PDA

View Full Version : TIPS - where to stash food storage...



Noahs ARK
08-08-2010, 08:56 PM
I've run out of ideas.

I have food and water in all my closets, in cabinets, under my bed, in the (small) walk-out basement & crawlspace, under bathroom sinks and in bathroom drawers.

We don't have a garage or full basement, so storage is becoming an issue. We discussed having a garage attached to our garage, but it's soooo expensive.

How I would love a garage to store just my water! That would free up so much space in my house.

In the meantime - where are YOU stashing your supplies?

LoudmouthMormon
08-08-2010, 09:11 PM
I've run into people very big on burying it. These folks are anticipating the collapse of civilization, followed by food rioters and looters andmass migrations, followed by a huge die-off. Burying valuable stuff and coming back for it later makes sense if you anticipate something similar.

KF7EEC
08-09-2010, 09:43 AM
here is a powerpoint SWMBO did a few years ago.

http://michael.coxfam.org/wp-content/plugins/download-monitor/download.php?id=2

Charlene
08-09-2010, 10:12 AM
kf7eez can you summarize your powerpoint? We are rural and on limited bandwidth - can't download anything.

We recently left city life for a rural location. We don't have a basement, and are very limited in space. Thus, I have given up on being "pretty" and organized. Currently my long-term food storage lines my walls in our living room and dining room and kitchen. There are boxes behind and under every bed. There are boxes lining my bedroom walls.

I haven't yet decided how best to handle my water storage. I have several 55 gallon drums that were in our basement at the last house. I guess I'll have to try putting them up on blocks in the garage and maybe not fill them as full in case of freezing. I've thought that maybe I would try wrapping them in insulated blankets like you would a hot water heater. Don't know if that will help or not.

Have other 55 gallon drums of extra bedding, tp, and other items that are ok to be in the garage outside.

I've got canned goods behind our books on any bookshelves we have.

I feel like you and am quickly running out of options. We would love to build a earth-sheltered type of basement, but I'm afraid it would flood. We are in a valley. Hoping others will post their ideas too.

Oh, one idea I saw some time ago for storing extra bedding - thus freeing up some closet space, was to place extra blankets and such between your box spring and your mattress. Lay them out flat and you'll hardly know they are there:)

Noahs ARK
08-09-2010, 10:32 AM
I've run into people very big on burying it. These folks are anticipating the collapse of civilization, followed by food rioters and looters andmass migrations, followed by a huge die-off. Burying valuable stuff and coming back for it later makes sense if you anticipate something similar.

I was just talking to my nephew this weekend and he was telling me that he's started burying his storage in his crawlspace. He puts it in a storage bin, digs a hole, puts the bin in the hole & then pushes the dirt back on top.

Our crawlspace is solid rock, so that's not an option. I was really impressed by my nephew. This is a 36 year old inactive member who recently decided that maybe he needs to get active again and 'get with the program'.

Noahs ARK
08-09-2010, 01:29 PM
Oh, one idea I saw some time ago for storing extra bedding - thus freeing up some closet space, was to place extra blankets and such between your box spring and your mattress. Lay them out flat and you'll hardly know they are there:)

I bought some Space Savers 2 years ago - it was the BEST investment I've ever made.

I'm not kidding - you put a 3-ft tall pile of blankets (or whatever) inside the Space Saver, suck the air out with your vacuum and it all shrinks down to 1-ft. The tv ads do NOT lie.

Plus - if you put a sachet in there, everything smells nice & clean when you go to use it.

And they have them for closets, too. You can bundle up winter coats & clothes to make room for other stuff in the closet.

LOVE these things!!

Justme
08-09-2010, 10:27 PM
The space saver bags are great for a lot of things but it is my understanding that if you use them for comforters, down or synthetic, sleeping bags, or coats that depend on their loft of air spaces for insulation you will lose some of that insulating value when you take them out of the bag as they never fully recover.

I liked the canned goods behind the books idea, will try it soon.

Noahs ARK
08-10-2010, 01:01 PM
The space saver bags are great for a lot of things but it is my understanding that if you use them for comforters, down or synthetic, sleeping bags, or coats that depend on their loft of air spaces for insulation you will lose some of that insulating value when you take them out of the bag as they never fully recover.

I liked the canned goods behind the books idea, will try it soon.

We keep our winter comforters & feather mattress in a space saver bag and they're fine when we bring them back out. They just need to be fluffed up a bit.

Our coats get a little wrinkled, but I haven't noticed any change when wearing them.

Keep in mind we're in TN and it gets cold here, but not freezing. Maybe I just can't notice the change because of that.

I love the canned goods behind the books idea, too!! When I move all my bookshelves upstairs, I'll be doing that before putting the books back on the shelves.