For potatoes and sweet potatoes-if you wrap each one in newspaper or parchment paper BEFORE placing in box[need a reg crate for air flow] then they will last yil match in the Southern states. As I am from Mississippi, Georgia , Alabama and Tennessee,, I have been doing this method since 1970s and my granny before me[ both Ga & NC]. AS FOR the onions- good bags BUT you should place 1 in the spin bag twice or so for spacing then just drop in another til bag is full. Same for garlic. Carrots are fine EXCEPT with that hole in the bottom of bin you are just sending a smell signal to ATTRACT the rats.. I'm really only trying to help here, knowing you AIN'T FROM THE Deep South 😊😊. Hope this helps!! By the way-- the closet idea is a great one just don't go much more than 3 feet from ceiling since heat rises and will damage produce even in a none vented room such as yours.. at 58 I've been around granny and other older and wiser people who had to store food for families of 8 or more. Enough to last til spring crops came in. Please have a safe and wonderful holiday. GOD BLESS YOU and YOURS.
Your comment definitely helps me, so thank you 😊. I was kind of questioning the garlic storage, I always thought they needed air flow...so thank you for confirming what I've always thought. At 61, I tend to second guess things again 😆
I grow hundreds of heads of garlic every year and when they start getting soft towards spring time, i go through and smash each head so most of the papers slide off. Throw them all into the food processor with some evoo and process. Then i take a 1tbsp cookie scoop and line cookie sheets with parchment then plop them on and flash freeze. Take them off the sheet once frozen and throw them into 1 gallon freezer bags. Take out a tbsp serving at a time as needed. My husband loves using these pucks instead of chopping fresh.
Like your UA-cam. I have a suggestion about your onions. Place one onion in bag, tie a knot in the bag, then place another onion on top of the knot, tie the second knot, then place another onion and make a loop. That way, they are not touching and the should hang straight. Giving you more room to hang more rows of onions. When you need an onion, cut the bottom onion off under the knot. Hope this helps. Love the fact that you showed the real life in your videos.
You said something about mice. We have lived in a 100 year old house for about 25 years. There was a electronic thing in the partial basement that we didn’t know what it was for a few years. Both sides of the basement was dirt crawl space. We put out a lot of mice bait in the openings of both sides. But in the basement we never had a mouse. EVER. We finally realized the thing was a electronic pest controller. It has worked great. We also have bought from Amazon several more. To put other places.
To store onions, use old hosiery. Put one onion in and tie a knot above it, then another in, tie a knot and so on. This keeps onion totally separate. Works well with Vidalia onions. That is the true southern way of storing onions. Hang in cool,dark place.
@naturaltastes5996 Dollar store. The idea for onions is to separate and cut off one onion at a time, keeping the onion with air circulation and not touching.
My grandfather planted and maintained a huge garden that I remember as a kid. It was some of the best growing soil as I found out, when my husband and I lived in a small house with acres of land many years later. We would have been maybe 5 miles from the garden he had when I was a kid. We grew cabbages that because of their size, we actually measured and they were 25 inches around. I used to order bushels of fruit and veggies to can, freeze etc. we would laugh cause I’d for instance order a bushel of cauliflower, and you could only awkwardly fit 3 heads in a bushel. You bought potatoes and onions by 50 or 100 pound sacks. No one I knew had ever gardened before, but the soil was just rich and black. It was like top soil in texture. My mom told me that grandpa made wooden bins (huge, and fixed in place) in an unheated area, no insulation. He’d place a layer of veggies, a layer of dirt, and so on. She said they had root veggies, apples, squash, pumpkins, and even watermelons come through the entire winter unscathed. She believes it was very successful, because of the layers of this soil……protection from he cold, but feet of snow just acted as a blanket. He’d even use clean straw in these layers of dirt for insulation. I had no idea there were seasons of growing, as we always had fresh veggies, and canned plums, peaches, pears, cherries etc. you just stuck a seed in the soil, and it would grow with all its might !!! This was the very cold, snowy area of Ontario Canada. So, I think you’re onto something with cold and moisture barrier using sawdust or sand. If you need more room, you can always can the pumpkins and squash. Good job !!
THANK YOU for showing this room! Most prepper show their imaculate kitchens, basements, or barns, which alawys makes me feel defeated before I ever get started.
Welcome to real life! I just don’t see a point to not show yall how we really live. Very few people have “perfect” homes and we try but fail every single day 😂 I’m glad you enjoyed
Tie a knot after adding each onion to your bag. That way, you can snip the onion off the bag without compromising the bag holding the rest of the onions. Hope that helps.
If you don’t have easy access to sawdust and you want to use that, you can buy pine horse bedding pellets and wet them, they expand into sawdust. And they’re pretty cheap, usually between $6-$8 for a 40 lb. bag.
10:51 so glad you mentioned it’s sawdust made from wood that has not been treated! If anyone goes to a wood shop for sawdust, make sure you ask what materials the sawdust came from. I would probably mention how I’m going to use it (to store food) so that they take the question seriously :)
Great video. I love frugality & function & a you tube video that's "really real' about how we have to function when we have insufficient space. Love the waste not want not vibe too- how can I repurpise what I have & NOT go out & spend money to get what I need accomplished.
I learned a trick from Chef Jean Pierre and he minces garlic with oil and freezes in small containers. I keep mine in freezer safe glass containers with lids. As you need them, you keep one in the fridge. This has been a game changer for space saving and longevity of the garlic.
@@LittleHillHomesteadGa That’s how I proecessed it too. Saw Asian homes freezing sandwich bags with minced garlic too. 👍🏾 works well. Still working on my old gallon bag I processed with oil kept in freezer. I just cut off what I needed for a meal.
I mince several lbs peeled fresh garlic in processor, add good EVO, freeze in ice cube trays covered. Then wrap in saran, zipper bag and freeze. Thaw enough for 1/2 pint jar in fridge, tastes fresh and ready to go. Can add more Evo on top if wanted
When you have a working kitchen with lots of stuff, meat slicers, mixers, juicers, canners, stock pots, bread makers, ice makers etc, it takes room. I decided I need a bigger house with more bedtooms, one for storage, one for sewing and hobbies, one for plants and natural remedies, medicine, toiletries, beauty that kind of thing. Will also be building a kitchen outdoors, which Im excited about. Trying to save enough money to rent machinery to make a root cellar, but that's in the future. One step at a time. Going full on Work Load. Who has time to party, or go to bars. When I have time....I sleep, because Im always running doing something. Need to restore my energy for the next days projects.
