The idea of setting up one or more caches is a popular one among preppers and survivalists. A cache is a collection of gear and supplies that is positioned for later use when you are away from home or perhaps on your way to your bug out location (BOL). Basically, a cache is a resupply point, intended to give you a boost in supplies as you make your way to your final destination.

By the way, the word cache is pronounced like cash, not cash-ay. Sorry, pet peeve.

The PVC tube type of cache is typically buried and left in place until needed. There are a few things to keep in mind, of course, such as making sure you’ll be able to find it again and, once found, that you’ll be able to open the PVC and get at the goodies inside. That will usually mean having a saw to cut off the end of the tube. I can’t imagine many things more frustrating than going to all the work of digging up your cache tube while tired and starving, only to find you have no way to open the tube and get to the contents inside.

Self-storage facilities have been around since the late 1950s but they really became popular in the 90s. They are largely an American phenomenon, which actually makes sense. There are few cultures outside the U.S. that place such a high value on stuff more than Americans.

Even if you’ve never used a self-storage facility before, you’re familiar with the basic concept. You’re renting what amounts to a small room or perhaps just a large closet in which you can store the overflow from your home. Usually this consists of household goods such as furniture, old clothes, dishes, and such. The facility itself is usually block construction and often outfitted with at least some sort of climate control. Decent ones are dry and the contents are as secure as the lock the user affixes to the door.

The most common size seems to be 10’ x 10’, though there are other sizes usually available, from 5’ x 10’ all the way to 20’ x 20’ or larger. Of course, this will vary from facility to facility, as will the rates. Locally, the smaller units run about $70 per month and the 10’ x 10’ ones are about $100 a month.

That’s a lot to pay just for a cache, obviously. However, if you’re considering renting a storage unit anyway, due to remodeling, moving, downsizing, death in the family, whatever, consider looking at it as an opportunity to set up a survival cache and select the facility with that in mind.

While many self-storage facilities are located in urban areas, and often not in the greatest parts of the city, there are numerous facilities out in the sticks. From where I’m sitting in my office in the middle of a city of about 30,000, I know of at least three different self-storage businesses far enough outside the city limits that I’d be comfortable going there at any time of day or night and not worry about who I might run across while I’m there.

Another consideration is whether you’ll be able to access the facility if the power goes out. Many of them utilize some sort of gate that is opened by key card or keypad. While all three facilities I referenced above are surrounded by fencing and use gated access, two of them have fences short enough that I’d easily be able to get over them in an emergency.

One argument often made against using self-storage facilities as emergency cache locations is the idea that they will be targeted by looters. Personally, I don’t see that happening, at least not until long after the store shelves and such have been wiped clean. See, people operate on a risk versus reward basis. There would be considerable effort involved with breaking into a self-storage facility, including just making the trip a few miles or more out of town to get to it. And for what? The vast majority of the units will have nothing more than long out of fashion couches and boxes of clothes the owners will never fit into again. Unless someone has a good reason to believe there is food or valuables kept inside the facility, odds are they’ll pass and look for an easier target.

That said, you could hedge your bet, so to speak, by hiding your supplies within the unit. Simply label boxes as “Grandma’s clothes” or “Christmas decorations” and put your supplies inside. You might even go so far as to camouflage your items by putting old clothes or whatever on top of your supplies before closing the box.

If the unit is large enough, I could easily see it being used as a temporary shelter while you’re on your way to a BOL. Stash a cot and blanket at the back of the unit and you’re good to go.

All other things being equal, choose a self-storage facility that is located along or near your primary bug out route. Select one that is out in the sticks so you won’t be dealing with crowds. Make sure you’ll be able to access your unit during a power outage.

Again, I’m not suggesting you run out and drop $1,200 a year or more just to maintain a survival cache. What I am saying is that if you’re going to be spending money on a storage unit anyway, choose the location using a prepper perspective and outfit it with some supplies and gear, just in case.