• You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community, you will have access to additional post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), view blogs, respond to polls, upload content, and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free, so please join our community today! Just click here to register. You should turn your Ad Blocker off for this site or certain features may not work properly. If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us by clicking here.

1 year in a room- what to bring?

ObeyBunny

New member
Joined
Mar 8, 2010
Messages
573
MBTI Type
INTJ
Let’s pretend that you are (and your immediate family and roommates) going to go into a walled off room with gray walls and no carpeting. This is going to be your living space, and it’s approximately 2000 square feet (185.806 square meters). You have no access to dirt to grow food or to tunnel out. There is no electricity unless you create it within the room. You have no way to leave the room on your own. No one from the outside will come by to feed you or bring you water. You will be kept here for one whole year.

But, you are allowed to bring as much stuff as you can fit in your room. What will you bring?

Example: this is what I’m brining.
---Food---
  • 300 pounds of wheat for each person
  • 200 pounds of rice for each person
  • 100 pounds of mixed peas and beans
  • 60 pounds of canned carrots
  • 200 pounds of canned potatoes
  • 10 pounds of table salt
  • 30 pounds of assorted spices (curry, vinegar, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, bezel, soy sauce, crème of tarter, chicken boyon, beef boyon)
  • 50 pounds of sugar
  • 40 pounds of dried onions
  • 30 pounds of instant mashed potatoes
  • Baby formula incase anybody gets pregnant, or has a baby (room mates go with you, remember?)
  • 40 pounds of assorted candy to make kids and teens do their fair share.
  • 300 gallons of water (about 473 liters) for each person. (an adult only needs to drink a liter a day to stay hydrated. The rest can be used for cooking, washing dishes, and sponge bathing.)
---Medicine---
Aspirin, eye droppers, something to stop diarrhea, something to stop constipation, bactine spray, Neosporin, bandages, broken (arm/leg) casting materials

---Warm and dry---
  • 2 Blankets and 2 pillows for each person
  • Pillow cases for each pillow (plus 10% extra).
  • Fold up chairs
  • Fold up tables (1 for every 4 people)
  • 10 pairs of socks for every person (you can go barefoot)
  • 1 Bunk bed for every 2 people (they can also be used as shelves to store additional stuff)

---Sanitary needs---
Toothbrush, hairbrush, scissors for cutting hair, nail trimmers, toilet paper, buckets that have been outfitted with toilet seat covers (they exist) mouthwash, acne-removal stuff, washrags, bath brushes, shower curtains, a large deep pan that can be used as a bathtub. Diapers for babies between the ages of 0 months to 2 years, deodorant, perfume, tweezers, shaving razors, shaving crème, sponges, dish soap, shampoo, handy wipes (hand sanitizing wipes that are already wet and mildly soapy.)

---Entertainment---
Coloring books, sci-fi books, psychology books, text books of all different subjects, magazines that advertise jewelry and perfect-hair tips, drawing paper, baby toys, squirt guns,

---additional items---
  • Crank operated lights
  • A pellet gun (nothing lethal)
  • Fire wood and matches

---storage---
  • Plastic containers that can store unused food, clothing, water, cloth, spare parts for things like the bunk beds,
  • Plastic containers that can be used to store dirty water, waste, spoiled food, burnt up firewood that won’t light anymore, people or animals that died (hopefully, this doesn’t happen) for later disposal
---privacy---
  • Large curtains that separate the individual living spaces.

---things that can be done before you enter the room---
I’d like to add that you have an opportunity to get all your dental work done before hand, gotten everyone who was going with me updated prescription glasses,

If you want to grow your own food, then you have to remember to bring your own soil, seeds, and water. The same goes for farm animals. Account for everyone’s (including any farm animals) food, water, and waste disposal
---
---
---
---
---
What would you bring? Is there anything you'd like to add to my list?


You might be asking why I posted this thread in the “outdoors” section. It’s because this “room” is handled the same way as a hand full of explorers would handle surviving in an untamed arid land (like southern California).
 

ObeyBunny

New member
Joined
Mar 8, 2010
Messages
573
MBTI Type
INTJ
I forgot, I'm also adding frying pans, pots, spatulas, forks, spoons, bowls, plates, and cups.
 
P

Phantonym

Guest
Can't I just stay there on my own? That would be more like it, I could call it fun. But if I must stay with others...I would bring all that...and a straightjacket. Probably. I figure I or somebody else might need it when the year comes to an end...or sooner.

Oh, rollerskates or a skateboard, some exercising equipment...
 

Fluffywolf

Nips away your dignity
Joined
Mar 31, 2009
Messages
9,581
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
9
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Your world war III survival plan all figured out, huh? :p

I will most likely hire an INTJ to make a list for me, no offense. >.>

I'd go a little more varying with foods though, oh and a fireplace is allowed? Lots of wood to burn too.

And a blast furnace and lots of ores and metals and tools so I can tinker.

