How to Store Your Long Term Food Storage | Should You Hide Your Prepper Pantry?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2024
- If you’ve tried to come up with the best way to store your long-term food storage, and if you’ve wondered if you should hide your prepper pantry, this video is for you. In this video, I share my thoughts on a couple of articles by Calamity Janet. She gives her reasons why she feels it is wrong to use a spare bedroom or basement to store your prepper pantry. She shows how she stores all of the items in her prepper pantry out of site, so that no one that comes into her home has any idea that she has food storage. I love her creative and unique ways for storing food under your bed, and yet I see some problems with her food storage methods as well.
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I think her method is warranted. And although it may not work for some it would work well for others and it must work for her if she took the effort to plan each space to secure her supplies.
(Just a word of caution here, in a real disaster or long term shutdown ethics will go out the window for many who are desperate to feed themselves or their families).
That being said, there are items that should be rotated to keep them as fresh as possible like preserved canned goods.
So, I have a working prepped area where I use from the front (older dated items and then replace them). Keeping an inventory book with items available-prepared dates amounts will help you remember what you have, then need to use and/or replace. Knowing what you have helps you plan meals when you're stressed.
I wouldn't give the people who show their their pantries and preps too bad a time. I believe most are trying to encourage the rest of us to do something-anything to prepare for the worst. Thanks preppers!
That is so kind of you, Neva. Thank you!
My thoughts exactly, because I didn't stay until I saw other pantries. If only my family would get on board.😢
@@yvonneluke456 Just do what you can honey.
@@icecreamladydriver1606 @icecreamlady driver Thank you for the encouragement and bless you! ❤❤
@@yvonneluke456 You are so very welcome.
I think it’s clever but like you said rotation just won’t happen like that. I think there has got to be a better way to hide things but be able access then to rotate.
I agree! Perhaps just keeping things in closets/cabinets so that the average person that comes in doesn't see them, but they are easy to get to is the best approach.
I like a rotating pantry as well. She is creative though.
I totally agree! And she has added things to her preps that many of us wouldn't have thought of such as lumber and tarps.
One reason to keep your food storage out of sight is "borrowing" neighbors (and family) who never seem to return the borrowed food. What I mean is that its very hard to deny having a cup of sugar or flour to loan someone when the sugar and flour is in full display on the counter with pretty labels. It would also be difficult to say you don't have a can of chicken or tomatoes or green beans when you proudly display your home canning skills for all to see.
Good point! Thankfully, I'm stashing mine here and there, pretty easy to get to, but not obvious to people who walk into my home. But you made an excellent point when it comes to people in our everyday lives that make a habit of asking for things.
I had a neighbor like that. Constantly borrowing things n if i wanted it back, i had to get it. Needless to say, i stopped letting her borrow things after awhile.
Doing it that way under the bed means ZERO ROTATION.
I agree! Or at the very least, very difficult rotation, which likely leads to zero rotation.
I have always thought 💭 that displaying your food is complicated and I have deferent places because I also live in California. I have separated my food in a deferent places. I have always had a working pantry and it's in my leaving room I had a cabinet bill my home 🏡 is super tiny. I do try to rotate my food so one of two closets is another pantry that way it's easy to rotate the food. If someone comes to my home they only see my food in the kitchen. I feel that way for me is safe and at the same time protected from being seen by strangers.😊🏡❤️😺🐶
Hi Norma, I like your ideas. I'm also in California, in a small home. My husband and I moved in with my elderly mom to care for her, and there isn't a lot of space here. It's taking time to build a stockpile and figure out where to put it all.
Wow! Amazing way to hide preps but I too have a working pantry. Like you said, if it's survival foods in cans etc yes it would be perfect. You would have no need to get into that except to grab out enough to eat for a week at the time. Or more... Very creative. If it were to get extremely dangerous situation and a lot of looting was going on then it would be absolutely perfect to have it like this.
If possible move out in the country in a house unseen from the road. We did that last year.
I agree that this is too extreme. One thought I just had was that she could have things in place to be able to use her set up if things ever got really crazy.
To Stocking My Pantry: I think this person will have no problem getting to her stock when it is really needed. Others cant steal it get to it or find it easily. As for replacing what you use, there will be nothing to replace it with very soon. If you or anyone else thinks eating food that maybe out dated is bad eating nothing is worse. Please take something from this lady.
There are also 5 laws on the books that give the government authority to come to your house and take ALL of your prep, for "the good of the whole" There goes all of your money and work and you are left to starve.
That is very concerning, isn't it? Sometimes I think having a huge amount of preps just makes you a target for that type of thing. I do think it's best not to show everyone all that you have. I live in a small place myself, so don't have the means to store up a lot, so hopefully I won't have a problem with that. It's sad, though, that we have to think about these things!
I think her method is great if the time comes when the government or packs of marauders come looking to take your food.
"Lose lips sinks ships"
Good point!
Always.
Get a waterbed and good water filter
I hadn't thought about that one! I also have hydroponic systems - a lot of them. I wouldn't drink the water, but I do top off the water every day, just to make sure it's always full and could do without being filled for a week if needed. Not that that's a big thing, but the key is to think of multiple ways to be prepared on a regular basis.
People been watching too much WALKING DEAD😂😂😂😂😂😂
I have been prepping since the 80s. The best advice I ever got was dont keep all your preps in one place .
After having some store bought peaches leaking after a few years...i would rather be able to see what i have for easier rotation.
Sorry to hear you went through that. It seems canned fruit is the worst. I've been dehydrating fruit lately, and also just bought a bit of dried fruit at the store today as well. I still don't want to hold on to that forever, but feel it's a safer bet than canned.
