Creative Space-Friendly Storage Hacks for Preppers

[@KellyS_77]

My only real tip for secret storage is to use a layer of cardboard on the floor. It helps protect your floors, makes it easier to slide things in and out, and can also alert you if your water starts leaking by leaving a puddle on your cardboard before it soaks into your carpet or wood floor.

[@SgtRudySmith31bRet]

The glue in cardboard attracts roaches.

[@KellyS_77]

@@SgtRudySmith31bRet It's really never been a problem. Only one place I've lived has ever had roaches and they were there before we moved in.

[@bearrivermama6414]

@@SgtRudySmith31bRet that would be awful! I’m so very grateful we don’t have roaches!!!!

[@oldtimerlee8820]

@@SgtRudySmith31bRet The cardboard provides a hiding place for them AFTER they've invaded a space. We had roaches one time and had to hire an exterminator. We brought them into our home. I know this for a fact. The roach eggs came from something that was given to us. Later learned that home was infested. Once they were eliminated we haven't had a problem since. I store home canned goods in cardboard. I use cardboard, between layers, for stacking both home processed and purchased cans & jars. I keep broken down cardboard boxes for fire starters and other uses.

[@shawnamattox2756]

If you collect extra cardboard boxes from garbage dumpsters, they will have all sorts of infestations. That being said, most people would never dream of dumpster diving. However, how many people bring home items from garage sales, church bazaars, etc; never quite knowing where the cardboard has been. Even ordinary shoe boxes may have some history. Sounds paranoid. But I have seen apartments infested with unbelievable critters because of dumpster diving. Sheetrock had to be dropped out & replaced. Be careful.

[@ruthmiller5588]

Grannie came from pioneer stock. Her families on both sides were farmers. She wrote about how in the Autumn the women in the family would dig large holes below the freeze line. Then they would lay fresh straw in the holes and fill the holes with apples, potatoes and so much more of the "hard" fruits and veggies. She said they made sure that none of the fruit or veggies had bad spots on them. When the holes were filled with produce each was covered with a thick layer of straw then dirt and marked as to what was in each hole. She wrote that they had fresh produce all Winter into Spring.

[@ruthmiller5588]

@@TheProvidentPrepper Grannie wrote most of the details of food saving for Autumn through Spring down in her writings of the "olden days" as she called it. She was born before the turn of the last century. Her parents and the elders were of the Victorian era and of strong stock. They worked hard and never went hungry on the farm. Grannie always felt the food saving knowledge would be needed once again. I believe she was right!

[@eric7397]

Another safety note. One of the pictures showed food stored in an unused bathtub. It's important to pour some water down the drain occasionally so that the trap remains full. Certainly if you smell sewer gas, it's time to fill the trap.

[@chickchoc]

Another site suggested covering a wall of storage with drywall and making it look as though it was a "normal" wall. Great for saving space and keeping long term supplies out of sight in case of civil unrest.

[@panpiper]

Yea, for a lot of us, concealing our preps is very important.

[@daniellebarker7667]

You can also build that wall with the lightweight, waterproof foam wallboard meant for bathroons. Set it into a frame so the panels can be easily removed. Velcro holds the panels in place quite nicely. A small cord handle can be nearly invisible at floor level to remove the panels.

[@bruceforster5993]

I know this idea. I'm hoping to do the same thing in our next house.

[@kathypaaaina3953]

@@daniellebarker7667 Aloha hugs 🤗 from Hawaii Awesome Idea supplies on the Island are getting expensive.

[@daniellebarker7667]

@@kathypaaaina3953 here, too, but probaly much higher for you. Best of luck, well wishes and fervent prayers that we all see better days soon.

[@oldtimerlee8820]

Folding screens can be put across the corner of a room(s). Perhaps hang a picture on it and put a small table and chair in front for a reading nook. Behind the screen stack all sorts of supplies. I have an 18 qt electric roaster and a number of large stock pots that are generally seasonal use. Between uses these can provide temporary storage for all sorts of things. When I need the roaster, a folding card table becomes a temporary parking spot. An ironing board is another surface to park what I had in the roaster, for example. Put a sofa table against the wall behind the couch. Cover it with a decorative drape if the ends can easily be seen. Put family pictures on top and food storage underneath. If there's enough wall space, pick up a vintage entertainment center with doors (or add doors, as applicable). Many of them had all sorts of storage compartments. With or without a TV (substitute with art work if needed), with the doors closed no one knows there's cans of beans inside. Vintage flat top trunks, topped with a sheet of glass will yield a functional coffee table that stores extra kitchen linens when the stash of paper towels run out. Put a set of bookcases behind the couch. Above the back of the couch, add books, decorative objects and metal tins with first aid supplies. Below the back of the couch, plastic shoe box sized containers for whatever will fit. Perhaps extra spices, shoe laces (a multi-use item), stash of printer paper & cartridges ... the list can go on. To make it easy to move the couch put it on a set of furniture sliders for carpet or solid flooring, as applicable. ( Or at least keep them on hand. I have to as I'm too old to move furniture anymore, even to clean behind it. They are invaluable to me. ) A stack of vintage suitcases, with a lamp on top becomes an end table. A backporch with a roof or a balcony with decent rain protection can be a location for plastic storage cabinets. It frees up a lot of space inside our house. Caulk the seams when you put it together for extra protection. A good place to store what isn't affected by heat and cold. I have one on our backporch for all sorts of things relating to cooking outdoors. From paper plates, Solo cups, utensils, grill & smoker supplies, to aluminum disposable roasting pans. Anything that can be damaged, such as paper plates, are stored in plastic, in case we ever have a rain issue. Either oiginal packaging or zip top bags. Where the two doors meet, there is a small opening where wind driven rain might enter. That cabinet is 10-15 years old and so far we've never had an issue. From what I understand, some patio deck boxes may serve the same purpose. If you have a formal dinning room that rarely used (we do), put a table cloth on it. One large enough to reach the chair seats. Use those seats for storage. If you need the table, temporarily put the stored items on someone's bed and close their bedroom door. Packs of toilet paper, tissues, containers of extra OTC meds, same for spices, tub of jars of popcorn, etc. Storing batteries in their individual packages can be bulky. A space saver is a small parts organizer cabinet or 2. When buying one, take a double A battery with you. Check the trays to make sure you can lay a AA battery crosswise. I have 2 of these with multiple sized trays. One is for non-rechargable batteries, from AAA to D cell. A large center tray has a couple of battery testers. Other trays have button batteries, and misc related gear. The other is dedicated to rechargable batteries, their chargers, cables, mini flashlights, etc. They form a "power" station area. Set up a rotation system to use the oldest batteries of either type first. A bonus is that it's easy to tell when a particular type is running low. Hope this thoughts add to the discussion. I'm sure the average prepper John and Jane Doe all have one thing in common - need for more storage. Thank you for the opportunity to share. God Bless.