Make swords and stuff, for infighting and such you know.
 

ObeyBunny

New member
Joined
Mar 8, 2010
Messages
573
MBTI Type
INTJ
Can't I just stay there on my own? That would be more like it, I could call it fun. But if I must stay with others...I would bring all that...and a straightjacket. Probably. I figure I or somebody else might need it when the year comes to an end...or sooner.

Oh, rollerskates or a skateboard, some exercising equipment...

You can stay there on your own, but only if you were living by yourself before you were forced to go into the room. If you were living with room mates, then they would come with you.
 
P

Phantonym

Guest
You can stay there on your own, but only if you were living by yourself before you were forced to go into the room. If you were living with room mates, then they would come with you.

:cheers: Looks like I'm saved.

I have a few reservations about your listed sanitary needs but I guess to each their own to create something more pleasant in that dreary life. Acne removal stuff and shaving creme?

Although, I must add, I would need some more information on the air conditioning.

Let's see...there's no electricity...no sunlight...how would I grow plants in that case? :thinking: Sprouting is a possibility to get some vital nutrients but anything else? Producing electricity in such a quantity to support plant growing...that's a bit iffy.

Ooh...and I wonder how long it would take for all kinds of wonderful diseases to settle in? With animals and such.

Don't get me wrong, I find this idea utterly fascinating. I'd actually like to try something like this. The psychological aspect would be very interesting to observe. This takes some more detailed thinking. Thanks for the idea. :)
 

ObeyBunny

New member
Joined
Mar 8, 2010
Messages
573
MBTI Type
INTJ
Your world war III survival plan all figured out, huh? :p

I will most likely hire an INTJ to make a list for me, no offense. >.>

I'd go a little more varying with foods though, oh and a fireplace is allowed? Lots of wood to burn too.

And a blast furnace and lots of ores and metals and tools so I can tinker.

Make swords and stuff, for infighting and such you know.

Good idea, I didn't think about metal works. Sitting and reading would drive me insain after a while.
 

ObeyBunny

New member
Joined
Mar 8, 2010
Messages
573
MBTI Type
INTJ
:cheers: Looks like I'm saved.

I have a few reservations about your listed sanitary needs but I guess to each their own to create something more pleasant in that dreary life. Acne removal stuff and shaving creme?

Although, I must add, I would need some more information on the air conditioning.

Let's see...there's no electricity...no sunlight...how would I grow plants in that case? :thinking: Sprouting is a possibility to get some vital nutrients.

Ooh...and I wonder how long it would take for all kinds of wonderful diseases to settle in?

Don't get me wrong, I find this idea utterly fascinating. I'd actually like to try something like this. The psychological aspect would be very interesting to observe. This takes some more detailed thinking. Thanks for the idea. :)

Actually, the ‘room’ is just a sneaky way of asking you how you would handle living in your house after something major (like the economy) went down and stayed down. If something like this happened, you wouldn’t be able to get water from your pipes, get food from your stores, get medicine from your hospitals, and get graves for your fallen kin. You might as well be isolated in a room with only what you bring with you.

That's why I mentioned that you can grow your own food. In the real world, you would still have access to sunlight.
 

Fluffywolf

Nips away your dignity
Joined
Mar 31, 2009
Messages
9,581
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
9
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Was my thinking too.

I doubt I could create anything feasable in terms of electrician stuff. I mean, I'd probably go straight to designing my own game station. Bit too big of a project lol.

But being able to create and be busy with something like metalworks would definatly be a nice way to spend some time. :D
 
P

Phantonym

Guest
Actually, the ‘room’ is just a sneaky way of asking you how you would handle living in your house after something major (like the economy) went down and stayed down. If something like this happened, you wouldn’t be able to get water from your pipes, get food from your stores, get medicine from your hospitals, and get graves for your fallen kin. You might as well be isolated in a room with only what you bring with you.

That's why I mentioned that you can grow your own food. In the real world, you would still have access to sunlight.

:sadbanana: And I had such high hopes for total isolation and the psychological experiment.

:laugh:

Living in my house after something like that would be easy, but it certainly depends on where the house was situated. In the suburbs with only minimal access to fertile land, complete dependence on outside water supply and waste removal...that wouldn't be pretty, that's for sure.

But in a more rural setting it would be so much easier. Actually, that would be my preferred ideal for living any time.

Self-sustainable, somewhere distant enough. I wouldn't call that isolation, I would call that utter bliss and freedom. :D
 

Valiant

Courage is immortality
Joined
Jul 7, 2007
Messages
3,895
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Enneagram
8w7
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
I'd bring more water than 473 liters, but then again... I'm very cleanly.

I think it'd be fun to use the washing water for growing things in a greenhouse room.
I'd set the construction of the greenhouse in large "cassettes".

The cassettes should be somewhat like a tray stand, if you catch my drift, with UV lamps
and irrigation system etc on the undersides of the cassettes to energize/water the
plants on the cassette below.
This way you could fit a lot of greenhouse into a small area. Plants does not mind
carbon dioxide, so there is no need to make anything "open and airy".