I love the idea. I don’t have space either and no basement. I would put the light items up high (paper products (until you find a place for them). Move that heavy box of carrots lower. As you use them it will be harder to reach inside. Break down the package of bulk paper products and put them on the highest shelves … easier to grab a light item off of high shelves!😃❤️
Here’s a thought: We installed two shower tension rods above the doorway between two close walls. This allowed us to store our toilet paper and paper towel packs up there since they’re light enough to hang. It’s a great way to maximize space in a small area. Additionally, we transformed our second full bathroom shower into a storage spot. Since it’s just the two of us, we cut a piece of wood to fit over the tub, creating a shelf. Underneath, we keep our water bottles (WaterBob), and on top, we store extra toilet paper, paper towels, Ziplock bags, aluminum foil, and other items that need a place. Just to clarify, we don’t store any box foods there but we do have cases of soups and veggies. We use a shower curtain to hid it all away. This setup really helps us make the most of our space and gives us room to stock up on essentials. Plus, it’s a perfect spot for our box of canning rings!
I live in Decatur, Georgia. The farmers market you are talking about is pretty big. It's an outdoor market with several rows of farmer stands grouped by product. There's also a store there (Hamper Hose), where they sell shrink wrap bags, bows, baskets etc.. in bulk for amazing prices. In DeKalb County (Decatur) is the International Farmers market. It's an indoor market and honestly, it has so many spices, wines, nuts, cheeses, organic meats, fresh baked breads etc ... Then there are the Farmers markets that chefs shop. We are surrounded by farmers markets of many varieties and sizes.
I had planned to go to the indoor one but haven’t made it there in 10 years. Maybe I’ll make a point next year. I’m totally looking up that store with the bags. Thanks for the info!
If this works for you I'm sure you'll let us know. I'm 70yrs old so we don't really us the upstairs bedrooms. I made one my temperature controlled room. In the summer I run a 5 btu air-conditioner to keep it below 68 -70 degrees, in the winter I just keep the door closed, the room stays around 64 degrees all my canned foods and store cans are kept there. I canned carrots not sure if I'm going to like them. I'll be trying them soon. In the fridge I put paper towel between the carrots and they seem to last for a couple months with our going bad. Hope your saw dust works on your carrots. Great idea for that closet. I new you were down to earth. We all have areas where things land. 😆 🤣
I'm glad you took the garlic out of the cylindrical container with the screw on lid. I put my garlic in a container like that that was airtight and when I went to get it out of the cupboard it was moldy from top to bottom.
LOL ...funny you should mention having a lid made. I suggested taking a exact same size box from Amazon, taping top and bottom find middle of the box, cut in half and have 2 lids.
My biggest obstacle is finding a dark spot that stays cool. Our house is so un-insulated that I fight mildew in my clothes closet during our hot and humid summers. But this video is a big help (especially seeing the real life part which helps me know I am not alone in the fight against stuff “around the corner” because sadly my mantra is “for the time being”). Thank you!!!
This is a very clever idea. I don’t have a basement either. But I have a ton of mice that find their way into the garage. 😞 I finally just bought a thrift store basket and put it in my dining room that’s sort of dark and have a few potatoes and onions stored there. My cat patrols inside the house all day! I have a small farm and you never can get rid of field mice. Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Those green onion roots…my grandson uses all the time. He takes roots and places them on window sill in a tiny glass of water, and a week later, doing nothing to it, there’s a brand new full size green onion. I think all he does is add water as needed. This is city water.
An easy way to store onions is to drop one into an old panty hose, knot it off, drop another one in. It keeps them separated and you just cut off the bottom one.
For the onions , use those cheesy closet extender hangers(the ones you put 4 hangers on then unhook one side to make a "cascade of hangers". Hook a bag on each hangers hole and let them cascade down the side of your closet.
I have those metal shelves also. I went to Dollar Tree and bought a bunch of vinyl placemats so smaller items stay steady on the shelves, you can also use any cardboard. Love that shoe rack idea!
Thank you for showing us the real you. I feel so much better about my "office, cat room, laundry, storage" room area. It is a free for all dumping ground with all my supplies. You make being real so much easier. I also love the shoe rack over the closet door. Brilliant. I will get one for my jars.
You do what you gotta do to make things work for you and your family. Thats all anyone can do. We’re all storing things in closets and under beds. Those that have the funds and space for root cellars and such are those that were once where we are. Don’t get discouraged. You’re doing great.
Hi, FYI, I have a shoe hanging unit that is made with mesh. It may work better than the plastic on your squash. I bought it on Amazon. New sub and love your content. 🙏❤️
Try saving space with your onions by tying knots in between each onion. You can put 4 to 5 in each bag and they will hang in a narrow column without touching eachother and doesn't bulk out in space
If you’ve enough depth between door & shelving, hang the onions from the pocket openings. Such a wonderful Root Closet & fantastic idea!!! I live in south FL where there’s neither basements nor garage food storage, due to heat. I truly love your idea 😊
I know my grandma had a root cellar which was an area full of dirt. You had to dig around to find anything. Really I think a big timber box full of dirt would equal the same thing. With this idea you could do several and separate potatoes carrots and squashes. She used to hang garlic from a hook on the ceiling weaved into a long line. She dried herbs upside down tied together with string. The smell was incredible, I loved it. Nothing is better than dried dill and some garlic.
Go to your Local grocery and ask for tomato boxes from produce department. I went to my local Kroger and got 5 boxes once and use them for storage. I think these would be perfect for your root closet.
I've learned, the very hard way, that variety matters. Some varieties store better and longer than others. I first learned this trying to bulk store red potatoes..... they don't store well. Varieties of carrots can matter as well...... just to further complicate things... lol
I loved you ideas and I noticed that you leave your rings on your canned goods which is not recommended since if a seal breaks it may reseal with the band on. I learned that this year.
I know that some people choose to remove it. We leave it on since that is how my family has always done it. If it isn't sealed we know when we open it. The mid isn't stuck like it should be.
I bought a ranch house built in the 70s “as is” and remodeled it. I put a pantry in the center of it. It has no a/c which is an issue but it’s also very cold during the fall/winter. I’ve got the potatoes in a plastic basket with newspaper and the sweet potatoes and onions too. Crossing my fingers! This is the first year.