Yes, I found cans of fruit that exploded in my parents cupboard that were expired. THAT is a mess that extends down the walls and everything underneath. You have to have a way to access canned goods easily so you get them rotated out. Otherwise I think she is creative in ways to store many long term items or items that you could use to barter, such as lighters, matches, sugar etc
I like her method, but only for 25 year type food.
I agree. I think it would be awesome for that, because it's not meant to be accessed until it's really needed. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
MY PREPS ARE SO WELL HIDDEN....I HAVE TROUBLE FINDING Stuff....semi organized...have not really been able to organize things. Need to re package many things....it is just overwhelming.. I am 75 and have no help. But have enough food for a year for me...most likely will have to share because I have no friends or family that prep. You have good common sense. ☮️❤️💥🦄🐯🦁🦋🇺🇸🌈🌎🌈🌎😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😎
I'm sorry that you are alone and have no help. I worry about that for myself for the future. But I'm glad that you have enough on hand for a year. That's a blessing. I can totally relate to not knowing where things are. It's easy for that to happen when we stash things away. Much love to you and thank you for your kindness.
She's very creative, but canned goods don't last forever and grains not in mylar, glass, or plastc pails will get buggy. I discovered this the hard way! Bugs and rust are creative, too. Please, rotate, eat and replace your stash. Even in an emergency, you still want to eat food that is safe and tastes good.
I agree completely! I have to applaud her creativity and hard work, but storing food properly and rotating it is so important!
Family loyalties can be a serious problem. Of course you want to help your children, but suppose other family members like uncles, aunts etc find out that you are prepping? Or friends, neighbours... They will not forget and they will show up when SHTF. And they will bring along parents, grand parents, children, grandchildren... The husbands and wives of their children will come along too and they too have relatives that they want to save. My advice: the less people know of your preparations, the better you can control with whom you will share and the better your chances of survival are.
I definitely agree! I think it's best not to blab a lot about what you have. I think that was the big motivation behind what this woman does. She doesn't want people to walk into her home and see all that she has, so she cleverly hides it. I do think she makes it difficult to rotate her food, but she has the secrecy aspect of it down!
just idea for storing extra blankets was worth the watch thank you....i personally place can goods in the closet with my clothes hiding them .
i agree with you ver hard to get to. i am prepping not out of fear. but as a way to save money in future. cannot live life think someone is out get you or steal from you.
I think you and I are on the same wavelength! I do like the blankets idea, as well as tarps, etc. It's fine for those things to be tucked away, since you don't have to worry about them "going bad." I also like to store food up to save money, since food prices are always increasing. Plus, none of us know what our future holds, and it'd be nice to not have to spend much on groceries whenever there is a time that money is tight.
I also agree that we can't live life worrying about people stealing from us. Obviously, there is the general wisdom of locking doors and that type of thing, but I don't want to lay awake at night worrying about if someone is going to steal my green beans. ;)
People you personally know would be a bigger threat than internet viewers or the government.
I agree!
The plumbing concern is valid. I had started my long term pantry in one end of my basement over a year ago. Recently, while restocking, I realized all septic plumbing exiting the house was directly over my pantry in the ceiling. Needless to say, I moved my pantry to the opposite end of the house where there is NO plumbing overhead. One less worry solved.
I agree about the plumbing. It's good you realized your pantry was in a bad spot. You also have to think about flooding and other types of potential water damage. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Electrical or anything is also a concern, particularly if you’re an apartment dweller and don’t own the property. One of the circuits in here blew out sometime ago so, I have wires going through some parts of my apartment. If I didn’t want them in her pre-COVID, trust I don’t want those guys in here now. The last time they came in here, just to replace an AC unit, they weren’t at all bothered by me looking worrisome that they were looking around like they were shopping the place. Hoping to buy a house but, COVID has things in flux, where my employer is not saying if/when WFH might end.
💯💯💯🙀
@@privateprivate8366right!!? 📠📠📠📠
It's not safe now that it's on TH-cam
Thank you for your video.
I think her system is perfect for her, .. but a little overkill for me.
I managed to hide my preps in a subbasement for three years. It was a spot where old house parts went to rot. I cleaned it up and built shelves and never looked back, ... until it was full.
Year four saw my storage spilling out into the main basement where it's very difficult to hide the steel shelving and the obvious case of "hoarding" I am suffering from.
But by year four I'm becoming an old hand at the game and in no time at all I'm spilling out into the unheated Garage/barn we have. Only preps that won't be harmed by freezing. That's where the half ton of whole wheat is stashed, ... why not rice and beans? And a whack of dehydrated vegetables.
The plumber was coming so I drape sheets around the preps and he thinks I'm growing pot in there. I didn't give him reason to think otherwise.
Have a great one and good luck.
Thx for the video. How this person’s thoughts of hiding is in depth, I have concern on all under the bed storage without checks in place. Just throw a box spring & mattress on a carpeted floor - it leads to trapped moisture/mold. For the water - I’d recommend low under bed plastic containers without the lids to contain any time a container leaks not to rot the flooring if not caught. For the food - I agree with it should be properly sealed Mylar & if #10 cans are under there or any other metal - to have moisture packs scattered to try to negate the moisture build up from no air flow. Canned glass would have benefits, but still the same issue of rust from moisture I would think. Just so many concerns with first in, first out, but maybe she takes it apart every six months to do such.
What about too much weight concentrated on the floor?
I made mine kind of like that but it's accessible and it's only freeze dried food.