So. Unspecified amounts of water... I'd have to do some research on just how much is needed.
Probably around 1000 liters.
If there is the option of doing it, I would bring a urine recycling machine of some kind.
I hear NASA has one at least. :D

I would also bring a lot of canned tuna. Mainly because I love tuna fillet.
Anyway...
Other things... Apart from the generic things I really need, I would without the shadow of a doubt bring a computer, a comfortable bed and a lot of books.
For starters, just doing that would save me a lot of energy doing unnecessary things.
One does not require as much food or water in relaxation mode.
To begin with, i'd list all the writings of S.M Stirling...
And... The Count of Monte Cristo... The Wheel of Time series...
Many others. Mythological texts would be very nice.
And history books. The whole Osprey collection would be awesome.

I assumed this "room" has electricity and a nice internet connection.
Maybe it didn't, since southern California is a nasty place...
Seriously, I wonder why anyone wants to live there. Nothing grows :(
 

ObeyBunny

New member
Joined
Mar 8, 2010
Messages
573
MBTI Type
INTJ
In the suburbs with only minimal access to fertile land, complete dependence on outside water supply and waste removal...that wouldn't be pretty, that's for sure.

That's exactly where I live. In Southern California. The land is poor, I get only 15 inches of rain, the living spaces are small (can't grow much of your own food).
But in a more rural setting it would be so much easier. Actually, that would be my preferred ideal for living any time.

Self-sustainable, somewhere distant enough. I wouldn't call that isolation, I would call that utter bliss and freedom.

That would kick ass on multiple levels- no asshole neighbors, no taxes, no homework... I can't belive how sick of the city I am:shock: I guess I should do some camping soon.
 

ObeyBunny

New member
Joined
Mar 8, 2010
Messages
573
MBTI Type
INTJ
I'd bring more water than 473 liters, but then again... I'm very cleanly.
Actually, I don't much like going with so little water either. But remember that you're in a very small space. You'd have to find creative ways of storing the extra water.

I think it'd be fun to use the washing water for growing things in a greenhouse room.
I'd set the construction of the greenhouse in large "cassettes".
The cassettes should be somewhat like a tray stand, if you catch my drift, with UV lamps and irrigation system etc on the undersides of the cassettes to energize/water the plants on the cassette below.
This way you could fit a lot of greenhouse into a small area. Plants does not mind carbon dioxide, so there is no need to make anything "open and airy".
Brilliant! You've obviously thought about this before I posted this thread. Continuing with the same idea, you can use a simple heat pump to get the oxigen to the rest of the (outer rooms?) to replenish the supply.

If there is the option of doing it, I would bring a urine recycling machine of some kind. I hear NASA has one at least. :D
If their equipment is bulky, then you can always use a water purification tablet for every (5 gallons?). It starilizes the water.


Other things... Apart from the generic things I really need, I would without the shadow of a doubt bring a computer, a comfortable bed and a lot of books.
There are laptop computers that operate by cranking them.
---
Good ideas.
 

Valiant

Courage is immortality
Joined
Jul 7, 2007
Messages
3,895
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Enneagram
8w7
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
^ Actually made that one up now.
I'm OK with practical things and engineering things with already invented ingredients.
It's sort of like cooking.

And thanks.
 

cafe

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
9,827
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
9w1
For real.

My household has seven people and we live comfortably in a 1400 sq ft house (with a quarter, unfinished basement) on a 9000 sq ft lot. We live in an area that gets a good amount of rain with decent soil. I think we could plant enough stuff to make a dent in our food needs if we had to and we have several neighbors that have gardens and probably guns and they are generally a decent bunch. We have a creek maybe a quarter mile away that fills up pretty good when it rains and with some effort, I could ride a bike to the lake/wetlands to fish.

But as much as I love my family, I don't think we could handle being cooped up in one room for a year.

FWIW, if I was really concerned about a pregnancy, I'd prioritize cloth diapers over formula. Surely there would be plenty of time for mom to breastfeed.
 

ObeyBunny

New member
Joined
Mar 8, 2010
Messages
573
MBTI Type
INTJ
For real.
FWIW, if I was really concerned about a pregnancy, I'd prioritize cloth diapers over formula. Surely there would be plenty of time for mom to breastfeed.

I actually wasn’t prioritizing. The order you see things in is basically the order I thought of these things. If nothing else, the baby formula can be added to powdered milk and eaten by the adults (as far as I know, it's nutritionally balanced)
 

yvonne

A passer by
Joined
Mar 1, 2010
Messages
534
MBTI Type
INfP
Enneagram
5w4
i'd rather someone else make the list and especially the calculations first. then i'd go through it and make suggestions. if i had to spend a year in a room i think some of the things you listed in the OP would be unnecessary and i'd probably replace them with something else.
 
Top