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- Lack of Space. One of the top concerns for people starting to store food is, “Where am I going to put it all?” The answer to this question is to get creative. Look for the places in your home that could be organized more tightly to fit more belongings. Cans are great to store under the beds or television. There are storage products that you can hang on the backs of closet doors, or you can create a false bottom in a closet by lining the floor with food and topping it with plywood.
- Lack of Time. We all wish that we could have more than 24 hours in a day, so how do you find the time to focus on food storage when you have so much already on your plate? Take it a day at a time. When it’s time to cook dinner, think of recipes that could be used for multiple food items, double it, and freeze the other half. Cook things ahead of time for future use so that you end up saving yourself time in the future. Don’t try to take it all on at once. Have one goal per weekend, and learn how to dehydrate fruit, organize, or clear out a space.
- Lack of Funds. Saving money is definitely doable when it comes to storing food for your home. Again, don’t try to take on the world all in one shot. Set a monthly budget for yourself ($40-50) and slowly start accumulating the basics of what you need. You don’t necessarily need to buy shelving. If you have 4 large bins of potato pearls or 2 water jugs and you put a piece of plywood across the top of them, you've got a shelf to store anything on! If you take a look around at what you have, and don’t assume that you need to buy everything, it will be much cheaper than you would have thought!
- Food Rotation Difficulty. Instead of simply placing the food in random places, you’re going to need a system so that the food doesn't get old. Many get shelving units roll the oldest cans toward the front, so that every time you re-stock you can put them in the back. It can also be as simple as putting new food on the right side and taking from the left when storing in a cupboard or under a bed. What will help the most is learning to cook with the food that you buy so that it doesn't sit there for years collecting dust and going bad. If you can keep restocking and using the food, you will be able to stay organized and get the most out of your money.
- Dietary Restrictions. When you have specific dietary restrictions by choice or allergies, it may make things a little tougher. However, if you do your research, you can still find gluten free food storage or whatever the case may be. The opportunities are there if you do your homework.
Have a positive attitude, and keep striving for food storage, its well worth the struggle.
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Dirk Puckett is a proud family man and food storage junkie who loves to help others on their way to being more prepared for emergencies. Click here to find out more about food storage, or here to visit a facebook page that can help!