Purge to Prep ~

I hear alot of times ~ "I don't have room to be prepared" Are you serious?  Then you have too much useless stuff that can go live with someone else and bless them.   Broken/missing pieces/non functional items throw away this includes stained or otherwise ruined clothing. It's trash.  Too small or doesn't fit and can't be handed down to anyone in your family then donate/freecycle  Keeping it for hand me downs? or maybe as extra fabric (sewers only) ~ box like sizes & seasons together store in the tops of closets make a note of it in your stockpile notebook because this has become a PREPARED item. Be Practical ~ if you haven't rewired that lamp yet and its been 2 years, either rewire it this weekend or throw it away/freecycle it Just won't use it? Donate!  I'm serious folks. You don't need 60 pairs of shoes. You just don't. If the whole world goes sideways would you want to eat those shoes? Doubtful. Bless someone, donate any pairs you haven't worn in the past 12 months. How many puzzles and games do you have with missing pieces? Toss them ~ don't donate what kid wants puzzles with missing pieces? Take it one room, one corner, one closet at a time and be brutal! FlyLady.net is an excellent resource for getting yourself on track.

Here's another thing I hear alot...  "But it has real value someone would pay good money"  Really? Make a list of things you want to sell then all at once search craigslist for that item go ahead do that tonight...if you really want to sell it price it below the lowest price one. Be sure to include a picture, snap one on your phone email it to yourself and post it on craigslist TONIGHT.  I made $145 last week on 3 items.  You can too if you will REALLY LIST the items, and are willing to price to sell. Too much trouble? Donate it to the church or crisis ministry or Goodwill... just deduct it off your taxes.  If you purge all the extra "stuff" that you've got you'll feel great, and have space for your "If the whole world goes sideways" stuff....

Stockpile doesn't mean HOARD The number one mistake about those of us who stockpile/prep correctly is that we are hoarders.  Pathological or compulsive hoarding is a specific type of behavior characterized by: •acquiring and failing to throw out a large number of items that would appear to have little or no value to others (e.g., papers, notes, fliers, newspapers, clothes) severe cluttering of the person's home so that it is no longer able to function as a viable living space •significant distress or impairment of work or social life That's NOT what your doing if you are becoming practically prepared for any emergency! Prepare by definition means to: "Make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use" Since the items we are gathering do have value to others and I would imagine if the whole world went sideways a considerable higher value than when we obtained the items originally like fresh water and TP :)  We are not hoarders!

People toss around the H word when they see stuff stacked up in a messy fashion.  What good is being prepared if you have to spend an hour looking for something?  You need to put things away where you'll be able to find them!  Neatly is always a good idea.  If you store things under beds and in tops of closets you need to be sure to clearly label things, and please keep a master list of where everything is ~ this will alleviate alot of headaches.

Today's short note: Purge the old, broken, unused, won't use items to make room for your "If the whole world goes sideways stuff"