Organization Is Key

I've had some people ask about inventory and organization.  Easy!!!!  for it you need 5 legal pads, some graph paper and lots and lots of pencils.  Just kidding.  I do know people with such extensive preparations that they do have huge spread sheets; and I know that some people have all their stuff scanned into a computer.  Wow.

Long-term food storage rotation.

One thing to admit to yourself is that your long term food storage is like insurance.  You may not use it but you're glad you have it.  Unless you make 10 loaves of bread a week, you are not going to rotate through your wheat fast enough to even stress about it.  If you have pinto beans with every meal, great; but most of us don't so it's more trouble than it is worth to try and rotate.  Stash the 100 lbs of beans and think about it in another 30 years.  I have bags stored that I don't touch (because I can't reach them, "thank you husband");  and I have one bucket of beans that I use, when it is low I buy the next replacement bag.

So much of what you store is based on how much room you have.  If you are storing your grains under your stairs then you won't beable to put the new bags in the back, so stash the wheat, be grateful you have it and then in 30 years if you haven't used it yet start replacing it gradually over then next year.  In my head I have a grand design for a mini-grainery to fit under the stairs:  pour new wheat in the top, take wheat from the bottom - genious!  I have 4 kids, several hobies and a couple volunteer jobs.  The mini-grainery will have to wait.




3 month food storage rotation.
I only store enough flour to fit on a certain shelf.  The flour container in my kitchen fits 5lbs so I store 6 5bl bags and it works out to about a 6 month supply.  I know that if I run out then I have plenty of wheat I can grind.

Same with the sugar.  I have that on a particular shelf that fits just so much sugar and if something happens and I need more I have 80 lbs of honey in my long-term storage that never needs to be rotated.

The key is to get organized.  Figure out what you want to keep in your 3-months-or-more food storage, organize it and then replace as you use.  You do not need a big excell sheet to keep track of your storage.  Keep an index card on your fridge.  As you use something write it down.  The next time you do a big shopping trip you know what to buy.

For example.  I love Kroger Macaroni and Cheese.  I think it is better than the name brand.  At a case-lot sale you can buy a case of mac and cheese for $.25 per box.  We have the case we are eating our way through and then an un-opened case underneath.  When the next case-lot sale comes along, if I've opened the last case then I buy a new one.  If I still have a whole case then I wait until next time.

Decide your staples that you always want on your shelves, like canned corn.  Think how how many cans you want for a 3 month supply, like 20.  Assign one spot on your shelf that fits that many corn then you always know how many you have. 


                                                       Not enough space

We are a peculiar people, and proud of it!  That includes our food storage.  You are commanded/encouraged to store as much as you can.  If you only have room for a month's supply then so be it, but get that month's supply.  The only food I have in my kitchen is flour, sugar, cooking oil, and spices (okay, and what's in the fridge).  Everything else is stored throughout the house.  You don't see it, but it's there. 

You do not need a designanted food pantry or food storage!!!  If you don't have enough room on a shelf for 3 months supply of corn, get a tote from Walmart or the DI and keep it under a bed.  I built a bench for under a window; I keep small appliances, cans of wheat, rice, beans, and oats in it.