Stored stuff - Readiness series (multi-use durables)

A hoarding practicum – continued

Here is another core installment of our Readiness strategy (see also the previous article for perishables.)

This category of non-perishables or durables to store will be somewhat of a misnomer.  It's a fuzzy line really.  If moth or rust don't get it, this stuff will be prone to misplacement and even theft. If one follows my golden rule for Practical Preppers –that is, stocking stuff that will always get used anyhow-- then even the most durable items suffer wear and tear.  But leastways, you will always know thereby the true status of your goods, before you need to use them for survival.  Beware that things stored away for that annual family camping adventure remain out-of-sight-and-mind only to find, upon the day it is unpacked, that time and adverse conditions have rendered it useless or even dangerous to use after all.

Consider rope or twine, for instance. It has many potential uses; a definite keeper. But you don’t want to discover how rot or rodents have compromised your lifeline… that being at the very moment your life is depending upon it.

Another example: shopping bags. In my city, plastic bags are outlawed… multi-useful as they can be. Paper bags can be saved to use again, though hardly a third time; and stores are required to charge extra for them.  Cloth bags are premium, unless you've got a messy job to dispose of; and if you plan to re-use them for food, better remember to launder them regularly.

So here is my list of durables, again offered free for you to use and modify or replace with your own better readiness inventory. Just make sure it is printed on paper and stored for old-fashioned easy file access on the day your trusty electronic multi-use reference tool (internet) is suddenly rendered inaccessable:

Non-perishables:

Travel/camping equipment:

spare clothing, coats, gloves, hats & shoes - cold, rain, warm weather

spare towels

patio umbrella & stand or folding canopy

sleeping tent

screen tent

portable tables & chairs

propane tanks with lighting, heating, cooking appliances

portable kitchen utensils

water tank

gasoline can

sleeping pads, bags & spare blankets

portable medical & hygiene supplies

portable shop & security supplies

plastic bags, ziplock & larger tied

portable cooler chests

portable toilet

portable wading pool

portable shower

buckets, large & small

car emergency equipment

Garden equipment:

hand tools

concrete mix

mixing tub

wheel barrow or cart

granite gravel

sand

landscape stones or bricks

volcanic rock & gravel

water barrel with siphon hose

pool chlorine tablets

5-gallon buckets with handles

lounge cushions

bamboo or light PVC poles

binding twine

shade cloth

plastic tarps or pond liner

clear plastic sheeting

extra garden hose

hose connectors & repair supplies

pest bait & traps

Shop equipment:

hand tools

duct tape

masking tape

electrical tape

bungee cord

para-cord

nylon cord

cotton or hemp cord & rope

super glue

flexible glue

sealant

zip ties

scrap wood

scrap PVC piping & fittings

scrap screws, bolts, washers

scrap metal plate

scrap metal tubing

scrap rubber sheeting & tubing

scrap wire

scrap chain

bench vise

anvil

clamps, spring & screw

electrical extension cord

plumbing snake

pressure water hose

plumber putty

solvent

lubricant

citrus cleaner

Security equipment:

slingshot & amo

flashlights & batteries

emergency names & numbers

mobile phone with video camera & gps

bicycle(s) with basket or trailer carrier

pest controls

Reference book, by M Osterhoudt about Multiple Uses of Common Household Products:

Why Didn't I Think of That?

The Ultimate Swiss Army Knife

http://gajitz.com/enormous-swiss-army-knife-makes-us-want-bigger-pockets/

Multiblade Folding Knife

http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1061776

Swiss Army-styled modular camping box

http://www.gizmag.com/swiss-army-inspired-camper-small-car/22012/

http://hiconsumption.com/2013/07/swiss-roombox-easy-tech-modular-camping-system/

Stored stuff - Readiness series (foods & other multi-use perishables)

A hoarding practicum

This installment is a core element of our Disaster Readiness strategy. Again, I don't propose dedicating a closet or wall of your garage to stockpile emergency gourmet rations (though you could do that also), preserved and packaged foods that expire and need replacing in five or ten years.  Instead, endeavor to make only a slight lifestyle change: Simply buy and store more of what you like to stock up anyway for day-to-day consumption. And with just a little know-how, many of these things prove useful for two or more purposes… at least, MacGyver would say it is so.

