“So my plan has been to buy as much ‘non-perishable’ items as possible and keep my pantry very overfilled.”
I’m jealous. Our space for storing food is so pitiful that finding space for two 5-lb. bags of cat food is a big deal. I worry that when the SHTF we’ll be left high and dry.
... Our space for storing food is so pitiful...
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Under beds. Behind furniture that is against a wall.
I cleared out a double row of kitchen cabinets (2 doors each, 2 shelves and was amazed at how deep they are...at least 26” at a guess. There is a huge dead space at the corner and that is for the 25-year shelf life stuff.
One entire closet is over 1/2 dry food stores in 4 plastic drawer organizers. Large bags rice & flour, beans, etc on the floor in there. I even stashed some things in our clothes closet. If a table is against a wall, I use the space under it. There are all sorts of odd-shaped storage units at thrift shops and online.
I downsized from 2100 to 1085 sq feet and another 2 story 1600 square feet and a couple of sheds to a 2 car garage and a couple small sheds. Putting up a small *greenhouse* potting shed next Spring and that will clear out a bunch of clutter in my back laundry space.
It’s hard.