# Under bed food storage



## Cookie2 (Feb 21, 2014)

Does anyone use space under your beds for food storage?

While we have a house that is just the right size for us, our actual storage space is very limited. I'm working on building more storage but it isn't cheap and it takes time.

In the meantime, I'm running out of room for effective food storage. Right now I'm stuffing over-stock in the back of my lower cabinets. Storage in my upper cabinets is limited because if I over-load them they start to rip right off the walls. I've re-arranged the storage space in the smaller laundry room which helped a lot but I'm in need of still more room.

I haven't done under the bed storage yet because of the difficulty of easy access. I don't want to put stuff there then not rotate it properly.

Thoughts?


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## firestick (Oct 19, 2008)

I do. I use storage containers made by Sterilite or Rubbermaid that slide under the bed. They are long, wide and low. $5 or $6 each. Easy to slide in and out for stocking or rotation. They seem to work well and they're convenient to use even when they're full of cans.
Bill


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## ronron (Feb 4, 2009)

I have been thinking about this too.. We have a high king size bed with those you don't necessarily need the box foundation.. I am planning on getting rid of the foundation and making a tall box and topping it with wood so I will have a large deep storage area under the mattress.. This would make a great cool dark dry space for long term food storage but not fun to access.. So I am considering putting other items in this area like Christmas stuff I only need once a year and freeing up that closet space for food... I am not sure which way I will go but I know I will change it several times before I am done... LOL


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## backwoods (Sep 12, 2004)

I don't use underbed for storage, just because I don't need it...yet. I have seen people who use the 6 gal. buckets with wheat berries as end tables by cutting wood circles and sitting on top, then a pretty cloth skirt thing over it, and then topped it with a plexiglass circle to keep the cloth skirt clean. It looked really pretty, and if she hadn't been a friend & showed me, I'd have never realized it was her wheat berries! She said she saw it on a utube vid. so that be another source for food storage ideas for you.


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## Calico Katie (Sep 12, 2003)

I use underbed storage tubs under both beds in my house. So far I haven't stored food there but I will if I need to. I wouldn't put anything there that could get buggy but any canned or paper goods would be fine. If you have a computer desk, or almost any desk I guess, you can usually stack the back half of the kneehole with boxes or something the size of the Augason Farms buckets of wheat. Cover them with something to make them blend in with the desk and when you slide the chair in, it's really not noticeable. If you have a skirted couch that has a few inches of height, you can slide cases of tuna or anything else in small cans under it.


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## backwoods (Sep 12, 2004)

You just have to keep thinking "outside the box" LOL or in this case, outside the roll...
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvGP7ZQ3ixo[/ame]


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Yep, we do. Honestly I do forget to rotate that stuff, but I only put things under there that can be classified as long term storage. Things that have the crazy long shelf life, like wheat berries, white rice, dry beans, sugar, salt, etc. That way If I forget to rotate, no big deal


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

We do like Ohio Dreamer. Actually, we also do the end tables as well. All of our stuff under the beds is in 5 gallon buckets, and we did away with the bed frames. Just lined up those buckets, and put the box springs right on top, cover with a bed skirt, and there you go!:happy2:


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Haven't needed it, since I've had other options.

Seems, if you have access to both sides of the bed you could make a can rotator to go under there. You'd need to put the cans in on one side and remove on the other. Doesn't work with jars though and most of my canned stuff is in jars.


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## icenc (May 8, 2018)

Nifty little gadgets called *bed risers* can provide an unseen storage place. They're quite reasonably priced too. Personally, if you don't mind their weight, I prefer to use Cinder Blocks. I think they are even less than the bed risers.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

my own bed is electric and no room under there but the other 2 beds are full underneath, got cases of canned milk and soup etc. bought some long plastic low containers at wm and that's where I stored and labeled all my decorations for each season, I got 2 sofas full underneath also.

off topic but I will add that I have a jet tub that I never use and I filled that to the ceiling with paper towels,TP,kleenex etc. ~Georgia


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## alida (Feb 8, 2015)

I do under the bed storage. I have two plastic 6" high x 2ft wide x 2 feet long containers on each side of the bed,that are actually covered pull-out drawers. I keep cards and gift wrap in one, some tinned goods in another and paper goods in a third. The fourth is empty at the moment. I have a bed skirt covering the box spring so they're out of sight. I can pull the drawer completely out of the "sleeve" if I wish so that I can put new product at the back easily.


