11 Creative Food Storage Ideas for Modern Homesteaders
I’ve been storing food for hard times since I was a little girl. When I was about 5 or 6 years old, I got locked in the bathroom at home. The handle was really sticky and I couldn’t turn it to open the door. My mom was upstairs and out of hearing range, so my
cries for help went unheard for somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes, which felt like hours to me.
Once I was finally freed from my porcelain-clad prison and breathed a big sigh of relief, I decided to prepare just in case I were to ever get locked in that bathroom again. “What if next time I wasn’t so lucky?” I thought. What if next time no one came to my rescue? I might starve to death in there!
And so, I loaded up a few snack-sized boxes of raisins and some sunflower seeds and I tucked them away in the cabinet underneath the bathroom sink. Better to be safe than sorry, I figured. At least this would keep me going if I had to wait for the fire department or devise a MacGyver-esqe plan to escape the downstairs bathroom.
Luckily, I never had to resort to living off of raisins and sunflower seeds. But I remember the look on my mom’s face when she found my food stash in the bathroom. I can’t remember if I told her the truth or tried to pretend like I had no idea how they got there, but I do remember her having a good laugh.
Not that my mother’s one to point the finger and laugh at anyone else’s, er, “creative” food storage. My mom is, after all, the queen of storing food in every spare nook and cranny. I think that’s where my food storage obsession really began…
Related: How to Shop From Your Pantry Like A Pro
Growing up in a townhouse in the suburbs, we didn’t have a ton of space for storing extra food. There was only one small built-in pantry, but my mom has always been a food hoarder, ehm, I mean, food storage queen. So we had extra cabinets, closets and baskets full of food when I was growing up, plus a deep freeze and a bar fridge for extra drinks, yogurts, cheeses and creams.
Fast forward a few decades later, and my mom has only continued to build her food storage, adding more shelves and cabinets to store her stash all the time. And here I find myself doing the same.
In our last house, we were lucky enough to have a huge pantry under the stairs that was built back in the early 1900’s, when refrigeration wasn’t yet “a thing” and it was imperative to have a large pantry at home to store food for year-round eating.
The view from inside our former pantry. Yes, it was big enough to get a view from inside!
Looking into our former 1900’s-era under-the-stairs pantry. We’ve certainly had to make some adjustments to our food storage in our newer, smaller house!
So when we moved to our new house- a 1970’s-era rancher- just last week, I actually found myself having a mild panic attack when I realized how much food I had to store in a comparatively small space. Plus all of my jars and canning supplies that I use to store even more food, which is still coming on in our gardens and at nearby farms. So I got creative.
We adjusted existing shelves to accommodate our food stuffs, added shelving units in and consolidated our dry goods into similar-sized glass jars (because nothing gives me anxiety more than food in different sized packaging that somehow has to fit on the same shelf together… apparently).
Our new pantry. Organization is key! Oh, and luckily these shelves slide in and out:)
This got me thinking…
As our food production and storage grows, where will we put everything? What are some of the most creative places I’ve seen my own family members store food? And where can my fellow homesteaders and preppers living in houses with minimal built-in pantry space or in small spaces like suburban townhouses and urban apartments and condos store their food?
And so I decided to write out a list of all of the places I have seen utilized and that I could think of using in the future for storing food. Whether store-bought or preserved at home, this list is full of places that people living in various different types of spaces can store their shelf-stable food as they follow their homestead dream wherever they are. Because if you’re gonna homestead, you’re most likely gonna end up with more food than the average modern-day Joe. And that means you need more storage space. But no one, I repeat, NO ONE should have to put their homestead dreams on hold because of the space they live in.
You can and should homestead wherever you are! You might just need to get a little creative:)
So here’s my top 10 list of creative food storage solutions and tips. But I’d love to add to the list! So if you have any other ideas, please do share in the comments below! Now go on and stock that pantry… Or closet… Or wall unit… Or cabinet under your bathroom sink. Because you just never know when you’re gonna get locked in your own bathroom and come close to starvation. You just. Never. Know.