The only way I’ve been able to successfully store Vidalia sweet onions long-term is to freeze them. They are the only onions hubby will eat but they are too juicy to store any other way. I chop and slice them, put them in a sandwich bag (one onion’s worth of chopped bits or slices per bag) then put those little bags in freezer bags. 25 lbs of onions gets us through the year.
Freezing works great. I take my sandwich bags on chopped onions and put as many bags as I can in a gallon freezer bag. It keeps the onion smell in better but easier for me to find the sandwich bags
I also freeze onions and peppers when I get them on sale. I slice the peppers up and put them in ziploc freezer bags. When needed..I take a handful out and chop if needed or use them sliced. It's a time saver and a money saver.
I feeeze chopped onions also. I just put them all in a giant zip lock bag. When I first put it in the freezer I come and wiggle the bag to make sure there's no big frozen lumps. When the bag is empty I just leave it in the freezer and reuse it for the next batch.
My grandpa had a wood shop . He would make us things for Christmas like a wooden potato bin with an attached lid , but he made like a series of them like canisters . Everyone loved them it didn't matter where you lived , if you stored things in a basement,closet , or even just left them anywhere in your house . The bins stayed dark inside all year .
My carrots were stumpy with many “ fingers”. Fortunately our dogs eat them as snacks so I pulled every teeny tiny one for them. I stored my nice carrots in plastic bread bags ( 10 per) with twist tie in an extra fridge. Stayed fresh almost a year. What didn’t last the chickens ate.
Thank you for sharing this I always have problems knowing how to store my harvest for long term too much info out there and I don’t have a root cellar. great ideas and true reality of life I love it ❤.
I wonder about using a cooler, I have one in my garage right now. I have some squash in it. I put a little thermometer in it and it’s around 42°. I’m gonna keep my eye on it..
Your vid just popped up on my screen. I started watching it and checked your channel and I am so thrilled. I love what you are doing and how you are doing it. So real and not staged like so many others. Can't wait to go through your vids. Thank you for the wonderful content. New subscriber from Canada who gardens, raises rabbits, chickens and quail.
Thought of taking a box of same size, tape top and bottom flaps then find center of the box, cut in half so that you have 2 lids to slide over the box you filled with potatoes.
Having worked ina a cabinet shop, I wouldn't contact one for sawdust because of the chemicals and such used in laminated woods, OSB boards and dust from paint/finishes. Make sure they are solid wood only company.
I live by myself in a three bedroom mobile home. You’d think I would have oodles of room… nope. I need more room. 😂😂 I also have a two shelf bin in my kitchen. I put a thick (5) layer between the onions and potatoes and they’re both doing great.
On the amazon box. Either keep it in original shape and seal up the top or unbox it back to flat. get a straight edge slice 1-2 inches in from the top flap. Pinch the corners of the bottom side so the diameter is just a little smaller. And then you can slide the top over it like a copy paper box. Hope that makes sense
Rachel, please clarify. Do you put dirt between the layers of potatoes in a box...OR ARE YOU SAYING you put layers of dirt to separate additional boxes of potatoes stacked on top of each other, and if so - do you only put one layer potatoes in each container? Please be more specific, as I'd like to try your suggestion.
Ok, seeing that room bought out the organizer in me because I just can’t. You need more shelving Ali. Yikes! 🤪. I just purchased a shelving unit from Amazon that supports up to 300 pounds per shelf. It’s called a REIBII Garage Shelving Unit and Storage Racks and Pantry shelves. If I were a friend of yours you would have to call the police to get me out of there to make me stop organizing your stuff. Lololol 😂😂
Ha Ha!!! I’m usually the same way. It doesn’t normally look like that at all. I got so busy filming that it ended up like that. It’s all cleaned up again now. Shawn will be building me more shelving soon. Trust me, I’m OCD about that kind of stuff too.
It looks great we have to think out of the box and get creative when storing our food I also don’t have a root seller. I wish I did. That’s on the list for the hubby to make me ha ha ha but I also have converted linen closets crawls spaces anything that’s darken cool to store my jars and stuff. Love you videos. Take care.
I have the same issue. Fully finished basement and that's where the wood stove is so it stays pretty warm. I am experimenting leaving the guest room closed off with the vent closed. I put everything in boxes/paper bags, and not much light comes from a small window. I am hoping it keep things for at least a couple of months. I have a lot of butternut and seminole squash, and a bunch of sweet potatoes. Just starting my canning journey, and my plan is to cook most of it pretty quickly, doing big batches of soup and canning some every week, so I don't have to store the uncooked produce for the whole winter, just a couple of months until I get through all the cooking/canning.
It's like we're twins. I do this too. Get a big burst of energy to get things changed and set up. Then start something new, and set it somewhere to "deal with later". Well, that kicked me in the butt when we moved into a very small house with no basement and |'m still waiting for the garage to get finished(over a year later). It's still gravel base. Oh, the piles of exciting things I found when I moved. Thankfully, the old farm house is in the yard where we moved to and I can store my empty canning jars and some of my craft stuff. I'm fighting mice in there but I think I'm winning the fight.
Great video! I really wish I had a place to this!! I have a pantry room, but it is not cool enough. It is dark tho! I’m still trying figure something out! I will let you know if I can come up with something
Get a few of those big flat pieces of cardboard that Sam’s Club has in between the layers of paper towels, toilet paper & those kinds of items, to put on top of your potato boxes. I pick up a few whenever I do small painting projects.
I do my onions in pantyhose. I tie a knot between each one. Hang them over an old ladder in a dark, cool, spare room. My sweet potatoes and pumpkin are in a cart that has open holes in the shelves. Single layer.
What about making a bin on wheels for the potatoes? Maybe for both the carrots and potatoes, with a divider in the middle? It might be easier to get at and replenish.