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

Nope,our dog sleeps under the bed so no food would be safe


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## jimLE (Apr 18, 2018)

I love under bed storage. On my side of bed. I have 1 underbed tote full of candels. Another with shoes n work boots. A lil tote with preps. Otherr side is preps and 1st aid supplies.


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## thesedays (Feb 25, 2011)

I don't store food under my bed; there's no room for it because of all the yarn.


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## tiffanysgallery (Jan 17, 2015)

Toilet paper is under my bed.


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

I store under the bed to keep the dog out from under it. The beds sit high and that is a lot of usable space. Had someone that sold Avon some years back. The boxes Avon shipped in then were good , sturdy boxes that fit well under bed and when placed end side out are not unattractive if they show.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

I put a cabbage under our bed in the basement on the ice cold basement floor. It did OK for the first few weeks but not so good 2 months later when my wife found it!


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

The space under a queen sized bed is roughly 5000 square inches so that is a lot of flat storage and then of course if you have a raised bed that gives you height as well.

We had preps even when living in an apartment. Bought legal boxes and then stacked them to make different pieces of furniture such as coffee tables, end tables, hall table etc which we covered with fabric. Looked good and served a double purpose when we had little room.


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## empofuniv (Oct 14, 2005)

When Mr was in military every time we knew we were getting orders I'd throw every cent I could into canned goods and staples for several month prior to the move. They had to move our groceries. It was a 95% chance that our pay would get messed up at the new station and take several months to get straightened out. At least I could feed us with enough rice, beans, canned goods, flour etc. When the packers would come to pack us out they'd be amazed at the amount of supplies I had stashed under beds, behind dressers and on closet floors. Never had to go to the Red Cross for grocery money.


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## macmad (Dec 22, 2012)

Heck no. We have air vacuumed packages of bed clothes, pillows, and bed spreads under there that will never again see the light of day. All the product of moving from 2,600 sq feet of home on two levels, to 1,800 sq feet of home on one level. We didn't purge hard enough.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

I use a dresser to store canned goods. I ziplock bag mac and cheese, noodles ect


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## lmrose (Sep 24, 2009)

Cookie2 said:


> Does anyone use space under your beds for food storage?
> 
> While we have a house that is just the right size for us, our actual storage space is very limited. I'm working on building more storage but it isn't cheap and it takes time.
> 
> ...


Our trailer has very limited cupboard space. So I use cardboard boxes to store my canned goods that are in mason jars. The boxes slide under the bed. It is a job to get them out but the bending and reaching is good exercise! Jars I will use last towards Spring I shove to the back but can fish them out with a long hook. Other staples like flour and oats are kept in plastic tubs and stored where an electric stove would usually be found in a house trailer. I had Bill build a shelf there and the tubs fit underneath.


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## tiffanysgallery (Jan 17, 2015)

whiterock said:


> I store under the bed to keep the dog out from under it. The beds sit high and that is a lot of usable space. Had someone that sold Avon some years back. The boxes Avon shipped in then were good , sturdy boxes that fit well under bed and when placed end side out are not unattractive if they show.


Really good idea. I've three ladies in my family selling AVON. Just might hint for empty AVON boxes.


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

don't think they using same quality boxes now. could be wrong


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## tiffanysgallery (Jan 17, 2015)

idk, but thanks for posting the suggestion whiterock. 

