<http://schema.org/articleBody>
" I remember growing up watching game shows and hearing them say that someone won a &amp;quot;year&amp;#039;s supply&amp;quot; of something, and I always wondered how much that really would be.Was a year&amp;#039;s supply enough for one person, or a whole family? Was it enough for someone who REALLY liked Rice-A-Roni, for example, or someone who only kind of liked it? We often recommend that when organizing a room you create a very accessible space for something to be used regularly, and then create a &amp;quot;backstock&amp;quot; area for the spares of that item, stored somewhere less accessible. For example, you might have your daily toothpaste and floss in your top bathroom drawer, but extra toothpaste, floss and toothbrushes can be kept in a cabinet in a bin labeled, &amp;quot;Dental.&amp;quot; This backstock storage system works well everywhere, at homes and even in stores. Think about how you can buy things off the shelf at the supermarket, and if they run out on the shelf, they usually have more in the back in a warehouse area.  A very workable rule-of-thumb for most situations is to keep one item in current use and one spare. When you open up the spare, put that item on your shopping list and buy another spare. Any more than that is probably too much for most situations, unless the item is hard to come by. Remember, you are probably going shopping at least once a week. Some people&amp;#039;s idea of a backstock gets out of hand. Their idea of a year&amp;#039;s supply of Rice-A-Roni is way more than mine (for me, that is one box)! Here are some considerations to help you think through your needs:  How much do you use this item? Daily, weekly, monthly, or annually?  Does one person use this, or the whole family? Is this item perishable? If so, buying too much may cost you in spoilage. Do we really use this, or am I just being tempted by a bargain deal? Does this fit in my space? If you live in a small apartment, you&amp;#039;ll need to keep less backstock than someone in a larger home, by necessity.  Will this supply crowd out prime space better used for more frequently needed items?  Could I buy this in a larger size instead of buying multiple smaller containers?  Is there some inherent value to having more than one spare of this item, such as it being difficult to find again?  Remember, if something you keep as a spare is extremely important for safety or crucial reasons (like tires or backup hard drives), make a note in your calendar to periodically verify they are at-the-ready. Otherwise, relax and create a nice working supply and NOT a stockpile! You&amp;#039;ll have plenty of Rice-A-Roni whenever you need it. What are your favorite ways to keep your working supply going? Share in the comments!  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/decorating-ideas/a23719/how-much-is-too-much-to-keep/?src=shelter_footer>