The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

Zentimes

Hi all. I wonder if I could get a bit of storage advice. We've finally got our shed sorted out and it's ready to store stuff. However, it's not insulated, so the temperatures and humidity pretty much reflect the outdoors. What can I store there? I was hoping to store lots of canned food but now realise that's probably a bad idea with the high humidity. I'm nervous about storing flours, rice, pasta just in case pests get in (they shouldn't, but the window may get left open so that would be a way in). I was thinking laundry items that are in plastic containers, things like cooking oil, anything in glass jars. Perhaps some items in sealed ziplock plastic bags?

Grateful for any suggestions/tips, the in-house storage is getting cramped!

annieb64

I think you might find pests can get in whether the window is open or not. Rats and mice can get through very small spaces. Dd keeps sacks of potatoes, onions and other root veg from their allotment  in their detached garage. I think they put the sacks on pallets  to keep them off the floor.

[Deleted User]

We kept cooking apples wrapped in newspaper individually and then stored in the big open topped boxes bananas are delivered to shops in in our garden shed that attached to the garage.  The boxes stack well and we did also keep them on a pallet to keep them off the floor surface.  You have to check them once in a while and take out any that are not keeping well or you could loose a whole box of fruit fairly quickly.  Never had a problem with mice and would have usable apples (crispin was the variety) through from harvest time to the end of March but they do soften as they get older, but they are still usable.

annieb64

We bury our cooking apples in boxes of shredded  paper. We just save it up over the summer and it's  easier than wrapping  them. Just make sure they are far enough apart so they don't  touch. Last year they kept until Easter. 

silvasava

Zentimes - how about decanting your dried goods into containers. Plenty of different types available, glass or plastic. I've used jam jars for smaller quantities too.  They wouldn't be subjected to pests or damp. I know GQ and quite a few others store tins underneath the bed.

greenbee

If you're worried about vermin, then stick with glass/metal storage. Mice (and rats) will happily chew through plastic if they think there is something nice inside (although the ones that got into the pot of neosporin in the garage might have regretted it afterwards!). Definitely keep things on shelves, with air circulating round them, and enough space so that you can see if there are problems with corrosion/mould etc. 

I keep all my cleaning products (which I buy in 5l containers and decant) in the garage quite happily. 

Zentimes

Thanks for your replies.

I honestly hope no pests can get into the shed (it's made from breeze blocks and we had it refurbed inside, new plaster, floor, door and windows so it ought to be pretty pest-proof unless of course the window gets left open. The area is heaving with cats and we have two six month old kittens who are now allowed out during the day, am hoping that will be enough of a deterrent to mice and rats!

silvasava - I have some dried food in containers already in kitchen cupboards, I could move those (forgot about them till you mentioned it!) I could put pasta (currently in their original plastic bags) into containers, too. Under-bed storage is currently used for out of season clothes.

I tend not to store fresh produce like potatoes and apples. I unfortunately suffer with histamine intolerance and my food does need to be really fresh or else I react, so I go for dried or frozen where possible for storage. I will have a look online for more storage containers.

Prepping and arranging stock never seems to be finished, does it!

VJsmum

Lots of great suggestions - thanks.  Glad i'm not alone with my mixed veg phobia

Good idea about using the tinned potatoes and carrots in soup, Mar.  i think i might just stomach that.  I did use tinned potatoes in jack monroe tagine recipe and they were great.  In fact, in one batch i used fresh and in another i used tinned - the tinned were better.  Especially with the portions i froze.  

littlemoney

I store garden apples in the garage in open wooden boxes and every year some a nibbled by mice and covered in droppings.

silvasava

Zentimes - would it be possible to fit some mesh over the window? it would stop any critters or insects getting in perhaps?