# How do you store your canned goods?



## plath (Jul 19, 2010)

We live in a small 900 sq ft house and storage is really tight in my kitchen and pantry. I also buy a lot of grains and pastas in bulk and stockpile grocery shop with coupons, so storage always HAS been tight, even before I started canning. I'm running out of space! Anyone have good pics of how they store their items in tight spaces?
Our garage (detached) and basement both freeze, so we can't store there


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## mozarkian (Dec 11, 2009)

Why does your basement freeze? Is there any option for winterizing it to allow year round usage of the space as that would really free up you space.


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## plath (Jul 19, 2010)

It's not air tight at all, and short of tons of work, it won't be for a while. It's a very wet basement, which is also part of the problem.. Our dirt surrounding the house has very bad drainage, which also contributes. Remodeling/remedying it is in our plans, but we just don't have the money to do it right now.


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## TJN66 (Aug 29, 2004)

I would also be interested in how everyone stores their canned goods.


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

For canning storage I bought a cabinet similar to this http://www.lowes.com/pd_90990-742-157059_4294857690_4294937087?productId=3099047 for about $70. The one I have is made by Kelor. I added 4 additional shelves from scrap plywood. Shelf height for most of them is just a little over the height of a quart jar. There are a total of 7 shelves that hold 24 qts each for a total of 168 qts. One of the qt shelves is tall enough to hold two pints stacked. The top shelf is just tall enough for pints and it holds about 40 pints.
This photo http://tomatoinformation.blogspot.com/ does not show the whole thing, but will give you an idea.


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## jmtinmi (Feb 25, 2009)

For the OP's situation, I would look into creating an insulated area of the garage~~using 2" thick styrofoam sheets. Then when it gets really, really cold a light bulb will keep it above freezing. My dad does this with his apple crop out in an unheated barn. 

For ease of use, safety, and rotation check out used lateral filing cabinets in this thread I started:

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=307373


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

I can't post any pictures today because DH has the camera at our other place, but what I have is metal shelving. Back in the early 80's I purchased 3 5-shelf metal storage shelves. The shelves were too far apart height-wise so I reassemble the three units into two units, each with 8 shelves. I have one under the staircase and the other in my office space. They are a lot like Po Boy's. Also, under the staircase I have boxes of canned goods. We have alot of vehicles, so we buy oil by the case. Those cases, if you rework the top flaps, will hold 2 dozen pint jars in two layers, separated by a piece of cardboard. When I have the boxes that the jars came in, I use those.

This year I am storing this years canning in the pole barn (climate controlled). I don't want to mix up this years stuff with last years items - rotation.

Po Boy, is that a jar of speckled butter beans next to the green lima's on the top shelf?


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Dh just built me a can rotator on the basement wall. Makes the wall only another 7" wider so you don't notice it too much. This one loads from the back and you take out the cans on the front because that's the way the space was already set up (fro end of wall to doorway) We have another corner the has walls on 2 sides that we will be building a rotator for next weekend. This one we will be loading and removing cans from the same side. Have you seen on YouTube the lady that has a can rotator as a behind the sofa table? Pictures of what DH made can be found here. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimisod/ We'll will take picture of the next one and put them up here, too.

We just purchases bed lifts from Big Lots, they were about $4 a set. Now we can fit our out of season clothes under the beds. Kids love the lift! You could store anything under there. I've seen where some people actually build their bed up on 5 gallon buckets of LTS. I'm more likely to lift the bed then slide 3 1/2 gallon icing buckets I get for free under there...allows for easier removal.

As for your freezing basement...could you build an insulated room down there? Put up quick 2x4 walls, paneling on one side goes up fast, insulate with fiberglass then more paneling. Then fill the inside with shelves. Our garage is also unheated and not attached, so it gets to freezing in there. We keep out Christmas decorations, empty caning jars, TP, first aid, etc in there to allow for "heated" space to hold food.


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## LonelyNorthwind (Mar 6, 2010)

I have the same problem. The space is there, you just gotta find it. I have canned goods stashed in the closets, behind the couch, under the bed, anyplace big enough to stack a few cases. 5 or 6 cases stacked with a tablecloth over makes a fine end table next to the bed etc. My biggest problem is remembering where I stashed what.
I keep gallon glass jars full of dry goods in the kitchen and store the bulk in buckets in the shed where it does freeze, but that doesn't hurt beans & rice.
What I'm having trouble figuring out is where'm I gonna store all these potatoes!


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

Po Boy, is that a jar of speckled butter beans next to the green lima's on the top shelf? No, home grown great northern beans. Used the beans from the bean isle at walmart.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

LOL! That's how I got my first planting of black-eyed peas!

GrandmasCabin, I have several 20-gallon crocks that were given me. They have cracks so can't be used for pickles. This summer, I brought into the kitchen a 10 pound sack of potatoes and put them in a 5-gallon crock I had there for decoration. Even though the sun shone on it in the late afternoon, it never got hot inside, so I decided to store my potatoes in the big crocks in my pole barn. DH has an office space in there that he has shut the heat off for me to use as cold storage. I fiqure I can get about 100 lbs. in each of the 3 crocks.


