We have no control over government and weather, both unreliable at best. We do, however, have control over our readiness to cope with an impending crisis created by either one. This is where home prepping comes into play – stockpiling disaster supplies is more important now than ever.
Everyone should have basic prep supplies on hand, such as food and water. More experienced preppers will have all types of disaster supplies stockpiled, such as cash, weapons, emergency equipment, etc. You’ve spent time and money to secure your future during a crisis, but are you securing your stockpiled emergency supplies from possible theft?
One of most common prepping mistakes is not keeping your emergency supplies covertly hidden. The last thing you want is everyone knowing you are a prepper. When disaster hits, you don’t want to end up a target because you are known as the neighborhood prepper. Not to mention, during a crisis situation the odds of home invasions go way up. Keep yourself safe by making sure the majority of your survival stash is hidden, especially guns, cash, food, and water. There are creative ways you can keep that stash hidden, some of our favorites are DIY projects you can knock out in a matter of a day or two.
As you work through the below list of secret storage spots for prep supplies, consider how quickly it will be to access items. Keep items you will need quickly, such as guns, stored in areas closest to your most trafficked rooms. Other survival items, such as water, can be stored in harder to access areas of your home.
Laundry pedestal – The laundry room isn’t usually high on a priority list during a home invasion, making it an ideal place for secret storage. You don’t want to store supplies in plain sight, so build DIY laundry pedestals with secret storage compartments. No one will think to check those for your emergency supplies.
Staircase – You can turn nearly any indoor staircase into secret storage spots by making each step into a drawer. You can easily find step-by-step instructions on Google by simply searching for “stair drawers’ DIY.”
Floor boards – Add secret storage to your home with in-floor cubbies. This is another DIY project that can yield tremendous room for storing all types of valuables and emergency supplies right below your feet.
Wall shelf – Buy or build a wall shelf with secret compartments. This small space is ideal for storing cash, handguns or any other small items you want to keep close and quickly accessible.
Window bench – Utilize unused space beneath a large window inside your home, by building a DIY storage bench. This is a perfect way to store larger items such as emergency water, food, or even a generator. Add decorative pillows and do your best to hide that the bench contains storage.
Toe-kick hideaway – There’s so much unused space underneath your kitchen cabinets right behind the toe kicks. If you have basic carpentry skills and tools, this is a perfect storage project.
Air vent/return – Build a dummy air vent or air return to secretly store small items. Do not use working air vents and returns, which can damage supplies.
Interior door –This is a perfect place to store cash. Drill a hole in the top of any door. Size the hole to fit a cylinder, such as a small mailing tube. Roll up cash and insert for safe storage.
Spare bed – If you have a guest bedroom, this is a perfect place to store larger emergency supplies. Purchase a lift-up bed frame for maximum under-bed storage space. You can also buy an inexpensive bed with storage from IKEA. This type of bed storage can be highly visible, so you’ll need a long blanket to cover drawers.
Old appliances – There typically isn’t power during a disaster, so the last thing an intruder will care about is an old, outdated appliance. A large TV can be hollowed out for storage. An old washer/drier set has ample storage. Remove the insides of any old appliance and fill it with supplies. Store them away where it makes sense, such as in your garage or shed.
Backyard – You can easily bury emergency supplies in your yard. Use weatherproof containers or food grade buckets, which are perfect for canned food and water. Just be sure to make yourself a map of where items are buried.