Organize Storage by Date
Even though store-bought items generally have an expired date or best used by date on them, I don’t rely on it alone to rotate through my stock. I take a permanent marker (this is the one I use) and mark the date I put it into inventory, thus I can know better which ones to rotate through not only by the manufacturer’s date, but by how long it’s been sitting on the shelf or in a bin. This includes things in my freezer, that I dehydrate or make, and needs to apply to home-canned items as well.
Sometimes, I will find myself using freezer tape to put on containers that I don’t want to mess up with a permanent marker. It works better than masking tape in the freezer, but I find masking tape just fine for just about every other application.
Alternatively, you could put the “Best By” or “Expires By” date to help yourself know when it might need to be removed if you haven’t already used it. But remember … best by dates don’t mean the product is expired, just that it may have reached the peak of it’s best taste. You can find more info on that here.
I mark the top and the sides so that I can see whichever way the item is being stored.
STOCKPILING RULE OF THUMB:
First in — First Out.
This means that the things purchased first need to be eaten first, meaning you need to rotate through your stores well. Thus, dating is an important visual to let you see how much you are using, how quickly it is going, if you purchased too much, or when you need to restock!
What way do you use to help keep your stockpile organized?
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Katy Willis is a writer, lifelong homesteader, and master herbalist, master gardener, and canine nutritionist. Katy is a preparedness expert and modern homesteader practicing everyday preparedness, sustainability, and a holistic lifestyle.
She knows how important it is to be prepared for whatever life throws at you, because you just never know what's coming. And preparedness helps you give your family the best chance to thrive in any situation.
Katy is passionate about living naturally, growing food, keeping livestock, foraging, and making and using herbal remedies. Katy is an experienced herbalist and a member of the CMA (Complementary Medical Association).
Her preparedness skills go beyond just being "ready", she's ready to survive the initial disaster, and thrive afterward, too. She grows 100% organic food on roughly 15 acres and raises goats, chickens, and ducks. She also lovingly tends her orchard, where she grows many different fruit trees. And, because she likes to know exactly what she's feeding her family, she's a seasoned from-scratch cook and gluten-free baker.
Katy teaches foraging and environmental education classes, too, including self-sufficient living, modern homesteading, seed saving, and organic vegetable gardening.
Katy helps others learn forgotten skills, including basic survival skills and self-reliance.
She's been published on sites such as MSN, Angi, Home Advisor, Family Handyman, Wealth of Geeks, Readers Digest, and more.