[@oldtimerlee8820]

One more note. *Mouse proof all of your food storage* . I live in a rural with forest and farmland surrounding our home. We have to keep mouse traps set all the time. When the weather become colder, we usually trap several of them. No way we can stop up all the dime sized openings that allow them to get under and then into our home. It only takes 1 pregnant mouse to do a lot of damage, if she finds a way inside your home. Unless it's metal or glass, most original food packaging can easily be opened by mice. If nothing else $ store plastic shoe box storage containers will offer some protection for beans, pasta, rice, etc that come in paper boxes or thin plastic bags.

[@panpiper]

@@oldtimerlee8820 Cats are your friend. I have a good mouser. Anywhere I have lived has wound up devoid of mice within days. He'll go for rats if he can't find mice.

[@janelleclark7476]

@@oldtimerlee8820 💘££plooooooooooôooooooooooo6ôy 7

[@janelleclark7476]

@@oldtimerlee8820 7lll

[@christinagardener1889]

When my husband opens a closet door to look for something he just looks with his eyes without moving things to look behind them. This gave me the idea to put food storage in the back of every shelf and then put the things we use regularly in front in a single row. Now we both love how easy it is to find what we're looking for.

[@mgd6087]

If you use a thick slim board, you can install a small shelf on the wall between the head and shoulder area of the hangers. It fits smaller items.

[@gsdalpha1358]

We eked out a little more storage space in clothes closets by putting boxes underneath hanging clothes. Unless someone has a stacked rod system (one high and one low), there's room underneath hanging shirts and slacks which don't go all the way to the floor anyway. I love these people's ingenuity in maximizing space!

[@oldtimerlee8820]

If they can add a stacked rod system, that'll free up a section of floor to upper shelf to stack buckets, for example. I also use all free floor place in our closets, as well. 👍

[@Lulu-he9dp]

Wonderful ideas for storage! My only suggestion is decluttering the whole house and getting rid of "things" that are no longer useful or special to you. Being retired, I know I'm over the major decorating that I used to enjoy for the seasons and holidays for instance. I just want very few special items out which means more space for food storage and less "stuff" to take care of. Could even have a garage sale and use money for essential preps or shelving/totes. Thank you for so many solutions!

[@jules-marcdavis6843]

I was cluttered with decor and extra furniture even, I'm going into my 2nd dump in my 2 bedroom. So many boxes of crafts from years ago. It never ends,getting rid of decor and putting up things I use has made space, I needed these ideas I tried totes and a shelf but it looks a mess, I'll figure it out, my walk in closet is filled with totes of long term stuff and the top shelves full of tp and paper towels. Organization is hard for me. Having the DI went from filling my apt. With cool decor to providing me with storage ideas

[@terryhall2299]

Wonderful idea!

[@kathypaaaina3953]

@Lulu Aloha Yes I understand you completely now if my sweetie would not move things around when I'm not home. I agree

[@terrisserose]

Thank you so much I feel so unseen in the community But people who live in motels, or apartments, or small homes, we exist

[@sweetsue1750]

The Apartment Prepper has great ideas

[@panpiper]

Under elevated bed, cans under sofa, wall of boxes and efficient closets are king for apartment dwellers. High shelving too where practical.

[@oldtimerlee8820]

Definitely! When we got married, we moved into a 10'x50' mobile home. Yes, it was a real challenge to find room to store extra cans (yes, metal cans) of coffee and jars of home canned green beans. One of the challenges was/is how to decide what to store. For example, in such small space we would not have stored paper towels. A few extra dish towels would be equivalent to no telling how many bulk packs of paper ones. I learned to store ingredients, rather than recipes. Then, to use the ingredients to make all sorts of recipes. For example, I store plain canned chicken. Both home canned and purchased. One jar of chicken can be turned into soup, stew, salad, pot pie, BBQ, and more. I don't separately can those recipes for chicken. By simply canning plain chicken, the storage footprint for chicken is small compared what it would take to store all those mixtures containing chicken. That leaves room to store plain canned beef and pork. (Hope that makes sense.) You are not unseen to those of us who have been there, and may still be there now. A lot of older folks have had to downsize for various reasons. Can't clean and maintain the big 'ol house and lawn. Can't afford insurance and property taxes, these days. Can't climb stairs any longer. Sick of HOA rules. The list of why is long on why so many live in small homes, just like you do.

[@joannc147]

@@oldtimerlee8820 ❤

[@oldtimerlee8820]

@@joannc147 Thank you.

[@silenceisgolden705]

Lots of great ideas! I live is a small town in an apartment and I’ve been prepping and looking for space. Under my couch my canned jars fit perfectly and behind my couch I have gallon water. My bed is high and I have boxes that slide out on both sides and a row down the middle harder to get to. I keep my food items according to the expiration years. Hoping to get shelves up in a larger closet I have. God bless you and remember to hold on tight to Jesus!