I’m impressed, Ally! Work with what you have and where you are. I live in a house that was built in the mid 60’s by the people my parents purchased it from. They were obviously not cooks by any means of the word. Neither was my mom. But we didn’t starve. I’m having the same issues with where do things go. We have a basement but it’s heated. I’m storing my canned goods in the room that my parents planned to be the “kids’ rec room”. Which never really was. But as far as storing root vegetables it’s difficult. The only “free wall” has a built in old heater that takes up most of the wall. If I had my druthers, I’d turn her prize dinning room into my pantry room. But as I still have my dear mom. That’s a no go. I’d also sell her wedding china and use that cabinet for dry goods. Which I plan to do when I loose my mom. I have used those hanging pocket thingys for storing things but the plastic tears with weight. I’m thinking that a smarty like you could sew a stronger version out of a heavy cloth for your root vegetables. Not many people have sew smarts but I know you do. You could even make them for your Etsy shop if you have the mind to do that. 💰❤
Great progress & good ideas for storage! I don’t think the plastic over-the-door storage will hold the weight of more squash, so maybe something lighter in weight with the few squash will work? 🤗🇨🇦🌻
GMTA, we converted an xtra closet to food storage. Not the most convenient - needs more shelving- but safe and clean. All my canning & dehydrating equipment is in a closed large cabinet in the garage. Our car hasn’t seen the garage in several years, poor thing. Good luck with your new project.
I like the covers you came up with for the boxes. I use towels or blankets. I disagree with putting store bought potatoes outside to dry. Better to try and keep them cooled off as much as possible. Potatoes that have been harvested commercially are usually stored at very cool temps before they are taken to market. If they get warm after cold storage I think that will signal them to sprout. Also it varies quite a bit depending on variety. I've started growing a very late season variety. They store well because they don't sprout unless the temps are warmer than early season varieties.
Not having a root cellar or basement, I can carrots in just water in the pressure canner. They are just super because they are precooked for stews, etc. I get the carrots when they are on sale.
@@cynthiafisher9907 I tried carrots in my first year of canning. Nobody in my family liked the taste. You can store carrots in sand. I did it last year and stored them in my garage but they went to mush as the garage got too cold and the frosts got to them. However they did survive most of the winter.
That broken down box you were going to put over potato boxes, just use it like you were going to but keep the “flaps” and bend the flaps over the back of potato boxes against back wall, then the biggest flat part will be your “lid” and the other flaps will hang over the potato boxes in the front, and could act as a handle to open the “cover” and you can grab potatoes and then drop the lid back down and potatoes are covered. Hope this makes sense. Also, those over door hangers, you’re using for squashes, are perfect for packets like gravy mixes, instant mash potato mixes, those Velveeta cheese packets, snack packs like crackers, cookies, etc. ❤
Also mice don’t like aluminum foil & steel wool. Could be good on top of veggies & they may go for. Would a loved door give you more air flow-if you’re looking for that.
Remember: the wood chips if there's chemical treatment will be absorbed by the food! I would use pine chips (chicken bedding) at least u know it is safer than treated wood chips. 😮 potatoes can be toxic, so I wouldn't keep them ANYWHERE near my home! Many cautions to the potatoes/tomatoes bc they're from the nightshade family...fft stay safe! P.s. sweet potatoes are safer, bc the leaves are edible. They're not as toxic 😊
For potatoes and sweet potatoes-if you wrap each one in newspaper or parchment paper BEFORE placing in box[need a reg crate for air flow] then they will last yil match in the Southern states. As I am from Mississippi, Georgia , Alabama and Tennessee,, I have been doing this method since 1970s and my granny before me[ both Ga & NC]. AS FOR the onions- good bags BUT you should place 1 in the spin bag twice or so for spacing then just drop in another til bag is full. Same for garlic. Carrots are fine EXCEPT with that hole in the bottom of bin you are just sending a smell signal to ATTRACT the rats.. I'm really only trying to help here, knowing you AIN'T FROM THE Deep South 😊😊. Hope this helps!! By the way-- the closet idea is a great one just don't go much more than 3 feet from ceiling since heat rises and will damage produce even in a none vented room such as yours.. at 58 I've been around granny and other older and wiser people who had to store food for families of 8 or more. Enough to last til spring crops came in. Please have a safe and wonderful holiday. GOD BLESS YOU and YOURS.
Your comment definitely helps me, so thank you 😊. I was kind of questioning the garlic storage, I always thought they needed air flow...so thank you for confirming what I've always thought. At 61, I tend to second guess things again 😆
@@demitaylor8873 What a wonderful post. I'm sure you've helped many with this info. God bless. From up north. 🙏
Great comment! 👍👍👍. Thank you!
Great tips! I hear storing your apples next to your potatoes can also make them last longer
I grow hundreds of heads of garlic every year and when they start getting soft towards spring time, i go through and smash each head so most of the papers slide off. Throw them all into the food processor with some evoo and process. Then i take a 1tbsp cookie scoop and line cookie sheets with parchment then plop them on and flash freeze. Take them off the sheet once frozen and throw them into 1 gallon freezer bags. Take out a tbsp serving at a time as needed. My husband loves using these pucks instead of chopping fresh.
Yes, garlic pucks, I do the same!
Like your UA-cam. I have a suggestion about your onions. Place one onion in bag, tie a knot in the bag, then place another onion on top of the knot, tie the second knot, then place another onion and make a loop. That way, they are not touching and the should hang straight. Giving you more room to hang more rows of onions. When you need an onion, cut the bottom onion off under the knot. Hope this helps. Love the fact that you showed the real life in your videos.
I love that idea! Thanks for sharing! 😀
Great idea! I have a new root cellar I recently made under our house and it's fantastic. I will do this!
We used to do this with worn out panty hose!
The constant struggle for a good spot for everything. This was comforting to watch. I am not alone.
This makes me think there’s gonna be a whole other way to designing kitchens to make room for storages.
You said something about mice. We have lived in a 100 year old house for about 25 years. There was a electronic thing in the partial basement that we didn’t know what it was for a few years. Both sides of the basement was dirt crawl space. We put out a lot of mice bait in the openings of both sides. But in the basement we never had a mouse. EVER. We finally realized the thing was a electronic pest controller. It has worked great. We also have bought from Amazon several more. To put other places.
To store onions, use old hosiery. Put one onion in and tie a knot above it, then another in, tie a knot and so on. This keeps onion totally separate. Works well with Vidalia onions. That is the true southern way of storing onions. Hang in cool,dark place.
Good idea
Old hosiery! Great idea! Thanks! 😀
Do people still wear hosiery? I would love old newspapers or hosiery for food storage, but I don't use either nor do I know anyone who does!
@naturaltastes5996 Dollar store. The idea for onions is to separate and cut off one onion at a time, keeping the onion with air circulation and not touching.
