Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“You’ll beat this. I know it doesn’t feel like it, but you will. You’re a survivor.”

“I don’t want to survive it.”

“I know that, too,” Nell had said. “And it’s fair enough. But sometimes we don’t have a choice…” ? Kate Morton, The Forgotten Garden

Notes for Thursday – December 25, 2014

Today is celebrated as Christmas, all around the world. December 25th is of course a seasonally convenient time for celebration, just after the Winter Solstice. The birth of Christ was and is cause for great celebration. May the love of Christ, our Savior be with you all. May your Christmas be Christ-centered and truly joyous.

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Mike Williamson, SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large, has a new release: Wisdom from my Internet. This is a collection of snark and satire, in which he attempts to poke fun at every position of every issue. It’s been hitting #1 for Political Humor on Kindle and almost made the top ten on the combined print and Kindle list. Of course, it comes with a language, subject, and politics warning.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 56 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel which can be assembled in less then one minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 30 DPMS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448.95) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  7. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate, and
  12. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Instituteis donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  5. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  10. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a Locking Rifle Rack (a $379 value).

Round 56 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

A New Kind of Bucket List, by C.W.- Part 2

Now that I have explained the advantages and disadvantages of using a bucket system for storing preparations, allow me to share a few other ideas that may also be of interest, should you decide to attack your household with buckets.

I believe that families who have homes that are kept clean and organized will be much better prepared for whatever comes at them. We all know friends or relatives who have lots of stuff (a.k.a. chaos), yet they have little idea of how to find an item when they want it or need it. So, off they go to the store to buy another one. Can you imagine how they will react in an emergency?

The following ideas may help you and your family to keep your home more organized and easy to clean:

Laundry

I had stored up a number of packages of laundry soap– the individual, 55-60 use count variety. I simply opened each package and dumped all of the individual packs into a bucket. I can get twice as many into a bucket that way. They are dry and stored for future use.

If you make your own laundry soap with borax, washing soda, and Fels Naptha, you can eliminate the packaging and make a bucket full of ready-to-use detergent.

Young Children

Young boys can fill buckets to their heart’s content with small toys–matchbox cars, blocks, Legos, Lincoln Logs, action figures, military fare, games, sports paraphernalia, and collections of all kinds. Young girls will also find that buckets are a useful way to store their favorite dolls with accessories, games, dress-up or costume items, stuffed animals, and more. If desired, the girls and moms can put skirts on the buckets and pad the lids. They become extra seating and storage with a decorative touch.

By the way, if anyone is concerned about the fact that I assigned certain types of items under certain genders, well, get over it; the kids can decide what they want in their buckets. Just give them the buckets, and let them do the sorting.

Middle and High School Age Students

Now this is where you can really avoid conflict. These kids have so much on their minds at this time in their life. Whether they attend public or private schools or are homeschooled, you can give them a super advantage by introducing them to this organizational idea. These buckets will show them how to organize their things and keep them organized. They can fill them with extra school supplies, sports gear, books, memorabilia, et cetera. They may even toss a few dirty socks or a sports bra in a laundry bucket. For a small investment in buckets, who wouldn’t love to help their teenagers find a way to keep their room tidy and avoid the hassles?

Kids off to College

These kids can also use a helping hand. Dorm rooms and apartments are generally pretty short on space, AND often the kids are sharing this same space with a roommate. In addition, they are moving frequently. Buckets are great for “grab-n-go”, whether it is returning home for a weekend, summer break, or moving to new digs.

In addition, you can help in another way. Those of us who know the value of preparing for uncertain times find it troubling when our college students go off to school with no preps to sustain them in an emergency situation. Even the basics are hard to come by at times. By sending a bucket filled with non-perishable food and bottled water, they will have something to fall back on if needed and can easily be taken with them in an evacuation type of event. Another bucket could provide a good flashlight with batteries, a can opener, a multi-tool and/or basic hand tools, first-aid kit, mini-survival kit, work gloves, and whatever else you deem helpful. The kids deserve a fighting chance whether they are in lock-down mode, forced to evacuate, or simply enduring finals week. If they have a vehicle with them, help them build a get-home-bucket with maps and emergency-useful items. I know most campuses restrict the types of self-protection the kids can possess. Help them come up with some alternatives for self-defense.

