How do you store your canned items (glass) securely?

[whitewolf]

Not sure if this the right place, if not please move. How do you store your canned items that are in jars. My thoughts are toward earthquakes. I have some on shelves that if a quake or tremor hit, they might be thrown to the floor. Suggestions? Thanks.

[Callieslamb]

my Dh has asked me the same question. I guess I need to save the jar boxes, wrap the jars in newspaper and make sure they are on a shelf with a front to it - to stop them from sliding off. It wouldn't be totally break proof, maybe someone else can come up with something better?

[MaineFarmMom]

Can you add a lip to the shelves so that nothing slides off?

[Puddleduck]

Actually, I have never given this much thought. I rarely buy anything in glass jars that doesn't already get stored in the refridgerator anyway. (mayonaise, etc.) and only have an onslaught of glass jars during the canning season. At that time I keep filled jars in an old farmhouse kitchen out back. It's an extra kitchen that we have where I store extra food items and surplus appliances. If something breaks out there, it's not going to be that big of a deal.

[GoldCountryGal]

For longer term storage, I store in my canning jar boxes and I keep them in the garage.. nice and cool, concrete floor in case of a break, etc. For my short term use, I keep a few jars of what I am planning to use in a lower kitchen cabinet, you can also put child locks on your cabinet doors to keep the doors from opening during a minor quake. If you have open shelves, I would recommend that you put some stretch cord (like bungee cords) across the front of the shelves, possibly two rows of it, at different heights. Easy to get around it to put your jars up, but should keep them in place during a minor quake. I use to work in a chemistry lab and we went through some quakes and learned a bit about keeping the glassware intact. I have seen quakes move refrigerators and take down freeways, so there is a limit to what you can do to keep your food in glass jars from breaking in case a big one comes along, but you should be okay for the little ones.

[Burbsteader]

We built a cabinet just for our homecanned stuff and put an old house door on it. It still has the door knob and latches well so it will hold for anything but the 'BIG ONE' that the NW is supposed to get someday. There is bound to be some damage in the cabinet regardless.

BTW, the PNW has a high-risk earthquake rating, just as high as California.

[whitewolf]

Thanks for the ideas....I may use a combination of some of them. I keep my home canned stuff in the jar boxes, but on open shelves.....maybe I will add bungee cords for right now. I would like to build some cabinets in a "u" shaped area that I have that is out of the way. hmmmm.....got my creative juices flowing here....thanks for the ideas.

Whitewolf