My husband makes fun of me sometimes because I use the word “stockpile” so often.
But I can’t emphasize enough the importance of having a well-stocked pantry for successful couponing. Extreme couponing without a stockpile just doesn’t work.
For couponing purposes, a stockpile is your personal collection of food, toiletries, drugstore items, and other household items that have been purchased at their ROCK BOTTOM prices and then stored until needed. It is sort-of like your own personal Supercenter right in your own home.
In order to maximize your savings each week, you need to buy almost exclusively what is on sale. Different things go on sale each week. Some weeks you’ll come home with a huge selection of food. Other weeks all you’ll get is some toilet paper.
And you can’t eat toilet paper.
But if you stock up on items when they are at their lowest price, you won’t need to eat toilet paper. You’ll already have all the food you need in your pantry.
Ultimately, what your stockpile looks like is up to you. It can be big or small, all in one place or split into different areas. The only thing that is really essential for a good stockpile is organization. You should be able to easily find what you need and know what you have with just a quick glance.
But since I know how much you all love our little videos, Annie (Trouble) and I decided to show you what our stockpile looks like, just to give you an idea of how to start.
If you are lucky enough to have a huge house with tons of extra space or a basement or well insulated garage, then you may be able to keep your stockpile all in one place. If not, then you may have to split it up into different areas.
1. Decide where you will keep your stockpile. Clear out a designated room, closet, cupboard, pantry, or basement corner, or multiple locations if necessary.
2. Figure out what will go where. Group like items together. Place any stockpile items you may already have in the correct place. Labels are nice and help the rest of the family know where everything goes, but keep in mind that as your stockpile grows, you may have to make adjustments. (And always give yourself room to grow!)
3. When you go shopping, buy items in large quantities in order to fill your stockpile. For the first few months, you will need to buy a LOT to get your stockpile established. Once you’ve filled your space, you can cut down on the quantity of items you purchase and buy just enough to keep your pantry well stocked.
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Hi, I tried to watch the video but it said it wasn't available in my country (even though I am in the US!). I'm not sure if the video is still available but the link isn't working. Thank you for all the great stockpile tips. I am definitely going to try to implement this for our family of 6 (with 4 boys who eat us out of house and home!).
Do you have a printable rock bottom / stock up price list?
You can find the rock bottom price list here:
https://www.livingwellspendingless.com/2011/05/04/extreme-couponing-101-rock-bottom-prices-free-download/
Under the bed storage can be great. You can either put your off season clothing under there in boxes or plastic containers and store your food in the closet or other way around. Since you are accessing your stockpile fairly often I like to make room in closets and cupboards for food/toiletries and put less often used items under beds and harder to reach storage. Also, think about going up, just make certain everything is secure.
What do you recommend for people living in small places with little storage space? I'd like to get more serious about coupons, but a lack of space is holding me back.
I love how organized you are!!! I always want to label everything in my house, like you have done, but I never know where to start. Any tips?? would you mind doing a little blog or tour on organizing home and life?? It would be super duper aprreciated!!! Thank you!
Impressive! Not too massive which honestly has been a turn-off from other couponing websites I've visited. I'm hoping to get started this week, thanks so much for your step by step directions! I also would love to know where you found those square canisters for your dry goods? Thanks!
Oh my, so organized! I like those square cannisters you use for sugar, flour, etc. Where did you find them?
I'm also itching to know about your canisters. Are they FoodSaver?
They are OXO Good Grips Pop Top Containers. I've been buying them here and there over the years, mostly from Amazon.com but also sometimes The Container Store or Bed, Bath, & Beyond. A bit of an investment, but totally worth it!
i love how organzed you are!~ and i have a label maker too that is my new favorite thing... love how you do your videos, from including sweet trouble and her thought bubbles to the music in the background... fantabulous! :)
you are inspiring me....
I honestly don't know how I lived without a label maker. I bought it while I was pregnant (a nesting thing) and I have compulsively labeled everything in my house ever since!
WOW what a stockpile! I am so jealous! My house is only about 1,000sqft so space is quite a commodity, but I do try!
You. are. AWESOME.
Really, not much more to say, because that rightly sums it all up! :)