Update your 72 hour kits!!

Have you updated your 72 hour kits lately? If you haven't, now is a good time to do it. Updating your 72 hour kits during General Conference is a good way to remember how fresh the items are in your kits. Let your kids eat the candy and snacks while they are listening to conference (that is if their still edible.) You will not only be uplifted BUT prepared in just one weekend.

Organizing 72 hour kits may seem like a small thing, but it serves an essential purpose.

Don't forget to add things like toilet paper, hand wipes, can opener, rain poncho, first aid kit, cups & silverware, matches, garbage bags, toothbrush, etc... Whatever you might miss being away from your home (that's not to big to fit in your bag.)

Space for your Food Storage

Finding the space for your food storage can be a challenge. But with a little sacrifice, rearranging, and rethinking, it can be done. Here are a few tips that might spark an idea for you.

Turn a hall closet into a food storage closet. Pack the contents up and find them a new home. Can you put the items in containers or plastic bags and stack in the garage? In a bedroom closet? Under a bed? Or give it away to the DI or a friend.

De-clutter, give away, donate, and gift all in the name of Food Storage! (This is the sacrifice that brings the space)

Are you really using your Garage? I mean all the walls, up high too? You can store items from the house that you are not using such as camping items, bedding, out of season clothes, etc. Label it and your organized and it's easy to get to. This can free up closet space for food storage, since in our area it is too hot to store our food in the garage.

Bedrooms have great under the bed space. If purchasing a bed in the future make sure it is one that has a lot of space under the bed to stuff containers or cases of food. These can easily be covered and hidden by a classic bed skirt! Also the #10 cans roll perfectly on their side under the typical metal framed bed and you can fit quite a few under it. If your bed is too low, it may be raised on supports so that containers can be slid underneath.

Don't forget about the space underneath a crib or changing table! These are great places for boxes, and can be covered with fabric so no one will ever know.

Armoires and Bookcases look great with large baskets on top. Fill these baskets with lighter items such as toilet paper and pasta! Do you have an open wall? Purchase a bookcase for that spot, place baskets on all the shelves and then fill them with food- no one will be the wiser.

It may also be time to build in shelf organizers into your closets. Look above the doors, hooks on the walls, shelves up high there is so much room at the top.

If you are really tight on space, stack boxes of #10 cans or cases of food as a nightstand by beds and place a board, round or square, on top and then cover with nice fabric.

In the bathrooms under sink cabinets use this space to store 3 months supply of all bathroom items. Take your towel bar that holds 1 or 2 towels and put up hooks, you can store more towels that way.

Baskets are really wonderful hiding spots. They look cute anywhere, in any corner, on any shelf, so simply fill them with food, now fold a quilt on top or a few magazines if you want to hide the contents.

Trunks are priceless. Keep one at the foot of your bed and fill it with food. Use one as a coffee table in the living room, or tuck one in the family room or hall for added decor and you have great food storage space.

Armoires now days hold nice TVs or wardrobes. But who will ever know if yours has food. Put an Armoire in the play room, den, living room, at the end of the hall. (Don't forget to put baskets on top)

Put your Seasonal decorations in a hard to reach place, like an attic or crawl space and then take the spot they left and fill it with food.

Store extra blankets between mattresses. Extra bedding is essential for guests and emergencies but so bulky. This will free up closet space.

On your kitchen pantry door or bedroom, hall, coat, or bathroom Closet door, hang a shoe organizer and fill with smaller objects like spice packets, band aids, rags, shavers, mittens or even pasta and jello.

Collect wheat, sugar, oatmeal and flour in buckets instead of #10 cans. Buckets take up less space.

Look Up. There is probably nothing higher than 5 feet in your room, but there's lots of space above. Install shelves 12" to 18" below the ceiling to displace collectibles, plants, hats, or photos.

Over the Window. Mount a shelf above the windows of the the room for displaying things you don't use but love to look at.

Wall Space. Find standard open wall shelves of any size at a home improvement center for an inexpensive storage solution for food. A structured wall unit or entertainment center can house books. If you are going to stay in your home for a while, you might want to invest in custom-made shelves or cabinets. Any of these solutions gives lots of storage space without protruding too much into the living area. Another way is to stack your food along empty wall space and hide it with a curtain hanging in front of it.

Behind Closet Doors. It's ideal not to have to look at the things you're storing, unless they're decorative. Increase available storage space by enclosing shelves and cupboards behind doors. Instead of using an open one, chose a bookcase with doors. A 12" deep shelving unit gives great storage without taking up much floor space. Choose a table for the end of a sofa or beside a bed that has a closed base with drawers or shelves rather than spindly open legs. Find a knee-hole desk with drawers for files and office items rather than an open writing desk.

