I know I "have" something, but can never find it.
This is where ebay, craigslist, and SHTF classifieds comes into play, and can be quite a motivation for prepping, believe it or not. Or at least, that's how I've shaped it to keep me motivated and getting this done.
For me, I'm going through entire rooms making piles of stuff with purposes. Clothes for example. I have way too many clothes. I take care of them, and I hate throwing out usuable items, so I end up with a lot of crap. I've had plenty of construction and labor jobs over the years, so I have a "work clothes pile." Now I have a job that I have to dress up a bit, so I have another pile for that. Then I end up with a pile of "this is absolute crap, and it's not worth keeping, but I can use it for parts to repair other clothing". The latter of which gets me in trouble with collecting crap, but I try to find a purpose for everything and get my money's worth. My problem is staying on task and keeping it organized.
Anyhow, so I'm going through all this stuff, (we'll keep using clothes for an example) and I'm making my piles. I find I have a bunch of clothes I either don't fit, or no longer want. The pile grows larger.... So I've been putting stuff on ebay like crazy. Not one item at a time, but lots of it. The trick is starting the lot low at 99 cents to get attention. People watch it...How could they resist such a good deal? Then keep a modest buy it now price, and reasonable shipping (maybe push it here and there). Describe it accuratly, I don't wanna sell junk and call it treasure, and let people make it their own problem :) PRESTO! Crap gone, money in pocket.
Long story short, I'm getting rid of crap I don't need, organizing what I do have and inventorying it in the process, and making a bit of cash. Essentially a garage sale without totally blowing OPSEC, or having to deal with people all day.
Now the same is true with hobbies. I've found out what things I'm not into anymore, but have had parts saved for for years. I'm finding what I forgot I was into, and what could be usable as a prep. Jetison the waste, inventory the assets.
I'm turning around and taking that cash and buying things I need, and, what-the-hell, some toys, too :)
The hard part is just the time to do it, for one, and two, making yourself part with something you know has value, or you would like to have. In a perfect world, I could setup surround sound with vintage SONY speakers in every room of my house. But damnit, do I need to do that? When am I going to get around to doing it, and are there things I'd rather have then a stack of speakers in a storage room collecting dust. I think I'd rather put them on craigslist, and take the money and fill the jerry cans full of diesel before the summer prices hit.
I've never really thought of spring cleaning like this before in terms of preps, but then, I haven't been in the prepping mindset until a couple years ago. Not to mention, people buy the dumbest crap. One man's junk is another... you know the drill.
So, take a look around your house and say, "do I really need that?" "Is it time to dump this stuff?" "If someone would buy it, what would I rather put those funds towards?"
1. Clear out BS and make the wife happy
2. Organize your preps and usuable items in the process of organizing essentials and toys
3. Make a bit of cash
4. Feel better about your living space
I know this kind of a random post, but I think it has its application in a prepping mindset. Thanks for reading my rant :)
Now back to cleaning....
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