Creative Food Storage Solutions for Every Space
1. Maximize Pantry Space
This first one may seem obvious, but it’s amazing what a difference proper organization can make in the amount of food you’re able to store. Plus, if you can maximize your existing pantry space, you might just find that you don’t need to look any further for creative storage solutions.
I highly recommend investing in some standardized food storage containers so that you can put all of your dry goods into containers of a similar shape and size. This has helped save my sanity when it comes to dry food storage as it’s made it possible to fit everything together just right without wasting space. This really helps solve the problem of having to store different shapes, sizes and styles of packaging together (ie. a big box of cereal, a big bag of oats and a small bag of seeds, for example).
As a bonus, taking what you can out of packages and putting it into food storage containers also helps you to more easily see what you have and makes your pantry look a lot nicer and more organized! I use glass jars like these in varying sizes for my dry food storage. I’ve been able to find them at my local Dollar Store for a few bucks a piece, but you can also order them online here.
These glass food storage jars have helped me to maximize space in our existing pantry, which has saved me literal tears!
Another option is to use food-grade plastic containers or even Mason jars to store your food. The downside to Mason jars is I find they’re often not large enough to store the quantities of food we buy (we shop for many of our dry goods at places like Costco and Bulk Barn to get the best value for money). But if you can fit your food in Mason jars they make a great storage option.
Consolidate as much as possible into as few jars or packages as you can, and make it a priority to use up any food items that are almost gone (bags of cereal with less than a bowl’s worth should just get eaten up instead of taking up space).
And do your best to organize your pantry according to food type. So, for example, we have one shelf for flour, sugar and bags of “extras” that don’t fit into the jars (like extra chocolate chips, spare bags of brown sugar, etc.), one shelf for liquids like oils and vinegars, a shelf of grains like rice and pasta, a shelf for cereals, dried fruits and nuts and a shelf for herbs and spices. Then we have another another small pantry with all of our canned goods and sauces, both store-bought and homemade.
We also had to adjust the height of some of our shelves to accommodate our jars, so be sure to adjust your shelving to what fits your needs best. There’s no point in trying to fit things into a space that doesn’t suit your needs if you can rearrange it.
2. Add Shelving
If you’ve completed step one and you still find yourself with excess food, a great option is to add some extra shelving. We invested in a few of these metal shelves to help us store extra food, canning supplies, small appliances and much more that we just don’t have built-in space for.
These metal shelves are so handy. Currently we’re storing all of our canning supplies including canners, jars and lids here which I consider to be part of our food storage since that’s what they’re intended for!
Or take a look on Craigslist or online buy and sell sites or even garage sales for metal or wooden shelves. You might even find an old shelving unit for free and you can always paint it to give it a new lease on life and make it match your place!
3. Above Cabinets
I never considered this one until I asked a fellow homesteader who puts up hundreds of jars of home-canned food each year to share her most creative food storage space. She said she stores food in the “wasted space above my kitchen cabinets.” Brilliant!
The space between the top of your kitchen cabinets and the ceiling makes great storage space and it hides most of the food from view and protects it from falling because there’s usually some type of crown along the top edge. I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of this one myself, but now that it’s on my radar it will be my next go-to spot for storing food when my pantry space runs out! (Which it will eventually).
4. Closets
Closets that weren’t originally intended for food storage are a great option as well. Whether they be bedroom closets, linen closets or coat closets, these spaces can easily be converted into pantry space or you can simply store your excess jars of pickles, jellies or what have you on a spare shelf or in box on the floor of the closet.
Just don’t bury your food in the back where you might forget about it. One of the biggest rules when it comes to food storage is to store what you eat and eat what you store. So make sure it makes it into the regular rotation of food that you actually eat!
We converted this extra built-in storage closet into another pantry to store our sauces and canned goods.
5. Chests, Wardrobes and Dressers
Much like closets, spare drawers in dressers (or a dedicated dresser or wardrobe) makes a good storage space for food too, as long as your food storage containers aren’t too tall for the drawers.
