What constitutes hoarding?

I ask because it was brought up in my last thread in this forum... Now some people are quick to call preppers/survivalists hoarders so lets remove those names from this.

I have known people my entire life that always have a fully stocked pantry/freezer they made the choice for multiple reasons... sometimes a big family, other times they just loved food.

Would these people be considered hoarders/criminals?

I guess I am having trouble understanding the term, if me and my wife decide to do without that new big screen to have some extra food and water in the house... why does that make it my responsibility to feed my neighbors family?

I am sure someone will consider me a heartless monster for asking this, but I am just searching for an increased understanding of the term, and possible legal ramifications.

a reply to: Irishhaf

You are a hoarder when you have stuff other people want, even though they had the opportunity to acquire said items themselves.

When hard times come, "Authorities" have a habit of making laws that give them the right to take your property for themselves so beware.

a reply to: Irishhaf

A good thread:

Raiders, Marauders, And You - Things To Be Aware Of Before SHTF

www.abovetopsecret.com...

a reply to: infolurker

thanks I will read through it.

a reply to: Irishhaf

This is also "food for thought" if anyone has the "genius plan" of running into the woods / hills and think they are going to hunt and fish... LOL

When my third grade teacher died at a ripe old age and they cleaned her house out, she had a room full of plastic milk jugs, a room full of newspapers, a room full of metal cans and a room full of plastic bags.
I think that qualifies as a hoarder of things that have limited value.
She didn't have rooms full of food or anything else with inherent value.
She was quite wealthy when she died.

I think that a person is wise to store several months worth of food and enough water to drink for several weeks if they do not have access to an incorruptible water supply.

a reply to: Irishhaf

One of the better threads on ATS on survival as well:


Bunker 101 : Building Your Bunker, Forget the Bug Out Bag, Make A Fortress
www.abovetopsecret.com...

originally posted by: Irishhaf
I ask because it was brought up in my last thread in this forum... Now some people are quick to call preppers/survivalists hoarders so lets remove those names from this.

I have known people my entire life that always have a fully stocked pantry/freezer they made the choice for multiple reasons... sometimes a big family, other times they just loved food.

Would these people be considered hoarders/criminals?

I guess I am having trouble understanding the term, if me and my wife decide to do without that new big screen to have some extra food and water in the house... why does that make it my responsibility to feed my neighbors family?

I am sure someone will consider me a heartless monster for asking this, but I am just searching for an increased understanding of the term, and possible legal ramifications.

If you have aisles through your house to get to the kitchen , bathroom, etc.....that's hoarding. Unless the items you're stacking up are guns , ammo, food, booze , cigarettes or medical supplies....that's just common sense preparedness.

a reply to: Irishhaf

How to mylar pasta and rice:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Also, the 1 gallon mylars work great for 5 pound bags of flour and cornmeal.

a reply to: butcherguy

Yes, Water is most important.

If anyone reading this does not have a couple of water purification filters, stop now and get some.

Lifestraws and Sawyers are my favorites (Sawyers cannot be allowed to freeze after usage so Lifestraws are best for Get Home Bags if you are in an area that gets below freezing).

The Sawyer gets 100x the life though so have lifestraws for your mobile bags and a few sawyer filters for home / base camp. They are inexpensive at about $20 per unit or less if you find a multi-pack deal

originally posted by: Irishhaf
I ask because it was brought up in my last thread in this forum... Now some people are quick to call preppers/survivalists hoarders so lets remove those names from this.

I have known people my entire life that always have a fully stocked pantry/freezer they made the choice for multiple reasons... sometimes a big family, other times they just loved food.

Would these people be considered hoarders/criminals?

I guess I am having trouble understanding the term, if me and my wife decide to do without that new big screen to have some extra food and water in the house... why does that make it my responsibility to feed my neighbors family?

I am sure someone will consider me a heartless monster for asking this, but I am just searching for an increased understanding of the term, and possible legal ramifications.

Anything( except uselss things not needed)that you have room for that can be stored properly or displayed properly is not hoarding in my opinion. Especially if it could be of use like food.

