Any Reason to Keep Empty Prescription Bottles, Boxes, Old Shoes/Sneakers Around?

Being that I'm in an Apartment in a city, is there any reason not to throw out empty prescription bottles, old shoes, sneakers and boxes which basically fill out a closet and a shelf for future SHTF/TEOTWAWKI situations? Only thing I can see us the need to keep is boxes in case I have to get out immediately. As a result of reading something on either this or another forum, I'm now holding onto old clothes that may be oversized just in case I need to look like I've lost weight due to the lack of food.

 

No there is no reason to keep them. Throw them out. One less thing to keep track of, haul around, get in the way.

Of course throwing something out because it is old, useless, doesn't do anything except take up space, gets in the way and wastes time... well I can think of at least one person that reminds me of...

 

Keep them until you can be featured on "Hoarders" then rake in the big bucks as a media star.

 

For an apartment, holding onto to old stuff with no practical use, probably doesn't make a lot of sense, especially if it uses up room that could be better occupied by useful stuff. Keeping cardboard boxes, empty prescription bottles and old sneakers just adds to the apartment's fuel load should the Molotov cocktails be flying in your neighbourhood. A modest wardrobe of decrepit 'disguise', clothes might perhaps be justified, but as that's pretty much my everyday wear, it seems to me to be a redundant arrangement.

 

Not living in an apartment, I have a different take on some things. I don't keep old prescription bottles, I keep full old prescription bottles. Some uses I have found for them are to store silver coins, store small gun parts, store spare brushes etc for my power tools, store my spare bearings and small parts in my storage bins, make small fishing, fire starting kits, etc that I keep in my bug out bag in the car, store fishing flies, plugs, lures, etc neatly in my tackle box, store smaller amounts of bulk non prescription medicines that I take daily, store smaller amounts of spices etc when camping, store replacement parts for my reloading equipment, primer knockout pins etc. I don't keep old sneakers, but they are held until that one last use when I spread the driveway sealer, tar the roof, spread the cow manure on the garden, paint the deck, etc, and then thrown away. Old clothes are cut up for rags, passed on to friends, kids clothes when out grown, sewn into small storage bags and pouches, used for filters in my greenhouse when I mix up stuff for my sprayer, filters when we make jelly, Mom used to make rag rugs out of them and quilts for us kids, clothes for us kids, char the cloth and use in fire starting kits, wear them when painting, tarring etc. The difference between hoarding and storing junk is that you have to use what you keep. Last night for supper we had green beans, fresh, pasta shells, dried onions, pasta sauce, spices, for a main dish, rotated out of storage, and the wife made a rice dish for today out of storage foods. As always in life, one man's trash may well be another man's treasure.

 

I should have clarified in that I was wondering could these items be useful to have around in SHTF/TEOTWAWKI situations and thus not to throw out. I'm going to revise the thread now to reflect this.

 

Even handier in the SHTF, what good is a prep that you can't find, take with you if needed, be able to inventory, etc. An empty pill bottle may be worthless but, having one with some preps in it and knowing where it is may well be invaluable. If you have a bottle of 1,000 aspirin or 1 a Day vitamins, etc , may not be a good barter item, but being able to barter 20 bottles of 50 may well be a great item and I doubt if anyone will ever throw out a pill bottle after SHTF.

 

My first survival/bug out/combat rig was an ALICE suspenders and pistol belt. Old pill bottles and candy/mint tins in M14 double and single mag pouches made outstanding storage for the small or small amount of things I thought I needed with me. As years went on and I moved on to an ALICE medium (with frame and cargo shelf) they became even handier. At 71 I still use my ALICE gear and small containers to keep it organized.

 

I would think you would be rationing therefore you would be losing weight. You have no clue how long things will be in turmoil. As for hoarding, get rid of the garbage. You mentioned keeping boxes in-case you have to get out, sounds like you are planning on packing if things go south. You boxes should already be packed for a grab and go.

 

I find that empty pill bottles are great storage containers for small nut, bolts, pins, and other kinds of what not's that are neatly organized in my shop storage cabinets, but as others have said, since you live in an apartment, keeping stuff like that around only only will clutter up the available space you have.

As for old clothes, GOODWILL. I wear clothes till they literally wear out. Then, I throw them in the trash.

 

Wasteful people. Ugg.
Pill bottles are especially useful for bug out bags and storing organized items in the house.
Depending on what the shoes are made of ,and how badly they are worn, give them to good will or salvation army ,or repurpose the materials for other projects.
Leather can be repurposed in sheath knives and other things .
If you learn to sew, your clothing can be taken in , and let out again if necessary .
For many years i did all my sewing by hand ,and often made things from the cast off's of others.

 

Ed, I would rid my self of ALL the stuff and crap you can't/wouldn't take with you in one trip on foot! If it doesn't pertain to your survival, leave it behind!!! I would have every thing you need packed up in some sort of carry device, ready to go at the first sign of trouble. Like every one points out, there should be NO EMPTY pill bottles or other small containers! Boxes? Come on, how many can you carry in one trip? Can you live out of those boxes? Old clothes, I would rid my self of after removing useful pieces for sewing patches, or making needful things down the road!

Change up the way you are asking questions, and you will likely get better input! Rather then set up a senerio, just ask the simple question, I;E; what do YOU folks use old pill containers for? What do you guys do with old shoe boxes? How do you guys use old clothing? What do you do with old worn out footwear? I know staring out can seem a daunting task, try to break it down into smaller bite size chunks! Instead of looking at the big picture, try to focus on one or two little things and build from there!

 

In my view, generalities in prepping will kill you. Living in NYC, an axe is only a short range weapon, in rural NH or Alaska, behind a rifle, it may be the most important tool you have. We each have to adapt to our particular environment, physical abilities, social systems, financial limits, etc, and as individuals we can only help each other down the path and try to keep each other from making the same mistakes. It is a process and often the most valuable thing we can do is encourage each other to keep trying.

 

Keep in mind that the label on a prescription has your name and gives a clue to any medical condition. Make sure that label is unreadable if you repurpose any of them.

 

I keep an old pair of tennis shoes in my car and it's come in quite useful from time to time. If you suddenly need to walk, and your church shoes aren't the best for walking. Or if you need to change a tire or something. Thus, I'd keep one old pair in the car. I know others may have uses for that other stuff and that's what thrift stores are for, to transfer stuff you're not sure you'll use to people who have a use for them.

 

Pill bottles are great when filled with a proper mixture of potassium percolate and dark powdered aluminum and fused.