A quirky carrot story..I saw a snowman at the grocery store in front of the carrots. He was picking his nose.
ha ha!
My grandfather planted and maintained a huge garden that I remember as a kid. It was some of the best growing soil as I found out, when my husband and I lived in a small house with acres of land many years later. We would have been maybe 5 miles from the garden he had when I was a kid. We grew cabbages that because of their size, we actually measured and they were 25 inches around. I used to order bushels of fruit and veggies to can, freeze etc. we would laugh cause I’d for instance order a bushel of cauliflower, and you could only awkwardly fit 3 heads in a bushel. You bought potatoes and onions by 50 or 100 pound sacks. No one I knew had ever gardened before, but the soil was just rich and black. It was like top soil in texture. My mom told me that grandpa made wooden bins (huge, and fixed in place) in an unheated area, no insulation. He’d place a layer of veggies, a layer of dirt, and so on. She said they had root veggies, apples, squash, pumpkins, and even watermelons come through the entire winter unscathed. She believes it was very successful, because of the layers of this soil……protection from he cold, but feet of snow just acted as a blanket. He’d even use clean straw in these layers of dirt for insulation. I had no idea there were seasons of growing, as we always had fresh veggies, and canned plums, peaches, pears, cherries etc. you just stuck a seed in the soil, and it would grow with all its might !!! This was the very cold, snowy area of Ontario Canada. So, I think you’re onto something with cold and moisture barrier using sawdust or sand. If you need more room, you can always can the pumpkins and squash. Good job !!
THANK YOU for showing this room! Most prepper show their imaculate kitchens, basements, or barns, which alawys makes me feel defeated before I ever get started.
Welcome to real life! I just don’t see a point to not show yall how we really live. Very few people have “perfect” homes and we try but fail every single day 😂
I’m glad you enjoyed
Tie a knot after adding each onion to your bag. That way, you can snip the onion off the bag without compromising the bag holding the rest of the onions. Hope that helps.
Good idea.
@@LittleHillHomesteadGatry to get cotton backs not plastic. It’s just adding to the global burden of plastics
I love that idea! Thanks for sharing! 😀
If you don’t have easy access to sawdust and you want to use that, you can buy pine horse bedding pellets and wet them, they expand into sawdust. And they’re pretty cheap, usually between $6-$8 for a 40 lb. bag.
10:51 so glad you mentioned it’s sawdust made from wood that has not been treated!
If anyone goes to a wood shop for sawdust, make sure you ask what materials the sawdust came from. I would probably mention how I’m going to use it (to store food) so that they take the question seriously :)
Great video. I love frugality & function & a you tube video that's "really real' about how we have to function when we have insufficient space. Love the waste not want not vibe too- how can I repurpise what I have & NOT go out & spend money to get what I need accomplished.
I learned a trick from Chef Jean Pierre and he minces garlic with oil and freezes in small containers. I keep mine in freezer safe glass containers with lids. As you need them, you keep one in the fridge. This has been a game changer for space saving and longevity of the garlic.
I love that! I have some garlic that’s already going soft, so I’m gonna give this a try.
@@LittleHillHomesteadGa That’s how I proecessed it too. Saw Asian homes freezing sandwich bags with minced garlic too. 👍🏾 works well. Still working on my old gallon bag I processed with oil kept in freezer. I just cut off what I needed for a meal.
I mince several lbs peeled fresh garlic in processor, add good EVO, freeze in ice cube trays covered. Then wrap in saran, zipper bag and freeze. Thaw enough for 1/2 pint jar in fridge, tastes fresh and ready to go. Can add more Evo on top if wanted
@LittleHillHomesteadGa it should work great, drizzle a little Evo over it to seal. It carries me all winter
Seeing that room makes me feel sooooo much better!!! Yes, that is real life.
When you have a working kitchen with lots of stuff, meat slicers, mixers, juicers, canners, stock pots, bread makers, ice makers etc, it takes room. I decided I need a bigger house with more bedtooms, one for storage, one for sewing and hobbies, one for plants and natural remedies, medicine, toiletries, beauty that kind of thing. Will also be building a kitchen outdoors, which Im excited about. Trying to save enough money to rent machinery to make a root cellar, but that's in the future. One step at a time. Going full on Work Load. Who has time to party, or go to bars. When I have time....I sleep, because Im always running doing something. Need to restore my energy for the next days projects.
yep! me too!
I love the idea. I don’t have space either and no basement. I would put the light items up high (paper products (until you find a place for them). Move that heavy box of carrots lower. As you use them it will be harder to reach inside. Break down the package of bulk paper products and put them on the highest shelves … easier to grab a light item off of high shelves!😃❤️
Here’s a thought: We installed two shower tension rods above the doorway between two close walls. This allowed us to store our toilet paper and paper towel packs up there since they’re light enough to hang. It’s a great way to maximize space in a small area. Additionally, we transformed our second full bathroom shower into a storage spot. Since it’s just the two of us, we cut a piece of wood to fit over the tub, creating a shelf. Underneath, we keep our water bottles (WaterBob), and on top, we store extra toilet paper, paper towels, Ziplock bags, aluminum foil, and other items that need a place. Just to clarify, we don’t store any box foods there but we do have cases of soups and veggies. We use a shower curtain to hid it all away. This setup really helps us make the most of our space and gives us room to stock up on essentials. Plus, it’s a perfect spot for our box of canning rings!
Good ideas!
I live in Decatur, Georgia. The farmers market you are talking about is pretty big. It's an outdoor market with several rows of farmer stands grouped by product. There's also a store there (Hamper Hose), where they sell shrink wrap bags, bows, baskets etc.. in bulk for amazing prices. In DeKalb County (Decatur) is the International Farmers market. It's an indoor market and honestly, it has so many spices, wines, nuts, cheeses, organic meats, fresh baked breads etc ... Then there are the Farmers markets that chefs shop. We are surrounded by farmers markets of many varieties and sizes.
I had planned to go to the indoor one but haven’t made it there in 10 years. Maybe I’ll make a point next year. I’m totally looking up that store with the bags. Thanks for the info!
