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We’re not going to go all Martha Stewart on you here, but when it comes to the supplies you’ve hoarded, you need to find some semblance of organization. Prepper supplies are highly coveted, but if they’re a mess and you can’t readily get to them, you’re going to defeat the purpose of prepping in the first place.
The Atomic Bear is here to help. We have prepper supplies, self-defense items, and other survival gear. When you want nothing but the best when it comes to self-defense and prepping, shop with us today!
Here are some of the ways you can keep your supplies organized and ready to go.
Assess Your Storage Space
A big part of the organizing equation is determining your space. Some of you will have a closet, while others will have an underground bunker or basement. Maximize your space to make the most of it. If your storage is on the smaller side, you might have to integrate other parts of the home for supplies, but at the same time, take care not to accidentally use them for everyday purposes.
Decide how you can use space-efficient shelving and bins. You might need to install new shelves that allow for maximum storage. It’s an investment now that will pay off later.
Labeling
Establishing a labeling system goes beyond knowing what’s in bins. Yes, you know where everything is, but others also need to be able to easily and quickly locate items as well. On your food bins, keep a log of expiration dates for what’s inside so you know when it’s time to replace the foods inside. Know where your medical supplies are, as well as your self-defense items, seeds for planting, and so on. Make sure that you set a date every few months to visually inspect what’s inside. Even if something isn’t expired, that doesn’t preclude it from spoiling or becoming damaged.
Where You Store Things Matters
Just because the closet in your hallway is the only space you have available doesn’t mean it’s the best spot there is. For one, if it’s located in an area that gets a lot of sunlight or is exposed to the humidity from your bathroom, you’re going to be in for an unpleasant surprise when you need your prepper supplies. If you must rearrange storage in your home to accommodate your items, do it. Find a cool, dark place where water and the elements won’t affect your storage, and where the temperature doesn’t fluctuate too much.
Make It Off-Limits
Make sure the others in your house know that the items you have stored aren’t available for any reason other than a big emergency. While it might be tempting to run down to the storage area to grab a few Tylenol after you’ve run out, you’re defeating the purpose of your prepper storage by using those supplies. Make the rule clear and enforce it.
Group Similar Items Together
Your system should be clearly divided into your bins and on shelves so that you know exactly where everything lives. Just tossing things wherever they fit isn’t feasible. Take the time to rearrange your layout if you must.
Prepping requires a lot of planning, thought, and tactical thinking. Make sure you’re ready to go at a moment’s notice by organizing your supplies.
Jeff Truchon
" While it might be tempting to run down to the storage area to grab a few Tylenol after you’ve run out, you’re defeating the purpose of your prepper storage by using those supplies."
Where, then, are your preps for the tiny disaster of being out of tylenol and not wanting to drive to the store for more with a fever or headache?
Using stuff from your preps when you need it is great — having what you need when you need it is ultimately the motivation for prepping at all. Rotating stuff in your preps is also great! If you buy a new jar of Tylenol and put the new one in your preps and the old one into your medicine cabinet, you’ll avoid the issue of discovering that your stashed meds are 10 or 20 years out of date when supply chains are down and you can’t restock.
The place people get in trouble with letting family members dip into the preps is that things don’t get documented and restocked correctly. That’s where “don’t touch this yourself” can come in handy — but rather than “never use this stuff”, it should be “ask me if you need something out of this box”, so that you can take the opportunity to rotate an older item for a newer one and never run out nor waste useful stuff.