Next to money, or the lack of it, inadequate space is the greatest challenge many people face when they decide to get prepared.
No matter how small your home or apartment, or whether you own or rent, a food storage system is not impossible. Very few people have the ideal situation.
That's a start if you do. But your "pantry" may be a food storage system that is a combination of mini-pantries in several rooms, closets, and transformed nooks and crannies.
So your next step is to look around your home to discover how many different places can be turned into pantries or mini-pantries. Your mini-pantries may be in different places, but it makes sense to keep like items together.
Ok, so you've found spaces all over the house and you are proud of yourself for having a food storage system. But are you finished? Not yet.
The best and most manageable way to know is to tape a list of everything that's in a particular space on the inside of the door. And, if there are many items in that space, also write what's on each shelf.
Here are some suggestions for places to look in your home for storage.
Storage Search Worksheet |
|
Areas to Consider |
How to Improve |
Cupboards |
- Clean out/rearrange |
Closets |
- Rearrange |
Odd Spaces |
- Rearrange |
Under Sinks |
- Rearrange |
Out of the House |
- Rearrange |
As you are planning the space for your food storage, remember to take into account the accessibility of each item. There are long-term storage items and short-term items, which need to be rotated more frequently. If it's a short-term storage item, make sure you can see it and get to it to rotate on a regular basis.

This set-up may be everyone's dream for a food storage system, but you can find places that will work for you.
If you are using metal utility shelves, install the shelves upside down in their frames. That way each shelf will have a lip on it to help keep cans and jars from sliding off. From Sunset Magazine