We all have places we put stuff, laundry detergent in the laundry room, Toilet paper in the hall closet and under the bathroom sink...Where do you put 50 bottles of detergent? 100 rolls of TP? There are several ways to organize your family's inventory. Diversified ~ this is a fancy way of saying "all over the house" wherever you can find space. Centralized ~ this is a fancy way of saying "in one room/part of the house" Keep like items together it will keep you sane. When you are first getting started diversified storage is a good way to go because you don't have too much stuff yet. Once you start making bulk purchases (I'll teach you how to do this without breaking your budget) you're going to need to get serious about your organization. Not everyone is blessed with a basement or an extra room and you're thinking ~ well, where am I going to put our family's pantry items and emergency gear? let's look at that together for a moment. EEK out space where you can!
First declutter throw it all away if its in the attic when was the last time you used it anyway? Seasonal storage OK, Aunt Martha's crib that doesn't even pass current safety standards - clutter (unless you can figure out how to reuse it right now chunk it) Paper products case packed CORRECTLY can be stored in the attic or basement. Perishable Food items should be stored in a temperature controlled environment. Garages are great for your actual gear, but an awful place for anything sensitive to temp changes.
Be sensible! Bar soap is small I can fit a 5 yr supply in a single diaper box in the top of the hall closet - keeping 5 bars in each bathroom that has a tub/shower (that's a 4 month supply for us) I keep enough paper products available for 3 months as much as possible in each bathroom with a potty the rest in the hall closet What I hear all the time is: "we don't have a walk in pantry or a basement to store stuff"
SO WHAT?
Go in your kitchen - open every cabinet and be HARSH!
How many glass pie plates do you really use at once? Get rid of the rest.
PYREX?
CHIP and DIP platters?
Plastics - no lids or stained?
Here's one - those lunch box coolers - really are you EVER going to use all 13 of them at once?
DONATE or sell, get rid of it!
Now look where you store your pots and pans...
Get real I want you to throw away all nonstick pots and pans that have the Teflon peeling - you really shouldn't be cooking in those!
Mugs -- Come on folks really? How many people will ever be at your house drinking coffee at once? Keep the matching ones, and let everyone in the family keep their absolute favorite travel mug, and stoneware mug. Now donate/sale the other 20. YES THE STARBUCKS MUGS TOO!
Under the sink - There should be a kid/pet safe bucket (unless you don't have any of either) In that bucket - cleaning supplies DO NOT HAVE DUPLICATE ITEMS OPEN! If you have more cleaning supplies than will fit in a 5 gallon bucket you need to either chunk some
or diversify storage (ex: put bathroom cleaners in the bathroom) hmmm more 'found space"
Do you see - just in your kitchen all the found space? Now put everything you use on the shelves you can reach. - in most kitchens you have just reclaimed all the deep corners under the cabinets, the top shelf in all cabinets and above the fridge, under the sink you even made space ALL PLACES TO STORE Practically prepared stuff. Declutter: Under your bed ~ Tip top shelves in closets ~ Junk drawers just think of all the reclaimed space!
There is one other thing about stockpiling.
Keep the true extent of your family's stockpiled assets to yourself. Why? Ice storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, But if - just if - the world goes sideways - your family's safety is the single most important thing in the world. Those that didn't prepare "just in case" will prey on those of us who did. Our family will not be victims. Don't make yourself a target! OpSec ~ Operations Security keep your family plan, a family plan.
There is a book called "Just in Case" you can get it on Amazon all stockpilers need to read it. Please check out the "Books" tab ~ many good reads are listed.
When someone comments "oh I know who's door to knock on if it all hits the fan" I look quite seriously at them and say - charity begins at home we have a large family - we won't answer the door for non family members. And we wouldn't. Our stock pile will actually hold extras for bartering.. seeds, TP, soaps, etc but we have children, and we have to draw a line in the sand ~ to have enough to keep them safe.
Why do you want to stockpile?
We all have different reasons...
When you know your why -
You'll figure out the where...
I'm here to help with the how...
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