Likewise, chests like cedar chests, etc. make good storage space as well. Just remember, it’s not recommended to stack jars of home-canned food on top of one another as it can affect the seal of the jars. And make sure jars of home-canned food are stored upright (not laid on their sides) for the same reason.
6. Wall Units and Dining Room Hutches & Buffets
Wall units and dining room buffets also make excellent storage spaces for shelf-stable food. You can use closed cupboards or open shelves to either hide or display your food storage. If you have a nice dining room buffet with open shelves or glass doors, you could even turn your beautiful jars of home-canned food into a decor piece! Because food you put up yourself is absolutely something to be proud of, and deserve to be shown off!
7. Under Beds
This one is surprisingly common among homesteaders! I see and read all the time about modern homesteaders facing a food storage problem who resort to storing flats and boxes of home-canned food under beds. I personally haven’t tried this one as our mattresses are currently on the floor! But I know a handful of other homesteaders who swear by their under-the-bed space. It’s cool, dark and often unused so storing food under your bed can make what can be a useless space into something quite functional!
8. Basements & Cold Storage
This one may seem obvious again, but it deserves a mention. Of course, not everybody has access to a basement. I grew up in a suburb that is built up on a delta, meaning the sand and silt that forms the base of the land that the houses sit on cannot be dug into for basements as water would simply seep in. Likewise, if you live in an apartment or any other dwelling without basement space, you might be out of luck here. But if you do have a basement (with or without a cellar built in) you should absolutely consider using some of the space below ground to store some of your food.
The added benefit of storing food in the basement is that it stays cool throughout the hot summer months and is a great space to store things like root vegetables and ferments that require storage at a specific temperature to ensure their quality and prolong the length of time they’ll store for.
* Someone else mentioned storing food in a storm shelter, which is definitely a good idea, especially if you ever need to use said storm shelter for its intended purpose. Then you’ve got food on had while you weather the storm!
9. Detached Buildings, Sheds & Garages
If you have a garage or a shed on your property that stays cool enough throughout the hot months and warm enough throughout the freezing months, this is another great place for food storage. A garage attached to your house is your best bet as heat from your house will keep it warm enough during the winter months so that liquids don’t freeze and cool enough in the summer so that foods don’t spoil. But detached buildings work fine too as long as the temperatures don’t hit extremes. For more information on safe food storage for shelf-stable items, check out this document produced by the USDA. If you don’t have a shed, consider building one.
10. Attics
While I don’t recommend storing things like liquids or home-canned goods in the attic for fear of it getting too hot up there, dry goods in well-sealed containers should be fine in an insulated attic if you are really pressed for space. Again, just don’t forget about the food you’ve stored up there and if you’re ever unsure whether a product is safe to eat, don’t eat it. Live by the old adage, “when in doubt, throw it out.”
11. Storage Lockers
If you live in an apartment building with a storage locker room, this could make the perfect space for storing excess food. I wouldn’t recommend renting out a separate storage locker away from home simply for food storage. At that point you should probably just be giving food away!
But if you’ve got something on your premises, go for it! You might get some strange looks from neighbours who prefer to pack their lockers with sporting goods and seasonal decorations, but that’s the risk you take living this lifestyle. We’re a misunderstood breed, and while some may laugh at my storing food under the bathroom sink or other people storing food in their lockers, we’ll be the ones laughing when that zombie apocalypse hits! Or when we get locked in our own bathrooms. Or when winter comes. Because it is coming. Winter is always coming…
More Food Storage Ideas For The Overflowing Homestead
If you’ve exhausted all of the above options and you’re still lacking space for food storage, you could always ask a friend, neighbour or family member if you can store some at their place. As “payment,” you could perhaps reward them with a few jars of home-canned food:)
And then of course you can always spread the wealth and start giving it away. Whether to family and friends or local food banks, someone out there would be more than happy to take some extra food off your hands and some could really use a little extra. Which is just one more bonus to living this kind of crazy, somewhat misunderstood and definitely “alternative” lifestyle we’ve chosen: We have the ability to not only provide for ourselves, but for other as well. And at the end of the day, nothing is quite as rewarding as that.