Do you have a moral obligation to feed those who spend what could be used as food money on other things they don't need ? In my opinion.. no

Do you have a moral obligation to feed the poor ? That is your personal call to make and your free will should not be infringed upon regarding it by anyone. But there are blessings in many forms by helping those without and your generousity may come back to you someday, at a time it is really needed.

a reply to: Irishhaf

Related Article:

www.shtfplan.com...


As you can tell, this is one of my "Hobbies" for the last few years.

Also, you need to make sure your "fish aquariums" and "birds" have a good supply of penicillin based "antibiotics" stored in the refrigerator.

www.campingsurvival.com...

a reply to: infolurker

I would call water my weakest point right now, I can safely store about 64 gallons worth but 50 of that would have to be at the last minute in the event of a true bad situation.

I have multiple life straws for my BoB's water purification tablets, and iodine tablets... I am fairly paranoid about my water.

Cant wait to move back to the states and get more serious about that aspect of things.

a reply to: Irishhaf

Don't forget that the water heater probably holds about 30 gallons as well. Might taste pretty bad due to sediments but it is water storage in just about every home that people forget about. If for some reason you had to be mobile or trying to get to Home / Basecamp.... draining water heaters from abandoned locations would probably work since most people would not think of this.

a reply to: infolurker

You should look into rabbits. They are very quiet, eat very little, make a lot of meat, fur is warm, and the best manure available.

a reply to: Irishhaf

We been taught to consume, hoarding is an extension of that. Earn, buy, consume, have more than you need, can ever need. The more the merrier.

Stock, store, stash, hoard.

Its more bemusing, we're all guilty, cruise down your street, spy the open garage doors, see them stuffed to the gills with stuff. A life time of acquiring and storing stuff. The stuffing king...

a reply to: Irishhaf

There must be more to your question(s), because as it stands it doesn't make sense.

Preppers are not hoarders. Some preppers might be hoarders, but they'd be hoarders if they weren't preppers. Being a prepper does not make one a hoarder at all.

Preppers amass supplies to use in the event of an emergency (natural disaster, SHTF, etc.). Hoarders collect stuff because they can't bear the thought of getting rid of things.

There is nothing illegal about being a hoarder, and there's nothing illegal about being a prepper. I'm not sure where you would get such a notion, but it is not correct.

Further, just because you are a prepper does not mean you have to 'feed your neighbors'. Preparing for times of hardship in the future does not obligate you to use these preparations on anyone but yourself and your immediate family. Regarding hoarders, I guess there are some who hoard food, but most hoard other stuff. So despite having tons of stuff in their house, they probably don't have food to feed their neighbors anyway. And, they are under no obligation to do so even if they did.

So, in conclusion, there are exactly zero legal ramifications on hoarding...OR prepping for that matter. (Maybe in North Korea there are, but not anywhere in the civilized world anyway). About the only laws related to hoarding activities might be health and/or fire code regulations. That, and possible municipal ordinances against crap laying around in public view.

originally posted by: Natas0114
a reply to: infolurker

You should look into rabbits. They are very quiet, eat very little, make a lot of meat, fur is warm, and the best manure available.

I am thinking Chickens this year actually.

I can see Rabbits for an emergency but I just don't like eating them while chickens produce eggs as well.

a reply to: Irishhaf

The bottom line is this:

If there is a neighborhood, city, state crisis and there is someone who needs help and you have the means to, help them to the best of your ability.

The National Guard essentially hoards but they are doing so to help others.

Review the crisis after Hurricane Andrew and all the people who came together to help afterwards and how benificial that was.

The purposes of our existence is human survival in helping others not just ourselves, if we forget that, we are no longer seen as human and not worthy of God's compassion on the dreaded day help is pleaded for but none is given.

Don't stress yourself out over this. Keep doing what you are doing. God is allowing you and others to make a way to prepare so you can bless those that are part of the crisis that God sends to you.

You are NOT a monster.

Yet.

But I don't think you will ever be.

Just keep going and trust in God.

a reply to: Irishhaf

There is a fine line between hoarding and collecting IMO.

I collect collectable cards for business and pleasure, not to mention my collection of Star Wars paraphernalia. As a Star Wars fan even I can draw the line. A Finn Pencil case? A Kylo mouse pad? WTF? If something is dear to you such a copy of a newspaper clipping of Armstrong landing on the moon I can understand, But when you hoard every paper since then there may be a problem.