How To Prepare In A Small Space Like An Apartment, Studio Or Condo: Master Guide For Tiny Homes

I hear this all the time on this blog: "But I live in a small apartment. I have no room for preparations." And while it certainly is more challenging than a large farmhouse to store food, water, and supplies, having a small space does mean sacrificing your preparedness objectives. In fact, if you were in a situation where you were forced to fend for yourself with food and water, I'd bet you'd find plenty of spaces to put things. There is a happy medium!

You have to get creative when prepping in a small space. Let's take a look at how:

Plenty of places to stock things upPhoto byRichelleg

• Utilize Vertical Space: Put in tall shelves, floor to ceiling if you can, to take advantage of the most space you can get out of walls and doors.
• Hidden Spaces: Don’t overlook the space behind books on bookshelves, behind things on entertainment centers, under beds, or on the floor behind sofas. These can be perfect for storing emergency supplies. Even the toe-kick panel on your kitchen cabinets can be carefully removed and the little space under the cabinets can be utilized to store things. *Don't do this if you're renting.*

Small apothecary pantryPhoto byRichelleg

• Multi-purpose Furniture: Some beds have built-in storage, ottomans with hidden compartments, shelves with hollow spaces, and compartments in tables and desks.
• Closet Optimization: Use space-saving hangers and store supplies in shoe organizers to make the most of your closet space.
• Vacuum Sealing: Use vacuum-sealed bags for things that take up a lot of space to reduce their footprint and give you more room.

You Have More Space Than You Think

Did you know that you can fit an entire year's emergency food supply for a person under a twin-sized bed?

Nutrition and Food Storage

In smaller storage situations, focus on compact, calorie-dense foods that offer good nutritional value:

Dried goods: Beans, rice, and pasta are excellent staples that store well in small spaces.

Yes, even here!Photo byRichelleg

Protein sources: Peanut butter, nuts, jerky, beans, canned meats, and fish provide essential proteins in a compact form. Canned foods take things a step further, ensuring you can still eat in the event you lose your clean water source, meaning you don't need water to boil or cook canned foods. **Don't forget to add a manual hand can opener to your pantry in case you lose power too!** Other foods to consider are canned juices, canned or powdered milk, and soups. Sugar, salt, and pepper. Trail mix, granola bars, jelly, and crackers. Foods for young children, the elderly, or those following special diets (such as those with allergies or diabetes.)

If all of this is too much, you can buy freeze-dried or prepared shelf-stable foods in your local store's camping section or Google MRE's.

Other Pantry Things: Make sure you have disposable plates, glasses, and utensils along with a can opener, scissors, or a knife for cutting open foil and plastic bags. For everything to stay dry and as airtight as possible, place all of these goods in plastic bags with zipper closures. Note the dates on which food items require inspection and/or rotation (using them first.)

Sprouts: You can have fresh, nutrient-packed veggies, legumes, and greens any time of year, in any space, even without sunlight. You can use jars, tupperware, and even napkins to grow food. Just about anything will work, however, you can find multi-layered containers that make the process much easier and more enjoyable right online.

SproutsPhoto byRichelleg

Vertical Gardening: If you do have access to a patio, vertical gardening allows you to grow a lot of food in a very small space. Just search vertical gardening online and you'll get great ideas. My favorite is Greenstalk because it's self-watering too!

Even if you don't have access to good sunlight, you can get grow lights for under $20 and start growing things on your counters or in dark corners that don't serve you a purpose at the moment. Collect fresh food instead of dust bunnies!

How To Store Water

Everyone knows you need water to survive, but you'll also need it for bathing, cooking, and cleaning as well. There are a few options available:

Big Bathtub Bag: A bathtub liner can store up to 100 gallons of water in your bathtub during emergencies. As soon as you catch wind of a storm or something else coming your way, all you have to do is fill up this giant plastic bladder thing with tub water, and it's clean, ready to use, and stores itself.

Bathtub bladder and pump for fresh waterPhoto byRichelleg

Stackable Containers: Just search for stackable water containers online, and you'll find all sorts of clever things to store water in that stack safely and neatly.

Water Filters: Compact personal water filter systems like LifeStraw can help you make use of water from various sources in an emergency and take up hardly any space.

Multi-purpose Equipment To Stock

Every item should earn its keep, so here are some examples of multipurpose items that don't take up much space:

Kitchen Equipment:

Dutch Oven: You can use this for any time of cooking, from frying to baking, or even as a wash bin.

Solar Oven: All you need is the sun to bake and cook without any electricity or fuel.

Pressure Cooker: Save fuel, preserve food, speed up cooking times.

Cast Iron Skillet: Use this over any heat source, even an open flame. Adds iron to your diet. Get a cast iron Dutch oven, and you've marked off two with one!

Cast iron dutch ovenPhoto byRichelleg

Tools:

Multi-tool: Just about everything you need in one tool. Knives, screwdrivers, bottle and can openers, saws, ect.

Folding Shovel: You may think you won't need this in an apartment, but if you have to bug out, you'll need it. Can be used as self-defense, saw, bottle and can opener, or as a shovel. LOL

Paracord: You would use this as general cordage, but also as first-aid, fishing, shelters on the go, fire starters, signaling devices, trail markers, and so much more.

Power Solutions

Even in small spaces, you can prepare for power outages:

Solar Chargers and Power Banks: Compact options for keeping devices charged. They even sell portable solar generators now. Stick that solar panel in a sunny window, and you could have enough juice to run a few lights and your fridge without the worry of toxic fumes, loud engines, and finding fuel.

Solar generator chargerPhoto byRichelleg

Hand-crank Radio: Small in size, provides vital emergency information and often includes a phone charger and flashlight.

The “Go Bag”

Lastly, get a small "go bag"—a backpack filled with necessities for an emergency escape. Pack essentials like important papers, a flashlight, money, prescriptions, a first-aid kit, food, water, protection, and an extra set of clothes.

Being prepared does not include having a huge supply of goods on hand. It is about having information, being resourceful, and being flexible. It is possible to be well-prepared in even the smallest of homes. Above all, remember to keep yourself informed, organized, and safe.

Get creative!Photo byRichelleg

Citations:

Melanie, Melanie, & Melanie. (2024, January 16). How To Tackle Prepping In An Apartment - Plan for Awesome. Plan for Awesome. https://planforawesome.com/how-to-tackle-prepping-in-an-apartment/

Pro, P. (2024, September 12). Mastering Preparedness in Small Spaces: A Guide for Preparedness for Apartment and Studio Dwellers. Preparedness Pro. https://www.preparednesspro.com/mastering-preparedness-in-small-spaces-a-guide-for-preparedness-for-apartment-and-studio-dwellers/

Weidner, K. (2021, January 23). How to Prep With Limited Space. That Yurt. http://www.thatyurt.com/projects/prep-with-limited-space/