If this works for you I'm sure you'll let us know. I'm 70yrs old so we don't really us the upstairs bedrooms. I made one my temperature controlled room. In the summer I run a 5 btu air-conditioner to keep it below 68 -70 degrees, in the winter I just keep the door closed, the room stays around 64 degrees all my canned foods and store cans are kept there. I canned carrots not sure if I'm going to like them. I'll be trying them soon. In the fridge I put paper towel between the carrots and they seem to last for a couple months with our going bad. Hope your saw dust works on your carrots. Great idea for that closet. I new you were down to earth. We all have areas where things land. 😆 🤣
I'm glad you took the garlic out of the cylindrical container with the screw on lid. I put my garlic in a container like that that was airtight and when I went to get it out of the cupboard it was moldy from top to bottom.
LOL ...funny you should mention having a lid made. I suggested taking a exact same size box from Amazon, taping top and bottom find middle of the box, cut in half and have 2 lids.
My biggest obstacle is finding a dark spot that stays cool. Our house is so un-insulated that I fight mildew in my clothes closet during our hot and humid summers. But this video is a big help (especially seeing the real life part which helps me know I am not alone in the fight against stuff “around the corner” because sadly my mantra is “for the time being”). Thank you!!!
The milder is from no airflow. Throw a small fan or pop the door a tiny bit. It’s been a week and the isle of crap is still cleaned up and gone! 😂
This is a very clever idea. I don’t have a basement either. But I have a ton of mice that find their way into the garage. 😞 I finally just bought a thrift store basket and put it in my dining room that’s sort of dark and have a few potatoes and onions stored there. My cat patrols inside the house all day! I have a small farm and you never can get rid of field mice. Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
@@LittleHillHomesteadGa I am so jealous …. Can you visit and help get my booty in gear to get rid off my junk?
I get about mildew. I hate it
Try silica pellets to ward off moisture
Those green onion roots…my grandson uses all the time. He takes roots and places them on window sill in a tiny glass of water, and a week later, doing nothing to it, there’s a brand new full size green onion. I think all he does is add water as needed. This is city water.
An easy way to store onions is to drop one into an old panty hose, knot it off, drop another one in. It keeps them separated and you just cut off the bottom one.
I've been looking for a way to store vegetables in winter without a root cellar. My closet stays very cool so this will work perfectly. Thank you!
For the onions , use those cheesy closet extender hangers(the ones you put 4 hangers on then unhook one side to make a "cascade of hangers". Hook a bag on each hangers hole and let them cascade down the side of your closet.
That's a great idea! I'm going to look for those hangers!
Oh I wish I lived by her as I have a few of those hangers in my donation pile in my garage.😅
@@tammyf8921 Bummer! Maybe you can use them this way.
@@LittleHillHomesteadGa I don’t have the vertical space unless we put them in the basement. I tend to forget about things I put down there.😂🤣🙃
I love those hangers, such a space saver 🙂
I'm thinking if you use bread ties between the onions you can reuse the nets.
I have those metal shelves also. I went to Dollar Tree and bought a bunch of vinyl placemats so smaller items stay steady on the shelves, you can also use any cardboard. Love that shoe rack idea!
Thank you for showing us the real you. I feel so much better about my "office, cat room, laundry, storage" room area. It is a free for all dumping ground with all my supplies. You make being real so much easier. I also love the shoe rack over the closet door. Brilliant. I will get one for my jars.
You do what you gotta do to make things work for you and your family. Thats all anyone can do. We’re all storing things in closets and under beds. Those that have the funds and space for root cellars and such are those that were once where we are. Don’t get discouraged. You’re doing great.
Hi, FYI, I have a shoe hanging unit that is made with mesh. It may work better than the plastic on your squash. I bought it on Amazon. New sub and love your content. 🙏❤️
Thanks for the tip!
I didn't know there was a unit made with mesh, thanks for sharing! 😊
I was coming here to mention this: the plastic might sped up molding, mesh would be better.
@@LittleHillHomesteadGaWouldn’t a mesh shoe bag also work for onions too. 👀 😊
Great idea! There are ones that hang on a shower curtain, too, to put shampoo, etc. in. I think that will also work.
I it my garlic and onions in cotton string bags and hang them from a nail in the garage. They keep really well as the air circulation in cold!
Thanks for the idea, I have a detached garage, I think I'm going to that too 😊
Try saving space with your onions by tying knots in between each onion. You can put 4 to 5 in each bag and they will hang in a narrow column without touching eachother and doesn't bulk out in space
Love that idea! 😀
If you’ve enough depth between door & shelving, hang the onions from the pocket openings. Such a wonderful Root Closet & fantastic idea!!! I live in south FL where there’s neither basements nor garage food storage, due to heat. I truly love your idea 😊
I know my grandma had a root cellar which was an area full of dirt. You had to dig around to find anything. Really I think a big timber box full of dirt would equal the same thing. With this idea you could do several and separate potatoes carrots and squashes. She used to hang garlic from a hook on the ceiling weaved into a long line. She dried herbs upside down tied together with string. The smell was incredible, I loved it. Nothing is better than dried dill and some garlic.
We dry bundles of herbs in our laundry room and the smell is awesome. It is so humid they have to dry in the house and I am okay with that.
Go to your Local grocery and ask for tomato boxes from produce department. I went to my local Kroger and got 5 boxes once and use them for storage. I think these would be perfect for your root closet.
That's a great idea! I will have to go get some.
I've learned, the very hard way, that variety matters. Some varieties store better and longer than others.
I first learned this trying to bulk store red potatoes..... they don't store well.
Varieties of carrots can matter as well...... just to further complicate things... lol
I hear you with the kitchen gadgets 😂😂. I might have to move out to be able to keep the gadgets 😂😂🤣🤣
Oh my goodness! Im sooo glad I found your video! Im on the Florida Georgia line coastal! We don't have basements 😂 im definitely doing this!!😊
I love ❤ seeing your “real life” basement and storage! It makes me feel like I’m doing ok too. Thank you
I loved you ideas and I noticed that you leave your rings on your canned goods which is not recommended since if a seal breaks it may reseal with the band on. I learned that this year.
I know that some people choose to remove it. We leave it on since that is how my family has always done it. If it isn't sealed we know when we open it. The mid isn't stuck like it should be.
I bought a ranch house built in the 70s “as is” and remodeled it. I put a pantry in the center of it. It has no a/c which is an issue but it’s also very cold during the fall/winter. I’ve got the potatoes in a plastic basket with newspaper and the sweet potatoes and onions too. Crossing my fingers! This is the first year.
