My Food Storage Space

WOW! Uncool, huh? Those things on the right in the back are CD towers that my mil gave me. I rearranged the shelves to hold soups, some canned beans and jar of of sauce. The white shelf at the top holds femine products, baby wipes, a bag of plasticware (forks, knives, plates, ect.), food saver, tea bags and a shoebox full of first aid products. The containers in the front (blue) are scrapbooking supplies which I really need to do something with becasue I don't scrapbook. What a waste.

The only real organization here is the bottom shelf which holds my canned vegies. On the other shelves you'll find...mac & cheese, oatmeal, cake mixes, boxes of pasta, cereal, pb&j and other various things we use a lot of.

I am really glad I took these pics. Guess what I'll be working on this week?

I had someone ask me about my food storage since I have a couple of links in my side bar, lol. I have to say I am in no way, shape or form someone to mentor, guide, or even give out advise on the subject as I'm fairly new to this and basically just keep a supply of things we eat often. It's an extra pantry really.

When the Boy Child was born we got ourselves a Costco membership and it's saved us a boatload. Albeit a small toy boat, but a boat just the same. One thing I will let you in on is to check your different area warehouses. We found that the Coscto in Frederick has lower prices and less crowds than the Costco nearest us. When I say lower prices I mean some items are a dollar or even two cheaper. We also have their American Express credit card and earn quite a bit of cash back. We pay it off weekly.

Big Daddy has off on Tuesdays so we pack up some drinks and snacks in a cold pack cooler type thingie and we make a day of it hitting the Free Family Film Festival Regal Theaters, library, post office, bank, Costco, Goodwill (Frederick's Goodwill has wonderful books but keep an eye on the prices. I've seen and brought to their attention, that some of their prices are higher than the manufactures marked prices and I've seen dollar store merchandise marked higher than a dollar) and whatever else we need/want to do.

Be watchful of Costco as well. They sell for instance, can tomatoes by the case. I don't recall the price of those tomatoes but I know I can get them cheaper at the grocer during a sale and sometimes I can get hold of a coupon as well. Same with cereals and canned vegetables. And lately a couple of our stores have been running double and tripple coupons. When these things go on sale I stock up. You want to be watchful of yourselves at warehouse stores, i.e. -I- need to be careful there. I love their books and the extra neat things there. Do I have to explain myself because it's embarrassing and has taken me some time to be able to just walk on by those isles speed walking to where I need to be. Get in and get out is my motto now. Taking the boy Child helps in this area. I rarely stop for the few samples they give out anymore. (Anyone else notice they have cut back big time on the samples?) Some of the things we get there regularly are
whole chickens, lunch meats, granola, sugar, flour, chicken nuggets, nuts, peanut butter, Kirkland brand detergents, moist cat foods, yeast, juices, water, snacks for the Boy Child and his friends, big cans of fruit.

Last summer it was suggested I get some buckets from the local bakery for gardening and I acquired quite a few. I now use some of those to store sugar and flour. I break down the flour in freezer packs of 6 and half cups (amount I use in bread) and about 5 lbs of sugar in each pack. It tends to feel like a lot of work after returning from a shopping trip but it is well worth it. I was also able to get a Food Saver on special through Survival Blog last summer and that has helped keep meats fresher longer.

Last summer we got a new fridge and put the old one in the garage. We've been blessed to able to keep it full. It's mostly sodas, juices, milk and water. Don't go gettin' a new fridge. You'll be surprised looking around the web as to the many areas and ways to keep a food storage stock. I use the furnace room in the basement as my food storage room. It was the most logical place but I've seen and read of people using all kinds of places in their home for storage. I had some shelving from the old closets that hubs hung and some pretty sturdy plastic shelving I put in there that was just holding clutter in the garage. It's worked out well and didn't cost me anything. I'm not very organized and the room is not something I want to show off but in order maybe motivate you to start a food storage in your home I took the above pics.

I felt the urge, like many people, last spring to start prepping. I am very thankful. Hubby sells high end cars. It hit us hard, this economic mess. It's one thing to lose your job and go on unemployment but another thing when you work on commission and end up OWING your employer come payday. There were a couple of months there we had to write THEM a check to cover the health insurance. It's not been easy but having an extra pantry has made a lot of difference. Have a supply of the basics shampoo, conditioner, soaps, TP, all the things you use and take for granted daily. You NEVER know what can happen and/or when. It's just good business to be prepared. I am beginning to feel that urge again. I don't know what that means but I am being motivated to inventory and organize what we have and continue with stocking up. Naturally, finances limit me greatly right now, but I have a garden that seems to be doing wonderful right now and I need to learn to can. I was able to pick up some canning jars at the Chinese Embassy (WalMart) in the spring but that's as far I am right now. Guess I need to get my hands on some canning supplies and a Balls Blue Book. I don't do Craigs List or Freecycle so if you have suggestions please share them with me. I checked WM Friday night in the isle with canning jars and seen nothing to help me start canning.

If you don't use coupons a great way to start your food storage is to start using them. Use the money you save in coupons to purchase a couple of extra can goods, a pack of sugar or whatever.

Go ahead and check out some of those links on my sidebar. I spent a lot of time and energy trying to do it in an organized way, making list of things I have on hand, wanted to purchase, meals. It didn't work for me. I spent more time planning than I did anything else. It's a character flaw with me. Procrastination is right up there next to perfectionism. If I couldn't do it right why bother with it at all? Or I'll get started as soon as I...pick a good spot, clean up this area, make a list, get these shelves or those containers. Don't be like me. Just do it! Get your local grocer flyers and check out the sales. Just do it. Prices are going to go up, not down. Don't go nuts and get your storage all at once either. It's a process. A couple of extra cans this week and a couple of exta boxes next week. Oh, another thing, CHECK THE EXPIRATION DATES ON EVERYTHING. You'll be surprised how quickly the dates will sneak up you. And rotate your stock. Oldest in front and/or most easily accessible.

If you're new to all this I will suggest you first check out http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/. They have a lot of good advise, links and general information to get you off to a great start. And if you have a thought or idea to share, feel free. Don't think that if you don't have a food storage started your ideas are not worthy and please don't think if you've been doing it a long time your ideas are "old news". As you can see I could use some tips, tricks and organizational ideas.