If it's that bad that this is how you will survive, you're prob not gonna survive long. If society has collapsed, criminals will know you have food by your trash. Do you find it interesting that so many people are concerned enough to prep like this? Believe in Jesus's finished work on the cross, it's the only way to be truly saved.
I do something similar so I can change storage out every year.
Let me tell you about the long-term survival food, pasta, noodles, little to no meat! I think the lady has a good idea because I think she’s looking at long-term storage. With an ingenious way to put away bulky items.
JMHO...dark tubs labeled Christmas or Fall stacked in the closet of the guest bedroom would do the trick to concealment..The only one that comes into our house is our bug man...and we have had him for over a decade...he jokes we need to have a contest to see who has more. There is no need for preps to be in the living room, dining room etc...but everyone has a spare closet that they could use, underbed storage, etc etc etc. and no, I would never share photos of our pantry... That said, anyone that uses our guest room sees safes...no one questions what is in them...they assume pew pews as that is our hobby...the file cabinets...for our business...
That's a good idea. A lot of people have Christmas decorations and people don't tend to have much interest in other people's decorations, since they are often sentimental more than valuable. I'll have to keep that one in mind, for sure!
People who door dash all their food preps make themselves targets also.
Great point! That is especially true if they order a ton at once time, or buy "prepper" food such as #10 cans of freeze dried foods. I suppose this is one advantage of dehydrating your own food because people don't really think of you as a prepper when you buy something like bell peppers, if they don't know you plan to dehydrate them and put them into long-term storage.
@@StockingMyPantry yes. Amazon also. It depends on the packaging, because some areas have the same delivery driver so they could see everything...
My house keeper told me she knew where come when she gets hungry, I hate that.
Well she has a great imagination I agree hard get to but if it gets that bad they will try lift beds 🛌 check food so bingo they dig deeper
That's the bad thing about housekeepers - they access most of the house. Hopefully she was only kidding. . .
I think hers are sealed inside of the frame of the bed, and I don't think they would see it, but can you imagine how heavy the bed would be? That would be a clue something's in there.
No harm intended, you should be cleaning your own home. Then no one would know what you have.
My kids told me they knew where to come when they get hungry, I hate that. LOL. ;)
Do not boast about your stash on social media, and don't post pictures. Neighbors can become easy enemies if they want what you have.
Did she store her grains properly such as canning, vacuum sealing them? If not she'll definitely get weevils.
For example a false front can be placing cans in the back of drawers with towels in front. The same food can be hidden all over in small quantities that add up to the same amount shown in this video.
Because we have housekeepers we put a lock on our prepper room door. It's not a room they clean but because we've recently added significantly to the stockpile we made the decision to lock it up. We aren't concerned about them taking anything but are concerned about who might overhear them talking about how large it is.
It sounds like locking that room is a good idea. I have thought about using a closet for my extended pantry, and there would never be any reason for people to open that closet, so people would just assume that it has clothes in it. But if I was in a situation where I had people from outside coming in, I would need to rethink that.
@@StockingMyPantry Another good place to put your stockpile is in a bogus hamper. Have one in whatever room you usually keep your hamper and then another in a bedroom. Who would think to look in a hamper for food?!
..thats very practical jc arizona...in worst time u cannot just trust anymore ..no offense meant ..but if times of struggles comes...you and your fmily at first ..its survival...God bless them too anyway
@@miragonzales6060 And just so you know, we are very generous with our housekeepers. We gave them a 25% raise for no reason other than we wanted to. They have worked for us for many years and we have given them gifts for their children, food, new baby gifts, Christmas gifts, gift cards, and much, much more. I just didn't want my initial comments to come off as us not appreciating them, because we very much do.
Secret room entrance well hidden
That would be awesome!
I think her ideas have merit but could be improved on. For instance, the closet with wood screwed on the space is obvious. I think you could frame the area in a way that the wood slats would slide up to allow access and then perhaps put light shelves across each one to conceal them, paint them to match the walls and then store shoes or whatever on them. I didn't like the underbed storage at all. Too hard to get to, and how fast would she be able to get to her storage if she needed to get out fast.
Hello 👋
Hello 👋
I have boxes in front of my food that's stashed that are marked RAGS or Christmas decor. Even put fake garland on top of box when they look in. Make them work for it if they are stealing. Also
baited mouse traps. Hopefully that will wake them up.
Great idea!
Too drastic for me
Too drastic for me, too!
I keep glass jars, pickles, jellies ect either on the floor( under bed) or on the bottom shelf of pantry shelves. ( i live in line with Madrid faultline.) Noodles are on top of bookcase next to ceiling.
Sounds like you have a great plan! I love putting lightweight things that won't easily break up high. It's easier to pull them off the shelf compared to heavy things, plus if by chance you do drop them, you don't break anything.
Nice to come across a prepping channel that isn't all about the guns and ammo, "us" vs "them." I stay away from those types. I'm 68 years old, newly widowed. I've prepped all my adult life, although I never called it that. I was just a provident woman who kept a home very well stocked with supplies and food. It was to see us through illness, unemployment, layoffs, transportation problems, bad roads, unexpected company, short checks, etc. It came in handy many times. I'm beyond overstocked right now, as when the shortages hit, my husband was in the hospital and I felt such a responsibility to be sure I could take care of us no matter what, that I doubled down more than ever. My pantry is a really small room, separated from the kitchen by a laundry nook. And because of allowing myself to become frightened by all the gloom and doom people on youtube, I now have an overflow of supplies and a little food stacked in the computer room. All my family lives a long drive away, and I'm isolated because of the virus, so it's rare for anyone else to be here, and I'm only gone long enough to get the mail or go for a walk. I'm cautious and keep things locked and don't let strangers in. The only tradesmen who would ever have need to be in that part of the house are good men that we've dealt with since we moved here 25 years ago. I would never store in the way the woman you showed does. That food can't be used out of and rotated. Just wait until she finds a bunch of cans of things like pineapple and tomatoes have been leaking for a while. It's not going to be pretty. I've always believed one of the reasons for being well stocked is to share when you know of someone in need, which I've done many times. My parents did the same. I would never fail to give someone something if they said they were hungry. I volunteered at the food bank for years.
