Hi PK
I often think that simple things will be so useful when the time comes... Things that we were used to discarding we'll remember and kick ourselves for being so wasteful and mindless. On the other hand, there's a chance that so many people will die off that such items will still be somewhat easy to find seeing as they have a half life longer than our lineage. We might only have to scrounge the dump or the pillaged buildings.

In any event, I'm like you, except my weakness is coffee cans! Only beef is I wish they'd make the corners square for maximum storage efficiency. Although I like the look of glass better, there are many herbs and foodstuffs that degrade faster when exposed to light so glass is not necessarily the way to go for dried goods, unless that glass is kept in a dark place. I'm no expert on food storage - which reminds me I should do more research there, but it seems to me that if you dehydrated some things you could bag them tightly and then place them in one of your tobacco cans.

One of my dehydration books recommends double bagging your dehydrated foods, first in paper, then plastic bags. After that I slip them into big peanut butter jars (another weakness). Originally I had hoped to have a high shelf all around my kitchen where I would display my various dehydrated products like trophies from my garden. Not so now.

Another thing I keep containers for is for making packages up for other people who might land on my doorstep when tshtf. I might not want to directly give them cans of Thrive and thus give away my food storage preps (ie "she's got commercial freeze dried products, she must be really stocked up...") I'd rather just parcel out a modest assortment of a few things in an old recycled container and send them on their way not knowing whether I shared from a meager supply or a large storehouse.

In the final analysis, the person with the most food might just starve slower anyways. I want to be a person who will share, but at the same time try to do so discretely because it would be swell if I could avoid being pillaged and survive myself.

I am a big fan of caches. If you put some petroleum jelly, grease or glue on the threads and you will have a nice little waterproof cache. It will be easy to hide as well

Finally got a chance to pop in a wee bit, tho work still calls. *sigh*

I see something I know about and can give a little info. on.
Those fantastic plastic tab cans. I use 'em for everything that's been mentioned so far.

Last two winters I have had lettuce growing in them under 4 ft. flor. lights.
I was in lettuce for myself and critters all winter long!

One plant to a large can. Drill small holes on the bottom of them, fill with potting soil and plant. 🙂
Oh and don't forget to take the lid and place it under them. Makes a great pee pot, as I call them.
With the indents on the lids, it drains well and also acts to provide humidity for the plants. So you can water into the lid and not pack the soil from top watering.

You can also grow one tiny tomato plant if you want, tho I thought it would be kinda crowded, I still got toms off it. I have started my toms for this years winter growing now.

As for dryed stuff ...I have dried Mullein and then stored in can. Slapped some tape all around the lid and can, to be sure it stayed sealed. Brought it out to the shed and set on a shelf.
A year later, opened it and it was as dry as can be.

I have used them stacked, upside down to make a stand for a bird bath and another for outside ashtrays as well. Lids, upside down, becomes the ashtray itself with some sand in it.

Stack em up and you got 'legs' to raise whatever you want.
I use them in the case of starting seeds in early spring. Trays need to be closer to lights so instead of monkeying around with the lights, stick a couple of cans under the trays.

Best get back to work again.....

Brilliant, Mule Skinner, brilliant!

Old Timer, I love Mullein! I had a powerful experience with it back in the day when I used to be a big time smoker of, shall we say, various herbs... I developed a long term spasmodic cough which couldn't be stopped, I'd go on a jag and be coughing my guts up, then over and over again throughout the day & night with no relief. This was a long term problem, it even made it hard for me to keep smokin' the herb as every puff sent me into another coughing spell.

One day I discovered Mullein and read of it's respiratory soothing properties, so I started making tea from it and in very very short order, my respiritory problems were soothed away. Eventually I quit smoking altogether and no longer needed mullein, but I kept a fond spot in my heart for it. Fast forward a couple of decades and I went searching for my old friend, kept my eyes on the ditches all the way across Canada, & couldn't find any mullein. I was in mourning. Finally last year I found some in a gravel pit near Kamloops, brought some seed home. Then recently, I got a booklet on noxious weeds of Alberta, and there was my old yellow friend in all her beauty, on the cover!!! I felt as if I had spotted a "wanted dead or alive" poster of a beloved relative!!!!

I know this is off topic from the original post, but maybe it will be of somewhat interest anyways. Pardon this diversion.

my mom saved all hers and freezes 6 cabbage rolls in each one...wish I had some!

Hi PK
I often think that simple things will be so useful when the time comes... Things that we were used to discarding we'll remember and kick ourselves for being so wasteful and mindless. On the other hand, there's a chance that so many people will die off that such items will still be somewhat easy to find seeing as they have a half life longer than our lineage. We might only have to scrounge the dump or the pillaged buildings.

In any event, I'm like you, except my weakness is coffee cans! Only beef is I wish they'd make the corners square for maximum storage efficiency. Although I like the look of glass better, there are many herbs and foodstuffs that degrade faster when exposed to light so glass is not necessarily the way to go for dried goods, unless that glass is kept in a dark place. I'm no expert on food storage - which reminds me I should do more research there, but it seems to me that if you dehydrated some things you could bag them tightly and then place them in one of your tobacco cans.

One of my dehydration books recommends double bagging your dehydrated foods, first in paper, then plastic bags. After that I slip them into big peanut butter jars (another weakness). Originally I had hoped to have a high shelf all around my kitchen where I would display my various dehydrated products like trophies from my garden. Not so now.

Another thing I keep containers for is for making packages up for other people who might land on my doorstep when tshtf. I might not want to directly give them cans of Thrive and thus give away my food storage preps (ie "she's got commercial freeze dried products, she must be really stocked up...") I'd rather just parcel out a modest assortment of a few things in an old recycled container and send them on their way not knowing whether I shared from a meager supply or a large storehouse.

In the final analysis, the person with the most food might just starve slower anyways. I want to be a person who will share, but at the same time try to do so discretely because it would be swell if I could avoid being pillaged and survive myself.

Martha...if you go to dehydrate2store.com she has the plans and material list and video on how to make a beautiful rack to hold mason jars full of your dehydrated foods...I will make one of these one day!

I use mine to store the following:

Ammunition
Bic lighters
Hardware (screws, nuts, etc)
Spices
First Aid stuff
Matches
Small spare parts

Great item that lends its self to a host of storage & use options

Keep Safe / 23rd

You could sink one in your toilet tank and save water on every flush

thanks all, excellent ideas that I definately will put to use. Plant pots is a great one and as they are just plain white they look good too. I think they will be used for storage in my summer kitchen too.

If you have an old steel tobacco can you stick a roll of toilet paper inside, pour in some alcohol and you have an instant heater.
We used to use this ice fishing.