# Squatting Journal, Day by Day



## Loudlocusts (Aug 27, 2020)

I will be updating this journal so you can see in real time how things develop. Typically day by day, unless it's a nonsense day.
I am brand new to this, so it all comes from the eyes of a total newbie.

*Day 1 *- Three floors on the house I found. Basement has water and electricity, and a broken in door. Ground floor or second floor is the come in spot that is boarded up. Top floor has only half of the windows still there.

There is a ton of bushes and plants so if I go in at night, no one sees me. I have not yet met anyone and weirdly there is little trash. The consistently running water makes it easy to sleep.

I am thinking about putting a door on the back, and letting it rest for a week to see if anyone does anything. Not sure how I'm going to do this, but practice makes perfect. Put a door on the back with a lock. That's the first part.


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## Loudlocusts (Aug 28, 2020)

I'm also treating a massive sunburn so I'm just staying in here using the electricity and water hoping no one sees me with the door broken open.

Writing, reading, computing


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## Loudlocusts (Aug 28, 2020)

Day 2 - The door in the building doesn't fit the downstairs door. There are none in here that does, but there is plenty of laid around wood. I am going to have to find a new door, or cut the top off of this one.

I made a makeshift shower, and then showered. It was fairly easy and straightforward and refreshing with the cool water coming out. If I want to stay in this place until winter (if I am not discovered), I can only go up to the cold temperatures. Because that pipe is surely going to freeze at some point. It's also possible it'll automatically turn off. Either way, I need to figure out where all the meters are.

I locked the windows so I know where people are coming in. Which would have to be strictly the basement, because the front door is just wood without a doorknob.

Honestly, I think I could get away with not putting a door in, but soon enough drug addicts are going to use it inside, which is why I've seen cops here before. Up to this point though, I've seen no cops outside the building. It's probably a rare occurence and no one in this area is used to squatters. I might put like an official notice at the backdoor about trespassing, instead of a door, so it deters the drug addicts from getting inside.


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## RoseRred (Aug 29, 2020)

Loudlocusts said:


> Day 2 - The door in the building doesn't fit the downstairs door. There are none in here that does, but there is plenty of laid around wood. I am going to have to find a new door, or cut the top off of this one.
> 
> I made a makeshift shower, and then showered. It was fairly easy and straightforward and refreshing with the cool water coming out. If I want to stay in this place until winter (if I am not discovered), I can only go up to the cold temperatures. Because that pipe is surely going to freeze at some point. It's also possible it'll automatically turn off. Either way, I need to figure out where all the meters are.
> 
> ...


Nothing wrong with the drug addicts. Do you have anything worth stealing?


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## superphoenix (Aug 29, 2020)

If you're comfortable with it, I think adding some pics of the squat would really enhance the journal so we can see your daily progress


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## Loudlocusts (Aug 29, 2020)

Day 3 - Didn't get much done today. Just relaxing and a few small convenience things. I am going over in my head what my plans on, and if I want to turn this into a house, or just set it up so it's useable without people noticing.

I made the shower a bit more comfortable, so less likely to hurt myself on the gravel in the basement. Stretched out the hose a little. But I need to heat treat it to get it to stay long so that won't stay for long.

I made a bench for convenience so I can do work without sitting on the floor.

I am going to upload pictures tomorrow when sunlight is out. There are no lights in the house, but there is electricity so I can set up like christmas tree lights throughout the basement at night if I want to make this into a noticeable neighborly thing.

As it stands, I can get in and out without people noticing, covered by bushes. At night, there is no chance of anyone seeing me. Right beside me, there is a forest I'm thinking of hanging a clotheline in, and maybe bringing like a casual washbasin bowl inside. I have trashbags to put wet and washed clothes to bring out at night and let to dry for the next day. A washbasin wouldn't be too noticeable if it's small and looks like it was thrown around.

If I'm putting a door on, I still need to figure out how to get a door in. I don't have a car to walk a door to the house, or a power saw to cut it. So I might have to bring someone else onto the project, if I want to get noticeable. I still think it's reasonable to maybe just keep it downlow, and use it for my needs without arousing people noticing.


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## Deleted member 23824 (Aug 29, 2020)

If you just stay ahead of your clothing needs, hanging your clothes up inside will get them dry, too, just take a bit longer. I would not want to haul them in and out, especially since you’ll apparently be washing them indoors? Enjoying your story, and yeah, add some photos if you can.

There is bit of a problem with drug addicts, I agree.


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## Loudlocusts (Aug 29, 2020)

Faceplant said:


> If you just stay ahead of your clothing needs, hanging your clothes up inside will get them dry, too, just take a bit longer. I would not want to haul them in and out, especially since you’ll apparently be washing them indoors?



I worry if I leave them out, it makes it a lot easier for people to notice I'm inside. If a cop gets inside, I can run and get out because I'm not carrying much. But if my clothes are inside, I might not get those back if I'm caught.

How long does drying inside take? It's completely dark inside.


