[Redcap]

I love how specific she gets so you can really picture what you can do and what space you’d need. It seems the biggest mistake people make is not having a plan for the space they have. They’ll can up a storm and find they don’t have a place for all those pint and quart jars. This article could really help people think about creating a storage space for what they want to have put by for winter or for long-term. Thanks for sharing it.

We’re just two older people who eat very simply. We managed an entire year’s worth of food on two large metal shelf units, including home dehydrated potatoes, greens, other veg, fruit, meat, eggs, dried cheese, dry milk (store-bought) and then we have fats and oils, salt, spices and herbs, and cornmeal, and oats (although we don’t eat a lot of grain as we eat more potatoes), honey and molasses. There’s also 2 years of black tea and all our dried herbs for infusions (mostly nettle, eleuthero, and comfrey).

[JerseyGiantChick]

Takes a lot of space, helps to use the space you have wisely. And spread it a bit if possible, prepare the way you can and work for you.

[RiceAndEggsToday]

It’s a real concern. I have a small place. I got rid of a couch, got a recliner, and used the gained space to stack buckets. My little living room looks pretty weird.

[BlackCatGarden]

I put our guestroom bed on risers and have buckets stores under it and in that closet. It’s a years worth for both myself and my husband. You make it work!

[Blighted]

It’s definitely tricky sometimes. Our house is about 2300sqft but we have a year’s supply for 6 people. The only thing I have downstairs is two 5-shelf industrial shelves in my kitchen (so ugly) to hold all of my canning. Upstairs where visitors can’t see, we have buckets of wheat lining the hallway and each bedroom has other types of food storage. Someday, I would like to have nice decor, etc., but knowing we can survive is much more important!

[JerseyGiantChick]

You are all doing a good job by preparing for your family, prepare and work your way. Do not forget to put as many Bible’s as possible in your preps!

[LulaP]

I thought I had enough space even tho it was less than my parents had. The main pantry is 8′ high, 2′ deep and about 7′ long. It worked for a few years.

This past winter I built another one just a bit bigger off the living room. I had helped Roy tear down a house in town. He paid me in wood! This second pantry is completely made with recycled lumber, even the doors. Then my cousin gave me enough jars to fill it.

When a minor hurricane took out our power for seven days, we had food. The meat was in the freezer. I had filled the freezer with gallon plastic jugs of water. These ice jugs kept everything frozen! But I couldn’t open the freezer and let out the cold air. We kept all of our meat in the freezer. This is why I started canning meat.

The local U-Pick farm will open in a few weeks for picking. This year our plum trees, both wild and tame, are loaded! It is the first year the loquats have produced. I’ll get enough peaches for a cobbler or two. And the poor fire blight damaged pear has maybe a dozen pears growing on it. We have been picking dewberries and huckleberries, my first time picking huckleberries to make jelly.

[Michale5349]

@LulaP

This looks great! I’m considering dooring each of my units. I have a question that’s been holding me back and I am so glad you posted because you likely have a first hand opinion.

How is the air circulation inside the units (with the doors closed) and how far does the temperature inside the unit (with the doors closed) deviate from the room temperature? Thank you so much for sharing.

• This reply was modified 6 months ago by  Michale5349.

[Michale5349]

LulaP,

This looks great! I’m considering dooring each of my units. I have a question that’s been holding me back and I am so glad you posted because you likely have a first hand opinion.

How is the air circulation inside the units (with the doors closed) and how far does the temperature inside the unit (with the doors closed) deviate from the room temperature? Thank you so much for sharing.

[JerseyGiantChick]

Makes me happy to read, great to see they blessed you with the wood and jars. Works so much better working together.