This is how to easily store food even when you have no extra space

Space can be a premium. This can be true no matter how large or small your house is because some spaces are just not secure and safe for food storage because of moisture, pests, or a variety of other factors that impact your food supply.

So I wanted to share some really creative ways to maximize the space you have and to creatively store your dried food goods.

I have worked to include ideas that I have actually seen work. Links are to goods I recommend and we earn from qualifying purchases.

Use Buckets as seating

This is such an easy switch. You can get larger buckets such at the 7 gallon ones and add a simple cushion or circle chair pad to it to make it a chair. Same with taller ones for bar-height stools. This not only means you’re creating storage space and making your seating more functions, but it also puts your food storage right in your kitchen where it’s already being used.

Instead of just storing food in containers on shelves, use the shelves themselves. Find an old dresser (or even just the drawers themselves) at a thrift store or salvage yard. Line the drawers with food safe drawer liners (or even just heavy-duty freezer paper) and use them as bulk storage bins.

Each drawer can hold a different grain, type of sugar, or a specific category of baking ingredients. Label the outside of the drawer clearly. This works especially well for things like flour, sugar, and larger grains. The dresser can then either be a functional piece of furniture in your pantry or storage area, or even disassembled and the drawers used individually on shelves. The advantage here is that you can easily access the contents without having to move containers around.

The same can be said for kitchen and dining room hutches. They can be full or food and not just dishes.

When we lived in 900 square feet as a family of 6, I used some baskets under our bed to make the most of otherwise unused space.

In fact, the space under beds is often underutilized. Instead of just shoving random items under there, use it for organized food storage. This can be on casters or rolling bins. No matter how you do it, it can be functional.

Buy or build shallow, rolling carts (or even just use sturdy, low plastic bins with wheels). Line the carts with food-safe materials if necessary. Store your bulk grains, sugars, and other staples in airtight containers on the rolling carts. This keeps the food off the floor (protecting it from dampness or pests) and makes it easy to access. Just roll the cart out from under the bed when you need something. This is especially good for apartments or smaller homes where storage space is at a premium.

Use magnetic surfaces to add shelving

Even in our large farm house, kitchen storage is a luxury. I added shelving space by getting some magnetic spice racks for the side of the refrigerator. And this is an easy way to free up an entire cabinet of shelves!

Vertical Storage with Hanging Shoe Organizers

Over-the-door shoe organizers aren’t just for shoes! The clear pockets are perfect for storing smaller pantry staples.

Hang one (or more) on the inside of a pantry door, a closet door, or even on a wall. Fill the pockets with things like dried herbs and spices (in small jars or bags), packets of yeast, baking powder, baking soda, small bags of nuts and seeds, or even dried pasta. The clear pockets allow you to see what you have at a glance, which is essential in maintaining good food storage.

The vertical storage maximizes space. You can even cut out labels and slide them into the pockets if the original labels are not clear enough. This is great for keeping frequently used items organized and within easy reach.

Look for other unused vertical spaces for storing canning jars

I have seen people do a variety of unusual things to use space more effectively. Even just storing canning jars one deep is better than an empty wall. I have seen people do this under stairs, on the side of stair walls, and more. Find the nooks and crannies in your own home that offer unused vertical space.

More on family food storage planning:

• How To Get Started On Building A 3 Month Emergency Food Supply For Your Family
• Need to start bulk buying to better save money over time? Here’s how.

Kara Carrero

Kara is an author and advocate for positive, grace-filled parenting. She is homeschooler to her 5 children living on a farm in New England. She believes in creative educational approaches to help kids dive deeper into a rich learning experience and has her degree in Secondary Education & Adolescent Childhood Development. She is passionate about connecting with and helping other parents on their journey to raise awesome kids!