# logistics and your supply.



## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

I'm curious, I know there has been a thread recently about people's organization system, and I was disappointed to see so many people aren't well organized. Then I realized I wasn't very well organized either. 

This bothers me. 

One thing I learned running an arms room (armory, weapons supply room, whatever you want to call it) is that we need to know how much of what we have at all times. 

That sounds excessive, I know what I have, right?

Well how many of us have overdrawn our bank accounts at some point in our lives? Or had a check bounce? We figured out really quick we needed to keep better track of balancing our checkbooks. It's the same concept with supply. 

Have batteries in a junk drawer? Even go looking for some only to realize you used the last ones a week ago when the remote died? Or that the kids took them and sidnt/forgot to tell you? I know I had a few more gas rings around here somewhere. *stares blankly into the fridge* ugh there is nothing to eat... screw it I'll have an MRE. 

The's are all examples of why logistic systems are necessary. 

Not only knowing what you have, but how much of it, and where. It's really easy to track on Excell and/or a clipboard. And it can ensure you don't go through supplies too fast, as well as let you know what preps are just overdoing it.

Heh overdoing it, it's prepping. Yea, but you will not go through 2000 bic lighters in your lifetime (Unless that is all you have for 30 people) 200 pillows is not useful, or blankets, or whatever you get my point.

Now, 2000 bic lighters might be useful for barter, but which ones are yours and which ones are money? 

Logistics.

I'll stop ranting, let's hear y'alls thoughts.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Good point. My dear Little Bride handles the details like that while I tend to get the broad overview of things and start giving her instructions. Funny how opposites attract huh?


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Man, I so understand what you are saying. 

Do you know why I had no idea I am way overstocked with .243 Winchester ammo? You know why.

This may not make much sense, but it is because I have a small house. You'd think it would make me more organized.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

You might need for me to send you my wife over there for a few days. She would have all that stuff categorized..alphabetized..segregated..and low stock reordered and excess peddled at the yard sale..quickly. Let me be thinking of any possible fees...hmmm.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

bigwheel said:


> You might need for me to send you my wife over there for a few days. She would have all that stuff categorized..alphabetized..segregated..and low stock reordered and excess peddled at the yard sale..quickly. Let me be thinking of any possible fees...hmmm.


Bigwheel, I believe you are married to someone who could be a consultant knocking down some serious jack!


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Materials Management and Logistics is damn important if you are a Prepared Person.

Mrs Slippy is borderline hoarder and I'm borderline Crazy Inventory Manager ExtraOrdinaire. We Gee and Haw as the old folk say. She buys and I rotate. I say I'm funny, she says I'm SNot. 

Seriously, a few months ago I sat her down and asked her to back off on prep purchases. Where in the world does she find bricks of .22lr? Or Hand Tools from the early 20th Century? Or all these batteries, cans of veggies, string, twine, extra toothbrushes, toothpaste, TP...etc etc. 

The woman is driving me to the "Poor but Prepared House"!


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

Some stuff you just can't have too much of. Other stuff you never have enough of, and still other stuff is just not needed.

My big point is know what you have, how much of it you have, and how fast you go through it. That way you know when you need more, and when you have "enough" before you have too much, or none at all


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

Denton said:


> Bigwheel, I believe you are married to someone who could be a consultant knocking down some serious jack!


Actually, no joke. People who do this make big money. And it can, more or less, be a one size fits all deal. Just minor adjustments for space, supply content, and management system


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

Learn how to use spreadsheets on your computer. It was a real eye opener for me and is a tremendous help once you get a system down.


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

BIC lighters as trade items,,,,That's a pretty good idea.


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## Harry Cline (May 22, 2015)

@ Jakthesoldier,

Very valid points there. If you really want to see organizational skills visit a good gun forum. When I started looking into getting educated, trained and armed I visited some to get a feel on what it was all about. I'm highly organized person myself and these folks have got the plan if they hear that bump in the night. Some even having monthly meetings and semi drills with the family. And the thing is I might have thought 30 years ago it was borderline el-loony tunes but now I was very impressed.

Thing is though, they are not preparing as the preppers are. That's why I'm not a member of those forums and chose instead to become a member on a survival forum.
Now here is what I think why the survivalist don't view it like perhaps you and I do, cause they are equating the SHTF as simply a natural disaster that will most likely be over in 2 weeks or that the outside world will come to our aid. When in all reality the SHTF will come from an economic disparity and be a complete societal breakdown. Coupled with the majority are still fairly young.

