[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Continuous Improvement! (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 3/25/2007 3:48:34 PM EDT
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I guess you guys get pretty tired of my pet sayings Prepare for the most likely scenario first and least likely last. and Do what you and when you can afford it. Well I thought it would be fair to show you I practice what I preach. Though I have a good size home, 2,880 sq/ft, over the years my space has been limited as I filled ever nook and cranny a little at a time. Being married 34 years, it isn't hard. I was forced literaly to expand into my hallways. This is my hallway adjacent to my garage and nothing in the picture was there six months ago.  Having long ago, years in fact, having what I considered the minimums, I buy only what I can find on sale or use often. Most of the food you see on that shelf for example I picked up at 50% off and the picture doesn't show the top shelf which has six #10 cans as book shelves holding all my freeze dried pouches (I use those alot camping/boating etc.) The safe is a Sentry 17 gun which is thin enough to fit in the hallway and a good addition to cover my safe space shortage. The reload stuff is all new, anniversery gift, but finding the table was the real task. It's actually a computer desk modified for reloading (doubled the bench thickness for the press). I use a regular folding chair so when I'm done, I don't obstruct the hallway passage. Utilization of space and a slow and steady continous improvement of your preps is very important to survival planning. I'd love to see some similar pics or any sharing of ideas. Tj |
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Looks good, TJ. I've spent today optimizing what space I have in the basement. Bought two new shelving units, each measuring 36"x18"72". I turned the existing shelves which lined the wall perpendicular to the wall to fit the new ones in. Still a work in progress, pictures when I'm "done". I got sick of the piles of "stuff" all over the floor, so I'm taking advantage of the wife being out of the country to remedy the problem.  ~W |
I can tell you horror stories in this regard. My garage got so cluttered that I couldn't get a car in it anymore and out of neglect the garage door opener died on top of it all. Last spring was the revamp the garage project. We lined two of the three walls with shelving and moved all my compressors etc to the other side. Since my garage is technically 1.5 half car deep, this was a major project. We took a two prong approach. We used classic metal shelves on one wall for all the heavy stuff, paints, oils, etc. Then on the other wall used plastic shelving like the one in the above pic for the light stuff. Those plastic shelves go up real fast compared to classic metal. Of course any endeavor like this at least at my house included a number of trips to the dump. Addittion to the above pic will be a wall shelf as my powder count rises. This will be a simple "L" bracket board shelf which btw, I have all the stuff to do already. Tj |
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Hey TJ It's funny you made this post. All I have done this weekend is clean out/up the basement and garage. What a mess. I reloaded about sixty rounds of .223 with extreme shock 55 grain short range tacticals. Trying sort the "stuff and get it a little more organized. I think I am going to take a load to the fleamarket soon instead of bringing it home. Keep up the improvements. I found "stuff" I didn't know that I had. Reb52 Out |
Good to hear from you buddy. Hope to bump into you again soon. Drop me a line next time on my side of town will you? TJ |
| I've been doing some organizing myself lately... mostly trying to get my reloading/gun room together. RJ: How did you cut the foam? I have similar cases and the only one I tried that on I just used my folder. Its sharp enough, but damn was it hard to get a clean, even cut. |
I used a fillet knife and traced the cut... |
I've posted here and there, just been busy working on the house... Course now that I have to save up some fundage, I have no money to get house projects done... sick how that works, aint it? I made me a video today, it may be a lil bland, but it shows my situation a lil better then pics can... Click here I realize I should have turned the radio off, but its a habbit when I go out to The Cage. |
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Last year my preps started off as a rubber maid container in a closet with a few ammo containers stacked next to a small safe. Since i've been married a spare room has been turned into a prep room , larger safe. magazine and ammo separated as well. We also have 4 55 gal water drums in the garage. So here is what we have done so far. Big change from the beginning.    J |
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Hey AiM, your preps are much better (and you have more space) than mine, but one suggestion. I have the same shelves as you, the grey ones with the locking "pins" that are adjustable. Buy an extra set of shelves, strip 'em for the shelves, and you can add more shelves to the units you have, maximizing your storage space. Just an idea, and it worked for me. MournSword |