[@mgd6087]

I live in an apartment where the lease says I must not store food anywhere but the kitchen. SO, ok. Little by little the non-food items have gone to other rooms. No cookbooks. No plastic containers. The "Mr. Coffee" got donated. Extra vinegar bottles, sodas, cooking oil hangout in the oven till I bake something. The pans are in a large tote bag in the living room. I will probably move the under-the-sink chemicals to the bathroom. My favorite space squeezer is using the "toe-kick" space under the cabinents. It is perfect for Spam cans which are the correct height and will snug in nicely. I covered foam board with the Rubbermaid pattern that best matched the wood of the cabinets and used it to hide the storage on top. The mismatch is obvious if you're looking for it, but the average person doesn't notice anymore! For easier can rotation, I cut some extra boards for one can height storage. Purchased 4 new pegs per board. Campbell's soups all on one shelf because they are smaller than other cans. Vegetables in one cabinet, fruits in the other. One entire shelf for the abundant green beans.

[@annaleedaughterofyhwh7767]

@m gd Well done.

[@roadglidegirl6005]

For those with financial shortages, I have done several hauls at the Dollar Store, you can find some great items. Canned goods, seasonings (salt which is important) first aide items and so on.

[@libertykatrkm]

$ tree has canning lids 14 (1.25) that have worked excellent

[@panpiper]

Financial shortage is actually a great training opportunity. The cheapest way to feed yourself when cash is super tight is with the old standby of rice and beans. Buy them in bulk and learn how to cook simple dishes by adding whatever other single ingredient you can acquire. I remember throwing a dinner party where I fed a couple of dozen with a stir fried onion, rice and beans. Everyone was quite happy, because I had figured out how to spice it well. (Oh yea, stock up on flavorings like spices.) With the money saved by making 90% of your food rice & beans, it is fairly easy even for the impoverished to start setting aside extra rice and beans. I speak from experience.

[@delorestaylor8114]

Smart girl!

[@mgd6087]

@@panpiper Ramen companies have recipie books. I wrote to 2 companies 15 years ago. I have a Thai peanut soup, a Mexican flavored soup, and Ceviche like one I make with a can of tuna and onion. I never baked with ramen, but one of the books had a recipe for a pizza! Potato flakes can be used to thicken the soup. (If you use too much, no loss. You will just have enhanced mashed potatoes!)

[@steveb855]

Ah college apts. Cardboard boxes covered with a table cloth for end tables. Shower curtains or beach towels for window curtains.

[@mosaicfarm2389]

We have a second hand wardrobe cabinet we converted into a pantry. It was an inexpensive way to add a lot of storage space to our dining room that doesn't look out of place.

[@theshadygrovehomestead]

Over the door shoe bags are great to store smaller things. I have one that I store otc meds in.

[@ladyhawthorne1]

I store the pouches of rice & pasta mixes, sauce packets and dried fruit packages in in on the back of the pantry door.

[@dlpeters0n]

One thing you need to consider is weight. If you have a huge amount of weight in a limited area, like a bed with 5 gallon buckets covering the floor underneath, that could be too much depending on what's in the buckets. They showed a pic of a storage rack in an unused bathtub with many shelves of produce. The contact points for the rack on the tub would likely break the tub, especially if not metal and/or the racks or metal, at least do cosmetic damage. It's kind of hard to pad something like that given the irregular shape of tub bottoms.

[@oldtimerlee8820]

I do hope they put down 2x4 runners and a plywood deck to support those shelves. If it isn't a steel or cast iron bath tub. Even with that I'd want something to protect the finish on the tub.

[@panpiper]

Gotta love basements. Just make sure it's somewhere that can't flood. I got hit with a flood once and lost everything I had save the clothes on my back and my friends. Thank god for friends. 😉

[@JM.5387]

I was also wondering what the load tolerance of the floor would be, although I imagine it's quite high, as I've never heard of someone's grand piano falling into the apartment below :-)

[@eahuebner1]

We stashed two totes behind each nightstand to make them stick out from the wall farther. We have an adjustable bed base and needed night stand placement we could reach with the bed sitting up.

[@customer5032]

Great idea! Or people with regular beds who don't have nightstands could use a plastic tote covered with a tablecloth or pretty blanket to make a nightstand, similar to one in the video only shorter...

[@tooshieg2059]

I've had luck in removing the drywall and using the space between studs on interior walls.

[@shermdog6969]

That freezer in the ground is the best idea I've seen vin a long time.

[@CarnivoreNana]

I store wherever I can. I live in a small 2br apt. Can't dig in the ground or other such things like home owners can. I'm 57. I feel like Ive got few options. However I stacked food to the rafters. My kitchen cabinets leave a space of about 18in between the top and the ceiling. Those are all full. I've also gotten used book shelves to max my space in my spare bedroom. Squirrel holing is what my friend calls it. Ive got a container garden but don't seem to get much harvest. I'm a new canner as of last yr so I need more space

[@bearrivermama6414]

Those lightbulbs are really cool👍🏻. We faced the need for quick storage and found a 17 ft enclosed trailer for a very reasonable price. It provides a TON of storage and it’s mobile. We also use our spare coolers as storage. We placed shelves in our garage (10 ft ceilings) all the way around the top of the walls. It’s high enough that it’s not in the way but still in a climate controlled space. And you can easily make a platform that can be raised to the ceiling in the garage on pulleys using a boat wench. When you need to access, crank it down, when your done, crank it back up. I’ve done this in the past with larger items like a truck topper or my onion/potato drying racks. 🙂 my drying racks take up half the garage and by raising them up to the ceiling we don’t loose the floor space and I’m not tripping over them constantly. One last place you might be able to eek out a little place is by cutting the dust cloth (that flimsy cloth that conceals the underside of the couch) off from underneath your couch. It’s a rather large space and if you tip the couch back you can fit shallow totes or #10 can’s under it and then tip the couch back upright over them.

[@delorestaylor8114]

Yes, overstock!

