# Prepping vs. Hoarding: Where Is The Line Drawn?



## PrepperForums (Nov 21, 2014)

Where is the line drawn between prepping and hoarding.

At what point does it become an obsession, rather than simply being prepared?


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

I guess it's all a matter of perspective. :tango_face_wink:


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

Well, the Mormons have always recommended one year of supplies in case of emergency, which doesn't seem excessive. I think it depends on where you live, also. Water is especially important in their desert climate, and I wouldn't fault them if they wanted hoard that item. In a cabin up in the Yukon, I'd want to have plenty of food and fuel, way over what that prep/hoard line would be for others.

If you have the space, that is, you're not weaving down a narrow aisle of stacked MREs in your living room, I don't see anything wrong with having a year or even two of food, TP, and other items. Folks have found such prepping useful for other than emergencies, such as a breadwinner being laid off for a year.

If you reach a point where food is going bad before you can rotate it into consumption, I'd call that hoarding.


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## Sasquatch (Dec 12, 2014)

Food, water, medical supplies, ammo = Prepping

Old Newspapers, empty microwave dinner trays, aluminum cans, more than 3 cats = Hoarding 

Sent from a Galaxy S5 far far away.


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## Sonya (Oct 20, 2016)

Hoarding as a psychological issue is rooted in anxiety, people feel better when they buy/collect stuff but get _*extremely anxious*_ when they think about getting rid of stuff. I think the anxiety at getting rid of, or giving way stuff, would be the real sign of a psychological problem.

So if people are storing food that is no longer good, or buying equipment in such quantities they can't recall what they have, or where it is, yet could never ever part with any of it, that would be hoarding. Justifying why you shouldn't ever give any of it away would still make it hoarding.


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## ND_ponyexpress_ (Mar 20, 2016)

if the world stops on a dime... what difference does it make at that point?


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

If you can use it before it goes bad, you have something that works or used on something that works, it's not hoarding


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

A "Lady of the Evening" stopped by the bank to make a cash deposit. The bank teller, impressed over the size of the woman's deposit jokingly inquired, "Ma'am, did you hoard all of that money yourself?"

"No", said the prostitute, "my sister whored some of it too."...


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

definition of what "hoarding" you use - some sheeple say preppers are hoarders because of the volume they store - some sheeple say preppers are hoarding even tho there's plenty of supplies existing today for them join the preparing ....

personally don't care either way - screw em


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## stowlin (Apr 25, 2016)

There is a line? Really?


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## Oddcaliber (Feb 17, 2014)

It's only hording till the floor gives way!


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

This has come up several times. lets be clear here... Hoarders tend to freaking hoard EVERYTHING.. used plastic, empty milk jugs, broken broom, torn hats, small pieces of fencing -because they have a disorder

preppers, real preppers stock stuff that will help them survive. 

Could a hoarder be a prepper by luck/default, sure

could a prepper be a hoard, no - why.. preppers by nature do not stock CRAP that is not of value. Preppers will get rid of space hogging things in order to pile up more food, water, etc..PLUS preppers tend to be neat and organized

just me 2¢


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

Slippy said:


> A "Lady of the Evening" stopped by the bank to make a cash deposit. The bank teller, impressed over the size of the woman's deposit jokingly inquired, "Ma'am, did you hoard all of that money yourself?"
> 
> "No", said the prostitute, "my sister whored some of it too."...


My uncle was come back with a truck load of wood on evening and stopped for gas. A nice young lady came over and said 'Do you want to trade sex for some wood?" 
My uncle said "Sure, how much wood do you have?"


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## Dirk Pitt (Apr 21, 2015)

Sasquatch said:


> Food, water, medical supplies, ammo = Prepping
> 
> Old Newspapers, empty microwave dinner trays, aluminum cans, more than 3 cats = Hoarding
> 
> Sent from a Galaxy S5 far far away.


What Sasquatch said..........


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

inceptor said:


> I guess it's all a matter of perspective. :tango_face_wink:


Think you hit the nail on the head Sir. As the old highway peterolemum Capn would always be glad to give folks the definition of a Chicken sheet traffic ticket. He say..thats a ticket some other Trooper wrote. So the well stocked guy thinks he is a prudent prepper. Some less astute folks might think hes a hoggy gluttonous hoarder. This is now perfectly clear. Thanks.


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## Targetshooter (Dec 4, 2015)

Hoarding = trash collector , prepping = survival collecting .


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## tango (Apr 12, 2013)

Simple-- how long do you want to eat?


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

A hoarder does not gather for possible conditions, they gather to satisfy an internal conflict, most hoarded stuff is random trash to satisfy an OCD condition.

A focused prepper has a goal set to preserve life or in most cases lives, goals constantly change as the learning curve changes and influence by world conditions.


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

Sasquatch said:


> Food, water, medical supplies, ammo = Prepping
> 
> Old Newspapers, empty microwave dinner trays, aluminum cans, more than 3 cats = Hoarding
> 
> Sent from a Galaxy S5 far far away.


We could have a big problem here ...... someone get a head count on Cricket's cats.


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## Grinch2 (Sep 12, 2016)

My obsession is protecting what I hold dear, prepping is just making sure doing that is a little easier come disaster. I found hoarding is collecting something that you will never use, we hope we never have to use our preps but we can. I mean if it was up to be I'd have a few million rounds for every caliber and 10 years+ years of food and water for my group and me including the dogs and money was not an option. But I think it'd be more consider hoarding if you got something useless.


