water storage?

[clodhopper]

well that went to weird.

[clodhopper]

opsec is a significant issue. I am much more clear on it than my wife. She tends to blab about things to her family, but they live cross country, so I let it go. My sons are very opsec vigilant, likely because they grew up doing it, so it just seems normal to them. Very few that know me have any idea of my prep nature. The few that do understand opsec and would never reveal it, which is why they were permitted to know, or are members of my "network". My co-workers and neighbors know me as an independent, maybe a bit eccentric, self sufficient, capable individual who just likes to learn new skills. I am fine with that. My neighbor has gotten in the habit of asking what project I am working on today, because it seems I am always doing something different. She once asked if there was anything I didn't know how to do, to which I simply responded "not yet, but I keep looking to find it".

My pop was in the military and got paid once a month when I was small. That was commissary day, when he bought a months worth that had to be carried and stored. Habits die hard. My wife grew up with just the bare minimum in the house, so it took a while to understand the benefits. In the last decade, we have seen several acquaintances lose a job and then lose everything. She tends to see the store more as a means to survive a temporary chasm rather than apocalypse. She also got into hard core couponing, which requires maintaining a store of supplies to work from. She quickly learned the long term savings of buying when the deal is available rather than waiting for the need. That extends to most everything in one way or another. Frugality and what is commonly known as prepping are typically closely aligned.

[Great-Kazoo]

Well, my wife thinks I'm a crazy person for wanting to have a big bag of rice, beans, and some extra canned goods as it is (maybe 2 weeks worth). I tried to get her to read One Second After, but that didn't work (Her exact words, no joke: "I'd rather die than live in a world like that."). So, needless to say, I'm trying to stock up on stuff on the down low. So if something happens, we're covered. Not to segue, but if you've got any advice on that too, it'd be extremely helpful.

Example: The other night we had a power outage at about 20:30, and while she was using her phone to wander around the house, I pulled out a couple candles. She said "That's a great idea!".. At that point I thought it'd be a good opportunity to explain why I'm doing what I'm doing. She thought I was joking. lol

I may be able to hide a couple water containers in the utility room, behind some boxes or something, I'll get dimensions and see what I can come up with.

Hide your wife's phone charger, then make sure her phone is left on till it hits LOW BATTERY. Give her 30 min without a phone, she'll start to come round. OR shut off the main breaker for a few. BTW: 2 weeks ??? Even the PSA's on the college radio station suggest 30 days.
As for water, the gallon size and usual 8oz bottles by the case are easy to store and carry.

My spouse didn't care for long term food storage (based on her "vision" of storage containers) Till i picked up a case or 2 of food from the LDS Cannery. That same day she had the next order form filled out. Since then every food item is on spread sheets. Use it, cross it off, put on items to buy list. .

In terms of other "just in case items" Never been a problem with her.

[Wulf202]

https://www.ar-15.co/threads/150379-...66#post1899766

Green house?

[Delvehound]

We don't know your wife at all, so you'll really have to try different tactics to find a good fit. I'm a big fan of pointing the finger at other people and saying, "Man, I sure don't want to be THAT guy!" This works very well for people clearing store shelves before weather moves in, or even people fighting over the latest toy on Christmas Eve. All it takes is a positive experience to get the ball rolling. If you convince your wife that you guys should start buying Christmas presents now, (better prices, less pressure, more inventory, spread out the cost load) and are successful by having the least stressful Christmas in memory, you've made a giant leap toward your goal, all by completing an exercise that your wife will likely never relate to prepping. "Oh man, aren't you glad we got all the shopping done early? I can't believe how much more enjoyable this holiday season has been."

Being prepared for the holidays months ahead is the exact same principle as being prepared for anything months ahead. The propane idea someone mentioned is perfect. Maybe one day you run out of deodorant and it throws off your whole day, so when you come home from Costco with a 5 pack of Speed Stick, 52 razors, 5 toothpastes, 3 Q-tips, and 20 bars of soap saying, "I NEVER want to have a crappy day like that again just because I wasn't paying attention," it might seem like an over reaction at first, but after 6 months of not having run out of any toiletries, she may get used to just having stuff on hand and you'll be one step closer.