You sound like a wonderful lady, Paula. Sorry to hear you are newly widowed. That must be so hard. I have often thought of what it would be like to lose my husband. We've been married 35 years and are true companions. It sounds like you have a really good set up, and don't need to worry about things being stolen. I love your emphasis on being able to help people in need. I agree that is a big reason to prep. I love that you volunteered at the food bank. Food is one of the things I'm passionate about because it's one of the true necessities. Hope to see more of you around, because something tells me that we have the same values. Much love to you.
@@StockingMyPantry you are very kind, and I just subscribed. We had been married 47 years, no children, best friends and constant companions, so it is the hardest time of my life. I try to accept that it was his time. He'd had Parkinson's for years and his body and mind were worn out, but it is hard. It's one of those things no one can really understand until it happens.
@@paulastrachan4053 hugs to you. Parkinson's is a horrible thing, since it impacts both mind and body. My husband and I have both worked from home for several years, side by side. So we are around each other pretty much all the time. That's why it's going to be so hard when the time comes. But I'm glad that we are able to have such am amazing life together. As painful as it must be to lose your husband, I'm so glad you had the time you did. Thank you for subscribing. I appreciate it.
You are a Proverbs 31 woman. I wish we were neighbors!
I've spent as much time as anyone on this topic, she's on the money. You're right better having freeze-dried foods in truly hidden places, but she's going by the adage better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. The lady has a 5-year shelf life storage situation, if we need supplies beyond that point, one had better be ready to move out of doors and do the neighbors, gardens, guards scenario. We're all screwed if it's over 5 years to shtf. Freeze-dried has its own short comings. Good luck and God bless to all, you deserve to survive.
Love the store and rotate pantry
I agree with both!
Maybe if peopleSTOP posting their preping pantries on the media noone will know.. But nooooo everybody hv to show thw world..
Hi Milna, I'm not as worried about people online that have no idea who I am in real life, or where I live. Can people find me? Of course. But they'd have to really want my green beans to go to all that trouble, travel a thousand miles (or however far), etc. I think we do need to be careful with people that live locally.
@@StockingMyPantry those darn green bean bandits
@@StockingMyPantry Thanks for the video but I do want to give you a heads up on that can of green beans. When someone has dropped fifty pounds and are looking pretty ragged they would kill for that can of green beans. No joke my friend.
I appreciate those who take the time and "risk" associated with posting photos of their prepper pantries on social media. It has given me lots of great ideas on what and how to store food/supplies in case of any type of emergency. Until this video, I had never considered stockpiling lumber but it is something that I will do when the price of wood isn't at the current astronomical prices.
I would put the plastic bottles ion a rolling plastic under the bed bin. I have had 2 incidents where the bottle leaked and warped my floors.
Great tip! Sorry to hear about your floors.
@@StockingMyPantry I did get to it before it got too bad. We have to remember plastic is not forever.
What will happen if she had to leave her place and bug out?
I think the nailed under the bed storage would only be good for those 30 year items that you only use in extreme emergencies. I agree that regular rotation is essential with "normal" pantry food. Even without having a prepper pantry I have items become stale dated if they are at the back of my kitchen pantry. She would need a really good system for making sure that doesn't happen.
Hi Paula, I think we've all had foods expire in the back of our normal pantry. Seems near impossible to avoid if things aren't easily accessible. Hopefully she has a good system in place to rotate things out.
Yeah & she has to take all that apart to get to it!!!
I know! I like being able to reach into my pantry and pull out whatever I want to eat. :)
How long tho will cans stay edible
It varies, dependent on what it is. You can see a date stamped on each can. You can safely eat things for quite some time after they expire, but the nutritional value and taste may not be as good.
I think Somebody (Janet) seems a bit paranoid.
I agree! I love her creativity, but think it's not too practical to have stuff stored away in such a way that it's very difficult to get to.
I hope there’s no wrong way to prep.I have a closet full of groceries in one of my bedroom. No one goes in there, I feel that they are safe. Great video. Thank you for sharing.
I agree 100%! Everyone will prep in a way that makes sense to them and fits with their own resources, including space, money, etc. Thanks for commenting. I appreciate your kind words. :)
A friend got one of those BIG white propane tanks n put up on blockes next to his garage. He cut off rear of tank n welded hinges on one side a hasp n lock on other side all painted white.He also welded wheels on bottom of tank n a tow package on front n planted bushes round it to hide n if SHTF he'll hook his pkp truck to it n tow it out to his "hootch". Inside the tank he mounted shelves n a bunk. He backs his truck in garage shuts garage doors n uses hand truck to carry storeage out back door n into tank . He also fenced it all in n has a dog to watch.hiss brother lives next door only he covered over the old bsckyard inground swimming pool w I beams n covered w dirt n grass. He built a cabana pool house for himself his mancave. But ib the walkin cli
Oset is an elevator for firewood that carries food n preps
Wow, talk about creative ways to prep!
My mt house packs and my #10 cans are stacked up in duffle bags ready to go. I fill one up i go to store and buy more to fill up.