Of course, it's the dual-use and healthy stuff that you want to double up on (in storable form; multi-uses noted also); something like the following:

Week one:

   olive oil (cooking, heat/light fuel, medicine)

   toilet paper

   oatmeal, pre-cooked (skin cleanser, medicine)

   honey (sweetener, antibiotic)

   powdered milk (yogurt-making)

Week two:

   baking soda (cleanser, medicine)

   brown rice (hot compress)

   toilet paper

   dried pinto beans

Week three:

   toilet paper
   coconut oil (fuel, medicine)

   quinoa

   toilet paper

   crackers

Week four:

   corn starch (cleanser)

   packaged tuna

   popcorn (insulation)

   toilet paper

   toilet paper

Get the idea? And surely you notice my obsession with good ol' TP. Reason is twofold. First, it is an item that runs out readily-from retail store shelves during a natural disaster and from a home full of guests (refugees?). Seems we can never buy enough. Second, toilet paper is the sort of thing that may prove inordinately valuable for trade with desperate neighbors as stores run dry of everything most useful.  Soap is another -like cigarettes, fuel or matches in wartime- valued higher than cash or gold coins for barter. And don't go cheap: preferably the premium two-ply, ultra-soft, jumbo sized rolls (referring to toilet paper, of course).

Make sure everyone understands your system to rotate home stock from back to front.  I am listing stuff that tends to last when properly sealed.  But even TP is perishable, eventually. Those grain moths and roaches may not appreciate the Charmin; but silverfish and termites do. To them it’s good as angel food cake. So get everyone in house on board to grab the oldest packages first.

Too bulky? Get creative: Repurpose dead space under beds, on top of cabinets, behind fake walls.  Consider wedging bulk packages of TP up between rafters in the garage (clearly marked with date purchased) to serve meantime as extra insulation.

You could even make a list… if you really like lists, specifically of items having dual-use or emergency-use value that can be stocked up extra. (Future posts to this blog will feature many of those to print and keep in your off-grid Readiness Box.) Make your inventory in a format easy to reference and update frequently and print off handy shopping lists.  Build your surplus gradually, so the spouse hardly notices extra expense.  But make sure you restock after that family reunion over Christmas holidays.

   Below is my own listing of perishables for starters...

Perishables:

Pantry (non-refrigerated):

baking soda

baking mix, or make your own:

  wheat flour

  baking powder

    (baking soda & cream of tarter)

  shortening powder

  buttermilk powder

  powdered eggs

  sugar

  salt

vegetable shortening

cooking oil

butter

corn starch

sourdough

white vinegar

apple vinegar

white sugar

brown sugar

powdered milk

powdered eggs

cocoa powder

coconut oil

honey

maple syrup

oatmeal, precooked

soy sauce

instant soups

dried fruits & vegetables

  raisins

  banana chips

  apple chips

  coconut

  tomatoes

  potatoes

  mushrooms

  pinto beans

  rice

  powdered greens

    (complete protein: moringa, spirulina, azolla)

  noodles

  spices

popcorn

corn meal

salami

pickles

packaged tuna

canned chicken

crackers

tortilla chips

nuts

chocolate chips

cheese

quinoa (gluten-free, complete protein)

powdered chocolate mix

powdered lemonade (or other flavor)

instant coffee

instant tea

lemon juice (or fresh lemons)

Medical & hygiene:

prescription medicines

aspirin

ibuprofen

antibacterial ointment

cortisone cream

sterile cotton bandaging

ace bandaging

sterile tape

tweezers

needle

suture thread

super glue (dermal adhesive)

liquid bandage

scissors

nail clippers

fine tooth comb

decongestant

rubbing alcohol

hydrogen peroxide

liquid hand soap

shampoo

portable toilet solution

witch hazel

distilled white vinegar

ammonia

boric acid (eye wash)

liquid bleach

aloe vera gel

petroleum jelly

liquid Castile soap

Fels-Naptha laundry bar soap

epsom salts

baking soda

corn starch

borax

moist heat pad

instant cold pack

sealed tooth brushes

floss

tooth paste

deodorant

essential oils (lavender, lemongrass, etc.)

Feel welcome to copy and paste this list into your favorite task manager or checklist utility. Google Keep works good. And refer back later for my updates. Of course, you will want to customize your own list. Do your own research online to compare lists of other "pantry preppers", as well as multi-use ideas:

25 Must Have Survival Foods
Unexpected Uses For Your Leftover Coffee


More ways to store spare toilet paper:

TP TeePee

TP d'Art

Sakir Gökçebag – Installations Made Out of Toilet Paper

No con intended

Insurance ad review series: Liberty Mutual

I wouldn't call it "false" advertising.  Liberty Mutual Insurance Group launched a nationwide TV ad campaign which appears to be well-intentioned.  It even attempts to inform, cluing potential car insurance shoppers to compare policy and claim service features before price.  As the old cliché warns: Not all insurance programs are created equal… despite state Department of Insurance attempts to standardize and regulate. Peek at this video to see what I mean:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb6zMBS5x9w

After all, however low the price, that shiny car is hardly worth its new smell when the buyer discovers it delivered without standard components. Imagine learning afterward that there is no spare tire and no jack, no owner’s manual, and no remote to disarm the hypersensitive alarm. Yeah, that’s going to cost $500 extra, says the dealer; and to get one, you have to drive fifty miles to visit the closest service department. Once there you discover that the warranty actually covers the Drive Train only. No wonder it was advertised so cheap. Look out, because many low-ball insurance plans are proven similar.

