Like most people, you probably enjoy having some money saved up for a rainy day or a holiday you’ve always dreamt of. If so, you might be familiar with coupon stacking, various warehouse store deals, and clearance sales. These allow you to save a lot of money in the long run. So, it’s a good idea to take advantage of such opportunities. However, there is one problem. Where will you store all of the items that you buy? Check out our stockpile organization and storage tips to find out.
Where to store items?
Before you start buying every item in sight, consider where you will store these items. If you are amongst the lucky ones who own a home with plenty of unused space, you shouldn’t have any problems. However, if space is a scarce commodity in your home, you should really give this some thought.
Take a look around your home and consider where you could install some shelves. If you own a basement, utility room, garage, or an attic, these are all perfect places to store items. Also, keep in mind that, if possible, it’s always better to store your items in one or two locations in your home rather than in every room. The fewer places you have items stored in, the more organized you will be.
If however, you do not have enough space for this, you should try to store items in groups according to their use. In addition, try to place them near the space you plan on using them in. For example, canned foods can be stored in kitchen cabinets and drawers. There isn’t much sense in storing canned foods in the bedroom.
Remember not to overdo it with stockpiling goods in your home, though. Try to keep things simple and organized. You definitely don’t want to become a hoarder.
Is the space suitable for storing?
Before you decide where your stockpile storage should be, consider the conditions that space has to offer. Factors such as temperature, exposure to sunlight, humidity, and exposure to pests should be considered depending on the type of items you want to store. Food items are very sensitive to heat so their exposure to direct sunlight and high temperatures should be kept to a minimum. Good storage space will prevent the deterioration of the quality of the items stored in it.
Organization and storage tips
- Organize any coupons you have and find the best way to be successful with your couponing.
- Try to create a functional stockpile. Overstocking puts you in danger of creating clutter and your goods expiring. You need to think rationally and be organized. Try to find the perfect balance.
- Have sturdy shelves in the place designated for the storage of your stockpile. When you place your items on the shelves, their weight will add up, possibly making it a heavy load. So make sure to secure your shelves to the wall correctly.
- Organize your items in groups by type. Your job of finding and tracking them down will become much easier. Of course, you should group your items in a manner that suits you best. We suggest creating groups such as laundry supplies, cleaning supplies, all paper goods, food items, personal care products, and such.
- If you place your items in rows on the shelves, it will be much easier for you to see what you have and to reach items when you need to use them.
- Depending on the size and packaging that your items come in, you can decide whether you want to place them directly on the shelves or if you want to place them inside a container first.
- For storage, you could have old moving boxes or use other packaging techniques.
- If you use containers to organize and store your items, be sure to label them accordingly.
- You do want to stock newer items in the back of your rows. This way you will spend older items first and they will not go past their expiry date. So, be sure to get in the habit of rotating your items to avoid letting anything go to waste.
Inventory
Creating an inventory is an important part of stockpile organization and storaage. It will make using all of your stored items much easier. If you maintain a well-organized inventory you will know which items you need to re-stock and which you should stop buying temporarily.
Check up on your stockpile regularly so you can remind yourself of the expiry dates of your items. If there are items that you are unable to use before they expire or that you might not need anymore, consider donating them to a shelter or somebody in need.
What if there is no space for shelves?
There is still space in your home for stockpile organization and storage even if it isn’t specially designed for storage.
Out Of The House
If there is no storage space in your house, consider storing your stockpile in an outdoor shed. Alternatively, arrange to store your items at your parent’s home. If you have a large stockpile and plenty of items to move, you could call Vision Movers FL. Companies like this can easily pack and transfer your items for you.
Under the bed
Various items can be stored under your bed including toilet paper, paper towels, and napkins.
Freestanding pantry or shelves
Try to find some currently unused space and create a standalone pantry or shelving unit. Fill it with a group of items from your stockpile, depending on where in your home this space is.
Overhead
Check whether there is any space above your cupboards that could lend itself to stockpile storage.
The door
Hang organizers on the back of doors, wherever you deem it to be convenient. Shoe organizers can hang on the door and can give you a lot of added storage space for specific products such as deodorants, body washes, shampoos, and other items.
In plain sight
Some items can even be stored in large containers on your kitchen counter. Food such as pasta, cereal, or rice could be stored this way. If the containers look nice, this can even give your kitchen a modern look. You should consider the best kitchen storage ideas to ensure your kitchen looks appealing, organized, and decluttered.
On the wall
If you have some free space on your walls, consider mounting some shelves. Individual shelves will not provide too much space on their own, but they will contribute to your overall storage space.
Unused receptacles
Search through your home for any possible available storage space. These include spaces you probably didn’t consider before such as luggage, the trunk of your vehicle, larger chests, or baskets. But be sure to consider conditions in those storage units and which items you put in them.
Double-duty storage
Consider obtaining multifunctional furniture such as benches that can open up or ottomans and coffee tables that have plenty of drawers. You could use these drawers for storage space.
If you still haven’t tried couponing and want to give it a go you should know that it’s a good way to save money. Consider your options and be sure to incorporate our stockpile organization and storage tips.
Anika Sims is a proud mother of two as well as a freelance writer interested in sharing her ideas in home organization, renovation, and photography. She is always looking to expand her knowledge and experience.