[@francinebowman990]

I would consider using a lock to something w/ trailer,,,i have heard of people hooking up campers and stealing them...

[@bearrivermama6414]

@@francinebowman990 100% yes! Every trailer we own has a lock plus don’t forget a locking hitch for traveling. A thief can easily pull the hitch right out and slip it into the receiver on their own vehicle. It was nice of you to have the trailer fully loaded for them😉🙄. Tow hitch and all. All doors on the trailer have locks as well.

[@desmahebiton4534]

I dont use my breakfast bar so i have put furniture cubes under it and placed a shower certain over the front. Cubes are the same depth as the breakfast bar. It gives me 8 cubes to fill with tin food, 5 ft long.

[@Chris-Moore501]

Filing cabinets are cheap at garage sales, sturdy and act as shelving you can actually slide out to access every can. The cans fit perfectly when stacked too!

[@oldtimerlee8820]

Bolt the 2 drawer file cabinets together to help keep the top one from tipping. And/or secure them to the wall with screws into the wall studs. I have several of those cabinets and if there's not enough weight in the bottom drawer, opening a heavy top drawer fully can cause it to tip over. Agree 100% that file cabinets are a good storage option. Wish I had room for a bunch of 4 or 5 drawer ones.

[@bjm315lacy9]

An added bonus to these is that are rodent resistant! Tight construction and on a flat surface keeps pests out. I have 6 filled. I write the dates I purchased items on the top so it ez to see which item to grab.

[@537537]

When we were first starting out we put food storage above our kitchen cabinets and then used some decorative foliage to cover it. Sometimes “lack of space” is just an excuse.

[@sincerely-b]

That's actually a great idea!

[@ladyhawthorne1]

I'm in a 1 bedroom apartment. I store items in bankers boxes. They are very sturdy and you can stack up to 350 pounds in one stack. Since they sit against the wall of my bedroom, I covered them in the same contact paper. I numbered each one and have a list of what is in each box. To store full canning jars I cut the height of the box to give only a 1" space above the jars so nothing is resting on the lids. Quarts fit perfectly in the original box height. Having the same size boxes, even with different heights, with the same contact paper on the outside, is a neat and tidy look and the boxes keep the items dust free and slightly insulated from changing temps thru the seasons.

[@jazzjacks8831]

Nice one. Hard finding space in small places. But you've also made it easy for some hungry people to carry away your boxes easily. Build yourself a full size one-inch thick, very lightweight false wall thing, wallpaper it so it just looks like a wall. It only has to be freestanding, something you can easily move yourself, but that a thief wouldn't notice easily. Maybe a little blu-tack or something in a few places on the back that sticks to the boxes, just to keep it upright. x

[@DC-rd6oq]

Similar to the cardboard box method, but I use rectangular plastic milk crates. I live in a hot, humid environment. Cardboard is susceptible to moisture and humidity and the cardboard itself can attract many types of pests. Even worse, termites and cockroaches love the glue used to bind cardboard boxes. So, absolutely no cardboard in my house. LOL. It all goes in the compost bins. I use 1/2 gallon mason jars in the plastic crates. Stack them and cover with a tablecloth or blanket.

[@patrysnel1392]

A friend of mine lives in a small apartment..she put on shelves 30 cm, 1 foot, from the ceiling, 30 cm wide shelves..all around the flat in every room, above doors and windows..the amount of storage she created is absolutely amazing!

[@tina_W7]

Here are some additional ideas.. If you have your couch up against the wall you can add a narrow shelf behind it (also very easy to build) and you can store things there. The couch blocks it from people seeing what supplies you put underneath it. Also.depending on the style of your couch, love seat & chairs, you can use the space underneath it to store shorter cans like tuna or chicken etc. I would suggest you use an inexpensive cookie sheet or box to put them on to slide the items in & out more easily. Depending on the depth of your book shelves you can put things between your books & the back of the shelf. If you do any of these I would suggest creating & keeping a current inventory list so you know what you have & where it's located. I hope these suggestions can help someone.

[@janeceulrich6633]

I have @100 lbs of rice and Beans in buckets behind my couch. The grandkids blankets are covering them a few layers deep so it's completely hidden.

[@oldtimerlee8820]

Thanks for the cookie sheet idea. I have several commercial sized roasting sheets that would be perfect for this.

[@jamiebrandon4256]

A metal garbage can (no lid) put a round piece of wood on top (you can use the piece from one of those cheap round tables from a discount store) cover with a 90” round cloth that matches your decor. Makes a beautiful accent table and you can fill the can with anything.

[@carolb3122]

I started canning last year. I know I can’t stack jars, so that is my biggest problem. I have wire rack storage shelves I’ve used for the canned and gamma sealed buckets. I put cardboard on the shelves holding the canned goods that need more stability when stacked. I’ve also seen a video where people have gotten wall panels 1/8” thick on the shelves, too. The shelves hold 350 lbs. each. Am having trouble getting the gamma lids on some of my buckets so I can add O2 absorbers. We’re both retired on fixed income so every time I go to the store I get a few more preps. The extra room in the basement has become my Prepper pantry.

[@adessachui7777]

I might be getting that bedframe. I bought one of those adjustible ones in case I bought a bigger mattress and the thing collapsed on me over time. I had a hard time getting it put together (probably cheap stuff.) If my boyfriend can't figure out what the problem is might just go with this one. I'm with you on the safety thing...my cats love to play under there.

[@KaylynnStrain]

my nightstand is actually an upeneded crate that is full of food cans. I have a stack of buckets behind my bedroom door that does not interfere with the opening of my closet door

[@susandowd1666]

You can put a curtain rod across those boxes and hang a curtain to cover them up you can also use that anywhere to cover up your food stash

[@chefevilee9377]

So as I stated we are going to be building our new house. I’m going to make all of the closets have a 3 foot back shelf to them. If you have a large enough closet you could do it all the way around the closet with 3 feet. But I am going to buy one of those clothing metal shelving’s under fabric with the zippers thingys,Lol. I’m going to set that in the back of the closet and then pull my bar a little bit more forward to hang clothing on. So you could store anything you wanted in there.

