Many preppers know the importance of having supplies stored away for an emergency. But when it comes to hiding these supplies around the home during an emergency, it can be difficult to know where to start. The following gives you some ideas on where to hider smaller objects and supplies.
We suggest both ready-made, easy storage solutions as well as explaining how to make your own hidden storage. We’ll start with the latter first.
1. Inside a hollowed-out book
- Start by selecting the book you want to hollow out. It should be a hardcover book with a solid spine.
- Place the book on a flat surface and use a craft knife to carefully cut along the spine of the book. Once you have cut all the way around the book, remove the spine and place it aside.
- Cut out the pages of the book using a craft knife. Make sure to leave a 1/4” (.635cm) border around the outside of the book cover, so that it will still be sturdy.
- Now that the pages have been cut out, use a drill to make holes in the cover. Make sure to mark where you want the holes to be before you start drilling.
- Once you have the holes drilled, use a craft knife to cut away the pages that are in between the holes.
- You should now have a hollowed-out book.
Can’t be bothered to make a hollowed-out book? Buy a ready-made hollowed-out book here!
2. Inside a false bottom drawer
One of the best places to hide supplies during an emergency is in a false bottom in a drawer or cabinet. This is an easy and effective way to conceal items because it’s hard to detect and the supplies are out of sight.
- Measure the interior of the drawer to determine the size of the false bottom you will need to build.
- Cut a piece of plywood to fit the interior of the drawer, using a jigsaw or a table saw. Sand the edges of the plywood to make sure they are smooth and even.
- Apply a coat of paint to the plywood, if desired.
- Measure and mark the centre of the plywood and cut a circle, using a jigsaw, to create the false bottom.
- Place the false bottom in the drawer and secure it with screws.
- Place a few items on the false bottom to hide it from view.
3. Inside the walls of your home or behind a false ceiling tile
You can also hide supplies in the walls or ceiling. This is a more difficult option, but it’s a great way to conceal items if you’re willing to invest the time and money to create a secret compartment. This will also allow you to store larger items.
- Gather the necessary supplies: drywall, furring strips, screws, drywall tape, drywall compound, and sandpaper.
- Measure the area where the false wall will be built and cut the drywall sheets to size.
- Attach the furring strips to the wall studs and ceiling joists with screws.
- Place the drywall sheets on the furring strips and attach them with screws.
- Tape the seams between the sheets using drywall tape.
- Apply a thin layer of drywall compound to the seams.
- Allow the compound to dry and then sand it to create a smooth finish.
- Paint the false wall to match the rest of the room.
4. Behind a false panel in the attic/loft
- Measure the area where the false panel will be installed.
- Cut two pieces of plywood to fit the measured area.
- Use screws to attach the plywood pieces to each other.
- Add a strip of wood along the outside edges of the plywood to give it a finished look. Use a jigsaw to cut out a door shape in one of the plywood pieces.
- Attach hinges to the edges of the door shape and the frame of the false panel.
- Place the false panel in the attic and screw it into the walls.
- Paint or stain the false panel to match the rest of the attic.
5. Inside a large potted plant
- Find a large potted plant with enough soil and room to fit your items.
- Carefully dig a hole in the soil, large enough to fit the items you want to hide.
- Safely wrap the items in plastic and place the items in the hole and cover them with soil.
- Place the potted plant in a location where it won’t be disturbed.
6. Inside a hollowed-out piece of furniture
Another option is to hide supplies in furniture. This can be as simple as adding a false back to a bookshelf or a compartment in the bottom of a nightstand. This is a great way to keep supplies out of sight, but still easily accessible.
- Choose a piece of furniture that you would like to hollow out, such as a dresser or chest of drawers.
- Remove any drawers or shelves that are not part of the hollow area.
- Measure the area to be hollowed out and mark it with a pencil.
- Use a saw to cut along the marked lines.
- Sand the edges of the hollowed-out area to make sure they are smooth.
- Apply a sealant or paint to protect the wood from moisture.
- Attach the shelves or drawers back into the hollowed-out area.
7. In a false bottom storage container
- Gather the necessary supplies: a plastic container, a saw, a drill, wood screws, wood glue, and a thin piece of wood.
- Measure the base of the container and trace the outline onto the thin piece of wood. Cut the wood along the traced line and sand down any rough edges.
- Drill a few evenly spaced holes along the perimeter of the wood.
- Apply wood glue to the bottom of the container and place the wood on top.
- Secure the wood to the container with the wood screws.
- Create a false bottom by drilling additional holes in the wood and inserting dowels or screws into them.
- Place whatever items you wish to store in the container and place the false bottom over them.
8. Inside a wall safe
Wall safes are typically installed in the wall of a home or business, hidden from plain view. Wall safes are designed to be very hard to break into, with thick walls and reinforced doors.
They also often come with locks requiring a combination code or key to access the safe. Wall safes can also be hidden behind paintings or behind furniture, adding an extra layer of security.
Quick storage ideas – no hammers, drills or plasterboard needed!
If you are looking for less labour-intensive ways to hide your smaller supplies, then why not …
9. Hide in plain sight
You can hide supplies in plain sight. This can be done by storing items in a decorative box or basket, or by disguising them in everyday items like tins, jars, or bags.
Online, Amazon has a number of household objects that can be used to store items, such as tin cans and wall clocks.
10. Bury them in the garden
Make sure the items are well wrapped in plastic and ideally in a protective box.
11. Behind the kitchen plinth
Kitchen plinths are designed to be removed, so are a ready-made place for hiding supplies.
12. A clean cat litter box
Obviously, the box should not be accessible to cats, so perhaps you can hide it in your shed or garage.
13. Inside the toilet cistern
14. In an old suitcase under some clothes
15. Fill a sock with supplies, then stuff it down the sleeve of one of your coats that you never use
16. Invest in a hanger safe
Summary
These are just a few of the ways you can hide supplies in your home during an emergency. No matter what method you choose, it’s important to remember that preppers should have a plan in place for hiding supplies during an emergency. With the right precautions and a little bit of creativity, you can ensure that your supplies are safe and secure.