I’d love to hear from you! Do you have any other creative food storage solutions you’d like to share? Let me know in the comments below!
Having trouble organizing your food storage and knowing exactly what you’ve got? Check out our free printable pantry, fridge and freezer organization charts, weekly meal plan chart and smart shopping list to help you stay organized, eat well and save money. You can find them all under the Meal Planning section in our Free Resource Library.
Wanna learn how to can your own food?
Whether you’ve never canned anything before or you’ve done a little canning and you’re ready to take the next step, my Yes, You CAN! complete home canning course will walk you through everything you need to know to get started canning food SAFELY at home.
Over the course of 12 easy-to-follow lessons, we cover both water bath canning and pressure canning, and I show you step-by-step how to can your own jams, jellies, pickles, pie fillings, fruits, vegetables, tomato sauce and chicken stock at home. And of course we’ll go over canning safety, equipment and over all best practices in more depth so that you always feel confident both during the canning process and while enjoying your home-canned food afterwards.
You’ll also get a collection of bonuses including:
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- A copy of my Home Canning Handbook, complete with 30 of my favourite home canning recipes for canning everything from fruits and vegetables to jams and jellies to sauces and salsa to stocks, soups, meats, combination meals and more!
If you’re ready to get started canning (or canning more food than ever before this year!) enroll now and get started stocking your pantry!
*** Use code PREPARED2023 until the end of September 2023 to take 20% off the regular price and get lifetime access to the course and all bonuses! ***
I hope to see you in class:)
Wishing you health, wealth and homestead happiness…
and abundant space for all of your beautiful, nourishing food:)
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I’m all about practical gifts; Gifts that will truly make life easier and contribute to my and my family’s wellbeing. And our family includes our animals!
One of the ways we make sure our chickens are taken care of is by letting them free range during the day, but making sure they’re locked up and safe from predators at night. But who wants to be up at the crack of dawn to open the coop, or wake up to a bloodbath because you forgot to close the coop the night before?
(The answer is obviously no one… No one wants that).
Automating our homesteading tasks as much as possible allows us to worry about other things and saves us a ton of time. Plus, it makes sure that things get taken care of, whether we remember or not.
Using an automatic chicken door has been a GAME CHANGER for us. It’s one of those lesser known homestead tools that can make all the difference, and I’m always recommending one to anyone who keeps chickens!
This chicken door from @chickcozy_ is so easy to install and use too, and right now you can get one for a steal during their Black Friday sale!
Save over $40 off an automatic chicken door, plus use my coupon code for an ADDITIONAL DISCOUNT!
Don’t forget to check out their chicken coop heaters too, which are also on sale right now:)
Whether you’re shopping for yourself or looking for the perfect gift for the chicken lover who has everything (which might also be yourself;) the @chickcozy_ automatic chicken door is one Christmas gift that won’t soon be forgotten!
Comment “Chicken” below for more info and to get my exclusive coupon code! 🐓
#chicken #chickens #chickendoor #chickcozyautodoor #chickcozy #chickensofinstagram #chickensofig #chickenlover #homesteadlife
Yes, you read that right…
Modern Homesteading Magazine is coming to an end.
This decision has not come easily, but there’s a season for everything, and more and more I’m feeling called to transition out of this season and into the next in both life and business.
And so this final farewell issue is bittersweet. On the one hand, it’s the first ever annual issue, with 100 pages packed with brand new content that celebrates the best of the past 32 issues!
And it’s the first issue I’ve ever offered in PRINT!
But on the other hand, it marks the end of an era, and of this publication that I’ve absolutely had the pleasure of creating and sharing with you.
If you’re a digital subscriber, you will not be charged a renewal fee going forward, and will continue to have access to the digital library until your subscription runs out. As part of your subscription, you’re able to download and/or print each issue of you like, so that you never lose access to the hundreds of articles and vast amount of information in each issue.