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## Deleted member 23824 (Aug 29, 2020)

Length varies, of course. We dry clothes indoors in our rainy moist winters here, but we do heat with wood. If you can hang them in front of a crawl space/basement or attic space hatch where there’s airflow, yet they won’t be seen, maybe a day and a half? Get your timing down, you’d not ever have to run out on or lose one set of clothes, I think.


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## Loudlocusts (Aug 29, 2020)

Faceplant said:


> Length varies, of course. We dry clothes indoors in our rainy moist winters here, but we do heat with wood. If you can hang them in front of a crawl space/basement or attic space hatch where there’s airflow, yet they won’t be seen, maybe a day and a half?



Eh Ok. I think I can do that. There are times I'm staying inside that long.


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## Deleted member 23824 (Aug 29, 2020)

I have never squatted, or been houseless, but I constantly think about how I would live stealthily if I was. Things like sleep days, emerge at night. Wear really clean or preppy looking clothes, though kind of hard to look preppy when your 60. Keep an overall neat/conventional appearance. Never have a set pattern if possible, never tell anyone where I laid my head. Common sense stuff, I think, but all the stuff that is opposite to the way most here exist.


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## Matt Derrick (Aug 30, 2020)

if you have electricity, you could buy a cheap box fan and point it at the clothesline filled with your clothes and dry them that way


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## Loudlocusts (Aug 30, 2020)

Day 4 - Nonsense day. But to keep things alive, I should still talk.

Basically just relaxing, I pretty much stayed in the makeshift shower all day. Slept for the majority of it.

I think my skin isn't handling the not finished house particles. Whatever it is, It's giving me skin problems. So I just decided to stay in the shower and rest in general, trying to stop touching my skin, especially after touching the dusty housing everything.

It might be a good idea, to just bring in an industrial vaccuum and try to remove all the particles and what have you. I moved a few things from upstairs during the storm, so I can wait for another storm, then turn on the vaccuum and go to town. I don't want to be noticed.

That's probably my gameplan from now on. Just having such a light impact on the area that people don't notice me. I doubt police officers can get in the house without breaking a window, so my only concern is people coming form the basement to do who knows what.


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## staywild92 (Aug 31, 2020)

I've done plenty squatting whether just looking for duckout, a nice flophouse or a permanent spot. If your thinking of staying there for a time (month or more) I'd consider getting a house mate who you can trust and maybe meeting some of the neighbors. I squatted on and off at my old place after the owner passed for four years and the neighborhood is vital to ensuring your security and just the overall feeling of knowing that " this is my home" kinda thing. Good thing you got water tho. Pooping in bags gets old fast. Good luck champ!


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## Loudlocusts (Sep 1, 2020)

Day 5,6 - Nonsense days. Just relaxing.

@staywild92 My concern with getting the neighbors to know is that you have no idea how they'll react. It's not the type of community to welcome outsiders.


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## Loudlocusts (Sep 6, 2020)

Day 7-11 - Pretty nonsense days.

I cleaned up the area a little bit, and made the automatic shower be able to spray from above me without me holding it.

I think I'm just going to vaccuum. Otherwise, not much is happening.

I worry that the area I'm currently in isn't the best for this sort of thing. I am looking outward, but for now, it still works fine.

It's seriously lonely being alone in here.


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## Loudlocusts (Sep 8, 2020)

Day 12 - Finally, I have full bedding with a blanket and mattress. It can be rolled up to be hidden, so that's a plus. There is a washable sheet for the bed as well.

At this point, things are almost just like before squatting. But location and security are definitely not the same, as this can all be destroyed/taken away by the correct people. There is no security, or break, from the worry that I'm going to lose this little cozy space at some point.

For cooking, still need to get a burner or ricecooker. I found a mini fridge I can use.

Looking for advice.


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## Loudlocusts (Sep 11, 2020)

*Day 14 -** My ASS got discovered.*

Guy came in, busting down the makeshift door, saw my naked ass (literally naked), as I awkwardly told him to give me a second to put on some clothes and leave.

He clearly didn't know English, but as I'm packing my stuff off and as he is turning the water off inside, he says, "If I see you again, I'm calling the cops."

I'm there right now, and the utilities are all still ON, and even though I left quickly and without my stuff, everything is still here, nothing thrown out. He just came in and that was that. He did remove some convenience stuff though.

Anyway, I need a coin flip here.

Do I keep coming back, to use utilities, but sleep somewhere else? (Emoji useful)

Or consider this place a dud and not come back? (Emoji sad)


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## staywild92 (Sep 14, 2020)

I'd say get the stuff you need and if you wanted to return give it a week or so


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## staywild92 (Sep 14, 2020)

Sucks about your spot tho seemed like you were getting comfy is all. I feel for you tho man I, got caught once at this place by the owner in the middle of a horizontal hustle. Guy hapd steam coming out his ears but he didn't even wait for me to throw my pants on before he threatened my life as he stormed out. I didn't think I was that ugly...


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