Turn a bedroom into a food storage room! Give up the luxury of an extra room for the great space and security of having a food storage room! Studies show children that share bedrooms have better relationships with each other and their spouses when they are older. Children grow with a better ability to cope with roommates, spouses, missionary companions, office workers, etc. They have help cleaning their rooms and have a special friend as they grow up! (If your extra room is a sewing room or office you can give up 2/3 for food storage, just shut the blinds and insulate the inside of the window so light and heat stay out and you have a great food storage room!!

Obviously some homes cannot fit a 12 month supply of food. Nevertheless all homes can fit more food than they now hold. So let's pack it in whether it be 3 months, 6 months or a year!

**Also, make a list of where your food is stored, so it's easy to find, and you don't forget what you have.

NOW
1. Stand in each room of your home and take a good look around. Ask yourself these questions (take notes):
* Is there any space not being utilized?
* Is the space being used inefficiently?
* Can shelves be built taller or over something?
* Can you reorganize what's there or take away to open up a little more room?

2. Pick a room and get started!!!!

August Food Storage Tip

My tip this month is to focus on what you can do, and not what you can't.

**If you are feeling stressed out about not having enough money for food storage, try setting aside a small amount each week you go grocery shopping. $5 out of $40, is just a small amount, but $5 spent on sale items, or foods like saltines or noodles, can purchase quite a bit over time.

**Watch the stores for different sales on foods that your family likes: macaroni and cheese, favorite cereals, canned fruits & veggies, etc... Plan on storing some cookies, candy or special treats. If your family is going through a natural or economic disaster, having familiar items will make it that much easier.

**Be sure to check the expiration dates and try to get the farthest date from that time.

**Store spices and herbs that your family likes!! This alone can make a food storage meal go from "glum" to "yum"!! Bouillon is also easy to store, and is a great add-in for flavor.

**When talking about food storage, we concentrate on the food, or course. Don't forget to store the other necessities of life like toilet paper, tooth paste, deodorant, shampoo, etc...

Upcoming Cannery Information

Hey ladies, our next canning date is coming up quickly. I wanted to give you a heads up about what we will be canning in September, and also let you know that our cannery is no longer offering pouches. You can schedule a time to borrow the pouch sealer, and buy the pouches that you need from the cannery and do it yourself.

Also, the Home Storage Center has prepackaged items that you can buy at anytime.

They come in 6 no. 10 cans per case.
Pinto beans ($29.30 per case)
Quick Oats ($13.25 per case)
White Rice ($20.20 per case)
Hard White Wheat ($17.05 per case)
Starter kit ($20.25 per case)
(prices are effective as of January 16, 2010, and are subject to change without notice)

They have Pancake mix and Potato Pearls that are only offered in bulk.
Pancake mix 4, 4-lb. bags for $11.15
Potato Pearls 12, 28 oz. bags for $43.10.
I am happy to pick these items up for you. Look for the order forms in the RS binder.

In September we will be canning Milk, Apple Slices, Refried Beans, Spaghetti, and Flour. Check your shelves, and see what you need!

Powdered Laundry Detergent

Here is a different recipe that I found for in-expensive laundry detergent. The only difference is this is dry and not a liquid.

2 cups Fels naptha soap (finely grated)
1 cup Washing Soda
1 cup Borax

Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container.
Use 2 tablespoons per full load.

ADMONITION

I wasn't prepared cried careless Kitty,

when the earthquake rumbled through our city.

I didn't believe it would come so soon.

All I could grab was a tablespoon.

Nothing to put in it, no soup, no spam,

no pork and beans, not even dried ham.

For 72 hours I've had nothing to eat,

nothing to drink, no clothes, no heat.

72 hours, you must agree,

is much too long with no T P !!

no knife, no flashlight, no bar of soap,

no matches, no blankets, alas no hope.

There are so many things I yearn for and miss.

I don't even know where my husband is.

I'm hungry, I'm dirty, my morale is low.

Sure hope my children knew where to go.

I resolve, if I get a 2nd chance;

I'll pay the piper, before I dance.

So when disaster plays it's woeful tune,

I'll have something to eat with my tablespoon.

Author Unknown

Let's not be like careless Kitty. Make sure your 72 hour kits are packed and ready to go in an emergency. Don't wait until it's too late.

Homemade Laundry Soap

I found this recipe for laundry soap, so I decided to give it a try. I made this about a month ago, and so far I have really loved it! Plus it was sooooo cheap to make. I also love the way that it smells.

This is what you need!

4 cups HOT tap water

1 bar Fels-Naptha soap

1 cup washing soda

1/2 cup Borax

***You can find all of the ingredients at any grocery store!

Here's what you do:
Grate the bar of soap and put it into a large pan with the water. Heat and stir until it is melted. Pour it into your 5 gallon bucket and fill half full of hot tap water.

This is what it will look like after you melt the soap

Add the soda and borax, stir until dissolved. Finish filling the bucket up with hot water, stir, then put your lid on and let it sit overnight. The next day stir it again and use it.

Use 1/4 cup per load

Note: This is a no suds detergent. But, look at what little space it would take to store the ingredients for a year supply. Also, it might separate, so just stir it before you use it.