Rather than subscribing, you can now purchase an all-access pass for a one-time fee of just $20, which gives you access to our entire digital library of issues.
Plus, for a limited time, when you purchase an all-access pass you’ll also get a gift certificate for a second all-access pass to gift to someone else.
I’m also still taking preorders for the print version of this special edition issue, but only for a few more weeks!
When you preorder the print issue, you’ll also get a digital copy of the special edition issue (this issue only), and will receive a print copy in the mail later this year (hopefully by Christmas so long as there are no shipping delays!)
Click the link in my profile or visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com to check out the latest issue, purchase an all-access pass to the digital library and/or preorder the print issue today!
Thanks to everyone who has read the magazine over the past 4 years. I’m humbled and grateful for your support, and can’t wait to share whatever comes next:)
#modernhomesteading #homesteading #homesteadersofinstagram
It’s easy to romanticize homesteading, but the truth is that those homegrown vegetables, those freshly laid eggs, that loaf of bread rising on the counter, and that pantry full of home-canned food takes time, effort and dedication. It doesn’t “just happen” overnight!
But if you work on learning one new skill at a time and gain confidence in it before moving onto the next, one day you’ll be looking back and marvelling at how far you’ve come.
That’s where I’m at now. Life today looks a lot different than it did 10 years ago, when our homesteading and self-reliance journey was just beginning.
Back then we still lived in our city condo and were just beginning to dabble in all of this stuff. But my husband Ryan and I felt a sense urgency to start pursuing a more self-reliant lifestyle, and we committed to taking small steps, one day at a time to make that vision a reality.
Over the years we’ve continued to put one foot in front of the other, adding new skills and tackling new projects along the way that have helped us get to where we are today.
While there’s always more we want to learn and do, as I look around me right now, I’m so grateful that we took those first steps, especially considering what’s happened in the world over the past few years!
If you’re also feeling the urgency to take the first (or next) steps toward a more self-reliant life, this is your final reminder that today is the last day to join The Society of Self-Reliance and start levelling up your homesteading and self-sufficiency skills so that you’ve got what it takes to:
• Grow your own groceries
• Stock your pantry
• Create a natural home
• Get prepared
• Learn other important life skills like time management for homesteaders, goal setting and how to become your own handyman
And more!
If you’ve been feeling called to level up your self-reliance skills (because let’s be honest, we’re in for a wild ride these next few years with everything going on in the world), now is the time to heed that call.
Link in profile to enroll before midnight tonight, or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society
#homesteading #selfreliance #selfsufficiency #homesteadingskills #preparedness
There are so many reasons to grow your own food at home:
💰 Saves you money at the grocery store
🍴 Healthier than conventionally grown food
🔑 increases your overall food security
🫙 Gives you an abundance to preserve and share
But perhaps the number one reason is because it just tastes better!
Not only does food taste better when it’s freshly picked or allowed to ripen on the vine, there’s something about putting in the work to grow something from a tiny seed and then getting to see it on your dinner plate that just makes it so much more satisfying than anything you’ll ever buy from the store.
Plus, having to wait all year for fresh tomatoes or strawberries or zucchinis to be in season makes that short period when they’re available just that much more exciting!
With the world spinning out of control and food prices continuing to rise, it’s no wonder more people are taking an interest in learning to grow their own food at home. But that also means changing our relationship with food and learning to appreciate the work that goes into producing it and the natural seasonality of organically grown fruits and vegetables.
(It also means learning to preserve it so you can make the most of it and enjoy homegrown food all year long).
In my online membership program, The Society of Self-Reliance, you’ll learn how to grow your own food, from seed to harvest, as well as how to preserve it so you can enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor all year long!
You’ll also learn how to grow and craft your own herbal medicine, detox your home, become your own handyman, and so much more (because self-reliance is about more than just the food that we eat… But that’s a pretty good place to start!)
