Any frugal pet lover will testify that to save money when buying food for your animal companion, buy dry and buy bulk. Yet that money-saving sentiment can create conflict when it comes up against your very limited available space for pet food storage. The qualifications for a good pet food solution are that it can store a reasonably large amount of food, it is a non-bulky shape that can easily fit into available space, and it has a slick surface that can be easily and quickly rinsed off if the smell gets overpowering or ants come to visit. I found quite a few viable options, so don’t despair; whatever your storage needs are, there are unique containers to fit just about any space.

One popular option on Amazon is a sturdy pet food container that also has a dispenser built in, if you don’t mind getting out the whole box when you want to pour the food. If not, you can flip the top of the box up and scoop pet food up that way. These are the typical pet food container shapes: tall and fairly thin, ideal for squeezing inside your pantry next to the garbage bin. Another option, if you don’t have the space for a big container, is to continue to buy in bulk, but spread the food over several smaller containers that you can place wherever you have some extra room. The canisters should be sturdy and sanitary, and look at least attractive enough that they won’t stand out in a closet or other partially-hidden space.

If you have several species of pets, or if you just have different food needs for some of your pets of the same species, you might do better with a side opening, stackable food container option for your needs. You can have each type of pet food in its own container, and perhaps dedicate another crate to pet treats, creating a tower of pet food. The bins are compact and have openings on the sides so you can still access several levels, and take advantage of otherwise unusable vertical space. Consider giving stackable bins a try if you need to store different types of food in a small space.