{"id":66763,"date":"2019-07-05T09:24:58","date_gmt":"2019-07-05T16:24:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=66763"},"modified":"2020-07-02T12:18:23","modified_gmt":"2020-07-02T19:18:23","slug":"tidy-up-your-gear-storage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/tidy-up-your-gear-storage","title":{"rendered":"Tidy Up Your Gear Storage"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"cb-itemprop\" itemprop=\"reviewBody\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I\u2019m just your average hiker\/backpacker\/dabbling cyclist\/SUP enthusiast\/occasional car camper. Sound familiar? If you\u2019ve caught the multisport bug like I have, then you probably have enough gear to not only tackle any activity, but to outfit your friends, too. You also probably have a gear closet, garage, shed or storage area that could benefit from some organization. (At present, my gear \u201ccloset\u201d is creeping into gear \u201croom\u201d territory.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So what to do with an unruly gear space? Here are four steps to get you started.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Step 1: Sort<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Divide your gear into like piles. Put camp kitchenware together, sleep systems together, climbing equipment together, etc. This will help you see exactly how much of each type of gear you have.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Step 2: Discard<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weed through each pile of like items, setting aside anything you no longer want or need. Whatever is left over is what you\u2019ll have to organize, so be judicious. If the equipment is still useful, gift it to a friend, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">donate it<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or (if it\u2019s valuable) sell it secondhand. If it\u2019s broken, determine whether <\/span><a href=\"\/learn\/t\/care-and-repair\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">you can repair it<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><a href=\"\/repairs\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">have it repaired<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. If it\u2019s really beyond help, make sure to recycle it properly. (At REI, we\u2019re presently exploring ways to help our members re- and upcycle used gear; stay tuned.)<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Step 3: Assess<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is where your creative problem-solving comes into play. Look at your storage space compared to the gear you have and ask yourself a few questions:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Consider the area:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> How much space do I have to work with? Do I have bulky items like kayaks or mountain bikes that take up a lot of space?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Consider the storage options:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Do I need shelves or a pegboard? Do I have gear that can hang like climbing gear? Can I fit stackable bins, or do I need compressible totes?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Consider the use:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Will I need a staging area? Do I want to be able to rotate gear by season (e.g., make skiing stuff more accessible in winter and backpacking stuff more accessible in summer)? Where will I air out gear after a trip?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><b>Step 4: Build and Organize<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve determined how you want to store your gear, go out and get the materials you need. Whether you\u2019re building shelves or just need a few more bins, having a specific place for each item will help you stay organized in the long term. Label bins clearly. Keep items you use frequently in an easy-to-grab place. Too often, items that are stored out of sight or in inaccessible places simply never get used.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read on for tips to help you dial in your storage, courtesy of people who have way too much gear (aka REI staff).<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Storage Tips from the Pros<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Totes, Bins, Cubbies and Miscellaneous Stuff Holders<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider clear bins instead of opaque ones so you can easily see what\u2019s inside.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jim Weller, REI domain architect, includes a laminated inventory checklist in each container so he knows exactly what goes where.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\n<p><div id=\"attachment_66822\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-66822\" class=\"wp-image-66822\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/07\/1.png?resize=1024%2C1074\" alt=\"Laminated gear checklist\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1074\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-66822\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Courtesy: Jim Weller<\/p><\/div><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Designate one bin as the \u201cevery trip\u201d container, and keep <\/span><a href=\"\/learn\/expert-advice\/ten-essentials.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the Ten Essentials<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> inside it. Make sure to check your inventory of items that need to be refilled or replaced regularly, such as headlamp batteries, first-aid bandages, duct tape and lighters.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep a few packets of silica gel in each tote to help absorb lingering moisture.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plastic laundry hampers with holes let shoes breathe.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Want to skip the shelving altogether? Try REI senior engineer Ryan McCutchen\u2019s cubby system: He screws 5-gallon buckets to a board on the wall.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\n<p><div id=\"attachment_66811\" style=\"width: 663px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-66811\" class=\"wp-image-66811 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/07\/2.jpg?resize=653%2C1024\" alt=\"Five-gallon bucket cubby system.\" width=\"653\" height=\"1024\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-66811\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Courtesy: Ryan McCutchen<\/p><\/div><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hanging Storage<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over-the-door shoe racks are great for organizing small (easy-to-lose) sundries like headlamps, first-aid kits, etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use a curtain rod or large dowel to create hanging space between two shelving units like REI program coordinator Annie Graeter did to store rain shells and life jackets. (You could even drape sleeping bags over the rod.)\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\n<p><div id=\"attachment_66812\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-66812\" class=\"size-article_body wp-image-66812\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/07\/3.jpg?resize=1024%2C768\" alt=\"Use a rod to hang jackets, packs and other gear.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-66812\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Courtesy: Annie Graeter<\/p><\/div><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hang packs from hangers or pegs. If you have items that only go out with a particular pack (like a shovel, beacon and probe or a bicycle repair kit), simply keep them in the pack itself.