Prepper storage is an important topic. Storage is a preppers best friend, but it needs to be done right. Whether you’re storing food, ammo, weapons or water, there are tricks of the trade that everyone needs to know. On this page we’ll discuss the various aspects of prepper storage and share some survival storage techniques that you’re sure to love.

Storing fresh drinking water is very important. In fact, 96% of the human body is made of water and many doctors are now recommending that people drink a gallon of fresh water a day. That amount may increase if you live in warm climates or you’re engaged in a lot of physical activity. Aside from drinking, it’s important to store fresh water for personal hygiene, cleaning, and sanitation purposes as well. To best store water, you should find a sturdy flat area that doesn’t get a lot of foot traffic. After your location has been established, you need to ask yourself how much water you’ll need, and for how long?

Here are a few examples that will help you plan.

• 2 people x 2 gallons x 14 days = 56 gallons
• 5 people x 2 gallons x 90 days = 906 gallons
• 6 people x 2 gallons x 14 days = 168 gallons

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is the plastic commonly used for water storage and there are many options to choose from. Depending on your needs, you can store water in individual 16 ounce bottles that are easy to carry, but can be difficult to store, 1 gallon plastic jugs, 3.5 gallon square water bricks that interlock for easy stacking, 7 gallon blue jugs that look similar to plastic gas cans, 15 gallon plastic mini barrels, 55 gallon barrels, and large 260 gallon storage tanks.

According to the FDA, water has an indefinite shelf life if it has been properly stored, unopened and it has been stored in a dry, cool area away from heat and direct sunlight. Prepper water storage containers can also be frozen for longer periods of time without issue, but must be refreshed every six months if you’ve stored water from a tap.

There is no daily recommended allowance of carbohydrates. The Cowboys knew this and so do preppers. That’s why proteins are a staple of the prepper diet. Proteins, like beef, have a long shelf life if it’s dried into jerky and they’re also a very portable snack. Another popular prepper food storage item are dry and dehydrated foods like beans or buckets of emergency food kits. Most emergency food buckets include 32 breakfast servings, 76 entree servings, 64 drink servings and 9 servings of snacks. If you’re not sure how much you need to have on hand use these three rules.

• Short Term Emergency Food Supplies (Up to 1 month)
• Medium Term Emergency Food Supplies (3 to 6 months)
• Long Term Emergency Food Supplies (6 to 24 months)

Canned food (whether store bought in metal cans or canned in glass jars) are also popular items among preppers and survivalists. These items are easy to store and stack but like bulk food items, they may be difficult to transport. Glass canning jars are very popular, but are best stacked on the floor and in corners so they can’t fall off shelves and break, and they are out of the traffic flow of the room. Regardless of what you’re using for your emergency food supplies they should be categorized and stored by their food type. Canned foods and dry goods should have their own section, just like perishable items like meat and dairy products, and a final section for water, drinks, and beverages. All of your prepper food storage items should have expiration dates clearly written on them and your stock should be rotated regularly. Remember; variables like humidity, sunlight, breakage, and rodents are all threats to your precious emergency food items. Keep these in mind when you’re selecting your food storage area.

Ammo storage is very important because the gunpowder inside your rounds can degrade if it’s stored incorrectly. In general, ammo should be stored in areas that are free from high humidity, heat, and repeated fluctuations in temperature. The most obvious, and possibly the most common place to store your ammo over the long term, is in metal military-style cans. They can protect your ammo in the harshest weather conditions and in the most extreme heat. In general, you should buy an ammo can that has a rubber gasket that’s an inch longer than the item. Storage cases that are made of wood are also a great place to store your ammo. These closed wooden boxes are well built, very durable, and environmentally friendly. The only drawback to these ammo cases is their weight and the fact that wood is flammable.

Airtight and watertight ammo cans are becoming more popular with people using ammo that has brass casings. A watertight ammo can will ensure that your ammunition will not deteriorate in the event of excessive moisture. Excessive moisture can react with brass casings and corrode your ammo. To further ensure that your ammo will not corrode, you should use either desiccant packets. Gun safes are also a good option if your safe is equipped with an airtight compartment. If you go that route, you shouldn’t place the safe in the ground unless you place your ammo in vacuum sealed bags. Vacuum sealed bags are becoming very popular as air, and moisture can’t get in. These vacuum sealed bags are equipped with adhesive seals that provide protection even in the event of a flood.

With all of that said, our favorite place to store ammunition is in a watertight underground container, in vacuum sealed bags. Available at any large home building center are large water tanks that are designed to be buried underground. These water tanks are equipped with large, threaded openings that can easily be disguised or altered allowing you to crawl into the space and stack your ammo. Possibly the best reason to choose this option is one that my neighbor discovered the hard way. Johnny spent years buying and stacking his ammo in his spare bedroom. Over the years he compiled cases and cases of prime ammo that, when his house caught fire, became not only worthless, but dangerous. If he had taken our advice, his $25,000 cache would still be intact. Regardless of what storage method you decide to use, keep your ammo in a dark, dry place, away from humidity or drastic changes in temperature. Click here to visit our group discussion!