   Liberty Mutual Insurance? It isn’t one of those scams. Their broad contract and exemplary service complements fair pricing. Check out more Liberty TV ads here:

https://www.libertymutual.com/liberty-mutual-videos/commercials

Full disclosure: I am a longtime agent for Safeco Insurance who was recently adopted into the Liberty family group. (Though, I would have said the same before.) Officially, the "Liberty Mutual" brand now refers to their Commercial Lines of insurance. If you respond to one of Liberty's ads and phone up to ask for Personal Auto or Property insurance…  they should refer you to an agent quoting Safeco.

   I used to like Safeco's advertising content and style. Though segments from my favorite Safeco campaign are no longer to be found.

I might have given Safeco TV ads gold stars for being informative, entertaining, and relevant. Even their newest crop of Marty & Edna ads are better than most. Problem was then as now:  Their TV spots are hardly aired anywhere. 

Marty & Edna's kitchen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idNC1KHQNvg

Marty & Edna's beds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7gHdiXazIs

Liberty Mutual's media promoters have decided (rightly) not to make impossible promises price-wise.  There are simply too many variables and numerous value differences for general price comparisons to serve as any shopping guide. Liberty has, however, chosen to promote a generalized comparison of certain policy service and rating features.  One they call accident forgiveness. Then there is full replacement value of your car, easy claim filing and life event discounts.

The obvious problem for me as a California-licensed agent is this: Little of these breaks are actually available for customers in my state. Proposition 103 rules (1988 state ballot measure) continue to trump such dispensations. For instance, if you are legally liable for accident-caused damages or injuries, your California insurance premiums must be surcharged to differentiate you from statutory "good drivers"…  at least until the incident is three years past. No break for the guilty. No forgiveness. Nor is there such thing, anymore, as a simple unintended accident.

Independent Agents

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QymowGMTf_A

Second problem, again with Liberty Mutual's accident forgiveness strategy: Who empowers my insurance company to grant forgiveness? Have insurance underwriters been drafted into some sort of vehicular priesthood? Are they become superior justices? I don't think so…  And underwriters that I know (independent insurance agents are honored to work with many), they don't want that role or responsibility.

Truly, this approach plays into the bias of many a reluctant insurance shopper.  Typically, insurers are viewed as arrogant; displaying a high-and-mighty attitude about the funds that they manage on behalf of risk-sharing pool contributors. Yet another cliché, but yes: Perceptions matter. Everybody knows that premiums collected aren't actually the Insurer's to keep. It's only borrowed money, so to speak, to hold in trust; their compensation being the interest earned while shared funds remain in their care. Who thinks of his insurer as “on my side” anymore? Hardly anyone.

Third catch: This waiver of premium surcharge for a "first" accident is nothing new or unique to Liberty Mutual.  It has been common practice for decades among Preferred-Risk insurers; that being those whose guidelines always did select for good drivers from households which are less prone (statistically) to generate auto accident losses. Set aside the argument that no underwriter really has a crystal ball revealing my future of profit or loss. (One can wish!) But this practice of legal discrimination and preference was standard for Safeco Insurance Company and its direct competitors. It saved policyholders a lot of money… even in California not so long ago. That is until Prop 103 won the day.

ACV vs RC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6b6-eZ9kDQ

Other benefits promoted by Liberty Mutual Insurance present similar credibility problems, if taken too literally. Such as a new driver discount:  Means lower expense, right? Maybe less than it might have been (though not in California).  Reminds me of the day my wife came home, arms loaded with full shopping bags, to declare proudly: "Just look at all the money I saved!" What’s that cliché? Less is More…

   Consider the promise of no incriminating questions at claim time…  How is that supposed to work? Can there really be such a thing as full value replacement for vehicles?  And new car gap coverage is again nothing new or particularly unique.

Yes, I can hear my clients now:

"What about all the money I put into my car… new tires, rebuilt transmission, custom rims? Do I get replacement credit for all that?"

Answer: Hardly. 

"I thought my rate would go down when my boy started driving.  That's what the advertisement promised."

Did it really?

"Sure, I rear-ended that car.  It stopped for no reason, just when my cell phone started ringing. Was that my fault?  The TV guy implied that my insurance company would take my side. It's what insurance is supposed to do."

Yes, yes and sort of yes… depends.

Even in states where Liberty or any insurer is allowed to grant such liberties, they all come at a price… with discriminating conditions and limitations. Just like the rest of your insurance policy provisions.

So buyer beware!  Read your policy and look out. You know, if it sounds too good…  And all that jazz.

Some clichés are good reminders after all.

TN tornado claim 2008

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g366O3DqBCE