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I have a small device (electronic cigarette), that I am not allowed to use any more, so I need to hide it for family reasons.

However, I might use it again in the future so would like to leave that possibility open.

I could easily throw it away, and later - if my circumstances change - buy a new one, but I like it and I would like to use this device again.

I never used it for anything illegal, and its worth is close to zero.

However:

  • I can't hide it with friends or family members (they live thousands kilometers away, and I can not be sure, what will happen to them, or to our relation, so many years later)
  • I can't hide it in my home (I have no idea, where I will live years later, and my family might find it)

So, what to do? My current best idea is to put it into a waterproof box and bury it in a close forest. Maybe also a better option exists?

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  • If its worth is close to zero, why would it not be worth getting rid of it and replacing it if you need to sometime in the future? Is the close to zero money saved worth years of anxiety about it being found? If you have environmental qualms about throwing it out, you could sell it or donate it...
    – Luke Sawczak
    Commented Sep 12, 2020 at 12:55
  • @SurpriseDog I am sorry, but it is a school example of a fake news article. The count of the verifiable facts is close to zero, while it has a lot of categoric statements and other effects intended to convince a specific group of readers.
    – Gray Sheep
    Commented Sep 12, 2020 at 14:27
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    @LukeSawczak I like my items, I don't want to simply throw them out. I have a Macbook 2,1 from 2006 and I use it nearly every day.
    – Gray Sheep
    Commented Sep 12, 2020 at 14:29
  • @SurpriseDog If it is some km s away, buried in a forest, and getting to it means some hours of work (biking + digging), yes it is effectively thrown out. I replaced it with nicotinic chewing gum.
    – Gray Sheep
    Commented Sep 12, 2020 at 14:36
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    Quit smoking!!!
    – user600016
    Commented Sep 17, 2020 at 3:44

4 Answers 4

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If you are willing to make an investment, consider hiding your paraphernalia in plain view!

Make a personal statement to any and all to see that you have taken the challenge to make a commitment to put this part of your life aside.

Here's the HACK: Take your little device to a frame shop where memorabilia is made into some personalized wall art. A "shadow box" frame need not be very large so there will always be space for it on your wall and no problem with packing and storage if you relocate. You'll always know where it is and it will be enough of an investment to remain something to just look at.

The wall art can be 'time-stamped' with an attractive label as part of the frame to help you celebrate your continuing personal achievement.

Good luck!

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  • Im pretty sure the question stated "I can't hide it in my home (I have no idea, where I will live years later, and my family might find it)" I would suspect that the idea here is to have family not know it exists any more?
    – Jacques Ramsden
    Commented Sep 22, 2020 at 19:14
  • @JacquesRamsden Often, out-of-the-box solutions appear to violate stated intent; but, I've found over years of problem-solving that a good solution takes other unstated and often unsuspected routes toward an acceptable remedy. Encapsulating an object can make it inconvenient and sometimes inaccessible for its intended use. Let's let the OP decide what suits them from among our suggestions and comments. Votes indicate popularity and may not be suitable for the OP.
    – Stan
    Commented Sep 22, 2020 at 20:02
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I would first of all suggest that you weigh up the effort to store this device versus the cost of replacing it if the need arises.

That being said placing things in boxes and burying them sounds like something of a bad idea. I would rent a safety deposit box at the bank and store it there. Again this would mean that you are paying for it to be stored each month so it should really be worth storing and not buying a new one.

The biggest thing to think about would be the batteries. Although batteries have a long shelf life I believe that rechargeable ones need to be topped up every now and again or else they become unstable. A leaky battery or worse an exploding one might damage the device. Even if the battery is removed would you be able to get a replacement for it in the future when you want to use it again?

The more I think about a possible solution to your question the more I want to advise you to throw it away, I'm sure that if you wanted to, there would be updated models that you could buy in the future and save yourself the effort of storing it now.

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  • @ShadowWizardisEarForYou These are to protect things valuable for everybody. What I want to protect, has zero value for everybody other, except me. The price of the protection measures would be wasted.
    – Gray Sheep
    Commented Sep 12, 2020 at 15:43
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Spoken like a true addict.

Listen to yourself: you're willing to go to significant effort and expense to keep the device you use to feed an addiction to a harmful substance.

Best to make a commitment to yourself never to use the device again, and never to replace it, and ceremonially destroy it (carefully -- the lithium batteries in those are hazardous in a whole different way). Properly dispose of the device, the "juice", and everything related, to remove temptation -- and to show your commitment to your family and the world.

The longer you don't use it, the easier it will be not to miss it.

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There are a lot of easy household options here since it's small. You really can keep it in the house. If you move, and you're nervous, simply take it with you.

  1. unscrew a forced-hot-air or HVAC vent cover and stick it in there.

  2. put it in an old paint can with some sand and leave in the garage.

  3. duck tape it to the underside of a bureau or other furniture.

  4. using a utility knife, make a hollow part in the middle of a book. Then glue the whole book back together. Not a fake book. Those are easy to spot.

You get the idea. Anything no one would want to open or look inside. All those locations above are also good places to hide money.

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