[@JM.5387]

I would like an inventory of what Marie and her son Oliver keep under their beds! Kudos, Marie -- you seem like a very resourceful woman.

[@proverbs3147]

I simply cannot thank you guys enough. Yours are some of the VERY FEW videos I can share with anyone without having to answer a million questions. Your content is TOP NOTCH!

[@loriirons3459]

I went to walmart and got 2 metal frame bottoms for twin beds. They stack beautifully on top of each other and there are 2 per twin bed, so 4 total. Less than half the price of a 4 shelf metal unit and twice as much space. We also put lightweight plywood on each shelf. I have 48 quart size jars on each shelf.

[@oldtimerlee8820]

Can you give the part number for the frame you bought? Maybe I don't understand. I didn't see anything that looks like it would work in a 2 pack. Again, I may not know what I'm actually looking for. TIA!

[@loriirons3459]

@@oldtimerlee8820 it is a metal frame for a twin bed that came in a 2 piece unit. They fold in half lengthwise if that helps. I got them a few years ago actually for a spare bed in an extra bedroom so it was not really recent. I just went up to my attic and saw them sitting there and thought why not use them for shelving when I went to Walmart and saw how expensive metal shelving was.

[@oldtimerlee8820]

@@loriirons3459 Thank you for your reply. Appreciated! I'll check Walmart again. Didn't see anything, at first glance. With more info, I'll try again.

[@pegsol3834]

Having a hard time visualizing this. Are they Hollywood frames? And how would they stack on top of each other?

[@ecmcn6323]

Great ideas here. Love the root cellars. Have water stored under my bed after seeing it done in your videos. About to change our kids beds, so now thinking to build a frame to meet our needs rather than purchase a permanent one that limits our options.

[@MichelleJ..]

Building our own bed to create storage is exactly what we did for our tiny house.

[@oldtimerlee8820]

Be sure to keep the water rotated, if it's cases of bottled water. These bottles don't last much longer than the use by date on the bottles. They are biodegradable - designed to break down in landfills and will leak. I know from personal experience when stored water leaked and damaged my floor. I keep bottled water for emergency use. We drink well water, thus we don't routinely use our bottled water. The month before the Best Buy date, we give these cases of stored water to family members who do drink bottled water. And replace the affected cases. (I put a note with the date on the outside of each case, when I store them. ) The water can be used to water plants, for dish washing, flushing, bathing the dog, etc. so the purchased water doesn't go to waste. Just keep an eye on yours. When you see the bottles begin to change shape (distort) it's time to replace them. Water stored long term, under a bed, may hid serious floor/carpet damage, if the bottles begin to leak.

[@robynm7221]

Containers made with HDPE plastic are durable & won't leach chemicaks into the water. I save all my VitaL Protein Collagen Peptides containers. They hold 20oz & I use them for many things, rice, grains, beans etc. I label them with a marker on Scotch blue tape that I make a pull tab to make emoving easier and I use these as I can fit a scoop in them to help retrieve what I need to use. I've been using them for years. The other cool thing about HDPE plastic is that you can melt the plastic & if you're crafty enough, you can make them into other items: bowls, plates, larger containers, etc. You just have to have a mold. 2 bowls that are stackable will make a new bowl in between from compression. Just another idea 💡 to share. 🥰🙋‍♀️❣

[@jackieroberts6316]

I avoid the bed frame problem by putting the mattress right on the boxes. I am short so this works well for me. Also, I am in the deep South and root cellars don't work well. Thanks for all you do.

[@bc24roxy4]

I put bed risers on my bed to make room for boxes that slide in and out all around my bed. Mine are made of plastic and are stack-able not as tall as yours and mine are very sturdy. And I was just able to finish putting some shelving up on one wall in back room. Great information!!! Thank you so much

[@PickledHam]

Several years ago I redecorated my bedroom. Built a 3 foot high platform with overhang for the bed to sit on. In addition I raised the bed up about a foot. Now I have plenty of storage.

[@MsShofargirl]

Buy those 3 legged tables-you can store a lot underneath them and simply cover with a table cloth to hide the treasures beneath.

[@cherylsxavier2975]

Build a 2x4 frame down your hall to store food!

[@KittyMama61]

We are filling, slowly, the space under our bed with #10 cans we get from our local salvage store for $1-$3 each. I like this idea. It also keeps the cat from getting under there. 😹

[@mntgardener9246]

Here's a few storage ideas: #1. I stacked boxes to make a 'plant stand' and covered them with a table cloth from the thrift store. Put a laminated shelf on top, and a plant, of course in front of a window. #2. I pulled the sofa away from the wall 9" to stack 2 gallon buckets, then cases of canned goods in the cardboard box to the top of the sofa. I bought a laminated shelf from Lowes the length of the sofa to make a 'console table'. Top shelf with a couple nick knacks and a lamp. #3. You can form 'end tables' with boxes. Cover with a pretty blanket, a table cloth, etc. Love your shows. Please keep putting out ideas.

[@fallonw7915]

Please talk more about these potatoes in the deep freeze cellar you made!

[@ssm090]

I’ve been putting stuff under our couch. There’s just so much space under there. They’re perfect height for #10 cans.

[@susanmiller9317]

I was injured and lost my house, acrage, chickens, and gardens in North Idaho. Now I'm living in a travel trailer in my brother's yard in Central Texas. No flat spot, I'm up on blocks on a stony hill. I have a full tiny pantry, and I''m stepping over and sleeping around mylar bags of rice and beans. There is no under the bed -- that's outside the trailer, and it's over 100 degrees out there. But the worst part is, my brother just rolls his eyes when I ask him to let me start a pantry for him at his house, and my sons are states away thinking gas is just high right now and maybe they'll put up some pickles. I feel like I've got to prep for everyone with no space and weight restrictions on my trailer. Even my little car is packed. I know what's coming, and I'm trying to start a greenhouse with a worm farm for my brother, but I know it won't be enough. If anyone has any thoughts....

