Much is written about secret stashes in the preparedness world, and people hide supplies in a variety of different ways. One way to put aside extra food and gear is by using a rented space to create a storage unit survival cache. Before you argue and say, "I want access to all my stuff all the time," let me explain why (and how) my family uses this philosophy.

This is a topic made famous in prepper circles by Franklin Horton's awesome book, Locker Nine. In the book, a father sets up a storage locker for his young daughter who has gone away to college. In the locker, he stashes gear and instructions for her to make her way home if things hit the fan while she is living in the dorm. Some of the items cannot be stored in the dorm for legal reasons. Others, he wants to make sure are available for use when she needs them. It's a great book and I highly recommend it if you're looking for some enjoyable prepper fiction.

But you don't have to have a kid in college to make use of public storage lockers. Read on for more information.

Why would you NOT have all your survival items at home?

If you look at the statistics, prior to 2020 and the advent of nearly everyone working from home in their pajamas, the average adult spent less than 10 hours per day at home – and that includes the time that they were sleeping. While it's great to imagine the epic SHTF event will occur while we're all gathered around the family dinner table together, it's statistically unlikely.