# Buckets Necessary?



## Momma23Littles (Dec 12, 2017)

I’m just starting the long term portion of my food storage. I’m wondering what the benefit is to using a 5 gallon bucket? I’m planning on storing in my house and I don’t want to devote a closet to buckets of food. My thought was to use 1 gallon Mylar bags and put them in under-the-bed Rubbermaid type containers. That way it is out of sight and I can pull out smaller amounts of food to rotate through my pantry. Is this a terrible idea? We’ve never had an insect or rodent problem.


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## RedLion (Sep 23, 2015)

In my opinion, buckets are a standard, as they do a good job protecting contents from critters and easily transportable. With that said, you can certainly store mylar bags of food in Rubbermaid containers or a slew of other containers.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

If that works for you great. Not everyone has ideal storage space. The food grade 5 gallon plastic buckets as @RedLion pointed out have a lot more utility in protection and ability to be moved, possibly cached. It does sound like at this time your limited as to how much food you have stored. Some of us have months if not a years worth.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

Rubbermaid containers are not food grade, and may exude or outgas plasticizers and other chemicals. The mylar should protect the food, I would think. Anyone know for sure?


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## RJAMES (Dec 23, 2016)

When you get insects/ rodents in your home the bucket with a gamma lid will do a better job of keeping moister, sunlight, insects and critters out. Easier to carry can be reused or used for other things.

A bigger plastic tote gets heavy and hard to move. The lightweight roll under the bed container that is only about 4 or 5 inches deep is not insect or rodent proof.

Get some blocks and put your bed up so that you can slide buckets underneath it Or consider building a platform to put the bed on with storage underneath.

If you had a lot of money you could get some heavy duty military grade transport chest but the issue remains it is heavy and Did I mention expensive. I prefer to keep my food supply on the hoof.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I did a bunch of searches on the subject and could not find anything directly relating to the subject. So 
here's my thoughts based on what I've found. Mylar is pretty damn good at being chemical resistant. The 
thicker the better. The aluminized Mylar is even better still. I know a lot of people use oxygen absorbers 
and "burb" the bags to get rid of as much air in the Mylar bags. In some cases the photos I've seen of the
bags show them to be almost vacuum packed due to the 20% reduction of the air by volume when all the
oxygen is absorbed. If you look at the packing utilized by companies like Mountain House, they use oxygen
absorbers, but also use a nitrogen purge to get rid of as much air in their Mylar pouches. The info I found 
(many years ago when I got interested in using Mylar bags to store my own foods) is that by using only an 
oxygen absorber, if you create a vacuum, it increases the *tiny possibility* that non-desirerable
or unwanted gas or vapor might be able to defuse thru the Mylar. By using a nitrogen purge with an oxygen 
absorber the Mylar bag has plenty of nitrogen to start with and any oxygen is absorbed, BUT it does not 
create a vacuum inside that could facilitate the diffusion process. This is one of the reasons I decided to spend
the extra money and go with nitrogen purge. The only real cost was for a nitrogen pressure regulator and 
gauges for low pressure (30 PSI or less) and some hose and a PVC pipe wand to inject the nitrogen into the Mylar 
bags. I found it a lot easier to use this method by changing to Mylar bags with ziplock closures. This holds all the 
nitrogen inside the bag until I can seal it a few minutes later. Obviously the ziplock closure also facilitates keeping 
the bags closed after I need to open them.

Unless it's made of metal, rodents will chew through anything.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

We store mylar sealed bags in food grade buckets and Rubbermaid Totes. Some are simply stored on shelves in the basement. No critters have gotten them yet...


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## RedLion (Sep 23, 2015)

I use food grade buckets, but mostly because I get them for free from local bakeries and grocery stores. Most are the 3.5 gallon "frosting" variety, but they work well enough.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

RedLion said:


> I use food grade buckets, but mostly because I get them for free from local bakeries and grocery stores. Most are the 3.5 gallon "frosting" variety, but they work well enough.


Frosting/icing buckets are much better than pickle buckets because the former smell SOOOOOOO nice!


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

I should think Mylar stored in totes would be fine. I use the buckets because I have the room and they are more versatile and easier to transport.


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## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

My food stores are in buckets and never had anything even try to chew into them. I keep chicken feed & scratch in totes, and the mice will chew holes in them. IMO the totes aren't as thick & durable as the pails plus they have flats & angles where rodents have an opportunity to sit & chew... normally for me around the handles. Granted, the chicken goodies aren't sealed in mylar but I'd do everything in my power to use pails as opposed to totes.


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## Stick (Sep 29, 2014)

Buckets are handier for other stuff, too, when you've eaten the grub out of them. I grow my garden in buckets, totes, and bath tubs.


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## TGus (Sep 18, 2017)

Stick said:


> Buckets are handier for other stuff, too, when you've eaten the grub out of them. I grow my garden in buckets, totes, and bath tubs.


I guess you're OK with what you plan, as long as you're cycling it. Still, there are some things that might be best stored in buckets, just to make life easier, like rice and flour. We keep 3 buckets of each, 2 sealed, and 1 in use. When you run out of flour, it's easy to replace it with a stored one then fill and store the empty bucket. Also, as someone above pointed out, those buckets will come in handy for other uses during SHTF, so you should have at least a few.