Nicely done! Easy to access!
I think one of those small fans installed in the closet could add airflow.
The only way I’ve been able to successfully store Vidalia sweet onions long-term is to freeze them. They are the only onions hubby will eat but they are too juicy to store any other way. I chop and slice them, put them in a sandwich bag (one onion’s worth of chopped bits or slices per bag) then put those little bags in freezer bags. 25 lbs of onions gets us through the year.
I have never tried freezing them! I’m going to have to try that.
Freezing works great. I take my sandwich bags on chopped onions and put as many bags as I can in a gallon freezer bag. It keeps the onion smell in better but easier for me to find the sandwich bags
I also freeze onions and peppers when I get them on sale. I slice the peppers up and put them in ziploc freezer bags. When needed..I take a handful out and chop if needed or use them sliced. It's a time saver and a money saver.
I feeeze chopped onions also. I just put them all in a giant zip lock bag. When I first put it in the freezer I come and wiggle the bag to make sure there's no big frozen lumps. When the bag is empty I just leave it in the freezer and reuse it for the next batch.
My grandpa had a wood shop . He would make us things for Christmas like a wooden potato bin with an attached lid , but he made like a series of them like canisters . Everyone loved them it didn't matter where you lived , if you stored things in a basement,closet , or even just left them anywhere in your house . The bins stayed dark inside all year .
I was looking for one of those and Shawn may make one for me down the road. I think they are so cute.
My carrots were stumpy with many “ fingers”. Fortunately our dogs eat them as snacks so I pulled every teeny tiny one for them. I stored my nice carrots in plastic bread bags ( 10 per) with twist tie in an extra fridge. Stayed fresh almost a year. What didn’t last the chickens ate.
Reuse the flaps and tape them to make the top for potatoes. You can make finger holes to pick it up
Thank you for sharing this I always have problems knowing how to store my harvest for long term too much info out there and I don’t have a root cellar. great ideas and true reality of life I love it ❤.
Wheels on the bins would probably help move the bins & elevated off floor for air movement
Thank you for being honest! I try to organize BUT, it seems like chaos lol😂
Same here! It’s all part of the process.
I didn’t realize you were from Georgia. We are too! Love your videos!
❤lifeatthenutthouse
Where about are yall? We’re close to Newnan.
I think you could do a video on HOUSEPLANTS. The plants around your house are beautiful. ❤
I do need to do that eventually. I have a ton! Great idea
I wonder about using a cooler, I have one in my garage right now. I have some squash in it. I put a little thermometer in it and it’s around 42°. I’m gonna keep my eye on it..
Your vid just popped up on my screen. I started watching it and checked your channel and I am so thrilled. I love what you are doing and how you are doing it. So real and not staged like so many others. Can't wait to go through your vids. Thank you for the wonderful content. New subscriber from Canada who gardens, raises rabbits, chickens and quail.
We’re so glad you’re here! One of our kids lives in Ontario.
Thanks for making your video. I’m from beautiful sunny South Florida. We call our butler pantry. It’s a southern thing.
Thought of taking a box of same size, tape top and bottom flaps then find center of the box, cut in half so that you have 2 lids to slide over the box you filled with potatoes.
Having worked ina a cabinet shop, I wouldn't contact one for sawdust because of the chemicals and such used in laminated woods, OSB boards and dust from paint/finishes. Make sure they are solid wood only company.
Great point!
I live by myself in a three bedroom mobile home. You’d think I would have oodles of room… nope. I need more room. 😂😂 I also have a two shelf bin in my kitchen. I put a thick (5) layer between the onions and potatoes and they’re both doing great.
Love "nope... I need more room 🤣"
@ it’s true. Maybe I can add an upstairs. 😂😂
Get You a mesh shoe rack holder it works better to hold veggies in
On the amazon box. Either keep it in original shape and seal up the top or unbox it back to flat. get a straight edge slice 1-2 inches in from the top flap. Pinch the corners of the bottom side so the diameter is just a little smaller. And then you can slide the top over it like a copy paper box. Hope that makes sense
I live in Michigan, to store potatoes, sweet potatoes, boxes are used putting them between layers of dirt.
Rachel, please clarify. Do you put dirt between the layers of potatoes in a box...OR ARE YOU SAYING you put layers of dirt to separate additional boxes of potatoes stacked on top of each other, and if so - do you only put one layer potatoes in each container? Please be more specific, as I'd like to try your suggestion.
I saw another UA-camr say this works well. You have to make sure that the dirt is bone dry
Ok, seeing that room bought out the organizer in me because I just can’t. You need more shelving Ali. Yikes! 🤪. I just purchased a shelving unit from Amazon that supports up to 300 pounds per shelf. It’s called a REIBII Garage Shelving Unit and Storage Racks and Pantry shelves. If I were a friend of yours you would have to call the police to get me out of there to make me stop organizing your stuff. Lololol 😂😂
Ha Ha!!! I’m usually the same way. It doesn’t normally look like that at all. I got so busy filming that it ended up like that. It’s all cleaned up again now. Shawn will be building me more shelving soon. Trust me, I’m OCD about that kind of stuff too.
A friend of mine did shelving and wrapped clothes line or rope on the top and put shower curtain around it
It looks great we have to think out of the box and get creative when storing our food I also don’t have a root seller. I wish I did. That’s on the list for the hubby to make me ha ha ha but I also have converted linen closets crawls spaces anything that’s darken cool to store my jars and stuff. Love you videos. Take care.
Your root closet looks great:) it’s going to fun seeing works out for you:) Tfs and God bless:)
Best video I've seen!!!!!! Thank you so much!!
I l9ve this idea. You've sparked me into thinking of making myself a root closet. Thanks.
Cool idea.... I'm In an apt. On 2nd floor. I do not have closet spaces. As is i have 2 coat closets only.
I have the same issue. Fully finished basement and that's where the wood stove is so it stays pretty warm. I am experimenting leaving the guest room closed off with the vent closed. I put everything in boxes/paper bags, and not much light comes from a small window. I am hoping it keep things for at least a couple of months. I have a lot of butternut and seminole squash, and a bunch of sweet potatoes. Just starting my canning journey, and my plan is to cook most of it pretty quickly, doing big batches of soup and canning some every week, so I don't have to store the uncooked produce for the whole winter, just a couple of months until I get through all the cooking/canning.
