Preppers know that the gear they are storing to live through a major disaster is more valuable than a stack of cash. But thieves and government agents know that, too. If you want to keep your valuables, you need to find the best hiding spots for them.
A few survival items such as a fire starter or a water purifier could mean the difference between life and death after a collapse. Creativity, ingenuity and a little skill can keep these items safe.
Here are some ideas for hiding your valuables. Use the ideas to get your own creative juices flowing. Take a look around your property and think outside the box.
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1. Air Vents
Air vents are some of the most inconspicuous things in a house. A thief isn’t going to stop and wonder why a vent is on one wall or another. Cutting a hole in a wall or in the floor and putting a dummy vent over it is an easy way to stash valuables.
2. Air Ducts
Air ducts are another option for smaller things that won’t block the airflow. Duct tape the goods near the opening or attach a cord/string to something that is pushed further into the ductwork.
3. PVC Pipes
PVC pipes under a house or a sink are very normal. Again, a thief doesn’t know what does or doesn’t belong. A few fake pipes lined up to look like they belong can provide a hiding spot for small goods.
4. Attic Spaces
Attic spaces with exposed insulation or even sheetrock can provide plenty of hiding spots. Hiding things behind walls or in dark corners is very effective.
5. Under Floorboards
It’s probably one of the oldest tricks in the book, but it works. No one is going to check under twelve hundred square feet of flooring. Make it less obvious. Putting furniture over the area provides more security.
6. Crawlspaces
Crawlspaces are good for larger items, but they can be a little more obvious. It takes a brave, desperate soul to go scurrying into a dark crawlspace.
7. The Kitchen
The kitchen provides plenty of hiding spaces. Avoid the tried-and-true places like inside cereal boxes or coffee cans. Those were great, but unfortunately, they have been used.
Think more along the lines of false walls at the back of a deep cupboard. It only has to be a couple of inches. A piece of plywood that blends in with the cabinetry can work well. Under the kitchen sink there is always a shelf. Don’t be afraid to use the space under that shelf.
8. Drop Ceilings
Drop ceilings can conceal very lightweight items. Pushing up a tile is fairly easy.
9. Picture Frames
Taping small things inside a picture frame is very spy-like, but effective. Larger framed artwork generally has some space behind it that can hold larger items.
10. A Hole in the Wall Hidden by a Picture
A hole in the wall hidden by a picture is another oldie but goodie. You only want to do this if you know anything about construction. You don’t want to cut through electrical wiring or run into plumbing. Also, don’t leave the hole open. Put a square of sheetrock over the hole and a picture over the space to disguise it.
11. Under Stair Boards
There is lots of space under every stair. You can put hinges on the stair board to make it quick and easy to get to your goods.
12. Buried Survival Caches
Burying survival caches around your property is another option. They don’t have to be big. Make sure the goods are sealed up tight to prevent moisture damage. The caches don’t need to be deep. Using a couple Ziploc bags placed inside a PVC pipe is all you need. You can bury backpacks, old mayo jars, or anything that will keep out the water and dirt.
13. Potted Plants
Potted plants are a great way to hide in plain sight. Again, stick your goods inside a plastic bag sealed tight and put it in the bottom of the plant.
14. Under the Couch
In the space between the springs. How many times have you lost the remote in that area? The beauty of that hiding spot is no one will feel it when they sit on the couch, and the sheer fabric that hides the springs on the bottom acts as another layer of protection.
15. Linen Closets
Linen closets are boring. Not a lot of thieves go after the towels and sheets. You could do the fake wall in the back or hide things folded in sheets at the back of the closet.
16. Hollow Interior Doors
Most interior doors are hollow. Drilling a hole on top of the door can get you access. You’ll want to attach a string to the bag or container and secure it at the top in order to retrieve your goods.
17. Storage Totes
Totes in the garage or shoved in the closet labeled with ‘winter clothes’ or ‘taxes’ are an option. Place the goods you’re hiding in the middle or at the bottom of the tote.
18. Laundry Soap Containers
Laundry soap containers are an option for hiding things in plain sight. Use an empty container and fill it with your valuables. Sealing in a bag is an option if you want to fill the container with water to make it heavy. You don’t want a thief picking up the container and giving it a good shake.
19. Paint Cans
Paint cans are in nearly every garage, but they don’t have to be filled with paint. Tossing some things in the can and putting them on the shelf with other paint cans gives you an easy hiding spot.
20. Fish Tanks
If you have a fish tank, hiding small items under the gravel is an option. This is somewhat of a known area, but it isn’t blatantly obvious. Make sure the gravel in the tank is deep enough to keep your stuff hidden in case your fish get wild and move gravel around.
21. Dry Dog Food Bags
Dry dog food bags, whether you have a dog or not, are not going to be a huge target for theft. Seal up your goods, put them in the bottom of the bag, and dump the dog food on top.
22. Hollowed-Out Books
Hollowed-out books are another oldie. This works best if you have a lot of books on the shelf. Because this hiding spot has been around for centuries, a thief with a good eye might be able to spot one of these books if it’s obvious. Not so easy if it’s packed onto a bookshelf with twenty other books with similar covers.
23. Toilet Tanks
Hiding things in a bag in the toilet tank is an option.
24. Clothes Hampers
The bottom of a clothes hamper is much like the dog food option. Just to be safe, taping the item/s to the bottom and then tossing in some ‘dirty’ clothes to hide it works best. If a looter dumps out the clothes, the goods will stick to the bottom.
25. Old Coats and Ugly Sweaters
An old coat or ugly sweater in the back of the closet can disguise things hidden under the shirt. Hide stuff in the pockets as well.
26. Toe-Kick Space Under Kitchen Cabinets
There’s a gap of about four inches between the bottom of your lower cabinets and the floor, hidden behind a thin strip of trim called the toe kick. Pry the strip off carefully, slide flat items like cash, documents, or a sealed bag of fire starters into the space, and hold the trim back in place with a couple of small magnets or clips so you can get back in quickly. Nobody gets down on the floor to inspect the base of a cabinet.
27. Hollow Curtain Rods
Many curtain rods are hollow metal tubes with removable end caps. Roll up some cash or slide in small items like a spare key, a ferro rod, or a strip of water purification tablets, then put the cap back on. Thieves might look behind the curtains, but they won’t think to look inside the rod holding them up.
Thieves will generally not take a lot of time searching for valuables. This is why it’s crucial to hide things in places that require some thought to find. Thieves want quick and easy with little risk.
Be careful hiding things in places that used to be really clever, like a tampon box. Too many people talked about it and now it’s not so discreet. The goal is to stay one step ahead and, most importantly, keep it a secret. Tell no one—not even the friendly next-door neighbor.
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