[@mgd6087]

Invest in a pop-up canopy (More if possible). Cover the area where your door is so that the heat that comes in is a little cooler. Make raised beds that surround the canopy. Even if just using the cement bricks that you can fill with dirt and plant herbs and strawberries. It can also help to secure the posts to the beds. Store what you can on the inside of the raised beds perimeter. Remember that when people settled stony areas, they dug up the ones they could and used them for borders. Landscape terraces for food?

[@BlessedLifeOriginal]

Lol Home Depot just recently had a great sale on those queen sized bed platforms. And I totally got one

[@RhodeToPrepping]

Thanks for that higher metal bed frame tip. I have an old Waterfall bedroom suite in an extra bedroom. It is lower than other beds & since it has posters I have yet to figure out what to do. Can’t really sell the bed since it was given to my parents by mother’s aunt, then parents used it, had five children then my sister and I used it, then my sister took it with her when she got married, then she have it to her daughter, then now I have it. When my niece gets a little older I want to give it to her. I think that frame will fit inside that wood bed frame! If it won’t I think I can draw it and my hubby can weld something that will fit! Has anyone one told you today that they just love you two? Love you and all the effort you guys put into these videos!

[@RhodeToPrepping]

Praying for your speedy recovery !

[@j.n.w7903]

@@TheProvidentPrepper yes prayers going up for you!

[@MsShofargirl]

Don't forget your recliner chairs-pull away from the wall and you'll be amazed at how much storage space is available in the back of the chair. Entertainment centers too have so much space in the back for canned goods, simply put dvd's or whatever in front to hide them all.

[@lailingngan1828]

Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us. You are very generous with your time and energy. I just started, or , more like, just trying to get started with food storage because I want to self reliant. It feels overwhelming. I have ordered some wheat berries, have lots of rice and oil. I’ll keep on keeping on. Thanks again. Lai Ling

[@panpiper]

Prepping is a journey, not a goal. A little bit, every time you can, one step at a time. Wheat berries are good. Very high priority next is some water storage, and a water purifier. Then you'll want a grinder for your wheat berries. Next add beans to your stores. None of this is all at once, it's as you can. Just keep plodding along, watch videos to learn. You'll be surprised at how much more prepped you are in just six months.

[@susanchance5329]

Placed food items like cans and vacuum packed dry items in cupboards in laundry room.

[@OhavYisrail]

You have no idea how much i needed this video. I recently moved to a new apartment closer to work, but it's smaller. So now i have a veritable mountain of buckets and #10 cans hanging out in my living room trying to figure out where to put it all.

[@jillburkett6876]

I’ve had water bottles leak upstairs and I had it on cardboard and it got the carpet wet and the wood underneath the carpet. I would suggest you store your water in plastic containers to save your flooring.

[@oldtimerlee8820]

I keep plastic water bottles rotated for that very reason. Had serious floor damage when I didn't discover leaking in time. We have well water, so I store bottled water for just in case. Unused, it goes un-noticed when it fails. Now, I give it away or use it for watering plants and such before the Best By date expires. I put the date on the outside of the cases of water.

[@havingalotafun]

We used filing cabinets, both the tall regular and the wide with doors which lift up with drawers that pull out. We lined them against a wall, for insulation too.

[@joyceterra2265]

I love on a farm in the midwest and we have problems with rats and mice. Nothing h can be in plastic because they eat through it. I use 20 gallon trash cans to store my mylar bags, vaccuum sealer bags etc in my basement.

[@cathymiller3388]

I have to store my grain for my farm animals in metal garbage cans for the same reason

[@bruceforster5993]

I have several of the Goal Zero Lights in our home. In our Living Room, we have a Candle Holder with a 5 inch shelf at the base. THAT is where I keep our BIG Lite-A-Life usb Lantern. It is fed by a 5 foot line that plugs into the power strip by the Bedroom door. This way, the usb light is ALWAYS at the ready. We have multiple outages every Winter, so we use it as our primary Living Room Light. When the Power DOES go out, the light stays ON! Ultimately, I'm planning to have this setup in every room of the house.

[@cherylsxavier2975]

You can get boxes from florist that are long and shallow to store food under the bed.😁

[@mgd6087]

I filled one with 1 liter bottles of water. Then I pushed it to a very inconvenient place between the fridge and the counter.

[@cherylsxavier2975]

Build a wooden frame couch and store food under there too!

[@customer5032]

I love all of the ideas in this video!! 💝 One thing I did was empty out an armoire-type media cabinet, which has doors on top and a large drawer at the bottom. It used to hold a tv, stereo, cd player, dvd's, etc. Now it holds cans and boxes of food; I was amazed how much could fit in there! Because the doors and drawer are closed, you would never know what was in there. Like your daughter I live in Phoenix, and it's too hot to store food in the garage, so I store camping equipment and gardening supplies out there instead.

[@goofyroofy]

Good ideas, I tend to use the up against the wall one the most, it's the easiest in the apt. My idea, which I've mentioned before I think, is the heavy duty Black and Yellow totes, as they're stackable and you dont need extra shelving to be built, keeping shelving to a minimum for everyday pantry items. I have a bit of a good dilemma in that home depot has the 104L totes on for just a dollar more than the 64L ones I got last time. I'll probably keep those along the bottom of the walls as trying to lift overhead one of them full of rice (@ 3- 5 5 gallon buckets worth might be ok as a workout, but not in an emergency^^. I was talking with someone else today about storage systems and it got me thinking, now that I have enough dehydrated ground beef to fill mylar bags full of them (FYI: they're still all A-OK, in fact im making another 25lbs now XD) that alternating them with bags of rice will really cut down on the weight per tote and be a ready to go mix of carbs and protein. Also in short spaces, the 1 gallon thick plastic, like a handheld water bottle, not a milk jug, works well for me and I can store them in nooks where a big drum wouldnt be able to go. Many Blessings!!