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## Boss Dog (Feb 8, 2013)

My family calls it hoarding... until they have a need. All of a sudden I'm a great guy, and smart too!


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## preppermama2 (Aug 31, 2016)

I think organization is the line. 

When I see someone who has a clear prepping plan, good organization of preps, and cleanliness in their space, I would consider those people to be preppers. 

Hoarders tend to not care about/value an object beyond the act of keeping/hoarding it. They tend to live in disheveled spaces that are often unclean. They can't find things if you ask them to. That's not prepping. That's a mental illness.


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## preponadime (Jun 15, 2016)

@Cricket do you have more than 3 cats?


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Most hoarders don't know what they have, and what they know they have they don't know where it is. Yet they'll still buy more of it even if they know they already have some and still don't need/use it.

Most preppers knows what they have, where it is, and how much longer it will last before it needs to be replaced.


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## admin (Apr 28, 2016)

preponadime said:


> @Cricket do you have more than 3 cats?


smiles...

I have 2 cats. Both were rescues.


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## preponadime (Jun 15, 2016)

Cricket said:


> smiles...
> 
> I have 2 cats. Both were rescues.


Good we were beginning to worry, we have one someone dumped here 14 years ago and she just stayed the best mouser we ever had


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

I believe it's a matter of sematics, as well.

I must admit, during the big .22LR hoopla, I know that many guys knew when delivery trucks would arrive at Gander Mountain, and by 2:00PM the entire allotment was gone.

Is "panic buying" considered hoarding or just smart?


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## Sonya (Oct 20, 2016)

The Tourist said:


> I believe it's a matter of sematics, as well.
> 
> I must admit, during the big .22LR hoopla, I know that many guys knew when delivery trucks would arrive at Gander Mountain, and by 2:00PM the entire allotment was gone.
> 
> Is "panic buying" considered hoarding or just smart?


If there is a shortage of product then it could be considered a different type of hoarding; not a psychological problem, just taking more than your share and more than you need of a limited resource when others are in need too, so the word greedy comes to mind. But when resources are not limited it is stockpiling, not hoarding.


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## Montana Rancher (Mar 4, 2013)

My thought is when it comes to the prepper community there are 2 types.

1. The type that has so many guns and so much ammo that they feel secure. 

2. Is the person that puts about 8k into having potable water which entails a well, a pump, and enough solar panels and batteries to run it.

In the long run, number 2 will win.


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## csi-tech (Apr 13, 2013)

My Father in Law is a compulsive hoarder. In addition to 70's Easy Bake Ovens, Fisher Price Jets and other people's clothes from thrift shops he hoarded hunting land so I'm not complaining too loudly. When you set realistic goals and meet them it's not hoarding. I wanted 3 intermediate magazine fed rifles, 3 bolt action Milsurps, a battle rifle with 30 magazines, a tactical 12 gauge, 3 9mm handguns, 3 sporting rilfes and a couple of .22s. I wanted 1000 rounds per rifle, 90 days worth of food, an inexhaustible water supply and shelter for life. That is accomplished.

When you start saying things like "But it's only .50 cents" or "Someone may need this someday" or "I've got a place for this......I think", you have gone overboard. Hoarders don't collect ammo, guns, water or non perishable food. They collect crap.


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## Montana Rancher (Mar 4, 2013)

PrepperForums said:


> Where is the line drawn between prepping and hoarding.
> 
> At what point does it become an obsession, rather than simply being prepared?


Its a bit late and I know I've already replied to other quotes but I have to put this out.

If you are prepping, you are backstocking food and supplies under normal times.... If you are hoarding you are talking food and supplies from people that have none, there is a difference


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## tabestmaker (Nov 18, 2016)

haha this is gold


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

PrepperForums said:


> Where is the line drawn between prepping and hoarding.
> 
> At what point does it become an obsession, rather than simply being prepared?


If the whole house looks like that, ie, it is full of pallets, then one has exceeded good sense. A reasonable person would buy a big shed from Lowe's to store it in.:vs_rocking_banana: But they would still have it on hand.


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## Dirk Pitt (Apr 21, 2015)

Illini Warrior said:


> definition of what "hoarding" you use - some sheeple say preppers are hoarders because of the volume they store - some sheeple say preppers are hoarding even tho there's plenty of supplies existing today for them join the preparing ....
> 
> personally don't care either way - screw em


Your response is perfect !


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## Doomsday Rising (Nov 20, 2016)

I think you also have to look at the fact that as preppers our food storage for example is not full of roaches and mice......I do not see prepping as a hoarding problem simply because most that prep are not living in filth...


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## 7515 (Aug 31, 2014)

I don't really have a reply to the hoarding question but for me I think preping crosses the line when you make your family sacrifice in the present to lay back items for a future event that may not happen. 
I have always used extra earned cash to purchase preps or weapons. In some cases that meant saving for many months. If you tell you kid they can't play little league sports because you want to use that money for MRE's or another AR then perhaps your priorities are in need of examination. Every one of use will have a different answer for this question. This is just mine.


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## Economic Survivalist (Dec 21, 2016)

In my mind, the word "prepper" has a negative stigma because of reality TV shows like "Doomsday Preppers" and "Extreme Couponing". I also think the media gives prepping a negative spin. After all the establishment does not want the general public to think anything bad could happen. I prefer the term "self sufficient". To me, being equipped with the knowledge and tools of the "old ways" and being able to implement them at a moments notice is being prepared. It does not take skill or knowledge to hoard. Anyone can do that. "Give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime."


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