It sounds like you have a great plan. I love the idea of filling up and buying more. That's pretty much my process, too. You for sure don't have to do it all at once.
I can understand the need to have a prepper pantry that isn't screaming "Look at all my goodies" to anyone that comes into your home. HOWEVER, there are better ways to store your preps in a covert manner where you can still access them readily. A footlocker or cedar chest at the end of a bed is a great place to store things (add a couple of towels or blankets over them for added hiding). Your closet is another great place - place a bookshelf (or some other kind of shelving unit in the back of it) place your shoes on the bottom shelf, and your canned goods on all other shelves. Your clothes will disguise the fact that it's actually a prepper pantry - people will see your shoes on the bottom shelf and just think you have a lot of them. The options are limited only by your creativity.
I agree. Those are some great suggestions! Also, if you store your preps various places throughout the house, that helps decrease the odds that everything would be discovered.
I put risers on my queen bed, which gave me lots of room to store preps. Then I decided to put risers on the other beds as well, utilizing more space.
We do what we can.. 😁
Shes a Dooms Day prepper. That's just too much. I want to be able to rotate my food and access it easily as well. I'm saving for a rainy day or a tough year. Not apocalyptic disasters. If there was an apocalypse or the complete fall of mankind,...Id just rather die and be in heaven. I wouldn't make it long without medication anyway. 🤣😂🤣
Deshia, I think you have a similar mindset to mine. I'm not in a position to prepare for the apocalypse. And I, too, know that I'll end up in heaven. (Thank you, Lord!) I agree about saving for a rainy day or tough year. One thing I've started doing is prepping more for gardening. I'm doing some outdoor gardening but also indoor hydroponics. So I'm stocking up on growing medium, seeds, nutrients, etc. It doesn't take much space, and yet can produce a lot of food both now and in the future. I have some totes under beds, etc. but they are easy to get to. I feel like this is a more reasonable approach, that can help get us through a hard time.
I disagree with food under the bed. Mold, moisture and critters.
Good point! I especially hate the idea of attracting critters! Especially under my bed. . . not a good way to get a good night's sleep!
Remember these preppers have weapons so you need to think about that before you kick somebody's door in
Good point!
I would like to be able to get to the food
I suppose we would all like to if we get hungry enough!
I think building a hollow box spring would be good. Someone can look under your bed and see shoes or whatever.
That's a great idea for sure!
I look at it this way.... if society goes into total collapse then it likely won't matter if you have 3 days worth of food stored or 3 months.. it will be gone. Some things one simply can't protect against.... but SOME situations we can manage.
Plus... if we SHARE with our hungry neighbors they can't steal it from us can they.
What a radical thought that is. Hmmm
I like the way you think! I don't think there is anything you can do to prepare for a total collapse. But if you had, let's say 3 months of supplies, when the shortages hit with COVID, you wouldn't sweat it like others. That's more my approach, because I don't have the resources to go all out. As you said, there are some situations we can manage. How big of a situation is different for everyone. And I agree about sharing with our hungry neighbors. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Cool but no dispersal plan. Military members should be familiar with this. In a nut shell, all water in one place, all food in another. Something happens to one part of the house and all of one of those things is gone. Can't do much with one and not the other. Mix, to the extent possible, some food, water, other stuff n multiple places so that if one location is compromised, everything is not gone.....just saying.
Great feedback! You are very right that it makes sense to have a little of this and a little of that in multiple places.
Like the ideas for long term store but not as working pantry.
Agree 100%!
I appreciate the people who show their prepper spaces, it's got me doing the same, but on a smaller stage (I live alone). However I do think it would be wiser, if you are showing what you've got to not show your face so to maintain anonymity.
That's a good point about not showing your face.
I really think this lady is quite smart. A normal person would not look in these places. And, if she did have to bug out, there may come a day when she can go back. And, quite possibly she would still have alot of her food. Although not foolproof, it can work. And, like her, I dont share my pantry, and I have it in multiple places.
She is definitely smart! The only concerning thing is that most of the foods she is storing aren't meant for long term storage. Now it's possible she rotates things out periodically, and if so, that takes care of that problem. It really is amazing how much she is storing in a small space. I also like that she is storing things like lumbar and tarps, because those can come in handy.
She sounds overly cautious, paranoid. Can goods do not have a long shelf life. Waste of time hiding in places she can't get too easily.
Thanks for the comment. I agree that the biggest problem is storing food in a way that she can't get to it easily.
i use zip lock bags for pasta them put in mylar then in totes
Sounds like a great plan!
I had to move all my pantry stores under my stairs and one bedroom closet to get carpet replaced. The best choice for me was to pack everything in small moving boxes from home depot. I numbered the boxes and made an inventory sheet(s) to keep tract of
I really like this idea because they are a good size and easy to move. On one of my cross country moves, we were going to be living in a house for just 6 weeks before moving into our longer-term home. Like you, I numbered boxes and kept an inventory sheet so that we could easily find ANYTHING we wanted while everything was still in boxes. I even know what box a specific book was in, for example. I can see how that could also work really well with a prepper pantry. Thanks for bringing it up, because I had forgotten about that and it's definitely a good system.
@@StockingMyPantry and with a split level condo i can manage the weight of a full small box on the stairs!!!
