[Marcella]

Post 4: “That signals that you don't have much and are not worth their attention. Blending in is the name of the game.”

I have clothes especially chosen/bought (baggy and wrinkled) to wear if the SHTF. Would comb my hair in an unattractive way so it would look like I didn't have shampoo and didn't comb my hair. I wouldn't be seen outside my house unless I had to go out and then I would look like an old lady who had nothing.

I have black out covers for windows so no light is seen coming from my place at night. Light and other power is from batteries, not generators, so there is no noise. Cooking is upstairs in a bedroom with door closed so odor will not carry to the outside.

See, I'm just an old lady with nothing.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I have the same wardrobe. They are carefully mended because you don't want to look too much like you could disappear and no one would care. Stained is good, wrinkled is good. A cane that can be used as a weapon is very good.

There is going to be an uptick in predators. Some are going to want what you have, some are just going to want some "fun". The line that you have to walk to keep both of them away is very fine.

Black out curtains to keep any electric lights hidden is good but a small bit of candle light makes it look like someone is there and may prevent you from getting unexpected guests.

Cooking some cheap food occasionally does the same. A nice bit of cooked cabbage or even a mess of weeds makes you just like everyone else. Especially if you do it outside over a tiny fire.

Did I mention make friends of those around you? Do NOT tell them what you have but it is nice to try to get a few people who care if you are alive or not. It provides a certain amount of protection.

[null and void]

See, I'm just an a smart old lady with nothing.

There, fixed.

[PLMerite]

"See, I'm just an old lady with nothing."

That might work...

...but so might this.

[Hardens Hollow]

“I have black out covers for windows so no light is seen coming from my place at night. Light and other power is from batteries, not generators, so there is no noise. Cooking is upstairs in a bedroom with door closed so odor will not carry to the outside.”

Brilliant. You think of things in great detail. I love the cooking upstairs bit. Thanks for sharing.

[T-Bone Texan]

You just reminded me of an important thing I need to get:

Black plastic garbage bags, size L, for covering our windows so as to black them out in a post-SHTF secenario.

Not a big deal, but the ones we use for trash are white; I need to buy black ones specifically for this purpose.

So yeah, thank you for reminding me!

PS: you know what goes hand-in-hand with this? A stapler. Taping will be very inefficient and not a good use of resources, unless you own a tape factory.

If you are at work right now, slip a box of staples into your pocket. No one will know, and it may save your life.