Before any of them ever packed some supplies they should have got educated, trained and armed. And at the very least with a mental pipe but preferably by gun.
Survival means more than just escaping a natural disaster. 
Sadly when the SHTF is upon us we will see many old and young alike strewed out across the landscape like splattered bugs on a windshield.
And a whole bunch of bad info is circulating out there.

All we can do is speak the reality the best we see it and hope they don't view us as eccentric or fanatics. Because I am not wasting my ammo protecting you. And when you do find someone to protect you better have some money or get ready to bend over.


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

FoolAmI said:


> BIC lighters as trade items,,,,That's a pretty good idea.


Everything can be a trade item, and everyone needs to light something on fire now and then.

Since you mention it, good toilet paper, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, razors, lighters, cordage, tape, and sewing kits.

Also offering to teach skills can be worth everything.


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

Harry Cline said:


> @ Jakthesoldier,
> 
> Very valid points there. If you really want to see organizational skills visit a good gun forum. When I started looking into getting educated, trained and armed I visited some to get a feel on what it was all about. I'm highly organized person myself and these folks have got the plan if they hear that bump in the night. Some even having monthly meetings and semi drills with the family. And the thing is I might have thought 30 years ago it was borderline el-loony tunes but now I was very impressed.
> 
> ...


There are varying degrees of SHTF. a hurricane, or massive snow storm could create a SHTF for a week or a couple months. (October 2012 upstate New York for example)

Skills are more valuable than gear, but without the basics skills aren't usable. For example, without a gun you can't learn to shoot. (I'm meaning access to a gun, not necessarily owning one)

People have lots of different ideas as to how the world will end, and any/all of them could be correct.

The reality of your scenario is not a permanent SHTF as you seem to believe (correct me if I misunderstand)

Economic collapses have been seen throughout history, and the key to survival has always been to be the guy who takes control, on his team, or stay the heck out of the way.

Even Iraqis have some semblance of order in their day to day lives, despite their currency going from 1/20 with the US dollar to 200/1 overnight. Those who stayed out of the power struggle survived just fine (more or less) People tend to create order over chaos. After the initial wave of killing, looting, and insanity, things will "normalize" and begin to rebuild.


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## Harry Cline (May 22, 2015)

Yeah, the natural ones don't really concern me and if it's nuclear or biological I don't want to survive through that anyway.
Societies are surviving the natural disasters now. But that's my point people have totally overlooked where the real possible upheaval will come from.
Some even think Katrina was the big one. The only thing Katrina showed me is we will not even be able to trust those so called 'public servants'.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

After many years as a paramedic, and maintenance over multiple building with millions 
of dollars in machinery I needed to know what spare parts, etc., I had, and where it 
was. If I didn't have it, I needed to know where I could get and a backup vendor just 
in case. Spread sheets and spread sheet type lists and inventories helped me to 
become extremely anal in keeping track of of my supplies. Even though my plans are 
to bug in, for my wife's sake, I made up lists of a potential disaster event that might 
necessitate our bugging out. The list had a description of the event, why we might 
need to bug out, and what would have to be loaded in the car if driving was a possibility. 
The list showed primary and secondary things to load and then a final load out list of 
what was most important. I love spread sheets and the lists they make look good.


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## MaterielGeneral (Jan 27, 2015)

If anybody has any spreadsheets that they would like to share, please send me a private message and I will provide my email. I appreciate any help you can provide.

MG


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

paraquack said:


> After many years as a paramedic, and maintenance over multiple building with millions
> of dollars in machinery I needed to know what spare parts, etc., I had, and where it
> was. If I didn't have it, I needed to know where I could get and a backup vendor just
> in case. Spread sheets and spread sheet type lists and inventories helped me to
> ...


Even when staying put, its important as you can tell from your work.



MaterielGeneral said:


> If anybody has any spreadsheets that they would like to share, please send me a private message and I will provide my email. I appreciate any help you can provide.
> 
> MG


I would recommend building one from scratch, unless someone who provides one for you has the same, or very similar preps.
My suggestion is to use Excel or similar program, and use a tab for every major type of prep (medical, guns, ammo, food, etc.) and then list every item you stock in the first column. Second column might be how many you have on hand (or first few columns if you have items in multiple locations) then a column for how many you use per (insert whatever time period you feel is prudent here) then a column for how many you need to purchase per that same time period to be where you want, and finally a column for how many you want to have.