The doors to the Society are now open for a limited time only. Click the link in my profile or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
#foodsecurity #homegrownfood #homesteading #selfreliance #selfsufficiency #homegrownfoodjusttastesbetter
If you’ve been watching events unfold over the past few years and you’re feeling called to start “cutting ties” with the system and begin reclaiming your independence, The Society of Self-Reliance was made for you!
When I first launched this online membership program last year, my goal was to create a one-stop resource where members could go to learn and practice every aspect of self-reliance, as well as a space to connect with other like-minded people pursuing the same goal. And that’s exactly what you’ll get when you join!
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn inside the Society:
🌱 Food Security and Self-Sufficiency: Learn the art of growing and preserving your own food, ensuring you and your loved ones have access to nutritious meals year-round.
🌿 Natural Living and Herbal Medicine Mastery: Discover the secrets to creating a low-tox home and and to growing, making and using herbal remedies to support your family’s health, naturally.
🔨 Essential Life Skills: Learn essential life skills like time management, effective goal setting and practical DIY skills to become more self-sufficient.
As a member, you’ll enjoy:
📚 Monthly Video Lessons: Gain access to our ever-growing library of video lessons, with fresh content added each month.
📞 Live Group Coaching Calls: Participate in our monthly live group coaching calls, where we deep dive into a different self-reliance topic every month, and do live demonstrations and Q&A’s.
🏡 Private Community: Join our private community forum where you can ask questions, share your progress, and connect with like-minded individuals.
I only open the doors to The Society once or twice each year, but right now, for one week only, you can become a member for just $20/month (or $200/year).
In today’s world, self-reliance is no longer a luxury, a “cute hobby,” it’s a necessity. Join us inside The Society of Self-Reliance and empower yourself with the skills you need to thrive in the new world!
Link in profile or visit thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
#selfreliance #selfreliant #selfsufficiency #selfsufficientliving #sustainableliving #modernhomesteading #homesteadingskills #preparedness
Got out for an early morning harvest today. Been up since 3am, contemplating life, the future and the past, the order of things…
There is a rumbling right now, not just in North America, but around the world. Many of us can feel it, and know we are on the precipice of something big.
I’d been hearing about this new song that’s become an overnight viral sensation, written by an (until now) unknown singer named Oliver Anthony. His new song Rich Men North of Richmond has had 14 million views on YouTube in the past week alone, so I decided to check it out.
I also saw a clip of him playing a Farmers Market last week, and anything that has to do with Farmers Markets always has my attention;)
I can’t tell you how many tears I’ve already cried listening to that song. If you’ve heard it already, you probably know what I’m talking about, and if you haven’t, I highly recommend giving it a listen. All I can say is it’s been a while since a song resonated so deeply with me, and in this strange new world, I know I’m not the only one.
One of the lines in Anthony’s song is “Livin’ in the new world, with an old soul,” and that’s something I think so many of us in the homesteading community can relate to.
Trying to cling to better days; To a simpler time; To the old ways, all while doing our best to get by in the new world.
The world has changed drastically in the last few years especially, and it’s set to change in immense ways over the next few years. Today I’m feeling thankful for people like @oliver_anthony_music_ who give a voice to what so many are feeling right now.
Know that if you’re feeling it too, you’re far from alone. And while the future may feel uncertain and even a little scary, remember that if we stand united, we the people are a force to be reckoned with.
(Continued in comments…)
Another garlic harvest in the books!
Garlic is easily one of my favourite crops to grow. It’s pretty much a “set if and forget it” crop. We plant in the fall and leave it to overwinter, fertilize a couple times in the spring, start watering only once the ground starts to dry out, and then harvest in the summer. We can even plant a fall succession crop after our garlic if we want so it really makes great use of garden space all year round.
Over the years we’ve managed to become completely self-sufficient with garlic. We now grow enough to eat all year (and then some!), plus we save our own seed garlic and usually have extra to sell or give away. And around here fresh, organic garlic ain’t cheap, so it’s a good cash crop for anyone who’s serious about selling it.