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use carabiners or hooks to utilize side space on shelving units. Hang helmets, snowshoes, trekking poles and other awkwardly shaped items.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wall Space<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have the wall space, use it to get items off the floor. Pauli Payne, REI marketing campaign specialist, uses shelving brackets (minus the shelves) to hang backpacks and ropes.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\n<p><div id=\"attachment_66819\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-66819\" class=\"size-article_body wp-image-66819\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/07\/Hero_and_4.jpg?resize=1024%2C536\" alt=\"Use shelving brackets to hang gear on walls.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-66819\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Courtesy: Pauli Payne<\/p><\/div><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pegboards fitted with various hooks and hardware are perfect for hanging gear that would be too messy in a bin. Annie Graeter keeps climbing gear, ropes and packs on hers.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\n<p><div id=\"attachment_66813\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-66813\" class=\"size-article_body wp-image-66813\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/07\/5.jpg?resize=1024%2C1365\" alt=\"Use a pegboard to organize smaller items.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1365\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-66813\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Courtesy: Annie Graeter<\/p><\/div><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Buy or build a wall-mounted <\/span><a href=\"\/c\/bike-storage-racks\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bike storage rack<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You can fit multiple bikes on a wall by staggering the placement of hooks or pegs. Decorate your handmade bike rack with awesome stickers like Senior Program Manager Chlo\u00e9 le Comte did.<\/span>\n<p><div id=\"attachment_66814\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-66814\" class=\"size-article_body wp-image-66814\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/07\/6.jpeg?resize=1024%2C683\" alt=\"Homemade wall-mounted bike rack.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-66814\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Courtesy: Chlo\u00e9 le Comte<\/p><\/div><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Senior Software Engineer Douglas West uses ceiling hooks from the garage rafters to hang bikes wheels-up. You can also store paddling gear this way.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use large peg racks to hold skis and snowboards. Annie Graeter built this one from scrap wood.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\n<p><div id=\"attachment_66816\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-66816\" class=\"size-article_body wp-image-66816\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/07\/7.jpg?resize=1024%2C1365\" alt=\"Wall-mounted rack for skis and snowboards.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1365\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-66816\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Courtesy: Annie Graeter<\/p><\/div><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">General Care and Maintenance<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure to air out gear before storing it again. Keep a heater or dehumidifier in the gear area if necessary\u2014just make sure the heater is at a safe distance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weller puts a dryer sheet in his sleeping bags, swapping in a new one every year or so. He also cleans sleeping bags and tents regularly with <\/span><a href=\"\/b\/nikwax\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nikwax products<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I\u2019m just your average hiker\/backpacker\/dabbling cyclist\/SUP enthusiast\/occasional car camper. Sound familiar? If you\u2019ve caught the multisport bug like I have, then you probably have enough gear to not only tackle any activity, but to outfit your friends, too. You also probably have a gear closet, garage, shed or storage area that could benefit from some [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":66812,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3,4,387,9,11],"tags":[588,352,25,724,8,364],"internal-tag":[],"class_list":["post-66763","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-camp","category-climb","category-cycle","category-hike","category-paddle","category-snowsports","tag-camping","tag-climb","tag-cycle","tag-gear","tag-hike","tag-snowsports"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/camp\/tidy-up-your-gear-storage","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Tidy Up Your Gear Storage","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/tidy-up-your-gear-storage","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/tidy-up-your-gear-storage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/07\/3.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/07\/3.jpg?fit=4032%2C3024"},"articleSection":"Camp","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Michelle Flandreau"}],"creator":["Michelle Flandreau"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["camping","climb","cycle","gear","hike","snowsports"],"dateCreated":"2019-07-05T16:24:58Z","datePublished":"2019-07-05T16:24:58Z","dateModified":"2020-07-02T19:18:23Z"},"rendered":"<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"wp-parsely-metadata\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"headline\":\"Tidy Up Your Gear Storage\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/camp\\\/tidy-up-your-gear-storage\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/camp\\\/tidy-up-your-gear-storage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2019\\\/07\\\/3.jpg?resize=150%2C150\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2019\\\/07\\\/3.jpg?fit=4032%2C3024\"},\"articleSection\":\"Camp\",\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Michelle Flandreau\"}],\"creator\":[\"Michelle Flandreau\"],\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Uncommon Path \\u2013 An REI Co-op Publication\",\"logo\":\"\"},\"keywords\":[\"camping\",\"climb\",\"cycle\",\"gear\",\"hike\",\"snowsports\"],\"dateCreated\":\"2019-07-05T16:24:58Z\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-07-05T16:24:58Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-07-02T19:18:23Z\"}<\/script>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/rei.com\/p.js"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/07\/3.jpg?fit=4032%2C3024","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66763","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66763"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66763\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":161167,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66763\/revisions\/161167"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/66812"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66763"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66763"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66763"},{"taxonomy":"internal-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-tag?post=66763"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}