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

Here's how we keep track of stuff/rotate... one of our racks in our pantry...

The can system is from shelf reliance, the rack is from Amazon


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## csi-tech (Apr 13, 2013)

I LOVE that rack! 

We have a 2500 square foot house. The walk-in basement flooded during the great flood of '10 here in Middle Tennessee so I gutted it to the cinder block walls and haven't done much more since it is just the wife and I. Eventually there will be a glamor bath, master suite, Home theater and walk-out hot tub down there but for now it is simply a basement. I am reluctant to put anything down there until I have a french drain installed and re-shape the front yard to allow the water to flow over to my neighbors basement.  Until then the upstairs is getting very crowded. I plan to buy a heavy duty shelving unit in a couple of weeks and at least get all of this ammo down there.


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## csi-tech (Apr 13, 2013)

Salt-N-Pepper said:


> Here's how we keep track of stuff/rotate... one of our racks in our pantry...
> 
> The can system is from shelf reliance, the rack is from Amazon


I would do a row of peanut butter and jelly, two rows of canned fruit, three rows of canned soup, then vegetables, then meat.etc. AWESOME!


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

Salt-N-Pepper said:


> Here's how we keep track of stuff/rotate... one of our racks in our pantry...
> 
> The can system is from shelf reliance, the rack is from Amazon


Awesome for keeping stuff where you know where it is, and organized. do you keep inventory?


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## TacticalCanuck (Aug 5, 2014)

Inventory is a neat idea but I don't see me running down to some shelves and grabbing some corned beef and beans and then while its cooking search a spreadsheet and subtract the items. For guns and ammo and insurable goods Ya this totally a fantastic thing though. So I do see me looking into this but not for daily use. Putting it out on Google docs as a private file means I can check when I'm at the store and maybe allocate money to things more needed. As far as for food be a good way to keep track of what I need to get. So now I see it maybe more than insurable goods only. I just keep getting deeper and deeper into this prepping thing......


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

TacticalCanuck said:


> Inventory is a neat idea but I don't see me running down to some shelves and grabbing some corned beef and beans and then while its cooking search a spreadsheet and subtract the items. For guns and ammo and insurable goods Ya this totally a fantastic thing though. So I do see me looking into this but not for daily use. Putting it out on Google docs as a private file means I can check when I'm at the store and maybe allocate money to things more needed. As far as for food be a good way to keep track of what I need to get. So now I see it maybe more than insurable goods only. I just keep getting deeper and deeper into this prepping thing......


You can always keep track of what you are using as you go. Record what you used after you cook.
what happens when you run out of allspice or whatever. Keeps you from getting caught empty handed.


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

Jakthesoldier said:


> Awesome for keeping stuff where you know where it is, and organized. do you keep inventory?


Not on paper or anything... we just use what we use and when it's time for the grocery store we look at the rack and see what we have used... pull from the bottom and spaces open up (you can see a couple spaces are open now).

We keep one row of soup, for example, so if we use a soup we just write a note on the grocery list.


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

Those shelves would also rotate stuff automatically if fed from the back.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I use a separate pantry for every day. My preps that get "old" are rotated into the pantry, so no need to search the inventory.


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## TacticalCanuck (Aug 5, 2014)

Wow so maybe this is a good idea. I have to admit im one of those guys when i find .22 i buy it because its been hard to find. Well i can stop. I got more than i realized. And thats just by memory. Im going to be looking into.the inventory thing heavy. I could be allocating funds differently.


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## SDF880 (Mar 28, 2013)

I know where everything is but organized, NO.
I need to get my act together. Thanks for this thread!


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

I made a video on this. It's the same stuff as what I said here, but I was hoping some of you would be willing to watch it, and maybe like, or leave a comment. I don't do adds, it's just my personal, non sponsored channel.


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## shotlady (Aug 30, 2012)

I do inventory at the ranch here at the city apt. specially ammo. i just like to touch it. my ranch inventory isnt touched. my operating is. things kinda fell apart for me and the boys arent here to hump it all out and count it here at the apt... i have prepps and operating, then ill transfer to the ranch buy more prep ammo- while keeping my operating ammo regenrating. i havent really bought ammo in a long time about 7 months. i havent really shot any either. i havent really prepped or trained the last 7 mos. i need to get on it. but i dont do math in public anymore.

i should order my ass some ammo.


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