Some neat ideas but it feels more like she is more fearful of people breaking in and stealing from her as much or more than having something to live on should disaster or shortage happen. The issue I see with under bed storage of her food is that the grains in the middle don't look like they are sealed in bags or containers that keep bugs and moisture out of it. Bugs are not slowed down by boards or canned goods. Nor by piles or wood or blankets layered over them. Just ask any termite, ant, cockroach or bed bug. Mice might be put off but if they are hungry enough, they will chew through the wood. And they can get through some pretty small holes. But if she feels safer, more power to her. But this did give me some ideas. Bottom drawers of dressers can hold food, wasted space on top shelves of closets and cabinets will hold it. Scale down on some of the junk that accumulates in a home and replace the space used by it for food and you will most likely have plenty of room all over the house for different things.
@Stephanie Haberman you make some great points. I agree that her fears seem to be more focused on people stealing from her than from things like food shortages. I suppose that you could say that the two things are related - food shortages lead to desperation which could lead to theft.
You are right that the grains in the middle will draw bugs, and my wouldn't that be a mess! I also agree that if she feels safer, more power to her. We all have to prep in ways that make sense to us.
I also agree that her way of doing things does help us all to think more creatively. I just think it's important to be able to access the food we store so that we can rotate it and make good use of it before it goes bad. That would be very hard to do with her set up.
You also make a good point about getting rid of junk to make more room for things that matter most such as food. If we got rid of unnecessary junk, even a small home has room for a lot of food.
Thanks for watching and for your thoughtful comment.
She isnt a prepper..she is a horder.
This isnt rotating food. I dont even think she will ever eat that food
That's a great point. I think it would be different if she was buying #10 cans with a 25-year shelf life and stashing them away. But none of the foods she has stored are meant to be hidden away. It's way too hard for her to get to the things to eat them on a regular basis. Plus it would be hard to find what she needs when she needs it.
Maybe we can keep a good amount of food in a cabinet or pantry so if in a really bad situation an intruder comes to steal food and you are at home, you can say that’s all you have while you are keeping the majority or a good portion of your food hidden down the bed and other places like we can see in the video.
I think that's a good idea. It certainly fits with having food stored in more than one place. Since my storage space is so limited, I've considered having a small, climate controlled storage unit, but that is an expense I really don't want to have. It would, however, be helpful to have storage in more than one place. I do think being creative about where we store things in our home is a good idea. I like her idea of behind the armoire, because while not super convenient, it would still be hidden but easier to get to than the bed set up she had.
Simple Suburban Living I’ve heard about this idea also. But, I consider he pace at which things might go into lockdown and the expense of using a storage unit and it just doesn’t work for me. Perhaps, I still feel I’d live in a stuffed apartment, but am just paying extra in food elsewhere, for the privilege of storing it and, if my car breaks down or there’s inclement weather, where I might need access, I still won’t have it.
I am definitely a covert prepper. I also keep a small cache in a very small climate controlled storage. The storage allows for more preps obviously. However if I lost preps in my home for any reason (flood, fire, robbery, assuming they would find all of my preps in my home) or if I had to only grab a go bag and go, I could pick up a good amount of supplies from my storage. If I had to relocate altogether and am unable to bring my preps from home, I could easily have enough to start over. Don't forget about your vehicle and 24 hr access p.o boxes.
Chrystal Cr great but, for vehicles, they’re not climate controlled and my guess is that, for PO Boxes, although I do have access to a 24 hour one, their expectation isn’t that it’s used for storage, right?
@@privateprivate8366 depending on where you're located most long-term foods can survive this time of year in a vehicle. as far as the PO boxes I'm not necessarily concerned about their expectation I'm not storing explosives.
if one can leaks it will smell and mold
That's a good point! That's certainly a mess that I wouldn't want to have to deal with!
I'm thinking she is going to have a lot of food that goes bad. I believe, at least with store-bought food, you need to be able to actually use it and replace it so that it doesn't expire.
Cathy, I agree! She has some very creative ideas, but since it would be so hard to rotate the food, it would likely go bad. I think it might be good to use this approach with food that is meant for long-term storage, and then make everything else more accessible.
It would be sooo difficult to get to her preps. She reminds me of someone from a violence prone environment or country. How would she remember where everything is? For example how would she know which storage place has the can of corn? Does she have a system to keep up with inventory? She is very creative.
I agree that she is very creative. She did share on her website how she ended up becoming a prepper. We all have those defining moments in life that impact us. I also agree that it would be very hard to get to things. The set up would be great for very long term emergency storage that lasts for decades. But I like using the food in my prepper pantry on a regular basis, so this wouldn't work for me. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. I hope to see more of you soon. :)
so creative I'm sure she knows where everything is and a plan for rotation every 6-12 months too.
What a nightmare when you have to use the food as it becomes outdated…not everything lasts for years. 🥴
I agree! I had to applaud her ingenuity and diligence, but it makes no sense for food that isn't the 25 year type of food.
My garage is a bad place because people can see.. I have empty bedroom and it is full of food. I put all my food and I keep the door closed so if someone come in, they will not see my food. Is this ok to do.
That sounds like a great option! My husband and I are currently living with my 90-year-old mom to help care for her. We own a condo that we plan to move into after she passes away. One of the bedrooms has a huge walk in closet. I plan to make that into a pantry because no one would ever see it. Even if they walk into the bedroom (which they wouldn't have a reason to do), you don't see the closet without going out of your way. I do think it's best to not have too much visible.
That too much work to get some corn or peas.
It is a lot of work! I'm guessing that if she rotates, she takes out quite a bit at a time. Otherwise, it sure would be a pain!
Keep your prepping food secret.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and people including relatives will do anything to survive.
Some may seek you out for food and may even want to pillage your goods.
You make some good points, for sure. I think the tricky part is balancing hiding preps with properly rotating food.