Wal-Mart's boxes collapse under normal weight after three high, from my experience. 
Plastic totes can be rather expensive if one has to buy enough of them. 
I like someone's dresser idea too, it's creative.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

no box springs here any more , just plywood , the beds are all high enough to slide a 20 gallon rubber made tote under them 

all are constructed of construction lumber much stronger than they need to be and added shelving on the last 2 I built they may not look fancy but they sure work well.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

don't you find it hard to get up into that bed GCP seems high to me. I got a jet tub that is just too high for me (and I dont have any problems)although he's sitting on the floor. I use it for storing TP, P Towels etc. ~Georgia


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

newfieannie said:


> don't you find it hard to get up into that bed GCP seems high to me. I got a jet tub that is just too high for me (and I dont have any problems)although he's sitting on the floor. I use it for storing TP, P Towels etc. ~Georgia


wife and I are both over 6 foot so no we think it is perfect you get slightly down out of bed in the morning which is much easier than up off the floor if your back hurts.

when we bought the last mattress the guy at verlo said a bad box spring will ruin a mattress and so many box springs are so cheap a sheet of plywood he thought was an excellent way to go.


if you think about it you could reuse your existing bed frame and everything just the way it is and build a lot of storage right into the replacement for the box spring just get some 2x12 and build a box the size your bed frame is , if you have a king build 2 the same size as the single box springs they use under king beds on a queen you would want a center support , but with 2 twin size boxes just glue and screw a 2x4 inside the 2x12 so that the 3/4 inch plywood sets on it put a finger hole or strap on the plywood and when you shift the mattress to one side you can lift and prop open the box.
sand and paint you could even apolster it with some tacks and fabric so it looked like a box spring


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

taking the box spring replacement a step further , one of these days I will build one that is like the box in my van with 2 drawers that slide out this is an early picture I don't have any more saved , there is a second drawer and handles the drawers will take a lot of weigh at one time I was carrying a 3 ton floor jack , 2 tool boxes and several lengths of tow chain in one drawer.
you need very few cuts to make this a basic circular saw is enough.
this one is 71 inches long , that was what I had for space between the bench seat and the back doors so in this case 4 foot wide by 71 inches long 5/8 or 3/4 plywood 3- 2x12 71 inches long glued and screwed that makes the frame a 2x4 screwed across the front to keep the drawers from going in to deep but leave it up an 2 inches so that if some thing gets over the front of the drawer it slides out thee front and can be retrieved from under the bench seat .

the drawers are 1x10 with 2x10 ends plywood bottoms and 1x2 sliders wax the 1x2s all glued and screwed except the runners they are just screwed on

for a box spring replacement I would make 2 frames and screw them to the bed frame this way they could be unscrewed when it is time to move them and carried out separate to make it thru doors since a a queen mattress is 60x80 depending on where you have the room to slide them out they could be 60 deep by 40 wide boxes or 30 wide by 80 long the 30x80 would move through doors much better with the content still in them during a move if not to heavy


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## VirginiaHart (Dec 25, 2020)

Never in my life would I do that. I personally think that if you need some sort of storage you can get a cellar or a large enough pantry for these types of things. Or you can redo the basement to accommodate your food needs. I had a friend who did just that. I on the other hand switched my basement into a chill lounge zone for me and my hubby. We have a large plasma there, a pool table some bookshelves for me when I want some piece and quiet, an old recorder with a huge collection of records, a love seat and a huge purple sectional that I found online not that long ago. I wasn't really looking for a purple sectional but while I was browsing the internet for inspiration I came across this awesome website: https://nyfurnitureoutlets.com/living-room-furniture/sofas/filter-purple. I honestly just fell in love with the color and bullied my way into getting it. It is amazing though and it fits right in. I am actually waiting n another delivery from them atm. I love the quality and honestly it is extremely comfortable


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

VirginiaHart said:


> Never in my life would I do that


You dredge up an old post just to say something negative. Kinda like the city person who moves to the country and complains about the noise and smell.


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## Wolf mom (Mar 8, 2005)

Haha - notice it's her first post also....


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

there is an old one 

the van is no more , well I know right were it is at the scrap yard sans engine and transmision the drawers are still around and even survived a roll over


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