This aticle is is reprinted from this website, for more details, please refer to this blog (https://www.monkeybarstorage.com/blog/9-tips-organizing-your-food-storage).

Bulk packaged foods can be commonly found in homes that frequent Costco, have large families, or place a personal emphasis on emergency preparedness. My family was all three of those things when I was growing up. We kept a lot of our bulk, non-refrigerable food and water in a storage room in the basement.

Pantries and storage rooms often fall victim to disorganization and clutter piling up. The most common problem is food being difficult to find because nothing is labeled or grouped together. Worst case scenario you have food spoil or pests getting into it. Today we’ll cover some simple tips for preventing all of these issues.

Throw Out Expired Food

If it’s been a while since you last audited your food storage, the first step to getting organized is throwing away old food. This will free up more room and ease the rest of the project.

Ensure All Packages and Cans are Sealed Shut

It’s always good to double check the packaging. You don’t want to attract pests or have food expire early.

Label Unmarked Cans, Packages, and Boxes

If you can your own food or store food together in boxes, labeling the boxes helps identify food. Don’t forget to include a large expiration date on the label.

Group Similar Items Together

This helps with finding food along with labeling. My family does it by food type - water jugs, grains, pasta, beans, sauce and condiments, canned soup, and other canned goods are all kept on separate shelves.

Set Up Shelves Across the Wall

If you haven’t already, installing some heavy duty shelves flush against the walls can tidy up a cluttered room or closet.

Store Heavy Items on Bottom Shelves, Light Items Up Top

My family has had some mishaps before from storing heavy water jugs on the top shelf. Prevent accidents by keeping the heavy stuff on the bottom shelf or floor.

Keep an Inventory of Everything

Another way to stay organized and track everything is to make an inventory of all the items in your food storage. This way if you have a specific goal, such as 3 months of food supply, you’ll know how much more you need to buy.

Additional Storage Space

If the pantry or storage room is full, find additional space underneath beds and furniture. Just make sure to keep the food in room temperature areas. Try to avoid using the garage or attic.

Food Organizers

If you’re wanting to get more out of your storage space, a few organizers you can look into are storage baskets, door racks for hanging small baskets, and lazy susans for shelf corners.

Spending just a little time organizing goes a long way for creating a clutter-free, stress-free life. And the best part is it makes your emergency food supply much more effective.