Neat Idea!

What, no real bean bag furniture?

Seriously, think what a conversation piece a wall of #10 cans could be or clear plexiglass tubes filled with grains and beans as architectural columns, flower vases, and lamp bases - survival decor at its best!

For me, sailboat living offers minimal storage for just about everything. I stick with about a month of freeze-dried back-packing stuff plus a commercial one month water and food pack. The galley has dried pastas, grains, and beans good for a couple months. Water is more of a challenge.

My recent discovery that I am diabetic throws much of this planning out the window, of course.

We have recently gone with the Shelf Reliance storage systems (http://www.shelfreliance.com/). Not only is it a very efficient way to store our canned goods, it also automatically rotates them which is a problem we were having when storing them on regular shelves. The shelving units come in a variety of heights and widths.

They also sell their own freeze dried food system (Thrive) and are very pro-preparedness. In my experience they have been good folks to do business with.

Greg

I use standard storeage crates, each 600mm X 400mm as the base for a bed.
Theses crates are available in various depths and can be stacked if required, 8 are suited for a standard double bed, cover the crates with piece of plywood of the correct size for a standard spring or foam mattress.
If desired the crates may be concealed by a curtain or valance attached to the plywood, though I did not bother.

One could store tinned food and bottled water thus, though I stored blankets and clothing, thereby freeing space elswhere for food.

These crates are available with ventilated sides, best for avoiding damp or mould attacking clothes and linens, or with solid sides that would resist vermin.

Speaking of beds... Make one -- another approach.

Gather enough buckets to cover the floor area of the size bed that you want. Cut a 3/4" piece of plywood about 1/2"-1" larger than your mattress. Split this in half lengthwise. Attach the two pieces back together with flush fitting hinges. Cover the top with a flat sheet, stapled to the back side. This will protect coverings from splinters and such.

Lay the plywood on the buckets, so that when you lift one side, it will fold over the other side. Next, cover the ply with a made or bought bed dust ruffle. (Hides the buckets.)

Top with all your spare blankets, quilts, etc. Then add the mattress.

To access the storage, side the mattress over to one side. Throw back the extra blankets, dust ruffle, and raise that half of the plywood. No need to tear everything apart to get to that bucket of beans.

As long as you have enough buckets to support the plywood, spaces between the buckets can be left for other types of storage containers.

Hope this is food for thought.

Lee

I have made some of these can rotators using leftover cardboard boxes and empty boxes from the liquor store. Each holds 9-12 cans of various sizes of store-bought beans, fruit, etc. that are part of my typical diet. Not a ton of additional food but every bit helps, and it's a good way to benefit from buy-1-get-1-free sales.

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/02/16/build-your-own-can-rotating-rack/

(A hot glue gun makes quick work of this project, btw.)

I'm currently looking into the best option of storing food also. My roommate's house is VERY old (sawmill slats for cabinets), and very damp underneath (half basement, half crawlspace). We've also had rodents from time to time that we had to trap. We have a detached garage, but I'd rather not store food where it's outside the actual house.

I need something that's totally rodent-proof, I'm thinking very large ammo cans. I'm thinking of buying the 7-day food supply kits, taking them out of the cardboard box the pouches come in, and putting them in a large ammo can. Each can should hold 7 days worth of food for one person.

Either the ammo cans or a very robust Rubbermaid-type tub, something along those lines. I plan on starting out small, storing up 7 days worth of food, and adding to it over time. My eventual plan is to have 30 days worth of food per person for my daughter and I.

Then comes water storage... something else I have to work out.

If you have the space, go to a hardware store or a farm/feed store. Buy metal trashcans. Use bungie cords to secure the tops. For more more security you can secure the tops with metal pipe strapping and a few bolts. As long as you keep the bottoms of these cans away from moisture, they'll last for years and years. Rats and bigger critters can't get into them, if you have them secured properly. You can make gaskets for them fron auto innertubes.

Lee

Well, I remember folks talking about 4" PVC pipes, and either burying them, or leave a few inches sticking up so that it looks like sprinkler system-related items.

How about those shelves in the garage that raise/lower and hold plastic bins?
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stor...amp;R=100464807

I noticed in my car that the back seats had "holes" in the foam. not much space,just a good idea:does your furniture have dead space behind the upholstry, behind the cushions, that could be filled in?

"coffee" tables or end tables on 5-gal buckets, or storage containers. Cover with tablecloths. Of coures, when your friends find you out, that could be a touch awkward.

Reviving the storage spaces thread...

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=14039791&RN=404

I bought these tonight, they lift your bed by 7" and only cost $14.99. My bed was pretty short before. Now I have a good bit of storage space underneath for stuff which will go in rubbermaid-type tubs.

Now I just have to not kill myself in the morning when I forget the bed is taller. And going to Bed, Bath, and Beyond is an experience when you walk in wearing BDU shorts with steel-toed work boots, lol.