It took me a few years to really get the hang of garlic, but it’s one crop I’m now very confident with (knock on wood, because it’s always when we make statements like this that next year’s crop fails! Lol.)
A while back I compiled a comprehensive guide to growing, harvesting and using garlic both as an edible and medicinal crop. This is usually only available as part of a paid bundle (or in the fall 2022 issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine if you’re a subscriber;), but for a limited time I’m offering it for free, no strings attached!
Plus you’ll also get access to my step-by-step video lesson on planting garlic so you can set yourself up for success with your garlic crop this year.
Comment “Garlic” below or head to thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-guide to get your free copy!
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#garlic #garlicharvest #homesteading #selfsufficient #selfsufficiency #selfsufficientliving #selfreliance #homegrown #groworganic #growfoodnotlawns #gardenersofinstagram #homesteadersofinstagram
Going through photos and videos from our trip to the @modernhomesteadingconference and the vast majority are of our daughter having the time of her life!
Even if I personally got nothing else out of this gathering (which I most certainly did), watching her discover her own love of this lifestyle outside of what we do at home made my heart grow three sizes!
Homesteading is about so much more than homegrown food and self-reliance. It’s about passing on invaluable skills and an understanding of and respect for our connection to the land that provides for us to the next generation.
Being around so many other kids and families who are also pursuing a homesteading lifestyle helped show our little one that this is a movement that is so much bigger and greater than what our own family does on our little plot of land. This is a lifestyle worth pursuing, with a community unlike any other.
Glad to be back home and more excited than ever to involve my kids in everything we’re doing. But also, I think I speak for my whole family when I say we can’t wait to go back someday!
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#homesteading #modernhomesteading #raisinglittles
If you’re simply looking for ways to save a little extra cash this summer and live well for less, here are 12 tried and tested frugal living tips for summer that you can use to save money this season without sacrificing a thing.
Head over using the link in my bio!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/12-frugal-living-tips-summer/
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#enjoywhatyouhave
#frugallifestyle
#homesteadingmama
#offgridhomestead
#modernfarmhousekitchen
#crunchymama
#rusticfarmhouse
#farmhouseinspo
#farmhouselife
#modernhomesteading
#backyardfarmer
A brand new issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine just dropped!
In this issue:
🌱 How to forage and use five common edible and medicinal weeds
🏠 A sustainable, affordable alternative to traditional homes, greenhouses and more
👨👩👧👦 Tips for managing a homestead while raising a family (big or small!)
🫙 What to focus on when preserving food for true food security
🌹 How to grow and arrange your own cut flowers at home
🍓 The many ways to preserve summer berries (including 5 delicious recipes!)
💇How to make your own all-natural herbal hair care products at home
🧑🌾 Why “community sufficiency” is the new self-sufficiency
And more!
Visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com (or click the link in my bio) to subscribe or login to the library and read the latest issue.
Plus, be sure to check out all of our past issues as well! There’s a wealth of information in our library on everything from farming and gardening to cooking and canning to herbal medicine, natural living and so much more!
*** This will be the last quarterly issue! ***
This little magazine has grown so much over the past 4 years and 32 issues, and now it’s time for another exciting evolution.
I’m excited to announce that we will be moving to an even more robust annual publication with the intention of offering the first ever print edition this fall if there is enough demand.
I’m also excited to announce the brand new Modern Homesteading Magazine blog, which is currently under construction and will be launching soon. While we will still be maintaining digital subscriptions, the blog will be accessible to all, free of charge, so that more people might benefit from the empowering and increasingly important information that we cover in each issue.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this issue happen! @homesteadingfamily @oatsandhoneyhomestead @omnivore.culture @thetaylor.leigh @doeraydesign (and more who don’t have IG pages;)
And a HUGE thank you to everyone who has subscribed over the years. Modern Homesteading Magazine would never have become what it is today without each and every one of you.