[@panpiper]

What is your guestimate as to how long the dehydrated beef will last? Are you precooking it and draining fat first? How are you dehydrating it? Are you adding dessicant and oxygen absorbers to your mylar when packaging it? Dehydrating (or freeze drying) and storing meat would make for a great video. Gotta check what might already have been put out there.

[@goofyroofy]

@@panpiper Check out "Cairn of Dunn Croft Permaculture" YT channel its his video on it kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZm3ooiHhtmIq6c I followed. I cook it on the stove w/cast iron pans and collect the rendered tallow for long term storage & I use my oven, but you can use a dehydrator if you have one. So far I've just kept it in Ziploc freezer bags in my pantry, but when mylar bagging them I will prob just use oxygen absorbers, but if I have desiccant packs around I might use them, but they arent really required. He says it lasts for years just in the ziploc & virtually forever if you use a vac sealed jar (I dont have a foodsaver so havent tried it) but I would imagine mylar with o2 abs. would be similar. Hope that helps, it's been a game changer for me, its @ 95% as good as the freeze dried ground beef I've had in Mt. House meals for a lot less money, but of course, if I had the space and $$$, i'd prefer to have a freeze drier.

[@panpiper]

@@goofyroofy Thank you very much! 😊

[@lorimcclellan4352]

I use non-functional fireplaces to store cases of water with a large piece of art covering the front.

[@jamiebrandon4256]

A metal garbage can (no lid) put a round piece of wood on top (you can use the piece from one of those cheap round tables from a discount store) cover with a 90” round cloth that matches your decor. Makes a beautiful accent table and you can fill the can with anything.

[@lauraking3304]

I have a garden bathtub but I prefer a shower so I have it filled with water. I use white vinegar for cleaning as well as other things. I fill the bottles up with water and they are ready for flushing the comode. I learned my lesson in 2000 when we had a black out for a week because of an ice storm. My sister's electricity was out for a month.

[@lightgiver7311]

I purchased under the bed storage containers and filled them with toilet paper, Kleenex, paper towels, bar soap, batteries, flash lights, medical supplies, etc. I am in a 2 bed apartment, have no basement. My front hall closet has containers on the top shelf with canned goods etc. I vacuum sealed rice, pasta, etc. in mason jars.

[@deejones6805]

We have bed frame lifters and we've got crates and buckets underneath.

[@rosaliamartinez8956]

PCP pipes cut to high yo want ,slip one under each leg of your bed . I cut mine several inches from where the bed raised and added the tall plastic pipe and got a lot of space under my bed .

[@cherylsxavier2975]

You can take a 4x4 and drill a hole in it to put the legs of the bed and make them as high as you want them. 😁

[@grandmaDecker]

Thank you for all the ideas!!

[@cherylsxavier2975]

Go to the subdivisions where the new houses are being built and ask for the scraps! You could build a shed from scraps from all the houses they build!!!!

[@outtadarkness1970]

Thank you for this solutions video! Some of the suggestions are ones I already use, but others started the gears turning as to the possibilities for improvement. Again, thank you!

[@crazycatlady323]

I save the polystyrene boxes with lids from the greengrocer and put heat sensitive products in there,l like milk powder, pancake mix, dry goods and vitamins etc. They insulate against temperature

[@rebekacarr8306]

Thanks for this....it gave me some real great ideas!

[@csmladybug2409]

Great Ideas! I am going to get a taller bed frame for the spare room. Such great space. Thanks, Cheryl from Kansas City, Missouri.

[@oldtimerlee8820]

If you don't use the spare room for guest sleeping, remove the bed all together. If you think you might need somewhere for someone to sleep on rare occasion, buy a folding cot, if he or she can't overnight on the couch. Just a thought as it may not apply in your case. I know some people who have a spare room that's only a "pretty" dust catcher.

[@csmladybug2409]

@@oldtimerlee8820 Now that is something to think about.

[@sarahconnor64]

I use over the door shoe holders to hold pouches of rice, tuna packets, seasonings, etc. I have a small 12 pocket one on each end of my wire shelving units in my hallway. I have the 24 packet ones on each side of my laundry room door. The one inside my laundry room doesn't hold food, but extra school/office supplies, boxes of canning lids, and batteries. They can hold a LOT of stuff. I try to keep it lightweight stuff overall.

[@ПавелГрешных]

How do you manage logistics of your supplies? You have to follow the FIFO principle to avoid wasting food. How do you do this with so many different places to store stuff?

[@fourdayhomestead2839]

Lots of great ideas 💡.. Using garage for temp sensitive items.

[@jadestar1580]

Great ideas! Thank you!

[@libertykatrkm]

Thank You! Answer 2 my prayers!

[@davej7458]

If you have access to a dirt crawl space under your house that is in stable dry ground you can make access to that area. As long as you stay five or six feet away from the foundation footing and any other footings you can remove enough Earth to stack one layer of 5 gallon buckets on each side of a little deeper access trench between the buckets. Don't dig a deep excavation unless you know exactly what you're doing. Boards under the buckets and at the bottom of the walkway will keep things much cleaner and easier to move.

[@ascra1693]

It sounds very rat and mouse prone. Unless you store them in metal

[@davej7458]

@@ascra1693 A very real consideration.

[@panpiper]

@@ascra1693 Will rats chew through plastic storage buckets? Might need to invest in cats.

[@oldtimerlee8820]

Suspect your idea has a regional aspect to it. Here in the SE US, we have to line our crawlspace with a plastic water vapor barrier. Plus, here in our rural area, field mice are a constant pest. They can get into a hole the size of a dime. I'd love to use our crawlspace, but can't because of those two issues.

[@sherip1270]

This is a great video and loved all the ideas for creative storage. You guys rock!

