Plastic-Lidded Bins

Plastic-Lidded Bins - Great for Stacking.
Store Your Packed Mylar Bags Safely!

Plastic-Lidded Bins -
Great for Stacking.
Store Your Packed
Mylar Bags Safely!

Plastic Lidded storage bins. Good for storing dry goods.

Opaque Stackable Plastic Lidded Bins

Opaque Stackable
Plastic Lidded Bins

Consider using a plastic-lidded bin for easy closet, walk-in pantry, or garage storage of dehydrated foods—for long-term storage. It's a great way to keep similar items grouped in an organized fashion. There's nothing worse than having to go rooting through piles of bags, or bins. Keep yourself organized!

It's better if you can find stackable bins that you can't see through, as it helps to keep the light out. All you have to do is clear off some shelving in the garage. Yeah, I know I said "All you have to do," and yes, it's hard work sorting out stuff. But when it's done? You'll be so proud of yourself!

PLEASE NOTE: This white bin shown at the top of the page is NOT airtight, i.e. some air can get in around the handles—so it's pointless using a 2000cc oxygen absorber in these types of bins. They must be AIRTIGHT when using the big oxygen absorbers.

Again, the aim of these bins is to keep you organized.

TOP Frequently Asked Questions:

Plastic bins for food storage?

You can get these plastic lidded bins at Walmart, or Home Depot, Lowe's et al. Just make sure that the lids fit tightly. We're looking for these bins to be airtight.

Bins that have handles that "snap" closed, they are not airtight. But dont' despair; they're great for storing filled Mylar bags and stuff you use on a regular basis.

Go visit Feed Buckets with Lids. They really are the best airtight containers to use for storing dehydrated food - long-term.

Plastic food storage containers with vented lids?

There's no point in putting our dehydrated foods inside containers with vented lids. We're trying to keep the air out, right? Righ!

STORING BINS
Make Suitable Shelving for Your Plastic-Lidded Bins, Buckets, (and Boxes!)

The dehydrated Food Storage Wall is halfway through completion showing buckets, bins, and boxes of dehydrated foodDehydrated Food Storage Wall

If you're using buckets and plastic-lidded bins, here's a neat way to store 'em!

Stack boxes in an unused or barely used closet in the house—I prefer interior closets or a shelving unit assembled on a "spare" wall—READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE! Garages tend to get too hot and too cold. And bugs are out there...

Remember to write the contents of the bin on the bin's side and write the date on the bags and their contents that go in the bins!

Use Oxygen Absorbers ONLY in AIRTIGHT Bins and Containers

Oxygen Absorbers at Amazon

PackFreshUSA: 200 Pack - 50cc Oxygen Absorber Packs - Food Grade - Non-Toxic - Food Preservation - Long-Term Food Storage Guide Included
PackFreshUSA: 200 Pack - 50cc Oxygen Absorber Packs - Food Grade - Non-Toxic - Food Preservation - Long-Term Food Storage Guide Included

50cc Oxygen Absorbers

  • PackFreshUSA Oxygen Absorbers
  • 200-Pack
  • Food-Grade, Non-Toxic
Oxy-Sorb 100cc Oxygen Absorber Packets, 100 Pack - Long Term Food Storage Freshness Protection13%
Oxy-Sorb 100cc Oxygen Absorber Packets, 100 Pack - Long Term Food Storage Freshness Protection
$14.99 ($0.15 / Count)

100cc Oxygen Absorbers

  • Oxy-Sorb Oxygen Absorbers
  • 100-Pack
  • Long-Term Food Storage Freshness Protection
Oxy-Sorb 60-300cc Oxygen Absorbers for Long Term Food Storage (Bags of 20), ‎300CC-S20-3PK Blue
Oxy-Sorb 60-300cc Oxygen Absorbers for Long Term Food Storage (Bags of 20), ‎300CC-S20-3PK Blue

300cc Oxygen Absorbers

  • Oxy-Sorb Oxygen Absorbers
  • Bags of 20 (60 Count total)
  • Super Effective for Dried Goods
2000cc Oxygen Absorber - Pack of 10
2000cc Oxygen Absorber - Pack of 10

2000cc Oxygen Absorbers

  • Oxy-Sorb Oxygen Absorbers
  • Pack of 10
  • I use these for airtight bins and buckets

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases with no price increase to you. Read disclosure here.

Also note that when using AIRTIGHT large containers, we are using the 2000cc large oxygen absorbers IN ADDITION to the 100cc oxygen absorbers that are already IN our sealed packages. 

Just place the 2000cc loose oxygen pack in the airtight container, along with your Mylar bag packets. Remember, these large bins will not be opened regularly, maybe two or three times a year or so, as we use up and rotate our stock.

There are plastic-lidded bins available that have snap-on lids that are truly airtight—like bucket lids—so please use the 2000cc oxygen absorbers with those types of storage bins.

Check the Height Between Shelves when Creating Your Shelving Storage

When I built my food storage wall, I made sure that there was enough room between the shelves (height-wise) to fit the bins.

Take into account that some closet SHELVES have their front edges bent downwards at a 90° angle... Make sure the bin can get in... and out.

Hey, you don't want to build the thing twice, right? So measure TWICE, and DRILL once.

Give yourself a little bit of "breathing room" on top of the box, say about an inch or two.

How to Drill New Holes in the Uprights

It's pretty easy to change the factory-set shelf heights; simply drill new holes in the uprights!

STANLEY Nail Setter, Steel, 3-Piece (58-230)
STANLEY Nail Setter, Steel, 3-Piece (58-230)

Use an old large nail and hammer to make a 'starter dimple/hole' in the uprights, so that your drill bit doesn't wander when you first drill.

If you've got a set of nail sets, even better!

Here's a handy 3-pack of Stanley Nail Sets* on Amazon:

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases with no price increase to you. Read disclosure here.

*My old set of nail sets rusted away in the garage sadly - but bear in mind, they are used for "setting a nail" just below its surrounding surface/plane so you can fill it with wood filler. They're not for making divots.

I'm sure there is a wood-working guy/gal reading this who is cringing at the way I used my nail sets LOL. Anyway, a big old nail does the same job. Make sure you're using a drill bit that's suitable for drilling metal, too. Drill bits for wood won't do the job.

Consider buying deep(er) shelving units so you can store your bins with the narrow side facing out, rather than the wide side facing out, like I did. You'll be able to store more bins that way.

You're always wiser after the event!

Feed Buckets Too!

NOTE: You can also use buckets instead of bins! Yes, feed buckets—check out the Feed Bucket page. You'll see great screw-on lids that just about guarantee to keep your flour bug-free and your dehydrated food dry!

You can also stack the buckets. Put the heavy buckets on the bottom of the stack so you don't get a nasty knock to the head if one should tumble on you! (Yep, I messed up the first time around!) Be safety-conscious at all times.

podcast icon

Check out my free Easy Food Dehydrating Podcast on how to "Create Food Storage Space out of Thin Air!"