@@StockingMyPantry
I have a bin or two for each year.
That sounds like a good plan!
Too extreme. I do store things under beds and in bedroom closets but they are easily accessible.
Same here! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
Great points. I canned and prepped more this year than ever before. I put 1 picture on Facebook when I first started. I was just so proud of myself, and didn't even think about it actually inviting trouble. I had 3 people (not close friends) joke about knowing where to go when the s.h.t.f. It really made me think. I deleted my picture, and never talk about our pepper pantry now. We have divided our food between 3 rooms in our home. We made sure to put up ammo too in order to stand our ground and protect our lives and home. We have 4 indoor dogs that hate strangers as our extra eyes and ears. The world is crazy now. We have stopped watching TV, and have downsized our friends to only lifelong ones that are like minded.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. When it comes to sharing the photo and not thinking about it inviting trouble, I think the reason is that we'd never in a million years think of causing someone else harm. I'm glad you have your food spread out and that you have protection in place. Stopping TV is a good idea, because it can really cause a lot of anxiety and depression. I'm glad you have your lifelong friends in place, because we all need friends we can trust.
Me too
Me too
I’ve posted my canned jams but have never made mention about what it’s for. I’m doing the same thing as you. I have 3 rooms that I use for storage and am going to start a 4th. Those that have basements have no idea how lucky they are.
I hid food in closet for emergency use and forgot about it. A strange order was coming from closet and after taking everything out canned food went bad and it was a mess. Good idea but even canned food needs to be rotated
Terri, I'm afraid that I'll lose food if I hide it unless I have a good system for keeping track of where everything is. I'm glad you shared about your experience because it's a great reminder that even canned food goes bad. That is why it's so important to rotate food.
Yep. This is a worry, particularly where canned fruit and tomatoes are concerned. The acidity eats right through the can so, they have a short shelf life.
Add bay leaves to containers of rice and pasta to prevent weevils.
Good tip, thank you!
I've heard that. Does it change the taste of the rice in any way?
@@heartofdixieprepping4797 No, no taste change. The bay leaves just keep the bugs away.
I agree with putting food in more than one place. How ever I do have a problem with under bed storage with no ventilation. Or any mattress with no ventilation from below. A human can sweat a litre or more of liquid and all that moisture just gets trapped in there. I had to remove solid boards from beds for this reason. Following on that I would then also not store blankets in that manner. Some of the other ideas I will ponder about.
Thanks for the info on sweat. I don't believe anyone else has mentioned that, and it's a great point! Thanks for sharing. Now I'm the one pondering. . .
Beds and mattresses were set up by someone else. Unfortuanitly due to high humidity area the boards and mattresses ended up being written off by mildue. I do have really big paintings in the house. Now if those were mounted on boxes deep enough to fit cans in such a way that people don't look twice at them I think ill be in business😉
Creative idea! I've also heard of people putting canned goods behind books on a shelf. Depending on your library size, it may not provide a ton of storage, but I think it's a good idea.
Her method is great for Patriots Mountainhouse or Wise Foods. All the other stuff can be hidden in plane sight. Use false fronts that don't require nails or screws.
Question for you? Can I store Raisin Bran cereal in Mylar bags with oxygen absorber? I ask because of the raisins
No as you would risk botulism. There are long term storage cereals and freeze dried grapes in No. 10 cans available. You may also store dry cereal with O2 absorbers in Mylar bags for several years. Regular dried fruit is risky.
@@sandrataylor8966
Thank you
@Sandra Taylor beat me to the punch! It's best to store separately and then you can always combine them when you go to eat them.
@@StockingMyPantry
Thank you, lots of smart people on your channel.
Let me just say most preppers are not just prepping food they are well-armed to be able to defend what they have prepped
Good point!
This was great, thanks, I've been looking for "how to start a food storage business" for a while now, and I think this has helped. You ever tried - Ponannah Unthinkable Prestige - (just google it ) ? It is a good one of a kind guide for discovering how to produce an amazing bug out plan for your survival without the headache. Ive heard some extraordinary things about it and my m8 got amazing success with it.
Except When the Government Comes to Take it.
Thats what I was thinking .
Lol ain't that the truth.
Covid forced us to think of priorities-so instead of adding spaces for food storage (we are in a one-bedroom apartment)I am eliminating all unused kitchen items e.g. six extra pots/pans, tea party sets, pretty serving dishes used twice a year in order to use the cabinets for food -cooking supplies that are actually used daily!! Can be left stovetop or on open shelves
Lee, you make a good point. Covid really has made us all think about what matters most. Many of us have had to make some changes. I like the idea of getting rid of the things you don't use that often. I'm in my elderly mom's place, so I can't really get rid of her stuff, but I am finding room to put things. We got 3" risers for our bed, so we can put some containers underneath. I've also tucked things in corners here and there, where it's not really obvious or messy, but easy to get to.
My first thought when watching this is that she doesn't intend on using any of that food until what she has 8n the cupboards runs out. Meaning, this is emergency only. I have both...a working pantry where I rotate and replenish and emergency or long term that doesn't get touched. So the bed idea is excellent!
Hi Stephanie, you are absolutely right! Since the bed is so hard to get to, it's pretty clear she plans to use it for emergency use only. The challenge is that the food she stored isn't intended to be stored for decades. Now it's possible that once a year or so she pulls everything out and replaces the food, but there was nothing to indicate that. Regardless, I have to give her props for her creativity and being able to store so much securely in a small space.
i see nothing wrong with her system. more then likely she pulls everything every six-12 months to rotate. i doubt someone this creative and organized would over look ritating food!
