#COUPONING STOCKPILE HOW TO#

Only keep items in a location where they'll not deteriorate in quality from being stored there. Similarly, the garage can be a good place for some of your stockpile, but think about the temperature extremes, which can cause food spoilage, as well as access to different areas of your home by pests. For example, basements can be damp, and that may not be ideal for certain food items. No matter where you choose to hold your stockpile though, you need to think about the conditions. You'll want to place the items either on a shelf designated just for that purpose, or put the items inside a container to keep them organized. If you don't have room for shelves you can also just use places like under beds, linen closets, or a shelf or two of the pantry.

Think Of The Location Or Locations Of Your StockpilesShelves can be placed in many different places in your home, such as a basement, garage, utility room, or more.

This allows you to 'see' what you've got so you know when you have enough, and don't need to stockpile more of an item, and also to access it when you do want to use it. Line items in rows, keeping things neat and orderly. You want to group like items together so you can find them, such as all paper goods, laundry supplies, cleaning supplies, personal care products, food items, etc., grouped together in their designated spots. Shelves Are Ideal: Think Like A Grocery StoreYou won't have as much stuff as an actual grocery store, but the ideal way to stockpile, if you've got room, is to have a space designated with sturdy shelves that are secured to the wall where you can place many of your items. Then, stick to the space you've designated for these items without expanding your stockpile out further. If you find you have way too much of something please go ahead and donate the excess to charity or re-sell it before it expires or gets so old no one will want it.

Remember, there is a difference between having enough to use within a reasonable time, bought at a good price, versus hoarding such large amounts that you'll not realistically use all of the stockpile in the next ten years! You need to designate a spot, or a few key spots, for your stockpile and once those spots are filled, you've collected as much as you can keep in your home until you use some of it. Only Store Items In The Space You Have AvailableI think we've all seen an episode or two of Extreme Couponers, and a few of these people's houses look like a cluttered grocery store or a bunker to hunker down in case of emergency. But taking steps to organize it as you bring things in the door will help immensely! If you're not careful your stockpile can just be a bunch of stuff piled somewhere, which quickly feels like or is clutter. Photo courtesy of Steph, who purchased all this for $70

#COUPONING STOCKPILE HOW TO#

How To Organize Your Stockpile To Keep It UsefulHere's my tips for making your stockpile useful through organization. Then, after you've decluttered you'll be able to take these steps to organize and manage your stockpile that are discussed below. Therefore, before you begin organizing your stockpile, go ahead and first declutter your stockpile, as discussed further in this Declutter 365 mission here on the site.

It's a fine balancing act sometimes, but if you can't find what you purchased and then have to repurchase more later, or items expire before you are able to use them you've got clutter, not a functioning stockpile. Keeping a large amount of items in your home for future use can be a good stewardship of your monetary resources, but if you're not careful it can instead easily become clutter.

Couponing stockpile