Hoarding versus Prepping
December 16, 2011
Are you hoarding or prepping? I’ve noticed that some people confuse the definition of the two and consider anyone who has extra ‘stuff’ to be a hoarder. Even while looking at online definitions, there is confusion. The fact is, there is a difference…
Definition of hoarding:
Hoarding is the excessive and often compulsive collection of items, along with the inability to discard them. Hoarding often creates such cramped living conditions that homes may be filled to capacity, with only narrow pathways winding through stacks of clutter.
Definition of prepping:
Prepping is the acquisition of supplies stored for rotation of present and future use, and is an insurance policy of sorts for maintaining a standard of living during a disruptive or disastrous period of time.
A hoarder is hoarding because they are compulsive and cannot stop or discipline themselves to stop. They often will hoard one type of thing or another without any real thought of practicality or the benefit of having that stuff.
A prepper is building supplies with a practical purpose. I suppose that a non-prepper may consider a prepper to be a hoarder if they walk into their house and see extra stuff in plain sight. Because it seems out of the ordinary, they may presume the prepper to be a hoarder. In reality though, if you look at a prepper’s stuff, it will usually make sense – extra food stores and somewhat normal supplies. A hoarders stuff will often appear cluttered and irrelevant to everyday use or preparedness.
If you are a prepper and do not wish to be labeled a hoarder, a good solution is to neatly organize your supplies in various places around the home. Even better is out-of-sight. If your friend or neighbor happens to open a well stocked closet or pantry, it won’t look so out of place if things are organized. Organization will help you ‘know’ what you have anyway… it’s a good idea.
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Preparedness is Peace of Mind
January 23, 2011
I have a feeling that many folks outside the survival-preparedness minded way-of-thinking may themselves think that ‘preppers’ are a bunch of paranoid wackos, spouting doom and gloom all the time.
Sure, there are extremes in any walk of life, but chances are that the majority of preppers are in the middle, that is – they are folks that know in their gut that ‘things’ aren’t quite right in the world they live in today.
I’ll bet that a good portion of that instinctive feeling is coming from the horrible economic mess that surrounds many of us – unfathomable government debt (fed, state, and local), unthinkable levels of greed (corporate, business, and personal), the constant drum beat of terror threats, and the rapid decay of our liberties – just to name a few…
Heck, it’s gotten so bad that now in the U.S., the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) is trying to get us to spy on each other (tele-screen warnings in Walmart stores, PSA advertisements), and injecting paranoia into the society.
‘Thinking people’ know, that the present state of the economic system(s) is so bad, that it’s a bit like being on the Titanic as it is sinking – while watching the band play as though nothing is wrong. It is absurd. There are several possible outcomes, but none of them are going to be good (inflation / deflation / or worse, a complete currency collapse).
As time goes on, more people are beginning to see what is happening around them, and they are realizing that they should begin to prepare in some way. Not knowing how bad things ‘could’ get, and not knowing how long the puppet masters of the world can keep the system afloat, makes it difficult to decide what to do.
Typically, a first instinctive move is to simply store up some extra food – probably due to our genetics and survival instincts. Our survival instinct starts at the very roots and basics – shelter, fire, water, food.
It is fairly easy to manage the fire, water, and food preparedness, but an often overlooked item is ‘shelter’. What I mean is, there is an assumption that we will always have it, a roof over our head. The thing is, chances are you either pay rent, or pay a mortgage. Think about that one.
Once someone starts accumulating a supply of food, they will instantly discover a new ‘feeling’, one of ‘peace-of-mind‘. It is an interesting thing. The more actions that one takes toward being more self-sufficient, the more peace-of-mind will be received. It is very empowering. In fact, one of the most empowering moves you can make for yourself, is to get out of personal debt. You will be stunned by the euphoric feeling afterward, especially if you’ve been burdened with debt for so long.
The very fact that you become so empowered, is the very reason that ‘the system’ tries to keep you under the yoke of debt. When you really think about it, your life in debt could be looked at as a form of slavery – in that you ‘must’ work for the system to keep making those payments. It has become so normal, that hardly anyone even realizes they are a slave to it. Amazing.
The bottom line is, becoming prepared (use your own definition), brings peace of mind.
Most preppers are not all about doom and gloom. Instead, many or most preppers can see the doom and gloom for what it is – the threats and risks to living a better life, the very things that a prepper is trying to avoid, or at least to insulate from.
So go ahead, I dare you, go get some peace-of-mind. You deserve it.
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Todays Modern Survivalist
May 30, 2010
The modern day prepper / survivalist is at the core, a reflection of the fragility of the complicated and intertwined systems that we depend upon today that enable modern comfort, lifestyle, and the ability of millions to live in close proximity with each other.
Many non-preppers look at this movement as a bunch of doom and gloomers who are actually hoping for the end of the world so that they can finally put their survival plan into action. Granted, there are those who are at the extremes of any group and no doubt there
are some who actually hope for TEOTWAWKI. But it is my opinion that the majority of preppers today are middle class working people who recognize the current risks within today’s modern day systems, and are quietly preparing for what may or may not come to be.