Camping with the Family

Buckets are truly wonderful when transporting gear to and from the campsite. Also, when you get there it is so simple to set up camp. If the camping essentials are stored in buckets, it is a case of grab-and go, with less chance of forgetting needed items. As stated earlier, I have buckets labeled “outdoor kitchen”, which contain most anything a cook could want or need while camping. A “sanitation” bucket keeps all the toilet paper, hand soap, paper toweling, garbage bags, clothesline and clothespins, et cetera at the ready. Give each kid a bucket to store their favorite toys or games for rainy day time. Have the kids pack their clothes in a bucket. Use buckets for carrying food items and snacks for the trip. Bring wet swimwear or dirty shoes/boots home in a bucket. They keep a campsite neat and help avoid leaving things behind. They are also easy to clean when you get them back home. Just be sure to replace used up items before storing the buckets away for the next camping adventure.

Road Trippin’

I have already touched on several ideas in the camping section that would also work when doing a road trip, but here are a few other ideas. Are you taking your pet? Use a bucket for pet supplies and pet food. Hey, when you are settling into your hotel room or campsite after a long day of travel, would you like to mix a drink? Build a mini-bar with a couple of your favorite bottles of alcohol, tonic water, a shot glass, bar glasses, bar towel, and other special touches. Take a “beach bucket” with your sunscreen, bug spray, beach towels, and toys. Label each bucket, and make it easy to travel in style!

Gardening

During gardening season, I use buckets for hauling and storing everything. However, at the end of the season, it is also nice to be able to clean up your small tools, gloves, small seed pots, and other items to store them. Just make sure everything is nice and dry before putting on the lid. Come spring you will be ready to get out the buckets and begin anew.

“Fun Buckets” for the Grandkids

Have you ever had your grandchildren arrive for a visit, only to hear “I’m bored” or “there is nothing to do”? Well, have a surprise waiting for them! Make up a few buckets to keep them happy and content. Fill one bucket with arts and craft supplies and another with cards and games, such as checkers. These can be made to suit the age(s) of the children and their interests. When they are finished or going home, clean-up is easy! The fun buckets can also be taken along when traveling or camping.

Vehicles

We all know how important it is to have a collection of tools and gear that we can use when traveling to/from work or traveling for pleasure. I made the choice to place my get-home-items in buckets. Not only can you keep these emergency items organized, but easy to access when time could be of the essence. If need be, the buckets can be emptied and lined with a garbage bag for use when someone gets sick or for an emergency toilet. You can also use them to haul water. A bucket can be used to protect your car from messy items, if the need should arise, and as mentioned earlier, I can carry two 20 lb. buckets versus one 40 lb. duffle bag.

Garage and/or Workshop

Have you looked in your garage or the workshop lately only to turn away with a sigh? Yes, you know you should get it cleaned up and organized, but the idea just seems so daunting. Well, head to the store and purchase a few buckets to get you started. Just think how neat your special area will look when everything is tucked away neatly inside labeled buckets and placed on shelves built by you or purchased for the purpose.

Gifting

At Christmas or a birthday of someone special, you may want to make gift-giving a little easier. Make it so much easier by buying a bucket and filling it with items you feel would be appropriate for the one on the receiving end. Putting a bucket together is fun and could be a lifesaver for someone on your list. You don’t have to make a big deal out of the fact that the bucket filled with useful items is in preparation for TEOTWAWKI. Call it a “care package” or “a kit”. I am pretty sure the college kid on your list would love to get a bucket of non-perishable foods (including snacks) to take back to school, saving them a midnight-run to the vending machine. Also, what about good old Uncle Harry? He’d love to get a “traveling mini-bar” in a bucket. Your wife or husband will be safer and thankful if their car should break down. In some cases, you may want to add important instructions (laminated, if you like) placed inside the bucket. You can build a bucket for absolutely anyone on your list.

Important Notes To Consider:

One word of caution! You will notice that each bucket usually has a warning sticker cautioning against the possibility of a small child drowning should he/she fall into a bucket filled with water. Please use caution. I generally remove these stickers for a cleaner look and easier to read content labels.

My son is a firefighter and has assisted with removal of items from burning homes when possible. He has mentioned that plastic tubs filled with family photos or memorabilia can sometimes be saved from fire and water damage. However, it is my opinion that the lids on tubs are not always secure and that some tubs are quite large, making them difficult to carry. Wouldn’t the five-gallon buckets with handles be easier to grab?

Also, the lids on buckets may not be completely water tight, but they are usually difficult to remove unless you have the specific tool to do it. Be sure to get one.

Buckets work quite well when boating. If the buckets should go overboard or the boat should go down, the buckets will generally float for a period of time and can be retrieved without too much trouble.