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Awesome Awesome video RjSteed. It really does help being able to see what others are doing. A lot of times we list what we have, or what we're going to do. It's a whole lot different to actually see it! I got a lot of ideas from your video. You're a lot more organized than you think. It helps to reaffirm for some of us that there are others out there who think like I do. I like how you have dedicated shelves, power shelf, medicine shelf, etc. You've got a great setup. All the pics that you all have posted are great. I can't get enough of em' I've been preparing for quite some time, but I'm new here. Again, thank you all for the pics and vids, they give me a lot of ideas and motivation. D3vildog |
I never got back to this thread until now, but this is just one of my reloading benches. It's quite strong, but I have loaded up the base with *hundreds of pounds* of components to help keep it stable.   And before you say anything, it's not quite so neat right now.  |
Thanks D3vildog, Your appreciation of the video will keep me doing more as I improve upon things... In a couple of weeks I will have some time to get more organizing and possably another video... I have the next couple of days off, and will attempt to get some more organization done... |
Please do, it was your other thread that encouraged me to post this pic. This is actually in a hallway and have to use a folding chair so we can get in and out.  This is by no means Tj's preps. There isn't a closet or cabinet not utililized and not a foot of wall space I can put things. My garage has shelves on two of the three walls and the third wall has a worke bench which is basically a big box with storage under it. Under my bed isn't near as tight as it was when I lived in apartments but about everything else is. Tj |
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Aim4MyHead, Thats an Impressive set up you have there. I think I may put my water bottles like you have them. I think they would fit better like that. One question comes to mind though. How are you supposed to get to your rifle case when its behind the shelves? Also, a couple of questions I have always had in reference to the shelves... #1.) How do they get them to where you want them when it is inside your home? #2.) How easy is it to move a very large one if its not where you want it in the future? Im talking about the big ones like you seem to have "Aim..." |
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OK TJ. here are "some" of the preps. While im not all anal organized , there is some method to it all We have a limited supply here at the ole place. Most of it is spread o ut at a few BOL's now and at families places. I keep a standard short term event load out. My new "green" room is a 10 x 12. it has 2 closets. 1 a 2 ft by 8ft x 15 deep linen style. and a 5 x6 ft walk in.  this is the one side of the walk in. Most of it is camping gear and some hunting gear. There is also my h20 storage on one side, ammo, in the back, and tents, sleeping bags, etc across the top shelveing. that isnt tact gear you see either its just some old crusty 1952 vintage moldy surplus, i would never own anything made outta cordora and velcro  Below is apic of where i make my gear. while not really prep realte dit is what makes some of my line 2 and BOB preps. Under that table is a large propane tank, and turkey fryer. This is keep so i can boil large amounts of h20 if need be!  this is the oppsite wall ,behind my cpu desk. Its mostly Tubs of surplus i sell/trade, Me and teh wifes BOB's , my alice packs and well some junk i havent unpacked yet! In the room i also have 2 Ht's and a S/W radio along with a scanner that has all my local freq's in it.  This is the linen closet. On teh bottom is fuel. 1 gallon + of lamp oil, and 5 gallons of coleman fuel. Odd's and ends for aprt. repair, some of my oil lamps and top shelf is rice,noodles, beans and a basic first aid kit. My larger kit is in a tub in the walk in.    This is the top of the hall linen closet  basic kid foods. We have more in the pantry which is the same size closet and its stuffed top to bottom. sorry no pics of my spam and tuna this is part of the top of my "laundry" closet above the washer/dryer  there is 5 pots there. other side of the closet holds a large WOK,food dehydrator and other cooking pots/pans- cast iron. I have 2 complete sets of iron and ducth ovens, in the stove. Not shown is my master bed room. here we have 2 large hurricane lamps, and my safe which is tucked into the walk in lag bolted and secured! Ive just incorparated all of this into our normal living areas. I easily have 4 months of food here, and h20........we've gotten into the rotating of can goods, and stock a basic 30-60 days of dried goods( rice,noodles,beans) Ill add more later.. i was taking pics when my lil girl fell and tried to kick the ass of the hallway wall. The wall won,, but she's got lump now the size of a bolwing ball. Hope these un-organized,well genrealised ,over sized, not showing much prep pics help
