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!!!!