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## Joe (Nov 1, 2016)

@Momma23Littles What @RJAMES mentioned about gamma lids is worth repeating. They make all the difference when you are storing things in 5 gallon buckets. You are on the right track when you mention using mylar bags. You can store smaller quantities more effectively. Gamma lids can be purchased at Lowes or Home Depot. They make storing things in 5 gallon buckets so much easier. Good luck with all your projects!


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## Gunn (Jan 1, 2016)

Did I read wrong? That I should NOT store in mylar with oxygen absorbers vacuumed sealed?


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## StratMaster (Dec 26, 2017)

Food grade buckets/lids have that sweet rubber seal... bang 'em closed with a bung hammer and you're good to go. Rubbermaid stuff I think not so much. Yes, the mylar is good protection (provided proper mylar storage protocols are observed as per oxygen/moisture) but I like that extra solid vapor seal from using those bucket lids. I am currently eating rice from an 8 year old bucket. Not too much though... I don't want to blow the seal on my 60 year old bucket.


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## Stick (Sep 29, 2014)

TGus...thanks for your approval and permission. Somehow you seem to have the idea that I do not have buckets everywhere, doing all kinds of jobs. I bugged out and have been off the grid since nearly six years ago. I have to haul my water from town, 12 miles and an hour each way, so I conserve big time. I'm here to tell ya...I got buckets for hauling water. I got buckets full of rice, flour, beans and pasta. MREs, spuds, onions, dog food, cat food, cans of spray lubricants, caulk, hand tools, fired brass, loaded ammo, rocks and gravel, kindling, dirt, wheel weights, cast lead bullets and cannon balls. Use them 'til they crack, then plant something in them. Double stack them to conserve water (the cracked one drains into the outer one). Get a toilet seat with lid, some sawdust, and make humanure for your garden (everybody ought to have one. With a good lid and a can of Febreze you can take it anywhere). Make a swamp cooler; set one outside at night half full of water for a big chunk of ice in the morning to toss in the ice chest. All kinds of stuff you can do with buckets besides fill them up with groceries and hide em. Heck, I'm sitting on one now, and the laptop is on another one.:stackgreenboxes: we need a smiley of a bucket.


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## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

lol stick


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Stick said:


> TGus...thanks for your approval and permission. Somehow you seem to have the idea that I do not have buckets everywhere, doing all kinds of jobs. I bugged out and have been off the grid since nearly six years ago. I have to haul my water from town, 12 miles and an hour each way, so I conserve big time. I'm here to tell ya...I got buckets for hauling water. I got buckets full of rice, flour, beans and pasta. MREs, spuds, onions, dog food, cat food, cans of spray lubricants, caulk, hand tools, fired brass, loaded ammo, rocks and gravel, kindling, dirt, wheel weights, cast lead bullets and cannon balls. Use them 'til they crack, then plant something in them. Double stack them to conserve water (the cracked one drains into the outer one). Get a toilet seat with lid, some sawdust, and make humanure for your garden (everybody ought to have one. With a good lid and a can of Febreze you can take it anywhere). Make a swamp cooler; set one outside at night half full of water for a big chunk of ice in the morning to toss in the ice chest. All kinds of stuff you can do with buckets besides fill them up with groceries and hide em. Heck, I'm sitting on one now, and the laptop is on another one.:stackgreenboxes: we need a smiley of a bucket.


I read this and Johnny Cash actually started singing to me!

_Buckets every where, man.
Buckets every where, man.
Stored the rice and beans, man.
I hauled the water clean, man.
Buckets, I've had my share, man.
Buckets every where.

Buckets for
'Taters
Ammo
Magazines
Pasta
Spent brass
Flour
Sugar
Millet
Dog food
Macaroni
Black dirt
Popcorn
MREs
Powdered milk
Oatmeal
Jell-O mix
Pancake mix
Chex mix
Smoothie mix
Instant grits
Candle wax
Pool shock
Granola bars
Cooking oil
Motor oil
Heirloom seeds
Fire starter
Engine starter
Fishing tackle
Caulk and spackle
Ramen noodles
And even my
pooper-doodles!

Buckets every where, man.
Buckets every where, man.
Scattered here and there, man.
Buckets every where, man.
There's even one
Under my derriere, man!

Buckets everywhere!_


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## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

Back Pack Hack said:


> I read this and Johnny Cash actually started singing to me!
> 
> _Buckets every where, man.
> Buckets every where, man.
> ...


EXCELLENT!!! ::clapping::


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## Stick (Sep 29, 2014)

I forgot rope, tire chains, tow chains, tie downs, and bungee cords.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

I have enough food to feed my family of 5 for about 1 year....I have ZERO buckets... I have cases of #10 cans, canned soup, veggies, fruit, wheat, flour, sugar, salt, eggs, etc.. 

I also have lots of things in 2 cup size mylar bags-sugar, brown sugar, salt, beans, oatmeal, cereal, non fat powdered milk

I have cases of regular size beans, fruit, and other stuff i bought on sale from the local grocery


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