In the event of a disaster and even something more simple such as a community service project, there may be some sharing of equipment, tools, and supplies. Keep your stuff safe and make sure any shared items come back to you by putting your name on your gear. Label your tools, pots/pans, backpacks, etc. A sharpie type permanent marker is usually sufficient. Update when you buy something new or notice the old name marking fading. We’ve lost more yard tools than I want to say because they’ve gone to a group project without our name on them and go home with someone else. Putting your name on your stuff is a simple way to protect your investment in your preparedness gear and keep track of what belongs to you.
Keep preparing! Angela
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I keep Sharpies in our Go Bags, for leaving water-resistant notes and for marking things. Thanks for the reminder to put our names on items before I put them in our bags.
Names can be sanded off if someone is really determined to take a tool and keep it. I make a mark in a place where the offender keeping anything will not see my ownership claim. Some “accidents” are deliberate. I have lost many things to the deviousness of others, mainly at church. I took a shiny new item and had the woman take it when clearly hers was battered and did not have the same food that I brought. I labeled coats where my child could see his name. Then, I turned the sleeve wrong side out and wrote his name on the sleeve lining. Cynical? Yes.
Good tips. You could also use some type of engraver on metal or plastic items–Dremmel tool or similar. I know hubby has tools from his dad that have his name and/or initials engraved on them. That’s a little more permanent.
I agree- names of the owner should be tucked away in a clever place on each item- I dont blame your cynicism- Ive been stung before too.
Cheers
Libby
When I was a kid, my mom had a problem with her tools disapearing. She decided to spray paint them all pink. They stopped disapearing then! I guess it was pretty easy to spot the bright pink hammer in a man’s tool box! Thanks for another great tip!
I spray painted all my tools yellow when I worked a job that used a lot of hand tools. Worked great!
Libby, Thanks. At sewing classes, I mark my tools there with bright pink nail polish or a pink ribbon.