where do you stash your stocks??

[Decaff]

After buying more food today I realised that I need more ideas on where to store things. I live in a small flat, no outside space at all and cannot make permanent changes to anything inside.

So I wondered how/where you keep your stashes if you are also space deprived.
Thanks everyone.

[ForgeCorvus]

Have you filled:
Under the bed
Behind the kick-boards (under the kitchen units)
The bottom of the wardrobe (a single layer of tins won't use much space)
Behind the sofa (or other large furniture thats pushed against a wall)
Behind the bath panel


These are just a few ideas I've gleaned from prep sites

[Plymtom]

That is where one of the Doomsday preppers episodes had a good crafty person on, but we've covered it here too, under the bottom drawer of anything, behind kickboards in kitchens, under the sofa, taped (packets ) to the back of things which don't quite go all the way to a wall, you just have to get creative.

We don't have much space, probably a good deal more than you but nevertheless it's a big issue, the more crafty you have to get, the harder you will make it for stock rotation too ( I've found that) oh and don't make wardrobes top heavy, if you're going to pile anything on top, make sure the bottom has some weighty stuff in or you could pull it over on yourself far too easily ( no I haven't done that yet but it's one especially for the ladies to be wary of) snap FC

[J23]

If you have bathtube you can store cans under it. Just make sure they don't touch the tub itself

[FEISTY]

Think I've mentioned putting a row of cans or packets behind the smaller books in the bookcase. If you have surface space on furniture you could buy (or cover) some attractive strong cardboard stacking boxes (I have two sets, but they're full of sewing/craft stuff and sentimental stuff I'm keeping for posterity). Match them up to the décor of the room they're in. One set sits on top of narrow bookcase in an alcove in the hall and one sits on top of a taller CD/DVD bookcase with bottom drawers in the music (ex-dining) room. I try to make sure that if a piece of furniture takes up floor space, it pays its way with good storage. Replace console tables with console-type cabinets, replace coffee tables with trunks, cubes or anything with storage. If you have a decent sized hallway, add tall (and wide, if you have space) cupboards along the length of wall you have. Paint them to match the walls and they'll blend in and be less overpowering. Tonnes of storage there. Try to get ones with locks and then visitors won't be able to peek in them . All these things you can take with you if you move. Tape water purifying tablets behind pictures (yes, I admit that one's a bit "out there" , but if you're really, really short of space ...). Keep your Waterbob and bottled water behind the bath panel. I wouldn't put cans there - they'd rust too quickly ;(. If you have a large enough dining table, can you put a wooden box underneath? I'm thinking of a decorated one (eg stencilled with "Coffee" or "Tea"). Strangely, these things are often "invisible" if you blend it into the room. You know those things you buy to hang up to hold shoes or other stuff - you could hang those in your wardrobe full of lighter stuff (boxes of matches, fire starter, small torches, candles, etc, etc). It would be worth it having a clear out just to be able to fit one or two of these in . If you have stuff like emergency Mylar blankets, ponchos, etc still in their packaging, you could put those under the cushions on the sofa (not my favourite idea I must admit, but if space is really tight ...). If your sofas are against the walls and you have the space, put long, narrow cabinets behind them. Fill them up and push the sofas right up against them. They'll look like console tables behind and will look great with a lamp and a couple of cool trinkets or a group of candles (a prep in plain view). You don't want anyone but you to be able to open the doors anyway.

[Arzosah]

To free up a little bit of space in the kitchen cabinets themselves, you could have a line of hooks for mugs underneath the wall cabinets, if your mugs are on a shelf at the mo.

Only thing about being *this* ingenious with storage space - make a master list of where you've put everything, otherwise in about 3 months time, you'll have no clue (ask me how I know ).

[junmist]

Only thing about being *this* ingenious with storage space - make a master list of where you've put everything, otherwise in about 3 months time, you'll have no clue (ask me how I know ).

[Decaff]

Excellent ideas! Under my bath I currently have loo rolls, lots of loo rolls! Delivered on a pallet Plus more in the hall cupboard!!

Behind the bathroom door I have 4 years supply of dishwashing tablets stacked up the wall.

Under the bed which has drawers I have all types of candles, lighters, lamps, toiletries, a tin filled with ibuprofen, another with paracetamol, packs of cotton wool pads, boxes of microporous tape with dispensers, a tin filled with antihistamines, boxes of gel hand washes and lots of other bits I can't remember off the top of my head!! Everything along with my food is logged in a excel sheet giving use by dates etc and printed off in case shtf and power is off.

Bottom of wardrobes are full of more toiletries and feminine goods.

I especially like the idea of storage working for its place so may look into those boxes that can be used as stools, I could fit a long one into the bathroom with no problems by getting rid of a metal rack that gets dumped on.

I may just add where it all is going by an earlier post!!!

[Plymtom]

It's not that I forget where I've put stuff, but the passage of time I loose track of.. luckily it's tinned stuff in the main.

[Decaff]

It's not that I forget where I've put stuff, but the passage of time I loose track of.. luckily it's tinned stuff in the main.

I will add to my sheet just where it all is, call me anal but I hate not knowing where something is, will send me off on ocd road to obsession!