Today is a guest post on a subject I know all too well. Food storage tips in small spaces. It comes to us from James Smith. Enjoy.

Food Storage Tips For Space Challenged Preppers

Finding room for survival supplies is one of the most common problems preppers face. If you’re one of the few lucky ones with a cellar or basement, you have plenty of room at the appropriate temperature. But for the vast majority that do not live in bigger houses, storage of survival supplies is a major issue. People who live in condos, apartments, mobile homes, etc. are usually aching for closet space and normal pantry, so emergency water and food can become really hard to store.

However, like they say, where there’s a will, there’s a way; and with a little bit of creativity it may not be impossible to make some space for survival supplies. Here are a few tips you can use to create some extra space in your home:

Shelves under the Stairwell

The awkward space under the stairwell is usually a mess. While most people just dump their stuff there, it can actually come in quite handy if used in the right way. Building shelves could be the best way to efficiently use the space. However, if you’re looking for a much more cost effective and temporary solution, you can store some stuff in buckets and place a cardboard on top of the buckets to make another level. Wooden planks can also be used on top of the buckets and more buckets can be placed on top if the plank is strong enough.

Closet

Most closets, while being spacious, look quite small because they are cramped with stuff. If you place your belongings in an organized manner, you’ll see that the closet can be used to store a lot more. Also, try keeping your survival supplies in cartons and cardboard boxes. Things will be more organized this way.

Hanging shelves and over the door shoe organizers

Over the door shoe organizers can be used as an ingenious way to store canned foods. While some may not be strong enough to hold heavy items, you can always get good quality ones that you deem may be able to hold small amounts of canned food.

Under the bed

Surprisingly, this is one area that most people don’t consider as an option to store things. You can place a lot of canned food, cartons of water bottles, and other emergency food supplies under your bed. If you live in a very cramped up place, you can also place bricks to raise your bed and put that space to effective use.

Suitcases

Not only are suitcases ideal for travelling, they can be used to store a lot of items at home too. You can always store canned food and other survival supplies in an empty suitcase and place it beneath your bed, on top of a cupboard or inside your wardrobe.

Additional tips to remember

While prepping up and stocking your emergency survival supplies, there are a few factors that you need to keep in mind. First and foremost, your food does not have an infinite shelf life. Stored food should be used and replaced every couple of years. This is especially for people who are in areas where the weather is hot and humid.

Secondly, keep checking up on your survival supplies, like medicines, first aid kits, etc. to make sure that they haven’t reached their expiry dates. Check flashlights and radios’ batteries to see if they’re still functioning.

James Smith is an avid prepper with a passion for self-protection at all levels. He loves to write about survival skills and techniques that can help us to survive in a teotwawki event. For more updates follow him on twitter @jamessmith1609.