Storing kit

[Elines]

Does any body have any good ideas on storing kit so that it is readily accessible/usable and doesn't take up too much space. I am very much a newbie and haven't really got going but just getting some basics - including clothes - seems to be taking up a lot of space, - or is it just me getting too much stuff?

Do you keep stuff in a garage - if so do you get problems with damp?

Any comments based on practical experience welcome.

 

[Shambling Shaman]

A second central heated house..

theres lot of kit and lot of way to store it,
air mats inflated under the bed or stood up in the gap between cupboard and wall
clothes hung it wardrobe (to one side or in a dry bag)
any thing not subject to damp in your pack.

theirs a multitude of answers it all depends on your situation, Could you get a shed??

 

[He' s left the building]

Ikea and/or B&Q plastic/MDF drawers, the type sold for storing kids toys: cheap and effective and you can access your stuff easily.

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Just discussed this thread with SWMBO
"If you only have what you need and stop amassing cr*# you wouldn't have trouble storing it"

That's me told

 

[rancid badger]

Does any body have any good ideas on storing kit so that it is readily accessible/usable and doesn't take up too much space. I am very much a newbie and haven't really got going but just getting some basics - including clothes - seems to be taking up a lot of space, - or is it just me getting too much stuff?

Do you keep stuff in a garage - if so do you get problems with damp?

Any comments based on practical experience welcome.

Get hold of some screw top barrels, they are totally waterproof and much more robust that most stacking box type things.
regards
R.B.

 

[Sniper]

Ive got a boxroom where I store my gear, along with my tools, and my fishing gear. I lined the walls with those cheap B & Q shelving units with 3 shelves, now I can't get into the room for kit, and my sleeping bags are stored laid out on top of the bed in the spare room. The boss has told me to sort it all out or I may find I'll have to move the sleeping bags cos I'll be sleeping in the spare room and will need the bed.

 

[Draven]

I keep most of my knives, my saw, my axe and tinder in a shoulderbag/messenger-style bag, which I think is a great thing to have when out and about, especially for day-trips and if you intend on doing any foraging, also for collecting firewood. I don't have any special bushcrafty clothes (I know, heresy ) so my clothes are on my back and littering the floor. Everything else finds its way into a corner, in a bag, or with the clothes on the floor...

The way I see it, my bedroom is about 11x12', as is my "workshop" room - if the floor isn't covered, that's a huge waste of space Plus, it's insulating...

 

[Wilderbeast]

try this bud!! no clothes storage but deals with rest of your stuff

http://www.ravenlore.co.uk/html/grab_bag.html

 

[sapper1]

"If you only have what you need and stop amassing cr*# you wouldn't have trouble storing it"


My wife says smoething similar,also "what the hell do you want another one for" is often heard in our house

 

[John Fenna]

Nice wicker baskets look great (and bushy) and are very robust - cheap and VERY bushy if you make your own!

 

[Shambling Shaman]

"what the hell do you want another one for" is often heard in our house

Christ I must be married to your wifes twin sister

Dose she tidy stuff away for you 30 seconds before you go to use it and it cant be found for about a week??

 

[sandbender]

I've found that Post office 'PostPak' boxes, are excellent for keeping gear and books organized and although not waterproof they can be taped into B&Q rubble bags for storage in lofts and sheds.

 

[hiraeth]

Christ I must be married to your wifes twin sister

Dose she tidy stuff away for you 30 seconds before you go to use it and it cant be found for about a week??

They must have been triplets as you are describing my wife aswell

 

[Elines]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

"If you only have what you need and stop amassing cr*# you wouldn't have trouble storing it

This is part of the problem - as a newbie I don’t know for sure what I need but am getting stuff that seems to be generally well regarded, based on this site for the kind of thing I want to do.

My first decision is to stop looking at the kit sections in BCUK and concentrate more on the methods.

Second decision (which I already had in mind) is to get some proper training in A way of bushcrafting and concentrate on kit for that. (As I am a late starter I can’t afford to take too long learning by mistakes.)

Third decision – get some plastic/wicker storage boxes

Fourth decision – ask higher management why she didn’t tell me she was a quadruplet

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

"If you only have what you need and stop amassing cr*# you wouldn't have trouble storing it

This is part of the problem - as a newbie I don’t know for sure what I need but am getting stuff that seems to be generally well regarded, based on this site for the kind of thing I want to do.
My first decision is to stop looking at the kit sections in BCUK and concentrate more on the methods.
Second decision (which I already had in mind) is to get some proper training in A way of bushcrafting and concentrate on kit for that. (As I am a late starter I can’t afford to take too long learning by mistakes.)
Third decision – get some plastic/wicker storage boxes
Fourth decision – ask higher management why she didn’t tell me she was a quadruplet

You will go through stages - then you will find what it is you want, ie. I am a hill walker that wants to carry less, I started after years of experimenting by getting a smaller sack!!

and its tryed and tested go out. come back sort out kit What you used What you didn't
next time only take what you used (excludes FAK and emergency Items*)

emergency Items do not include BBQ's feather beds or land'ies

 

[Nagual]

If you're just getting into bushcrafting et al you really don't need at lot of gear / kit. It could be broken down to:

• Clothes to keep you warm enough
• Clothes to keep you dry enough
• Something to sleep in
• Something to sleep under
• Something to cook with
• Something to carry it all

So as far as kit goes, you really don't need to get a lot. Clothes and sleeping gear to suit the environment and weather. Tent, tarp or bivi for sleeping under - include a mat of some kind if using a tarp / bivi or tent for extra warmth. Some form of stove if you are going somewhere where theres no fires allowed or if it's going to be too wet for you, pots 'n' mugs etc lighters and matches. A rucksack of some kind to carry it all.

Obviously what you take with you will vary a lot from the simplistic list above, but it does convey the realistic point of view to you may want lots of gear but you really don't need it. For a good list of some cheap but very useful ideas have a look at Rik_UK3's thread

 

[Shambling Shaman]

[*]Clothes to keep you warm enough
[*]Clothes to keep you dry enough
[*]Something to sleep in
[*]Something to sleep under
[*]Something to cook with
[*]Something to carry it all

Wise words

 

[Kerne]

I have a large IKEA wardrobe in the spare room that SWMBO calls my "toy cupboard". It has these pull out plastic drawers that take all my bushy/outdoors kit plus my photography stuff. The problem is when we have people to stay and they want to store their clothes and find they're greeted with knives and an ice axe and a GBSFA. They tend not to sleep well...

 

[Shewie]

I`ve got sleeping bags and an underblanket under a bed, I`ve got a wardrobe in the guestroom full of mainly green clothes and a bookcase full of books and dvds in the office.

When we moved into this house we ripped out a load of fitted wardrobes so I kept all the racking and baskets from inside, I fitted these into the loft and everything lives in there, apart from my daysack.

 

[Nagual]

... an underblanket under a bed.....

You know thats not what they mean by underblanket..