Preppers are good at preparing for the worst and collecting supplies to help them survive if SHTF. However, that doesn’t automatically make them great organizers—and you need to know where everything is in an emergency so you can grab what you need.
When SHTF, you will not want to search around for supplies as a hurricane ravages the landscape or when thegrocery store has a food shortage. Instead, you will want to know exactly where to find your emergency food, medical supplies, or survival gear. That is why an organized prepper pantry is so vital.
Keep reading if you are ready to take your prepper communities to the next level. Down below, we will talk about prepper pantry ideas that will help you dial-in your prepper pantry organization.
What Should Be In An Organized Prepper Pantry?
Contrary to popular belief, an organized prepper pantry does not only include emergency food likefreeze-dried fruits and vegetables andemergency food buckets. There are various other categories of things we recommend prepping in your pantry besides food.
Water
Along with food, water is an important item that every prepper pantry should contain because there may come a time when your municipal water source becomes unsafe or unreliable, or your well dries up.
Stackable and sturdywater containers are a must-have for any prepper pantry. Besides having bulk amounts of water, we also recommend having the resources to collect, filter and treat water.
For example,a rainwater collection system is a fantastic tool for harvesting water, along with having multiple methods for treating water, like boiling, iodine tablets, and UV water filters.
Medical Supplies
Medical supplies are one of the most important categories in an organized prepper’s pantry. In an emergency or natural disaster, someone may become sick or injured, and you may not have access to professional medical help.
Therefore, having a robust cache of medical supplies could be the difference between common ailments and injuries progressing into something much worse.
Along withfirst aid kits, we recommend you also have a supply of essential prescriptions and other other-the-counter medications. This also includes anything your pets may need to stay healthy.
Emergency Supplies & Tools
Besides food and water, there are other supplies you might need in the event of an emergency. There may also be tools you like to have prepped just in case something breaks, and you need to fix it.
- Spare batteries
- Survival radio
- Flashlights and lanterns
- Fire extinguisher
- Various power tools, e.g., drill
- Screwdriver and wrench set
Clothing
One of the most important components of survival is warmth. And for humans, the best way to stay warm is through their clothing.
Having clothing prepped in your prepper pantry is especially important for speedy evacuations. If you need to bug out, the last thing you want to have to do is search through your closet for a change of clothes. Instead, we recommend you have spare clothing packed ahead of time for each family member.
We also recommend you consider the time of the year and the different seasons when packing your clothing into bug-out bags. If it is cold outside, you must have the proper clothing to stay warm and dry. It may be beneficial to prepare two different bags, one for cold weather, and one for hot; or, pack clothes that are easy to layer.
Survival Gear
In an emergency scenario, a lot can change rapidly. You may find yourself in a rough spot, perhaps without shelter, access to food, or isolated from your family or prepper communities.
For that reason, it’s also important to cache survival gear in your prepper pantry.
- Tent and tarp
- Hunting and fishing gear
- Camp stove
- Fire making materials
- Water filter
Prepper Pantry Ideas & Organization Tips
Prepper pantries are works in progress. You have to actively work with them to keep them organized and to keep your food rations and supplies up to date.
Here is a list of ideas that we’ve employed in our own organized prepper pantries that have helped us stay neat and tidy.
- Maximize vertical wall space– Keep things off the floor. Anything on the floor is susceptible to water damage, spillage, insects, and rodents.
- First In, First Out (FIFO)– As you restock your pantry, put newly purchased items behind the older items. That way, the older items get used first, and you avoid dealing with expired foods or products.
- Position the most used items at eye or hand level– Frequently used items should be ready to go. In comparison, things that hardly get used can be kept in less convenient areas.
- Use sturdy but removable labels– In an emergency, you will want to quickly and clearly see where something is located. Therefore, labeling is crucial for staying organized.
- Put heavier items on the bottom– By positioning heavier items on the bottom, you remove the hazard of falling heavy objects and make your life easier when lifting or moving heavy items.
- Organize items together – Having specific locations for like items and labels helps keep your pantry organized. As your pantry evolves, continue to make sure similar items remain close together so you can locate supplies in a hurry.
Keep Your Prepper Pantry Organized with the Six S’s
The Six S's
- Sort -Determine what you have, need, and do not need
- Set In Order - Maintain FIFO and keep like items together
- Shine - Keep the area clean
- Standardize - Rules, labels, color coding
- Sustain - Create good habits and stay motivated
- Safety - Build in child safety protocols
Final Thoughts on Prepper Organization
Having a year’s supply of food, water, and other emergency supplies isn’t very helpful if you cannot locate the correct tool when you need it or when all the food you’ve collected has expired.
An organized prepper pantry will correlate directly to your survival ability and how comfortable you can keep your family in the aftermath of a disaster.
We hope you have enjoyed our prepper pantry ideas. For access to thebest survival foods, and for answers to questions like, “how much food to store per person in the event of a natural disaster,” please visit our website.
We have food prep product experts waiting at the ready to help you prepare for the unexpected.