Just in case you have been wondering, I have no financial gain in recommending the 5-gallon bucket.

In conclusion, I would just like to say that every family needs to decide how they want to prepare and manage their preparations and/or household. Organization plays a major role in being better prepared in our daily lives and for the difficult times we are facing. For me, the buckets work for a number of reasons. I truly wish I had come up with this idea years ago, even prior to the onset of my “prepping” days. As a busy wife, mother, and teacher I could have used buckets in untold numbers of ways. It is a system that is easy to use and helps people of all ages with organizational needs. It isn’t an expensive system, given the fact that you can start out one bucket and lid at a time. Give each bucket a label, and fill it with items of importance or items for fun. Then tuck them away under furniture, along the side of a closet, behind the sofa, in a vehicle, or in your storage area.

Now that’s my new version of a bucket-list!

God bless…

Letter Re: DIY Desiccant Packs

Hugh-

Many preppers (those that are going for the long term) use moisture absorbers in their food, ammo, and other storage containers and caches.

I recently re-discovered an old technique for DIY desiccant packs that is much less expensive than purchasing them complete and outright, even when one makes bulk buys.

As background, the actual desiccant medium used for moisture absorption is Silica Gel. Now one can look at places, like Amazon, and confirm that this stuff sells for upwards of $15 per Kg (2.2 pounds). Even then one is faced with the task of packaging it in suitable sizes to fit in their containers. So many people just buy the prepackaged size they need at the time, resulting in a lot of wasted funds over a good DIY method.

A great redeeming feature of Silica Gel is that it can be “re-activated” simply by placing it in a 250 degree oven for an hour or two, thus it can be reused indefinitely. (I always save and reuse/repackage the desiccant packs that are sometimes packaged in electronics and other things I buy, as I am sure others do also.)

Bulk Silica Gel can be reasonably purchased LOCALLY if one knows where to look. It is widely used by florists to dry and preserve (mummify) freshly cut flowers. Your local florist may sell you some on the cheap, especially if you intimate that you are a dried flower fanatic who wants to preserve some especially nice home-grown ones, or if you are experimenting with making home-made potpourri.

However, the quickest way is to just buy it from Hobby Lobby, or sometimes Walmart. At Hobby Lobby it is sold under the trade name “Dri Splendor” in 5-pound bags for $14.95. Look for a a blue/lavender sealed plastic bag with bright yellow flowers near the top. It says “Silica Gel” right on the bag. I find that many store employees don’t even know they have it, so just wander around their collection of dried flowers until you spot it. It’s there; believe me. This silica gel has “indicator” beads dispersed in the white gel beads. When it is new, the beads are blue. When they turn pink, they are much less active and it’s time to renew them by simply placing them in an oven for awhile.

Most Walmarts have it, also. Just visit their crafts section and look around.

Here’s how to repackage it for individual use.

I use two methods. The simplest is to use small 2X2 oxygen-stripped paper packs, like are commonly sold for DIY tea/herb bags. The ones I use are heat seal-able using a standard iron on the cotton setting. Here is an example. There are many more examples, and if you are lucky, you can find them and many other sizes at your local health food store, or an ethnic food store.

There is a second method. Sometimes one needs a larger or different shape/size bag, especially for ammo storage in ammo cans, or say 22LR in small lots. For this, I use old, freshly laundered cotton sheets, T shirts, or other cotton fabric; I cut it into pieces that can be used to form or fold into the properly shaped bag. The odd-shaped cotton trimmings can be re-purposed into cleaning patches for your guns.

Again, at Walmart, Hobby Lobby, and some other stores, you can buy this wonderful material that is heat sensitive cloth adhesive. It’s typically used to seamlessly repair rips and tears in clothing. You can also buy the equivalent as liquid in a squeezable tube. The heat-sensitive tape can be trimmed with scissors into very narrow strips and used to seal the cloth bags you have made, and the liquid simply spread along the seams. Either is sealed with a hot iron.

In any case, one side of your bag is left open until filled with Silica Gel, and then is permanently heat sealed.

Some ways I use them–

For barter storage, I find that the very small 3-ounce mason type jelly jars are ideal for holding 50 rounds of 22LR and a desiccant bag, and if the metal ring is coated with two coats of clear krylon and placed in a ziploc freezer bag, it is suitable for even direct burial. The half pint jars store 20 rounds of .223, 7.62 or .308 reasonably well also. The pints are great for shotgun shells.

