Most of us have a basement corner we avoid. @cara.annejones, a homesteader who built her following on canning, finally walked into hers with a camera and a plan. She had heard a new warning telling Americans to keep food and essentials on hand, and she decided it was the perfect excuse to see what her household actually had.
Her motto on the video’s caption says it all: “I’ve always believed in being prepared, not scared.” Whether it is a power outage, bad weather or something unexpected, she says extra food and supplies are never a bad idea.
@cara.annejones
She Planned A Pantry Inventory And Ended Up With A Declutter Day
Cara explains that canning is the heart of her platform. She loves knowing what is in her food, and she says food security matters a great deal to her.
This was meant to be part one of a series. She calls it a couple-of-days task, not a one-and-done, with a plan to organize, take inventory, work out what the family needs and then do a big grocery haul.
Then she announced a second goal that has nothing to do with jars. “I want to get rid of a lot of stuff that we don’t use. I am a minimalist in a way. I don’t like to hoard things.”
“If I Don’t Use It For Over A Year, It’s Going In The Garbage”
Her rule is blunt. If she has not used something in more than a year, it goes in the trash or she gives it away. She says she will hand it to someone for free, no matter what it cost her, because she does not want it if she does not use it.
That rule got tested fast. Moving through the basement, she stopped and asked out loud, “Why do we have 22 cases?”
The answer turned up a moment later. The cases were inside a suitcase, and the pile was really luggage she says has to go, with some of the suitcases headed out the door.
Blow-Up Decorations, Face Masks And A Motorcycle Jacket Turned Up Too
The basement had plenty more to show. She ran through a lineup of items as she went: inflatable Christmas decorations, a curtain rod, a stash of face masks that she says belongs in the supply bin, a “hello autumn” decoration and a motorcycle jacket.
Some of it was easy. The face masks had an obvious home. Others got the “do we use this” test, and a few did not pass.
She also hauled several big bins of staples, including sugar and rice, plus a food kit, from one side of the basement to the other so everything food related sits together. Her advice while lifting them is the kind every mom should hear: lift with your legs.
Cabinets She Had Never Opened In Five Years Held A Pile Of Nails
Here is where the video takes its biggest turn. Cara says the family has lived in the house for a good five years, and she realized she had never opened some of the basement cabinets to see what was inside.
She popped one open, curious about a label that read like a cheese product. Inside, it turned out to be a pile of nails. She says her husband may want them, so those survived the cut.
Another stash was the family’s “do not drink” water, which she says is for flushing toilets if the power goes out or the water stops. A box of bathroom tiles went in the garbage pile, and a big supply of vinegar got a new spot in the freshly cleared cabinets.
Her takeaway: now that she knows what is in there, the family can actually use those cabinets. After the heavy lifting she took a break and promised part two.
Why A Stock-Up Day Is The Best Time To Declutter
Cara stumbled onto something smart. A pantry inventory and a declutter belong together, because you cannot tell what you need until you see everything you already have.
Emergency supplies tend to get stacked wherever there is room, and then forgotten. Years later you have duplicates of some things, none of others and a cabinet full of surprises.
Your Own Weekend Plan For An Emergency Pantry
You do not need a basement full of bins to borrow her method. Here is a simple way to run your own inventory.
- Pull everything out of one area at a time, so you finish what you start.
- Sort into keep, give away and toss, and set a clear rule for yourself. Hers is one year without use.
- Check dates on canned and boxed food and put the oldest in front so you use it first.
- Keep all your emergency food and water in one labeled spot that everyone in the house can find.
- Write down what you have and what is low, so your next grocery trip has a real list.
Food safety agencies generally suggest keeping a supply of drinking water, and many households aim for a few days of food that needs little or no cooking. Store everything in a cool, dry place and rotate it, because a stockpile is only useful if the food is still good.
It is also worth separating water meant for drinking from water set aside for flushing, and labeling both clearly, the way Cara did with her “do not drink” supply.
The Bottom Line From The Basement
Cara’s day started as a quest for peace of mind and turned into a lesson in letting go. She found suitcases, nails, tiles and a motorcycle jacket, and she says she is happy to pass along whatever the family does not use.
If you have a spot in your own house that has gone untouched for years, this is your sign. Open the cabinets, see what is there, keep what serves you and send the rest on its way. You can follow her pantry series on TikTok.
