As a bonafide prepper, you must have secret and hidden storage solutions at home. If you don’t have any yet or are looking for ideas, give these a try!
3 Hidden Storage Solutions for Your Home
As you prepare for a worst-case scenario, you’ll find yourself both stocking up and cleaning out your house. While that sounds contradictory, you’ll want to clear out all of the unnecessary clutter and material possessions in favor of tools, supplies, and nonperishable food items.
Prepping comes with the side effect of simplifying your life, but proper preparation does require some degree of hoarding. Dried beans, canned goods, and bottled water to last your family a year take up more than a little bit of space.
After you fill up your garage, basement, attic, pantry, and closets, what options remain? If you’re trying to hide certain important documents, cash, or other valuable supplies, you may also be looking for more under-the-radar storage solutions.
Luckily, there are still several places in your home you may have not yet considered.
Hidden in Plain Sight
Whether your concern is utilizing more of your square footage or hiding things where looters and thieves are unlikely to find them, options abound throughout your home.
Consider items that currently only have one purpose, like your kitchen and dining tables, coffee tables, and ottomans. You can hide items underneath the tabletops, or opt for designs with slide-off tops to reveal storage space.
Instead of a typical coffee table or ottoman, use a chest or storage bin. Storage bins can be covered with fabric or cushions to disguise them.
When it comes to documents and cash, store them behind framed photos or behind photos in albums. The appearance is of a memento, which has little value to a thief and often remains untouched.
A more involved option requires a bit of handiness and creativity. Look for places you can duplicate an existing feature in your home, like baseboard heaters, PVC pipe, or outlet covers. Build or install a dummy version and use the space behind it for storage.
Misleading Labeling
When packing boxes that contain goods or valuables, put some effort into misleading anyone that may be going through your things. This is a trick often used with moving companies.
Again, things like mementos and décor don’t draw the same attention as possibly valuable items. Label boxes with things like, “Christmas garland,” “winter sweaters,” or “grade school artwork.”
The top of the box should contain exactly what you wrote on the outside so that no one is encouraged to dig deeper.
Create New Space
You may think you have already used all of the space in your home, but there are still some areas that are rarely used. The space above the door inside your closet usually has a light fixture, not a shelf. Add shelving all the way to the ceiling.
Again, consider the furniture you already have. Bookshelves are a great example of an item that you can add storage to. Adding a false front to several shelves provides a new space to store items and still allows for books to fit on the shelves.
Keep Track of Your Supplies
Keep a thorough record of everything you’ve stored and where. You don’t want to need an item and not be able to find it! This can also help you stay organized when it comes to expiration dates. Efficient prepping requires organization and creativity, as well as some handyman skills — all come into play when making room for supplies.
Do you have your go-to hidden storage at home? Please share some tips with us in the comments section!
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