#homesteading #modernhomesteading #selfsufficiency
If you’ve ever grown your own garlic, you might have noticed the spiral-shaped shoots that suddenly pop up in the centre of the stem, usually about a month or so before the garlic bulbs themselves are ready to be harvested.
These are garlic scapes, and believe it or not- they make delicious pesto! Get the recipe through the link in my bio- https://thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-scape-pesto/
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#houseandhomestead
#homesteadmom
#homesteadmoments
#homesteadingskills
#homesteady
#thehomestead
#thehomesteadlife
#summeronthehomestead
#suburbanhomesteading
#lovemyfarm
#modernhomesteader
#countrygal
#country_living
#urbanhomesteading
#selfsustainableliving
#homesteaderslife
#garlic
#garlicscapes
#garlicscapespesto
#granolamom
#urbanhomesteader
#homesteadlifestyle
#farmerslifeforme
#backyardhomesteading
#homesteadingfamily
#sustainablelifestyles
#happyhomesteading
#homesteadersofamerica
#homesteaders
This honey and chive blossom vinaigrette is a frugal, easy and healthy homemade salad dressing that pairs beautifully with fresh garden salads all season long.
Get the recipe through the link in my bio.
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/chive-blossom-vinaigrette/
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#houseandhomestead
#herbalgarden
#gardenherbs
#herbsfromthegarden
#freshherbsfromthegarden
#gardenfreshherbs
#chiveblossoms
#homesteadmom
#homesteadmoments
#homesteadingskills
#homesteady
#thehomestead
#thehomesteadlife
#summeronthehomestead
#suburbanhomesteading
#lovemyfarm
#modernhomesteader
#countrygal
#country_living
#urbanhomesteading
#selfsustainableliving
#homesteaderslife
#seasonalrecipes
#eatinseason
#liveseasonally
#eattheseasons
#seasonaleats
#summersbounty
#eatseasonal
I bought 3 of the wire racks and combined the shelves into 2 units. Ind spaced the shelves the appropriate height to hold canning jars. This way I can store more jars in the same footprint of space!
That’s a great point! Especially if you preserve a lot, it can be easy to lose track of what you have on hand.
Over my 40+ years of canning/freeZing/drying I have used alot of these great ideas. I have also found out that having an on going inventory list is so helpful. I know at a glance what I have & how much. As 1 jar is opened, 1 jar is took off the inventory list. It’s most helpful for my husband.
There are rollout pantry inserts that you can buy at the big stores and install yourself. They range from sized for spices to quart jar friendly and create species in lots of unused space.
I am in the process of turning my unused dining room (which is code for dumping ground) into a large walk in pantry. We are making shelves- lots of shelves!! I am so excited!
I hear you on the dumping ground. More shelves is always a good thing!
We moved to Texas from Indiana a few months back and went from having a HUGE basement with HUGE understair storage to not much of anything. Albeit we have understair area here, it’s a tiny door and not much storage (maybe later I’ll convert it after the kids are gone and I move the Christmas and wrapping stuff out). We do have an extra set of built in tall cabinets which I use for storage, but we had to get creative so I took some thin wood and cut some “shelves” that are movable. They cover about 3-4 jars wide and deep, and since they are lightweight, they don’t put a lot of pressure on the bottom jars and it distributes the weight better. I tried to attach a picture but it wouldn’t do it.
We’re in a 2 bedroom apt with no pantry. So we have food in unused and used by soft items drawers. Theres the bulk of the food storage behind the couch (so then the living room is 2 ft smaller that direction but it’s long anyways) and in the guestroom closet. I almost have my husband convinced to turn the guestroom into a walk-in pantry (or at least part of it) 🙂
No pantry? Just kidding. Clearly where there’s a will, there’s a way. I hadn’t thought of converting an entire bedroom into food storage! But hey, if you don’t need it as a guest bedroom, you go for it sister! I think if I was in the same situation I would do the same:) Love the behind the couch system you’ve got going. I’ll have to add that when I expand the list, as I’m sure it will continue to expand as I hear more great ideas from others like you!