I don't know why hoarding gets such a bad rap. It probably stems from those horrid reality shows. They give such a skewed look at society.
According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, hoard is defined as: supply or fund stored up and often hidden away
Well, yeah. If I'm stockpiling anything I don't want it out in the open and in my way. Sheesh.
I started my little stockpile when I moved out to the boonies out of necessity. For the first few weeks at our homestead it seemed we were driving into town two and three times a day. Considering the closest town is a half hour away, that turned out to be excessive and costly.
I learned two things.
• Plan ahead for my meals.
• Always keep two or more of everything I use regularly.
But I started with baby steps in the early days and only stockpiled things that were either very cheap, or had no expiration date. I store it and forget it--at least until I need it.
My favorite supplies are:
• toilet paper• paper towels (I don't need many since I try to use cloth.)
• plastic wrap
• aluminum foil
• paper plates
• plastic utensils
• toothpaste
• toothbrushes
• razors/ razor blades
• shampoo (you can always get these at a great price with coupons)
• soap
• alcohol
• candles
14 comments:
Angelina Rain said...
Great post. I always hoard toilet paper and paper towels, although I admit I use cloth more often too.
I think the bad rap for hoarding stems from "Hoarders" the TV show. I used to love watching it when I was married. My ex-stepdaughter was an absolute slob so whenever we would watch Hoarders together, she would always get in the mood to clean. Her room usually resembled a Hoarders house before the show got the clean it up. I always tried to get on her about cleaning up after herself but daddy let her get away with anything so she always refused to clean. Watching that show was her only motivator.
Margaret M. Fisk said...
Laundry soap (heck any soap) and cat litter are more of our bulk buys. Oh, and rice, which is only partially parishable :).
Actually, your timing is funny because we've gone to using a variation on shop cloths for most of our paper towel items (small, light cotton towels), and so imagine our shock when we actually needed paper towels and found we'd finally gotten to the bottom of our stockpile?
Oh, and computer paper. Much cheaper when bought by the box instead of the ream.
Maria Zannini said...
Angelina: I've never seen the show since I don't have cable, but I've seen enough snippets to know it's nothing more than sensationalism for ratings.
You can stockpile without looking like a loony.
Maria Zannini said...
Margaret: We'll cover food staples later, but yes, rice is a very long keeper.
Stocking up on printer paper is an excellent idea too. I think around here, Staples sells it by the box for dirt cheap once or twice a year.
Angela Brown said...
I have to agree with the other comments. The negative connotation is really emphasized by that reality TV show with people finding year old pints of mild under two years stacked up magazines and news papers.
Also, I think of dragons when I think of hoarding, how they hoard away their treasures so others can't get to it.
I like to buy paper towels and tissue by the bulk as well. Keeps me and the Chipmunk stored up for her allergies :-)
Maria Zannini said...
Angela: Kleenex! Yes! I forgot about that.
And you reminded me that I need to keep my eyes peeled for facial tissue sales because I'm a little low on my stockpile.
It's such a seasonal item in my house, so I don't remember it so easily. Thanks!
Jenny Schwartz said...
I try not to hoard, but I love a particular brand of bath towel that is on sale twice yearly. Sometimes I do end up with a towel hoard, just cause I enthusiastically bought ahead :)
Maria Zannini said...
Jenny: Oh, now you've shamed me into one of my dark secrets.
When I moved to this home, I told Greg I was going to have nice towels, something plush and matching.
I decided on fluffy white towels. They're gorgeous. They're sumptuous. And most of them are as pristine as the day I bought them.
Why?
Because they look too nice so I use my ratty old towels. ROFL.
I'm so ashamed. \o/
Jenny Schwartz said...
LOL I'm that way with scented soap. I justify that "hoard" by saying it keeps blankets and linens fresh :)
Maria Zannini said...
Jenny: Yeah, that's it. We're both in denial. LOL.
LD Masterson said...
I think there's a difference between hoard and stockpile. Hoarding to me means gathering great amounts of stuff that will never be used. Stockpiling is storing needed items that are more economical or easier to buy in bulk.
Stockpiling is being prepared. That's a good thing.
Maria Zannini said...
Linda: Yeah, but saying 'hoard' sounds more sensational. LOL.
Actually, the reason I used that word is because so often people confuse the two. There is a difference, but thanks to reality tv and the media, people lump them both into one category.
Dru said...
I don't have enough space to hoard/stock up. I am interested in the food staples I should have.
Maria Zannini said...
Dru: We'll do the food staples soon as well as good places to store them.