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Saturday, February 28, 2009

where do i put all this stuff?

we also talked about how and where in your home to create your food storage. here are some tips for storing:

  • if you can't find it -you don't have it! know where you put it.
  • your sharpie is your best friend. label the tops and the sides of your buckets, boxes, etc so you don't have to move heaven and earth to find stuff; make sure labels are facing out
  • keep like items together
  • come up with a system - any system at all - that you will use. for example: always take from the left of the shelf and stock on the right... this will ensure that your food is getting rotated and you use the oldest items first - and be consistent

some ideas for storage if you're challenged for space:

  • under beds in boxes or on cardboard flats for easy retrieval
  • under baby cribs hidden by dust ruffle
  • between the couch and the wall
  • along the wall of a closet underneath hanging clothes
  • install a shelf on the top of your closet above the hanging clothes
  • look for unused space under the stairs or odd-shaped rooms
  • mount 12" deep shelves, floor to ceiling, along a wall - cover with drapes hung from the ceiling
  • convert an extra closet or half or a large closet to shelves -- either built-in or free-standing
  • buy or build a free-standing cabinet or armoire

a few words of caution:

  • do not store food in your attic if it heats up in the summer, as texas does, the food will spoil quickly in hot temperatures
  • remember, the further you store from your kitchen, the less likely you are to rotate and use it
  • make sure you have inspected any storage areas for cracks and/or crevices - bugs and/or rodents will find it, if you don't find it first and seal it up
  • if anything spills - clean it up immediately to avoid encouraging pests
  • if you are using a space with dirt or cement floors, do not put anything directly on the floor; use a wooden pallet or shelves. moisture can seep in from the floor and cause rust or spoilage
  • do not use any containers that were once used to hold chemicals, cleaners, paint, etc.
  • do not use trash bags; many have been treated with pesticides and are not food-safe

the following are enemies of your food storage:

  • oxygen
  • bacteria
  • insects
  • light
  • temperature
  • humidity and moisture

now, onto the can racks - we talked about these, and they were a hit. i am posting the link so you can get step-by-step instructions for how to build your own can-rotating racks. so for the tutorial with pictures, see here.


Original: http://mansfield2nd.blogspot.com/2009/02/where-do-i-put-all-this-stuff.html

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