Dear Preppers and Survivalists,
Conventional Wisdom
I read a couple of those 'lifestyle' magazines such as Real Simple, Martha Stewart Living, Desert Magazine, and many others, at the local library, for free of course.
In one of these magazines' articles, the writer suggested de-cluttering my family's linen closet. Good idea because clutter makes it difficult to find stuff, even during 'normal' times.
As I read the article, the author made one after another suggestion, such as:
* Only own two sets of bed linen (one in the close; the other on the bed)
* Only own two blankets for each bed (one heavy, one light)
* Only own enough towels to last a week
and so on.
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Empty Closet
with improvised ironing board hanger
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It looks sweet! (I wish, I had a before picture)
After I did that, I sorted through all of our stuff into three piles, Keep, Give, or Trash.
Before I continue, let me explain 'Keep, Give, or Trash" and give you an example
Keep = What items are you going to keep for your family. Either in its current closet, moved to a different closet, or placed into storage.
We kept all of our family's sheets and blankets then moved the children's extra sheets and blankets to their closets.
Give = give to family, friends, or charity. Needless to say, these items should be in usable condition. If you want to go through the hassle, you can sell these items, instead.
We gave all of our mismatched sheets, pillow cases, and odd-sized comforter sets to a local charity
Trash = the items that are unusable are thrown away.
We trashed any old, worn sheets.
Of course, some folks will say 'You should have kept the worn sheets to use as material for clothing repairs or other projects.' That's true.
But, ...
My family and I have decided to be mindful about what we store, so we can avoid hoarding. (You know that show on A&E. Nope, TLC. Nope, it's ... I hate 'reality' t.v.)
Then, ...
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| 'Organized' Closet |
Of course, everyone in the family will use this closet, so I made sure to place items at the appropriate level.
Two Things, ...
First, my wife has been after me for years to store some supplies upstairs like toothpaste, dental floss, shampoo, hair conditioner, body wash, and other frequently used consumables. I finally compromised this year by purchasing a few small plastic boxes and loading with some of those items.
Second, that totally rad ironing board holder.
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| Improvised Over-the-Door Ironing Board Holder |
The ironing board rattles, a little bit, but it only does it when the door is being opened. For $2, I'm happy.
Needless to say, there is a more expensive hanger ...
Oh, I apologize; I almost forgot, the reason for this article.
The author of the original article assumed (normalcy bias?) that the magazine's readers will be able to always replace thier towels and other linens, cheaply, in the future.
Think about it. How much have prices increased these last few years? Plus, what happens if the electricity fails? Will you be able to keep your family warm with only one heavy and one light blanket?
Additionally, ...
I can tell you from experience; flannel sheets (and thick wool blankets) are wonderful during late fall to early spring. But once we hit mid-spring into summer, the blankets and flannel sheets come off the bed and smooth, light percale sheets are on the beds until just after early fall.
Of course, because of our threat analysis, we have and will purchase one or two extra sheet sets with pillow cases and blankets when they go on sale at our local and national retailers. We store these extra (wool and synthetic) blankets and sheets in the basement.
Just like food storage, when we need a new set of sheets, we will get the item out of storage then buy a new item, to replace it, that new item goes into storage. Of course, with the current financial conditions, buying a suitable and similar replacement will probably be more expensive.
As a side note, Scout, my brother, was stationed in Korea up on the DMZ. While he was there, he sent everyone in the family a 'mink' blanket. These mink blankets are thick, warm synthetic blankets made out of (I think) polyester. Since he was in Korea, he got them cheap, at about $5.00 each. He still complains; he could have gotten them cheaper, but Team Spirit, Foal Eagle, or some other big military exercise was going on.
In these United States, you can purchase these synthetic blankets in different weights at China-Mart for $10 to $20, on sale. We have bought one light-weight and one heavy-weight blanket for each bed in our home. Plus, we have some military wool blankets for emergencies.
Link:
Closet Organization Tips - How to Declutter and Clean Out Your Closet
http://closetorganizationtips.com/12/how-to-declutter-clean-out-your-closet/