Great point. But if you read her content, it seems she buys little bits at a time. So it may be hard to rotate things out if you didn't do it pretty frequently. But she is certainly creative, and so she's no doubt thought through the various options. It is also true that things last beyond the expiration date.
Interesting topic. At the moment I want to say any level of prepping is a good idea doing whatever works for you.
I know for myself keeping track is hard enough using a FIFO system. I would never be able to keep track of crap scattered all over the house, much less hidden in the walls and under beds. Not for me, but love it for you if that’s what works.
As far as hiding food, I recall seeing pix of people hiding soup cans behind books on the bookcase and my thoughts were how crazy would I look if my family noticed I was squirreling away soup behind books? I’ll take my chances of getting food stolen by keeping it organized in one room and knowing what I have and what needs rotated out.
She has good ideas but to difficult to get to. I do keep some preps in different areas but do have a spare bedroom that has the most in. I do not worry about someone coming in to take because if you get that far I will not need because I am dead. Anywhere you store could be in danger of loss due earthquakes, hurrancanes flooding or fires.
So true. Your channel name is an interesting one. Seems it would be tough to prep in an RV, but at the same time, you would certainly be mobile, which is awesome!
@@StockingMyPantry I have a home base since I am retired but I have enough food with me for 9 - 12 months when traveling plus equipment needed to survive. I have solar to l run fridge. The only thing I would run out of is propane if not available so I would have to cook on wood fire and use more covers to keep warm at night in the winter if it runs out.
@@eastcoastrailroad8209 that's wonderful. Do you by chance use a lot of dehydrated or freeze dried food? It seems that's a great way to have a lot in a small space.
@@StockingMyPantry I use dehydrated food that I have done myself plus can goods.beans and instant rice.
I also store food in glass jars in backs of cupboards etc but I use most of mine as a working pantry. Its humid here most of the time except in the dead of winter (winter here is about 4 weeks in the tropics) so mould and rust is an issue with all canned goods. We are in a house block about 800sqm so now I am comfortable with my current preps I have started learning all things gardening, water harvesting, chickens for eggs. Hoping to move in the next few years as im keen for a root cellar. Its still spring here and it will reach 39°c over the next few days. Cyclone season is what I prep for mainly. Im in Australia 😉🇦🇺
Hi Erica, I appreciate you stopping by, watching, and leaving a comment. You do have certain challenges with heat and humidity. I'm in the desert, so I have heat, but not humidity. I think you have a good plan to expand beyond your pantry. I believe that should be part of everyone's plan, even if that means just indoor gardening in an apartment. At least it's a way to produce your own food to supplement what is bought at the store. A root cellar would be amazing! Glad to have you join me from Australia. :)
I prefer a working pantry. I imagine a lot of her food will expire before she can use it. But I love her creativity, especially for a shtf situation. I would quickly shift much of my working pantry inventory over to covert storage areas if that happened. A hidden room with disguised access would be ideal. Always wanted a hidden room.
I've always wanted a hidden room, too! If we ever remodel, that would be an awesome. I'm also wondering if it would be possible to make hidden panels under the bed so that it looks solid like hers, but can be opened from the sides. I definitely love her creativity and may apply it to long term storage when I get to that point.
I’ve even wondered, if I could make it absolutely seamless and imperceptible to the eye, could I store cans of food behind drywall, between the beams.
Absolutely! There's lots of videos on TH-cam for inspiration and ideas.
I think she has got some great ideas. If she built the bed and stacked all those things in there then she can surely undo it all.
That's a good point! The question is if she is rotating the food out. I would think you'd want to do that at least annually, and if she is, then awesome. If she's leaving it all in there for years and years, then not so good. But I have to say she did an amazing job stashing a lot of food and other supplies in a small area, completely out of sight!
@@StockingMyPantry So true.
What a great answer to those who say, they don't have space in small apartments and the like. You got to love the folks who think?
It's definitely a creative use of space! And it shows how much all of us can store. I'm just not sure I want it to be that hard to get to, so even my prepper pantry is a working pantry.
My Prepper storage is a work in continual progress.
@@PG-px1ju I think that's true for all of us!
I like her ideas, but the food under the bed is not practical. You can't rotate out the food easily this way. Water storage AAA+++++
I agree 100%! Regarding water storage, here is a response I just wrote to someone else: " I have heard some say that over time, the water bottles can leak, so that's something to keep in mind with water. One person said their floors warped because of leaking water. You could put water bottles in plastic containers, so if they leak, the water will go into the container and not ruin anything."
@@StockingMyPantry That's a great idea, I didn't think of that either. I'm going to buy some totes for mine today! Thank you for this great idea! ❤❤
I love the idea of under the bed, hidden and secure, however I would only use that for long term or non food items. I store food under a bed until I get adequate shelving for home canned stores. I only wish I had a basement so I could make a pantry behind a false wall. 😊
I would love to have a basement, too, but no option for that here. You make a good point of storing non food items under a bed like she has. I like the false wall idea and am wondering if that can be done here, even though we don't have a basement. I am storing food under the bed, but in containers so I can easily pull them out and rotate the food.
I had stuff in my basement and then Sandy hit. Lesson learned. ,it was a good thing I had things in water tight containers but other things got thrown out, like toilet paper.
Yeah, the LDS cans of food I have are actually for my retirement, unless things get really bad before then.
@@homeandgardendiaries6384 sorry to hear about you losing food due to flooding. I think it's important for everyone to consider their own situation. For instance, if you live in an area that floods, or like me, an area with earthquakes. Those factors impact the best places and ways to store food and other preps.