How do you buy and put away your stockpile?

[cearhart]

This is my first poll so forgive me if I mess this up.
I definitely have a lot of fun going shopping and getting all these GREAT deals, but sometimes putting away is harder than doing all the shopping. So I thought I would ask everyone this question: How do you buy and put away your stockpile?

We have all gotten home from shopping and noticed that items are expired what do you do with them? How do you organize your stockpile?

I am curious for everyone answers please vote.

[puakinikini]

Originally Posted by cearhart This is my first poll so forgive me if I mess this up. I definitely have a lot of fun going shopping and getting all these GREAT deals, but sometimes putting away is harder than doing all the shopping.

I feel the same way about laundry! I don't mind washing and rying, but I hate putting away!

I just shove everything into the cupboard and organize later. Not the best organizational system, but I have a hard enough time finding the time to shop, let alone organize. Plus, I live in a house full of locusts so half the time it is gone before I can put it away.

[Mama22angels]

Organization must include the fifo method (first in, first out).
Do you organize by flavor? Yes.
Do you organize by expiration dates? Of course, fifo method
Do you just put it in the cupboard. NO
If you bought an item that was expired, Yes I would take it back. You spent your $ on it, if you won't use it, why spend the $? It is illegal to sell expired food in some states.

[MoneySavinDiva]

I always organize it as I put it away, otherwise it just stays disorganized, and then I go crazy because of it I (try to) always rotate and put the old in the front and the new in the back to avoid waste and expiration dates coming and going. I also keep thing seperate from one another, like foods by like foods. And I also keep flavors seperate. The peanut butter stock up I just did, I got about 60 jars of pb total, and I have it seperated into rows of chunky, natural, creamy, etc. It just eases my mind having organization in my cupboards. Now my deep freezer, that's a different story...

[Sweet_Southern_Mama]

I'm the worst. If it's nonperishables it usually stays in the trunk of my car for a couple of days to a week and then I drag it all out at once looking for places to put it. If it's perishables that go in the cabinet it usually sits on the kitchen counter for a day or two before I find somewhere for it. If it goes in the freezer I just toss it in the chest freezer or inside freezer. If it goes in the fridge I organize right then and there.

[cjnelson]

-For perishables I organize by food type.

-Same for me FIFO: New always in the back, oldest in front. Use 2 large cabinets with tight fitting doors. Shelving units with food stored in glass, tins, plastic tubs/pails.

-Organize freezer by like foods: meats raw, meats (home-made prepared meals in seal-a-meal bags), veggies, fruits, commercially prepared foods ie pizza, breads/baked goods, ice cream, juices, miscellaneous items butter/cheeses.

-HABA organized FIFO in plastic tubs like items & stored on plastic shelving units.

-Never buy expired foods I would return it.

[anaj06]

I use FIFO as well...sort of.

I have a pantry in my kitchen and then stockpile shelves in various places. Stuff just goes on the stockpile shelves...then when I pull it to the pantry, I pull the closest Expiration stuff...usually by reaching to the back.

If it is in the pantry, I don't think we will have any problem using it before the expiration, so I don't worry about it much. The Pantry stuff has already been weeded by expiration as I pull it from stockpile shelves.

Would you take it back: Yes! However this never happens to me because I buy in the store based on expiration also. For example, if I am buying cereal, I reach to the back and buy the stuff with the latest expiration date. I note the date on everything I buy and sometimes don't buy it if it expires even in 3 months because I know I have a stockpile at home that will be used over the next 3 months.

Example: Juicy Juice and Apple and Eve juice boxes were free this past week during triples. I know I will use very few of them between now and next summer, but during summer camp, I have to send 1 a day with each kid. So, I focused on finding May or later expirations (don't mind using juice a month expired). I did buy some April 2010 ones because it was them or nothing and they were FREE, but they were put in my pantry to use now (when we are out and about it and it is just easier). The May or later ones are on the stockpile shelves for next summer. I will need 100 juice boxes from June 1 to Aug 15, so I am working on it now. (One per day for 10 weeks for 2 kids).

[Niddi]

About 6 months into stockpiling and having to get creative with storing. No garage, basement or storage room. I quess I use the fifo system, all food items get marked w/ expiration date with a sharpie before being put away. Kitchen pantry (converted broom closet) all items pretty much visible so no problem seeing the large x dates.
Bought cabinet for corner of guest room to house extra food items I've been able to stock, keep list taped to inside of door and mark off as rotated to kitchen pantry.
several boxes of canned veggies and Pasta sauces stacked and covered with pretty cloth are now a nightstand table. Guest dresser is full of candles, air wicks, etc. one drawer for baggies, foil, etc.Guest closet being used for Christmas presents and several plastic storeage boxes. Storage boxes under beds contain toiletries (that my kids can choose from) as well as top shelf of linen closet in each bathroom used for shampoos, cond. body washes, deodorants, toothpaste etc.(my do-not-take stash) Extra paper goods get put in plastic storage container in attic. My guest room still looks neat but every possible place is being used for storage.

My freezer is not organized but I can find anything I need by just going to my inventory list. Got tired of not knowing what was in there and having to dig. I now add or subract from inventory list. All items get listed by categories,date bought and what shelf I shoved them on. A glance at my list tells me which items need to be used first and what shelf I can find them on. Freezer stays pretty packed so this system is really working well for me.
I'm pretty careful with watching exp dates when I buy products but have had to take a few back, some of the ones on the glass bottles are hard for me to read and I have caught that they're expired when I get my magnifying glass out at home to check them so I can mark them with a sharpie.

[mama22qts]

Organized by expiration, flavor, and by how frequently I use that item. Definitely not just shoved in the pantry -- that would drive me insane. I have to have it organized so that I can direct my kids/husband to get out whatever I need without having to be there to show them. I need to be able to say, "it's on the second shelf down, next to the Cat Chow. Get the vanilla one; it's the last one in the stack."

Everything needs to be in its place; if I don't have a place for it and can't make one neatly, I won't buy the item.

[wookin]

I have rather large shelving units in the basement. Everything gets put away with the oldest to the rear and by flavor or type/brand. I can't have shopping bags with stuff in them for long. Everything gets put away asap after shopping.