In our previous post 10 BabySteps of Food Storage we briefly touched on each of ten steps we recommend for putting together your food storage. Today we are going to go into more detail about BabyStep 1: Shelves.
The best place to start on your food storage is with SHELVES. This first step always surprises people, but the reason we recommend starting with shelves is because it’s so much more exciting to have a designated space to put your food once you’ve purchased it. You would be surprised how much more motivated you will be to purchase food for your food storage once you have a place for it.
Some people hold off on starting a food storage because they don't think they have the space for it or they can't afford a deluxe shelving system. But there are a wide variety of shelf options available for any house size or budget. Determine the amount you feel comfortable spending and consider what will suit your needs best.
Tip: Don't be intimidated by small spaces. We had our readers submit ideas on how to store food in small spaces and were amazed by the results. You can check out all the great ideas here.
Shelving Options:
- Build Your Own
- Try making some rotating can racks out of cardboard (view tutorial)
- Pre-made cardboard can racks are also available to purchase
- Use plans found online for wooden shelves that can be customized for your space - Inexpensive metal or plastic shelving for lighter foods
- Higher quality metal shelves for heavier items that could bow or collapse cheaper shelves
- Deluxe Can Rotation Shelves like the ones from ShelfReliance.com are very convenient for easily rotating through foods
Additional Tips and Tricks
-Start with one set of shelves and add more as your food storage grows.
-Adjustable shelf heights help you store different types and sizes of foods and cans.
-Clear a space near your shelves for water storage, cover with old carpet or pallets to avoid storing water containers directly on concrete.
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Jodi and Julie are the authors of the blog Food Storage Made Easy where they walk you through the process of putting your food storage together in BabySteps. They started their food storage adventures about two years ago and love sharing what they learn along the way.