<Mind Blown> Wow, I've never thought of it that way. Well put Sir!

Do things gradually. What probably happened is that she watched some show like doomsday preppers and say all the idiots on that show and got turned off by all that.

I suspect this is exactly what happened. Somewhere along the line, she saw one of those shows and thinks when I say "Hey we should grab a case of tomato soup, and veggies because it's a killer deal right now" she envisions me digging a bunker in the backyard at 3 am...(not that I haven't thought about it with the recent political climate)...

[Delvehound]

Hide your wife's phone charger, then make sure her phone is left on till it hits LOW BATTERY. Give her 30 min without a phone, she'll start to come round. OR shut off the main breaker for a few. BTW: 2 weeks ??? Even the PSA's on the college radio station suggest 30 days.
As for water, the gallon size and usual 8oz bottles by the case are easy to store and carry.

My spouse didn't care for long term food storage (based on her "vision" of storage containers) Till i picked up a case or 2 of food from the LDS Cannery. That same day she had the next order form filled out. Since then every food item is on spread sheets. Use it, cross it off, put on items to buy list. .

In terms of other "just in case items" Never been a problem with her.

Funny you say that, I know this is going to make me look like a lazy ass, but The AC broke down at the beginning of the summer, and I wanted to do an experiment to see how long she'd last without losing her mind, and suffocating me in my sleep. Needless to say I got the AC fixed a couple weeks ago, however I'm impressed she lasted as long as she did.

I've always wanted to go to the LDS place, sounds awesome, thanks for the advice!

[TheGrey]

There is a lot of good advice in this thread, and it will be EXTREMELY important that you onboard your wife at a pace that will be unnoticed by her as anything but normal. Let's say for example that she loves you very much and just gives in and says, "I think you're being silly, but do what you want." While you may be excited by having gotten a green light, she'll be telling ALL her friends what a weirdo you've turned into and it's a good thing she loves you so much. The BEST case scenario for however those conversations play out is probably not at all anything you will want to deal with now, or in the future.

We don't know your wife at all, so you'll really have to try different tactics to find a good fit. I'm a big fan of pointing the finger at other people and saying, "Man, I sure don't want to be THAT guy!" This works very well for people clearing store shelves before weather moves in, or even people fighting over the latest toy on Christmas Eve. All it takes is a positive experience to get the ball rolling. If you convince your wife that you guys should start buying Christmas presents now, (better prices, less pressure, more inventory, spread out the cost load) and are successful by having the least stressful Christmas in memory, you've made a giant leap toward your goal, all by completing an exercise that your wife will likely never relate to prepping. "Oh man, aren't you glad we got all the shopping done early? I can't believe how much more enjoyable this holiday season has been."

Being prepared for the holidays months ahead is the exact same principle as being prepared for anything months ahead. The propane idea someone mentioned is perfect. Maybe one day you run out of deodorant and it throws off your whole day, so when you come home from Costco with a 5 pack of Speed Stick, 52 razors, 5 toothpastes, 3 Q-tips, and 20 bars of soap saying, "I NEVER want to have a crappy day like that again just because I wasn't paying attention," it might seem like an over reaction at first, but after 6 months of not having run out of any toiletries, she may get used to just having stuff on hand and you'll be one step closer.

GREAT post. +1.

[Aardvark]

There was/is an ordnance on keeping water and not letting it drain into the gutters and street drains. I don't know if it was killed off, but do remember a guy being taken to court by the city of Aurora for holding rain catch in a barrel for his garden. This was back in the early 90s.

[Wulf202]

Still illegal in most cases

[rbeau30]

I've always wanted to go to the LDS place, sounds awesome, thanks for the advice!

I need to make another trip as well. Get a couple cases of whatnot.