[@Lolaandcassidyadventures]

I’ve got cases of MRE’s under my bed and in my sons closet.:)

[@cathymiller3388]

I have storage space on my main floor of house, but I do not have air conditioning. It can get into the 80's temp. How much heat can can goods and vacuumed saved products take? Basement has mice in the fall and winter, hard to control.

[@MrPeteVann]

outdoor solar lights can also be used indoors, in emergency. We also fill garbage cans with water, we line it with plastic bags and fill the bags, we leave them outside, and switch to indoor once the weather freezes.

[@furmisl203]

I am lucky enough to have a huge bedroom (no window, in basement) that I've turned into the prepper's room. All the food and water is there. I bought rolling NSF shelf units at Costco, and I can freely move them around when I need to get something. I butt them up against each other, so literally, the room is solid shelving, unless I need to get to something, and all I do is shimmy each shelf unit about two feet to get to what I need. I walk in the two feet-free area, do what I need, then butt all the shelves up against each other again. One of the walls of that room is completely covered up with the smaller black storage boxes from Costco. So from floor to ceiling, from one corner to the next, is stacked storage boxes of all the emergency supplies needed in case of an emergency. The room will be a lifesaver for sure!!

[@customer5032]

You are so lucky to have a basement like that! Great idea about the rolling shelves....

[@panpiper]

Grats on serious preps.

[@marygallagher3428]

Great suggestions!

[@emilasmith4279]

I store 12 cases of 24 bottles each of water behind my couch stacked 3 cases high. The couch is pulled out an extra 5-6 inches from the wall but you really don’t notice it. I have no basement nor attic and can’t store water in the garage due to freezing temps. I have jugs of water in the cabinet under the sink in the kitchen (instead of cleaners) and a few jugs here n there around the house. Behind the couch alone is just over 30 gallons. 😃

[@stephaniecorporandy7018]

So many great ideas in this video. I have the same toilet closet and the same space available above the door. Now to get my husband to put together a shelf for our TP

[@maggygraham2218]

Very helpful, thanks so much.

[@kathypaaaina3953]

Aloha hugs from Hawaii I have to use Galvanized Steel Containers The rats go through plastic I watch the Storage in plastic to see if they are getting in Fore ants can't get in Freezer Ziploc Bags, Everything needs Bay leaf I grow them. Im sharing this with my Bishop Im the Chorister Bless your heart and Humanity. I appreciate This video& Your Family

[@chefevilee9377]

Let me tell you I’m going to build a shed outback. We are going to develop our property and my husband will kind of have a makeshift contractors office in the shed. But they’ll also be a bedroom. Well I was already doing this with the buckets of food under the bed. Because let me tell you the greatest thing. I’ll watch this other KZbin channel Bob and Brad who are physical therapists. Great information from those two therapists. AnyWho the mattress that they suggest as physical therapist is like 700 tiny mattresses in one! It’s called the sleep ovation mattress. Well you don’t use a box spring with this mattress. So a platform bed or what I am going to use a piece of plywood on top of my food storage. Then I’m going to put a bed skirt over that piece of plywood and a sleep ovation mattress on top!

[@Sparkysings2]

Make a wall and use the bracing as shelves for cans and smaller boxes. Cover but with a removable dry wall or panel.

[@citygirlhomestead]

awesome ideas and glad to see your kids doing the food storage as well. Trying to get my kids into it

[@panpiper]

Much more conducive culture in Utah.

[@greentree_]

A latter-day prophet once said, "If you knew what is coming, you'd pile it [home storage] on the floor put a cloth on top of it and walk around it". (Paraphrasing)

[@quilterjanet]

If people remember that stuff that doesn't need comfortable temperatures can go in the hot garage and things that keeps them alive should be kept inside. I'm thinking coat closet, clothes closet, etc. Pulling the couches forward 2 feet and making a wall of food storage would be excellent as well.

[@birdsaloud7590]

‘The shelves aren’t painted’. ‘It’s on the list!’ Lol

[@Swearengen1980]

For extra water, many of us with houses may have a deep freezer or stand up freezer in the garage. Whatever isn't filled with food is filled with bottles of water. From 2 liters to normal water bottles. It not only keeps your freezer from working as hard, but a frozen jug of water has a number of uses. A 2 liter in a cooler replaces an ice pack or buying a bag of ice. Nice cold water as it melts if your power is out (this is nice when a hurricane knocks out the power down here). have a large garage and attic, but I'm in Florida. It's 120 degrees in there right now. Garage or outside foot storage is futile. Rice is the only thing I know for a fact that won't spoil out there.

[@oldtimerlee8820]

I do the same thing with 2 liter soda bottles. Sanitized, I fill with water and freeze. They are a multi use item. I use them, instead of bagged ice, just as you do. I use them when I blanch vegetables for freezing or dehydrating. Just set the bottle of ice in the sink, instead of dumping ice cubes. Afterwards, rinse off the bottles and return them to the freezer. I'm in NC and know what both ice storms and hurricanes have done in this area. We've had actual temps, outdoors this year over 100F. Have the same storage issues that are not temperature controlled in both summer and winter.

[@Swearengen1980]

@@oldtimerlee8820 I just did the same thing a couple weeks ago when putting up a bushel of corn and I'll have to do it again shortly when I pressure can a bushel of acre peas. It's definitely goes much further than dumping in.

[@oldtimerlee8820]

@@Swearengen1980 Any kind of block ice holds longer than cubes or bagged ice. With either of those, it doesn't take long for them to melt in the warming water when there are many batches to be blanched. Glad to hear that the soda bottles are working well for you, too.

[@pegsol3834]

Very informative video and comments. Thank you

[@donnah3892]

Yes those containers have to be able to slide out mattresses can be very heavy. Make sure storing areas are not hot 🥵 food will cook in containers & cans they will spoil.

[@jps99]

Wow, lots of great ideas!