We have done the squash in here for years and they last almost a year. one less thing to can!
I use shower hooks to hang my onions.
I can this stuff. I have found most do best water bathed.
It's like we're twins. I do this too. Get a big burst of energy to get things changed and set up. Then start something new, and set it somewhere to "deal with later". Well, that kicked me in the butt when we moved into a very small house with no basement and |'m still waiting for the garage to get finished(over a year later). It's still gravel base. Oh, the piles of exciting things I found when I moved. Thankfully, the old farm house is in the yard where we moved to and I can store my empty canning jars and some of my craft stuff. I'm fighting mice in there but I think I'm winning the fight.
Looks absolutely awesome..thank you for sharing. ♥️🍎🍐🥕🥔🍏🧅🧄
Great video! I really wish I had a place to this!! I have a pantry room, but it is not cool enough. It is dark tho! I’m still trying figure something out! I will let you know if I can come up with something
Even just a dark closet will work for some of it, maybe just for less time.
If u have a window put AC in window and close all heater vents. I kept Hubbard, French, pumpkins til april.
Your not to far from me. I’m in Sharpsburg. 😃. Always looking for new ways to store food!!
We are too!!!
@ would love to meet up one day!
Great ideas. Thank you.
Thank you, this was very helpful.
Awesome idea❤
Great organizing!!!
Thanks for this video 😊 very helpful.
Get a few of those big flat pieces of cardboard that Sam’s Club has in between the layers of paper towels, toilet paper & those kinds of items, to put on top of your potato boxes. I pick up a few whenever I do small painting projects.
good idea!
I do my onions in pantyhose. I tie a knot between each one. Hang them over an old ladder in a dark, cool, spare room. My sweet potatoes and pumpkin are in a cart that has open holes in the shelves. Single layer.
Pantyhose. Great idea.
What about making a bin on wheels for the potatoes? Maybe for both the carrots and potatoes, with a divider in the middle? It might be easier to get at and replenish.
I’m impressed, Ally!
Work with what you have and where you are.
I live in a house that was built in the mid 60’s by the people my parents purchased it from. They were obviously not cooks by any means of the word. Neither was my mom. But we didn’t starve.
I’m having the same issues with where do things go. We have a basement but it’s heated. I’m storing my canned goods in the room that my parents planned to be the “kids’ rec room”. Which never really was. But as far as storing root vegetables it’s difficult. The only “free wall” has a built in old heater that takes up most of the wall. If I had my druthers, I’d turn her prize dinning room into my pantry room. But as I still have my dear mom. That’s a no go. I’d also sell her wedding china and use that cabinet for dry goods. Which I plan to do when I loose my mom.
I have used those hanging pocket thingys for storing things but the plastic tears with weight. I’m thinking that a smarty like you could sew a stronger version out of a heavy cloth for your root vegetables. Not many people have sew smarts but I know you do. You could even make them for your Etsy shop if you have the mind to do that. 💰❤
I love the idea of sewn pockets. Great one! Heated basement? That’s terrible for people like us. 😂
@ 60’s grandioseitis. That’s all. My next home will not be built on ledge and will have all the wantings of a homesteader.
Great progress & good ideas for storage! I don’t think the plastic over-the-door storage will hold the weight of more squash, so maybe something lighter in weight with the few squash will work? 🤗🇨🇦🌻
Thank you for your advice
Great idea
If sweet onions are wrapped in newspaper and stored in the bottom crisper of the refrigerator, they will keep for months.
GMTA, we converted an xtra closet to food storage. Not the most convenient - needs more shelving- but safe and clean. All my canning & dehydrating equipment is in a closed large cabinet in the garage. Our car hasn’t seen the garage in several years, poor thing. Good luck with your new project.
This is great
Wonderful idea 💡 thank you 😊
I like the covers you came up with for the boxes. I use towels or blankets. I disagree with putting store bought potatoes outside to dry. Better to try and keep them cooled off as much as possible. Potatoes that have been harvested commercially are usually stored at very cool temps before they are taken to market. If they get warm after cold storage I think that will signal them to sprout. Also it varies quite a bit depending on variety. I've started growing a very late season variety. They store well because they don't sprout unless the temps are warmer than early season varieties.
Not having a root cellar or basement, I can carrots in just water in the pressure canner. They are just super because they are precooked for stews, etc. I get the carrots when they are on sale.
I’ve never tried that. I will have to add that to my canning list!
I’ve seen a lot of people say they don’t like the flavor of home canned carrots. That’s why I’ve never canned them myself.
@@cynthiafisher9907 I tried carrots in my first year of canning. Nobody in my family liked the taste. You can store carrots in sand. I did it last year and stored them in my garage but they went to mush as the garage got too cold and the frosts got to them. However they did survive most of the winter.
That broken down box you were going to put over potato boxes, just use it like you were going to but keep the “flaps” and bend the flaps over the back of potato boxes against back wall, then the biggest flat part will be your “lid” and the other flaps will hang over the potato boxes in the front, and could act as a handle to open the “cover” and you can grab potatoes and then drop the lid back down and potatoes are covered. Hope this makes sense. Also, those over door hangers, you’re using for squashes, are perfect for packets like gravy mixes, instant mash potato mixes, those Velveeta cheese packets, snack packs like crackers, cookies, etc. ❤
That’s a great idea. I know exactly what you mean.
Also mice don’t like aluminum foil & steel wool. Could be good on top of veggies & they may go for. Would a loved door give you more air flow-if you’re looking for that.
Root closet is great. How about using more of the floor space in that room for food/kitchen storage?
Shawn is planning on building more shelving for me when he has time. In the meantime all my gadgets sit on the carpet. It’s real life .
Does anyone know what the ideal temperature would be for a root closet like that? What a great idea!
I’d say mine sits at about 55-60. So far so good.
@ Thank You so much!
wonder if the garlic would be ok in that glass jar. I would have used the mesh like the onions. Did they do ok?
It’s been in a jar for months without issues. So far so good
Remember: the wood chips if there's chemical treatment will be absorbed by the food! I would use pine chips (chicken bedding) at least u know it is safer than treated wood chips. 😮 potatoes can be toxic, so I wouldn't keep them ANYWHERE near my home! Many cautions to the potatoes/tomatoes bc they're from the nightshade family...fft stay safe! P.s. sweet potatoes are safer, bc the leaves are edible. They're not as toxic 😊