I do not believe that the majority of preppers have a negative doom-and-gloom outlook, but instead are more than likely to be self motivated optimistic people with good sense and awareness, and living ordinary lives like most everyone else. Having a positive outlook on life is itself one reason why some develop preparedness plans. Desiring freedom, happiness, and life, for yourself and family are all positive attributes that are shared by all preppers.
The prepper may appear to be seeking out doom and gloom, but in actuality is staying current with the risks that are facing the world, knowing that being one step ahead of the crowd could very well save them from unnecessary hardship, or life itself.
Today’s modern day survivalist is not the one who is all ready to go live by themselves in the woods, although I’m not criticizing those that are, but instead they are the ones who have stored up some extra food (maybe a month, maybe 6 months), have been eliminating their debt, and have been thinking about and acquiring other supplies that attribute towards living a more self sufficient life, one that is not so dependent upon the systems that enable today’s modern day society.
Modern survivalism really is a way of life, not necessarily one that is drastically removed from the creature comforts that we enjoy today, but a state of mind where one instinctively questions the news around them and has the ability to recognize when something isn’t quite right, prepares oneself to adapt to circumstances around them, and where choices are made from common sensibility.
The modern survivalist does not take for granted the things that make life so easy right now. The times we live in since the industrial revolution are a mere blip on the time-line of humankind. We recognize that things can disappear just as fast as they came, and keep a wary eye looking for signs of that day, all the while continuing our daily lives in ‘the system’ with everyone else.
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What Kind of Person is a Prepper?
March 24, 2010
Who is a prepper and what is the mindset?
A prepper is a person who likely holds some, or all of the following traits:
The prepper is somewhat skeptical, doubts the status quo and maintains some degree of skepticism of what is being said or portrayed as fact.
Very likely to be more independent minded rather than automatically following the crowd.
Someone with a degree of common sense and logic, and able to apply that thinking in thought, conversation, and decision making.
Open minded enough to see and recognize the dangers that are out there in the world.
Understands the fragility of society and the fact that there are many potential threats in the world today that could severely disrupt life as we know it.
A prepper knows that a ‘job’ is not guaranteed.
A prepper recognizes that the borrow-and-spend mentality will ultimately fail, and in fact has already broken.
The prepper is someone who recognizes ‘the system’ for what it is, an intertwined and interdependent political-media-socio-corporate mechanism designed to control and keep people in place, so the machine can be ‘fed’ with their labor and monies.
Does not depend on government to take care of them, even in the event of disaster. Knows that government will not possibly be able to assist in any timely manner of a major or even minor disaster.
Someone who takes action.
A person who values life and has a natural and strong desire to protect.
Respectful of others, and their property. Expects the same in return.
Someone who may have already experienced civil breakdown and realizes that the thin line between civilized society and chaos is real.
Understands the value of food and water. Knows that the human will die without water in just a matter of 3 – 7 days, and will similarly not survive without food for a bit of time beyond that.
The Prepper sleeps better at night with peace of mind and adequate preps.
Political leanings? Probably more Libertarian, whether it is realized or not.
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Why Do I Prep?
February 1, 2010
Why do I prep? People often ask me why I have such a large pantry. Well, thinking about it, I guess I’ve been a prepper all of my life, but never realized it until a few years ago. To me, it’s just logical common sense along with how I was raised.
Being born and raised in suburban New England, prepping is in my blood. My family, as well as everyone in our extended families, had, and still do have, a decent sized pantry. All of our neighbors also were prepared. Prepared for what you ask. Well, many of the grandparents in these households lived through the Great Depression. So a shortage of ‘things’ was a way of life. These people learned from their struggles during the Depression and when things got better, they began to stock, afraid that hard times may come again.
It was also not uncommon at all, that at least once during the winter you may be without power for 3 or 4 days due to a Nor’easter. If you did not lose power, you were definitely trapped in your house for 3 or 4 days. You made sure that you had at least a week’s supply of food on hand if you lost power during a summer thunderstorm, tornado or hurricane.
Another reason I prep is that you never know what life us going to bring your way. You or spouse may lose their job. You or your spouse may become ill and unable to work. Earthquake, hurricane, terrorist attack, you name it, the list goes on. It only makes good common sense to be prepared.
Let me give you an example of something that happened about 5 years ago. Ken and I both came down with the seasonal flu at the same time. It was the year there was a shortage of vaccines, so we were unable to get protected. Well, after we went back to work over a week later Ken told me this story of a co-worker.
The co-worker and his wife had also come down with the flu at the same time. He told Ken he was so glad his neighbor came and brought them soup and some groceries.
I was shocked! It was beyond my comprehension that someone would not typically have at least a week’s supply of food on hand.
Kudos to the neighbor who helped them out of course, but you should not rely or be dependent on anyone else. This neighbor was also potentially put at risk for catching the same infectious virus. I have to point out that Ken and I didn’t run out of soup, juice, Kleenex, medicine etc. This is the good feeling of being prepared and well stocked. Being prepared….you can’t lose!
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