The first step of survival is to collect enough items to ensure you and your family have enough to eat and drink for an extended time. Once you have this asset, it’s time to protect it.

Here are the best places in your home to store your survival supplies.

survival strategy

1. Dry Basement

This location is ideal because you can store significant resources in watertight containers while limiting access to the area. You’ll need to follow building codes for escape routes, so think about how you can blockade windows in an emergency to prevent unauthorized entry. Keep the door locked, store blankets and warm clothing down there, and don’t forget about flashlights, batteries, and personal hygiene items.

2. Invest in Cabinets

Most kitchens and bathrooms have cabinets, drawers, and storage spaces to use. These areas are perfect for emergency food supplies, especially when you don’t need fancy guest towels for a while.

If you don’t have much storage, consider investing in some cabinets for your garage, shop, or another area you can protect. Any empty space in the home could become a lockable spot to keep your supplies.

3. Build Stackable Shelves

Canned goods can get heavy. When you install shelves with bracing that connects directly to wall studs, you’ll have a strong resource that gives you a lot of extra storage space. The only problem with this option is that it creates a visible food source, so you’ll want to consider disguising it. Even a curtain in front could be enough to cause someone to move on if they’re hunting for supplies.

4. Use Your Luggage

If you’re bunkering in for an extended emergency, the likelihood that you’ll need luggage for a road trip is minimal. Use these resources to store some of your essential supplies, including bottled water.

You can grab your luggage and go if you need to bug out in your vehicle or run away because society has devolved into something dangerous. This option doesn’t work well with perishables.

5. Update Your Closet

Instead of having dozens of outfits to wear, consider paring down your wardrobe to 7-10 days of clothing you can use. That should free up enough space to create a spot for more emergency supplies. Depending on your room, there could be enough space for cabinets, shelves, and more.

6. Under Your Furniture

Some of the best places to store emergency supplies are under the bed, under your couch, and even under a coffee table. Make sure the items are in airtight containers so that pests don’t come for a free lunch.

You can store items in any spare location, ranging from an attic to a crawlspace. As long as the items are protected while remaining accessible. Don’t forget to invest in self-defense tools to ensure you can keep everything you’ve invested in for your family!