A question and some much needed advice...

[Printlover23]

I've been lurking here for a while but finally decided to come outta my cage and ask for some advice
(2 parts)

I've heard that to cope with the sound of popping some people use ear plugs. Now since I'm s**tscared of popping and I want to keep my hearing going until I'm at least 70 I'm interested in trying ear plugs so just how good are they at blocking" out the pop? Are pops still kinda loud in general with them in?

(part 2)
Living with parents means I gotta be vigilant about how well hidden my stash is well turns out I'm not vigilant enough because my mother found my stash a while back so what's the best method in hiding my balloon stash (I have a small bedroom and underneath my bed is a no go) tyvm

[b0f0s0f]

Re: A question and some much needed advice...

An alternative to earplugs is to pop underneath a duvet or any other thick padded blanket. That way it's quiet for everybody and not just you, so you can even pop with people home if you have a room that will block the remainder of the sound. The downside is that you can't see the balloon unless you're under the covers with it.

Foam earplugs have the potential to be extremely sound deadening, the best hearing protection available. The cylindrical ones are the best, if you roll them up tight enough and deep-insert them they will block your entire ear canal and you won't even be able to hear yourself talk beyond the vibrations that conduct through your skull.

[Meililoon]

Re: A question and some much needed advice...

1:
I've been using ear plugs whenever I've had balloons around for 10 years now, because I hate loud sounds in general. You can still hear the bang, but it's not at an uncomfortable level, so it won't damage your hearing. I usually buy packs with 10 pairs at a hardware store and keep using them till they get too dirty. They're really cheap, but works great.
When I put them in, I usually clap my hands next to each ear to check that they're put in properly. Sometimes they expand a little before they're properly pushed in, so I have to pick another one and replace it to block the sound properly.

2.
When I lived with my parents, I used to keep my balloons in a shoebox hidden underneath some old school assignments and other papers in a drawer in my desk. I don't think they ever found them. For added protection, you can put your collection in a plastic bag, before putting them in the box too. That way it's not immediately obvious what it is if they for some reason decide to open the box.

[balloonyboy13]

Re: A question and some much needed advice...

I use the earplugs as people above have said and when inserted properly you can hear next to nothing so the pop sounds more like a click. On the parents front i have the same trouble but i have stacks of boxes on top of my wardrobe put them in a box and put it right to the bottom of the pile nothing suspected yet and thats three years since i started buying balloons for playtimes

[wildheart]

Re: A question and some much needed advice...

I haven't tried ear plugs yet but usually use headphones when inflating incase it pops. I keep my stash in a locked laptop bag. That way there's no chance of discovery.

[Printlover23]

Re: A question and some much needed advice...

Thanks for the responses guys massive help I think I'll go for the earbuds just to keep my poor ears from harm lmao. As for the stash I was thinking shoebox at the bottom of the bedroom having you guys also hide your stash there I'll put mine there aswell. Many thanks <3