The larger size mason jars can be used for all sorts of dried food storage, such as beans, as well as repacking large cans of mountain house stuff into smaller portions, A vacuum-style food sealer system is used to evacuate air from the newly made packages of mountain house, which I arrange to purposely be a “serving”. I vacuum seal the stuff in plastic bags separately because of cross taste/scent contamination, and then I put a home brew desiccant bag in the jar.

In this way, one does not have to use the entire large can of beef stew every meal for 2-3 days in a row. You can also package together, in a single jar, portions of different entrees/veggies/deserts together and have your own complete multi-course meal in a quart jar, with zero waste or loss of taste quality. It’s a kind of homemade MRP– Meal Ready To Prepare. Regards – Bob

Economics and Investing:

Did The Saudis And The US Collude In Dropping Oil Prices?

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Video: How to create your own Promissory Notes – Michael Tellinger. A.D.

Hugh notes: I would be interested in a report from any who have attempted to use this in the United States. It seems to me that a promissory note can’t just be reneged on regardless if it sold or not.

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The Destruction Of The Middle Class Is Nearing The Final Stages. – B.B.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Judge Jeanine (Fox News) unloads on De Blasio, Eric Holder, and Barack Obama: De Blasio Is A Coward And A Bully With Blood On His Shoes

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How To Survive: Falling Into Frozen Water – K.B.

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Courtesy of Modern Survival Online: Survival Communications Primer – P.M.

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Children are being smothered to death and are not becoming self-sufficient, happy, CAPABLE adults: Parents Threatened by CPS For Letting Children Play Alone at Neighborhood Park – H.L.

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Immigrants still surging into Texas shelters. – P.M.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“The instinct to survive is human nature itself, and every aspect of our personalities derives from it. Anything that conflicts with the survival instinct acts sooner or later to eliminate the individual and thereby fails to show up in future generations. … A scientifically verifiable theory of morals must be rooted in the individual’s instinct to survive–and nowhere else!–and must correctly describe the hierarchy of survival, note the motivations at each level, and resolve all conflicts. We have such a theory now; we can solve any moral problem, on any level. Self-interest, love of family, duty to country, responsibility toward the human race … The basis of all morality is duty, a concept with the same relation to group that self-interest has to individual.” ? Robert A. Heinlein, Starship Troopers

Notes for Wednesday – December 24, 2014

Book Bomb Day is December 30, 2014: Tools for Survival: What You Need to Survive When You’re on Your Own

Now available for pre-ordering at Amazon.com, but I’d prefer that you wait for December 30th to order: Tools for Survival: What You Need to Survive When You’re on Your Own. This book is a guide to the selection, use, and care of tools. It will also be available as an e-book and audiobook. -JWR

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December 24, 2014 will be the 15th Anniversary of when John Joe Gray’s legal troubles began. He and his family have been self-sufficiently holed up in their Texas ranch for 13 years, in defiance of a warrant for his arrest. This has been the longest standoff in American history, in which he has faced the administrations of four different county sherrifs.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 56 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel which can be assembled in less then one minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 30 DPMS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448.95) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  7. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate, and
  12. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Instituteis donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  5. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  10. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a Locking Rifle Rack (a $379 value).

Round 56 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

A New Kind of Bucket List, by C.W.- Part 1

I rarely let a day go by without checking in to see what I can gather from reading the latest at survivalblog.com. Through reading this blog, I have gained valuable information and been motivated to do much in preparation for the inevitable difficulties ahead. In addition, I have felt encouraged to grow emotionally and spiritually. I truly am inspired and strengthened by the written contributions and the expertise of the editors. Thank you so very much!

Since you are now reading this website, you most likely fall into one of the following categories: a new visitor who just happened onto the site, a reader who is exploring the preparedness subject and how to get started, a person frustrated with the planning and organization of preparations, or a savvy person looking for ways to improve the status of their preparations and who enjoys keeping abreast of all this site has to offer.

No matter where you would place yourself among the given choices above, I would like to suggest that most of us are at some stage of preparedness because we feel an urgent need to be able to protect and provide for our family, friends, or neighbors should the need arise.

It’s been said a million times, and I’ll say it again; no one knows what our TEOTWAWKI will look like or when it will happen. It could be a world event, or it could be a personal event. However, if we are attempting to be ready for the unknown, our only choice is to be as diverse in our preparations as possible and continue to live with some degree of normalcy (whatever that may be).