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

The dried black beans and small red beans do well and a fraction of the cost for bean seed..


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Ohio dreamer, those can rotators are nice for CANS, but not for canning. Can you come up with something for canning jars? I'd be interested.


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

SS, you can use the same setup for jars with some modifications. Since the jars would be upright, you would need narrower rails, steeper incline and a stop on the low end.........


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

I'd need to devise some way to keep them from smacking each other as they moved down the slope. Actually, those roller units like you see in woodworking shops might work.


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## Stephen in SOKY (Jun 6, 2006)

I never knew how much I'd miss a basement! Anyway, under both guest beds is completely full. I use the low plastic storage boxes and use the lids upside down as well to slide jars under. I built shelves into one guest room closet that's full. And in desperation I converted a walnut wardrobe:

To the casual observer:








And when opened:


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

suitcase_sally said:


> Ohio dreamer, those can rotators are nice for CANS, but not for canning. Can you come up with something for canning jars? I'd be interested.


DH made me boxes for glass jars. Once he finishes the next can rotator my shelves should be empty enough that he can start making more boxes (I'm stacking filled jars everywhere and apple and meat season are just beginning!).....the poor man's job is never done! I'm afraid to even mention to him I need another shelf added to the unit we keep our jars on...there is space, but I don't know if he has it in him to work on it.....ceiling is 5'7"....he's 6'1". With our luck we'd break any jar that went down an incline...but I'd love to see someone follow through on po boy's suggestion. Once I saw one done I might be willing to try.


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## LonelyNorthwind (Mar 6, 2010)

Oh my gosh Stephan! I love your walnut wardrobe!

Sally, oh how I wish I had some of those great crocks. I do have one 6-gal I absconded from a friend but it's always full of wine or beer! I have access to sawdust and was wondering if I could store them in coolers and bury them in sawdust - but don't they need air?


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

[/url][/IMG]Like stephen, a TV cabinet works well. I've had to move flour,sugar act out of my pantry to get more room for Canning. The pantry used to be a laundry room, so I moved the laundry to a closet. I made my shelves out of just wood and those L brackets.They are at least 3 jars deep and some can stack jars 2 high. The floor is cement and it stays cool enought to store the potatoes.How about moving things,like the Towels out of cabinets and put them in baskets in the bathroom. Use the cabinets for jars. Put what you can find out in the garage and use that space for your canning. This is a pic. from last year,potatoes in the boxes, I have changed the shelves on the left, for more weight and jars.


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## Phoebesmum (Jan 4, 2009)

7thswan said:


> [/url][/IMG]Like stephen, a TV cabinet works well. I've had to move flour,sugar act out of my pantry to get more room for Canning. The pantry used to be a laundry room, so I moved the laundry to a closet. I made my shelves out of just wood and those L brackets.They are at least 3 jars deep and some can stack jars 2 high. The floor is cement and it stays cool enought to store the potatoes.How about moving things,like the Towels out of cabinets and put them in baskets in the bathroom. Use the cabinets for jars. Put what you can find out in the garage and use that space for your canning. This is a pic. from last year,potatoes in the boxes, I have changed the shelves on the left, for more weight and jars.


I am in absolute LOVE with your pantry! Look at all those beautiful canned goods! I am very impressed! :goodjob:


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Really pretty. I could just sit in there and stare!!


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Well, Thank you! I, like the OP have a Michigan basement, can't put anything down there.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

We have 'built' end tables out of stacked #10 cans with a piece of plywood and a tablecloth over the whole thing.


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## Horseyrider (Aug 8, 2010)

I'm loving the photos. Beautifully done!


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## plath (Jul 19, 2010)

Oh to have that much space 7thswan! Unfortunately, we don't even have a bathroom closet in our tiny house! There is really almost no closet space at all and the tiny bedroom closets barely hold our clothes. I currently have jars up in a little cubby dh built me off the kitchen and on a shelf of a built in bookcase he put in. 

The ideas are interesting for devising a little area in the basement or garage, and I'll suggest that to dh. He did mention something about keeping some of our commercially canned items in the basement, as it is a bit dryer since we have kept a dehumidifier running this summer. I don't buy a lot of canned stuff at the store, but when I can get it free with coupons, I do stock up (32 cans of progresso soup were just added to my stockpile last week ). We shall see if we can make it work for my canned items, too.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Stephen and 7thswan, those are some mighty purty storage areas ya'll have there! Mity purty! Yep!

7thswan, a Michigan basement is absolutely perfect for storing potatoes.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

GrammasCabin said:


> Oh my gosh Stephan! I love your walnut wardrobe!
> 
> Sally, oh how I wish I had some of those great crocks. I do have one 6-gal I absconded from a friend but it's always full of wine or beer! I have access to sawdust and was wondering if I could store them in coolers and bury them in sawdust - but don't they need air?