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Protus, Your preps look alot like mine did when I lived in an apartment, All crammed in wherever I could find space, and generally anooying to the wife, All me closets were packed, I even picked the lock of the room where they had the water heater locked up, to put some stuff in there. Not that I have bought my own house, My children, 4 and 2, share a room and the other room has all my gear crammed into it, mostly in bags and boxes, But my wife works at a grocery store, so when they have shelves and good display racks tey dont want anymore, I snatch them up. I am planning on building a good sized storage building/work shop to put all my stuff in so the kids can have thier own rooms. Also protus, its good to know that I am notthe only guys that sews, I learned in school, and Its great to be able to make something when you want it instead of having to pay someone a million bucks to make it. |
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I've got my heat and cold tollerent stuff in the third car portion of my three car garage - shelving units on one side and gun safe and cabinets on the other. The UPS and generator on the end of the row. Outside I built a shed for my 3 water barrels, 35 gallons of gasoline, and three spare propane bottles. Inside I've expanded from one pantry into the office closet and then again into a crawl space under the stairs. There's just the two of us but I still plan on expanding my water storage one day with a 300-550 gallon above ground water tank on the hill above my property. A little bit at a time gets the job done. |
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i only like showing my messy parts keeps you all guessing and wondering whats under all the "stuff".Our problem is that since we have always lived prep'd so to speak alot of what we have is part of our everyday living. While not a true homestead or even close. We live as close to that lifestyle as we can. We grind our own food when we can to bake with and cook. We make our own ground beef, suasge and well since i hunt we have extra natural meat to add to our diets. We hardly ever eat junk food anymore. Last night i had taco hell. 1st timein 8 months, we were bored and lazy, and ate it instead of the homemade chicken stew that was on the stove in the dutch oven! You need a break from it sometimes,, call it cheating but hey... oh well LOL. Showing you my 5 sleeping bags, 4 bob's, and 4 wool blankets 10k of ammo isnt much. Its all in those pics, just stuffed here and there. The room pics would be alot neater looking if it wasnt for that big ole vintage artic Bag i just got few weeks back. i gotta find a tote that it will fit in. would shelves help..sure they would. BUt in an APT. i dontw ant folks seeing my nicely laid out with an open invite screaming " come shopping at protusmart......" we have stuff under the bed etc like most and crammed here and there. Hell just an hour ago we just bought some more prep items....so i have to stuff more stuff somewhere LOL |
There is something to be said for having a house to work with... My next huge project will be the Fence followed by the Maintenance Shed ("Gas Storage Shed") Follwed by Living Security... 
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its actaully not all that messy!.. that pile of stuff isnt really a pile. its 6 totes full of stuff. with some lose ends on top of them its sheeple lflauged as a " pile" of junk ...they'll never know thats my 500lbs of beans and rice 20k of ammo
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Great pics and posts! If I weren't so paranoid..... As far as shelving,those cheap "kits" wil let you down. I've picked up some some VERY heavy duty units from closed up stores,etc Got a bunch from a pet store that were used to hold 50# feed sacks. They'll take a tremendous load (think CASES of ammo,water,etc) Did have one misadventure with these units-shelves are pressed wood.Sprung a leak in a cheap H2O container,and it came right apart. Replaced wood with scrap 3/4" ply I scrounged,and good to go. Plus,no more junkie water storage. I literally have generations of "stuff" scattered around.Everytime I get it straight.,someone dies,andI wind up with more.I mean BARNS worth/ful of old "stuff". |
I was in line at the WalMart fabric counter with 3 yards of Brown Cotton duck under my arm when a little guy about eight years old looked up at me and said "Ewww, YOU sew?" I laughed and said "Little Man, I am doing canvas work on a Jeep. I ain't making a prom dress." He just went "Oh?!" |
you should see the mid 60 counter workers atthe fabric stores,, and walmart when i show up with bolts of fabric... " umm what you making......" "tents" " ohh,, thats odd.. neverthought you could make those with this....hmmm.." |
And to think you complain that I want 10k......
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LOL!!!! |
It sits on concrete pads, which have settled over the years. The tank was free for salvaging, the pump was about $100 at Tractor Supply. It is in contact with the ground, and its diesel. I'll ground it if I elevate it. Ops |
Have you considered building a shade shelter for it? or does that seem to be an issue? How fast does the pump flow? |
Stupid me I ment to type Safe there..... I thought it was odd that you were saying that you put it together..... lol |
I have one of those in my basement. I actually got a better price on my house because the lady living there didn't want to get rid of it before we closed . It's empty and in perfect condition. Before I sell my place, I'll be bringing it to my parents place for my dad's dodges and bobcat. |