A few months ago, I would most likely have placed myself in the “frustrated” category. The reasons for my frustration had to do with something that many of us deal with on a daily basis– the problems of organization. Now that I have come up with a plan and put it into action, my level of frustration has dropped considerably. So, I would like to share the following thoughts and ideas to help others who may be frustrated or want to make some improvements to their preparations and household in general.

A little history of my situation and you will know where I am going. I am a wife, mother, grandmother; I have a professional career, am upper-middle class, and…yep… I pretty much have had the “American dream” going for me. All the while, I was forming the extensive bucket list for the post-retirements days. However, shortly after entering my so-called retirement, I began to get strange vibes; the world was changing! It was no longer the safe place I had always come to expect. Instead of making plans for our next exciting trip, I was feeling more like staying closer to the farm…literally. I was no longer packing my bags for a journey to a new place. I was prompted to put on the brakes, put down the bags, and change my focus.

And so the new journey into an unknown territory began. I know there is quite a debate about the term “prepper” vs. “survivalist.” Well, everyone can determine what they want to call themselves. I simply prefer “prepper” and use that term in this article.

As a newbie in the prepper world, I was overwhelmed! I first began to make lists. I also purchased important items, read suggestions from JWR’s site, and then began acquiring new skills. After several years of all of this– learning to garden, preserving our own food, raising meat and laying chickens (never had them before), learning to shoot, and collecting vast amounts of “stuff”– I was feeling somewhat better about our situation. BUT it was the “stuff” that had me concerned…really concerned! Just because we had the “suggested stuff” didn’t mean that we were going to be able to find it, move it, store it, and so forth in a way that would help us when the time came that we needed it. I wanted a completely organized household! If I could achieve that, I would eliminate the wasted time looking for things and feel more secure about accessing the preps when they would be needed. I could also be confident that in a worst-case scenario, we could move our valued necessities quickly and easily.

With my new chores, I had discovered the lowly 5-gallon buckets were my new, go-to-convenience. I was using buckets to carry produce from the garden, buckets to carry chicken feed and water, buckets when weeding, and for much more. I used them every day for some kind of work. Additionally, of course, the family had put a considerable amount of dry food into buckets for long-term food storage. Then, I had an “aha-moment”! Why not expand upon the use of the buckets? I could use buckets to help me put order in my household and preparations.

Hmmmm. It was time for a new bucket list and MORE BUCKETS!

Thinking about the best ways to store, access, and move the preps if the time should arise, I again focused on making lists. Be sure to refer to JWR’s List of Lists. I first started with a list of “must-have” items related to such things as first-aid, food, shelter, sanitation, and self-protection to take out the door quickly in an emergency situation. From there, it was simply a matter of sorting, identifying, and storing in the right bucket and location. I literally went through the entire house, room by room, and gathered the contents of my buckets. Yes, I still use drawers and cupboards for everyday items, but now they are neat and uncluttered. This procedure also gave me an opportunity to eliminate the unneeded items. I donated good, usable items or threw away the junk.

Now, I keep a neat and tidy home AND I don’t have dozens of buckets stacked all about the house. No, this system allows me to place the buckets and preps in places that are not necessarily visible to others, yet they’re available at a moment’s notice. I have also discovered that the round, white 5-gallon plastic buckets with lids offer many advantages over other options, such as plastic tubs and cardboard boxes. Here are just a few advantages:

  1. Buckets won’t hold a vast amount of stuff, which is just the point I wanted to make. I am only able to carry so much. I found that while I cannot easily carry one 40 lb. bag of chicken feed, I am able to carry two buckets with 20 lbs. of feed in each quite easily.
  2. The buckets are easy to keep clean with a damp cloth and a little soapy water. Add a little bleach to the water if needed.
  3. You can use buckets with or without lids. I prefer the ones without lids for use when doing chores. The buckets with lids work great for storage.
  4. You can label the buckets and the contents anyway you wish. For storage, I prefer to attach large water-resistant labels. I also identify any bucket that is to be grabbed in an emergency or bug-out situation with a large, red X.
  5. Buckets are quite sturdy and will last for many years under a variety of situations. Heat and direct sunlight should be avoided, as they will cause more rapid deterioration. They are also not rodent-proof, if filled with food.
  6. Buckets are water-resistant…much more so than cardboard boxes.
  7. A large number of buckets will fit in a fairly small space. While there are variations in the dimensions of 5-gallon buckets, using buckets of like size allows you to gather a number of them in a small area.
  8. Buckets are stackable within reason, if using good judgment regarding weight and how they are secured. I have some buckets stacked four and five high using ratchet straps to secure them to the walls in case of an earthquake. They don’t crush or break down like cardboard boxes.
  9. The typical 5-gallon bucket has a sturdy metal handle for easy-to-grab convenience.
  10. The 5-gallon buckets come in food-grade quality, if desired. A gamma seal lid, while a bit more expensive, will keep contents air tight and dry. Oxygen absorbers and Mylar bags will assist in removing oxygen, which causes aging of food products.
  11. In this so-called “green world” we live in, the bucket passes the test. Yes, they are reusable over and over and over. As stated, avoid sunlight and extreme heat if possible. Never reuse buckets which have had any toxic or harsh chemical exposure.
  12. The cost is quite reasonable. I generally pay just under $3 for a bucket and $1.19 per lid at WalMart. As stated above, food grade buckets and gamma seal lids are higher priced. As an alternative, I have obtained free food grade buckets and lids from the bakery department at the grocery store. However, they are not always consistent in size.
  13. Using this system of organizing my preps and household, I have avoided the unplanned trip to the store. The old adage “Two is one, and one is none,” applies here. Just remember that if you use your back-up item, you will want to purchase another to have an extra “in the bucket”.

I cannot say there aren’t any disadvantages to using the buckets. The main disadvantage of the 5-gallon bucket may be the size. No, you cannot put large items inside the buckets. However, remember that the main idea of using the buckets is to capture and contain items in a useful, easy-to-access system. For example, I felt it was important to have a basic “outdoor kitchen” kit. I proceeded to gather the items I felt would be most valuable in a situation where we needed to leave home and yet had to prepare our food. These were also the same items that we would want to take when camping. I now have two buckets labeled “Outdoor Kitchen” for camping or a bug-out scenario. Each is marked with a large red X and stored where they can be accessed quickly in an emergency.

Letter Re: Response to “A .308 Pistol?”

JWR,

Most of the comments below the linked article ridiculed the idea of rifle-caliber pistols in general by stating that they pose the risk of over penetration indoors and cannot be carried concealed, and thus they serve no purpose other than as range toys for preppers and militia-types. To the contrary, these are essentially SBR’s without stocks or any of the paperwork and tax stamps associated with them. Rifle-caliber pistols are not meant to be fired as enormous handguns with both hands on the pistol grip, as some have alleged. They are simply intended to circumvent SBR legalities, or to provide a platform for building a legal SBR, if the buyer wishes to go that route. I’ve carried a rifle-caliber pistol on numerous occasions, and they can actually be quite practical for certain applications. The author already mentioned the usefulness of these weapons within the confines of a vehicle, and that is true. I personally appreciate the rifle-caliber pistol for outdoor use when I want the energy, capacity, and longer-range of a semi-automatic rifle without a long barrel to maneuver while walking through dense woods, climbing rocks and trees, spelunking, kayaking (stowing the firearm inside a hatch), occupying a tent or natural shelter, et cetera. The compactness of these firearms also allows the user to easily tuck them away momentarily in the case of other people unexpectedly showing up on the trail or at your campsite. In order to really be practical, these types of firearms require a sling, a good flash-hider, and either some way to achieve a cheek weld or a sighting laser– preferably both. I use a standard two-point sling, which helps to stabilize the pistol just like a rifle. The Smith Enterprises Vortex Flash Eliminator reduces the flash from rifle-caliber pistols to almost nothing regardless of the cartridge being fired. Quality light/laser combos, such as the Streamlight TLR-2 or TLR-4, allow for consistent shot placement without a cheek weld, but using the iron sights with a cheek weld will still be necessary in most daylight conditions. Night sights are also a good stealthy option, but I already consider those to be essential for all firearms. Most M4 pistols have a buffer tube for establishing a cheek weld, and many readily accommodate lasers with their rails. I have fired my 5.56 NATO M4 pistol out to 100-150 yards with shots grouping 4”-6”. AK pistols may not be as simple to outfit, but there are some options available. The PTR PDW, as shown in the article, with folding “wrist brace”, provides a solid cheek weld and would make an excellent survival weapon for highly-mobile individuals who spend much time being active in the outdoors. -MM

Notes for Tuesday – December 23, 2014

Today, we present another entry for Round 56 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel which can be assembled in less then one minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 30 DPMS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448.95) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  7. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate, and
  12. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Instituteis donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  5. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  10. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a Locking Rifle Rack (a $379 value).

Round 56 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.