Last year I stored my potatoes in stacked milk crates and wooden crates like they use in orchards. Barring something like that, I think that if you were to leave the top of the coolers open a crack that would be enough ventilation. Put an inch or two of sawdust on the bottom of the coolers, load in the potatoes and cover with another couple of inches of sawdust.

The first year that I stored potatoes, the ones on the bottom froze because I had them sitting directly on the concrete floor (that section of my pole barn is higher than ground level and the outside wall is exposed with no insulation). The next year I placed the boxes on 2x4's to elevate from the concrete and that worked well. Try to keep the temps around 38-40Âº and 90% humidity. You can lay wet (not soggy) burlap on top of the sawdust to help with that.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

7thswan said:


> Well, Thank you! I, like the OP have a Michigan basement, can't put anything down there.


Why can't you use you Michigan basement for food storage? The room we have that is food storage is Michigan walled....that's what they were built for. We even have our gun safe in there.


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## coalroadcabin (Jun 16, 2004)

plath, don't forget to look up! Don't store your canned goods up there of course, because it will get too hot BUT a shelf all the way around the perimeter of a room 12-18 inches from the ceiling is a great place to store lightweight stuff like sheets, towels, out of season clothes, TP, cleaning stuff, your deodorant & toothpaste stockpiles etc.and that can free up space for your home canned goods. (mount the shelf 12" if your have 8' ceilings - 18" if your ceilings are 9' or higher - If you're lucky enough to live in one of those old houses with 12' ceilings........I'd mount two shelves)

If you don't like the idea of stuff piled on open shelves you could use fabric covered cardboard boxes to hide the stuff.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Ohio dreamer said:


> Why can't you use you Michigan basement for food storage? The room we have that is food storage is Michigan walled....that's what they were built for. We even have our gun safe in there.


There are bats and spiders and it gets wet sometimes. 100 yrs old, big huge rock walls. I wouldn't even go down there if a tornado were comeing, I'd run for the barn, the bottem is underground.


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## TJN66 (Aug 29, 2004)

Oh my...7th swan I love the look of your pantry!


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## Gladrags (Jul 13, 2010)

Some previous owner of my house was nice enough to build a pantry under the basement stairs, with a light.

Every time I go in there, even if it's for something other than a home-canned jar of food, I run my hands over the jar lids to check that they're all sealed.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

I check my jars regularly also, especially the baked beans.


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## chuckhole (Mar 2, 2006)

No basements here in Houston, TX. We are almost at sea level. I have put in shelves for my DW in every nook and cranny of our small house. I am not afraid to DIY it. If there is a hole, I put shelves in it. Walls too. There is real beauty to home canned goods. Just look at the photo above. That is real beauty. Better than hanging pictures. Take 'em down and put up shelves. You don't have to use expensive wood to make it look good. Just make it strong to hold all those beautiful jars.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

That's right chuckhole......That is REAL beauty.


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## StephanieH (Mar 4, 2009)

A girl I know doesnt have a basement so she got a set of bed risers. She stores a ton of canned food under her bed!
here is a set:
http://www.stacksandstacks.com/bed-riser-bed-elevators?id=176&sku=20509&utm_medium=gan&utm_source=gan


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## dinytcb (Sep 20, 2009)

I have a bakers rack in the kitchen and I keep a few jars of everything I can on the lower shelves. The rest go in a small walkin closet in a bedroom that I converted into a pantry after DS moved out.


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## KIT.S (Oct 8, 2008)

We live in a rebuilt manufactured home, and the master bedroom had a walk-in closet. We built a new regular closet in the mbdrm, and use the walk-in as the pantry. It just doesn't have enough room, so under everyone's bed, and in the closet in the extra bedroom, we have boxes.
We have found that the free one-price shipping boxes from the post office that are 5 inches high, and 12 x12 inches are just perfect for one dozen pints. We haven't found any standard boxes that fit quarts yet though.
And yes, full jars on a shelf are just beautiful! It always makes me feel so weathy!
Kit


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

As I type this, I have cans stacked four layers high under the computer desk, under the bedside table, and stacked two rows high under the bed. Under the dining room hutch I have can goods stacked. I have cases of canned Jars stacked about 8doz high in rows in a U shape near the back porch door. My cabinets are full. And beside the loveseat I have several cases of tomato juice stacked then covered with a scarf to use as an end table.


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## julieq (Oct 12, 2008)

Oh, those photos are SO beautiful! Our old house (predates electricity) has a basement with the original canning jar shelves but it's moldy down there and we've got black widow spiders. So, our canning jars are stacked in boxes in corners in the living room and dining room until we can move... Someday I'd LOVE to have beautiful shelves like those photos, but for now we just box and stack!


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## pastelsummer (Jul 21, 2010)

i use old upright freezer that doesnt work as food storage i dont have much canned stuff yet but store bought canned stuff stores just fine in there.


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