Starting a Stockpile: Part 1 - Getting Organized

When you decide to start a stockpile there a lot of things to think about. How much of certain things could you possibly need? Once you have it where will you put it? Can you be determined enough to use everything before it expires? ---- These are just some of the questions that were running through my head (some because of the Hubby, of course).


So as my stockpile has started to grow I have been storing all my "extras" in one area of the house --- that way I will know if I am getting too much of one product. "What is too much?" you may ask (it was one of my questions)...It really that depends on the product. Something like toilet paper or paper towels won't go bad as quickly as alfredo sauce, whereas things like toohpaste and shampoo expire in aproximately 2 years. Once you know how long a product will last then you will need to determine how much you can use between now and when it expires (if it does) then you want to make sure you don't go over that limit, unless it is free and then donate it if you end up with too much.

Once you start collecting this information you will need somewhere to store it and I suggest a database for this endeavor. It is just as important to keep an inventory of your stockpile as it is to make sure it is evenly stocked.

Interesting Facts:
The Average person uses 20-40 rolls of TP a year in their home. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_much_toilet_paper_does_the_average_person_use_in_a_day _ and there are some comments indicating that they have used up to 10 year old TP without any issues of degradation.

Laundry Detergent: Calculate the number of loads you do a week first Then How many loads per month, per year, per how much you want on hand.  --- Purex wrote: our liquid detergents have a shelf life of three years. You can use the production code to determine when the product was made.The production code is generally stamped on the container. An example of a code would be: PP8A0610:30.
PP = Production facility
8 = Year of manufacture
A = Calendar month (A-January, B-February, C-March, D-April; E-May; F-June; G-July, H-August, K-September, L-October, M-November; N-December)
06 = Calendar day
10:30 = Time of day
Date of manufacture is January 6, 2008Thank you again for contacting us.
Consumer Affairs  --- But other bloggers advise that they have used detergent that was up to 7 years old and just added a little water if it seemed too "thick".
How do you keep yourself organized? What Items do you plan to save and how much?