Help Organizing all this Gear!

[Agfadoc]

I know the topic isn't nearly as interesting as reading others trip reports or modding the latest gear...but I need some help staying organized and keeping track of all this gear. Summer, Winter, Overnight , dayhikes, Comfort base camp, Car Camping, Bike Camping, Camping in the Popup....Ahhhhh!

Most of us have lots of gear, depending on what activity, for what season, which stove, which tarp, who's coming, and it goes on and on. I read about all this cool gear everyone tests out and owns, but nobody really talks about how they keep it all ready to deploy, or how they know where they left their Whisperlite or the spare gear for replacement or resupply of duct tape, bandaids, moleskin.

Switching out gear and testing new stuff is fun for me, it's one of the main things that keeps my overly complicated mind entertained when at camp, or when it's too cold to be outside.. ( I know, for some of you it's never too cold outside.) which is pretty much all the time. I rid myself of the thing that I think are junk, or what I wouldn't use in any situation, but if something is cool...I'm keeping it. If my old tail could take it all I would..

So right now I am using clear plastic tubs with gear, separated by season or activity. Keeping the Packs packed for which activity, bigger packs for winter or longer trips, smaller packs for dayhikes, summer or snowshoeing.

All the time gear that goes in my Ribz pack no matter the season or activity; first aid, sharpening, gps, map, bandanna, leatherman, gloves and misc items.

I think my frustration comes when something crosses the divide between all of the above, or multiuse items.. Bushbuddy, Jetboil or alcohol, Katadyn basecamp, pocket filter, UV, tablets or fire water treatment. Baclava in Spring...winter and fall... ugh.. four seasons of gloves. heavy light lighter...

I have laid it all out in my basement and it's frankly daunting how much stuff it is trying to re-organize it all. I'm trying not to think too much into it and trying not to eventually throw it all back into "camping misc" bin.

So now you know the level of my crazy, how do you keep all your stuff from falling into oblivion, only to find it the following season or spending countless hours looking for something you think you have.

[Jtupnsmoke]

I keep everything piled up in the corner of my closet. My wife doesn't care too much for that approach but that's really the only place for me to keep it. It doesn't help that I also have rock climbing gear in there too. My quilts go in tubs that are stuck in the laundry room.

[DuctTape]

I have a room for my gear. On the wall are the packs. On shelves are bins with different gear. A bin for stoves, a bin for pots, a bin for tarps, a bin for shirts, etc... I have quilts in their storage sacks also on the shelves. Lastly, I have a large laundry basket. In that basket goes the gear which would be packed for any trip during that "season". To pack for a trip, I choose a pack, my quilts and the laundry basket.

If the trip is a specialty one, then of course I have to go into my bins. But for the majority of my trips I have my gear selected and ready to go. As the seasons change, I will swap out gear in the laundry basket. Mostly ends up being clothing or tarp changes.

[Detail Man]

Sounds like you've got a good method already with the bins. I do the same. My bins are sorted by contents and use. For each trip I pull out of each bin what I want for that trip as determined by weather and season. My packs hang empty the wall. TQs/UQs hang in a closet.

My bins are:
stoves, pots, fire making stuff
hammocks, bugnets, tree straps
tarps, stakes
rain gear, stuff sacks, sit pads, cozies
every time gear (1st aid, headlamp, knife, poo pack, water filter, etc)
other extras (extra straps, extra suspension, biners, guylines, etc that aren't currently in use)

Hammocks and bugnets are color-coded for each family member with pony beads to help keep things organized.

[Hototo]

There are a lot of good ideas here, I especially like the color coded beads idea. I probably make more work for myself, but I always put my gear completely away and work from lists. I have seasonal lists in a moleskin notebook, the beginning of the book listing all the standard gear I use regardless of the type of trip (water purifier, cookset, hammock, etc..) then pages titles by activity based on special needs I may have regarding the kind of trip i'm taking (on foot hike, kayak, bicycle, etc...) This is what works for me, might be a good start for you, even if you evolve from it later.

[Rune]

I dump it just inside the door of the shed, hoping I will find it again next trip.

[Shug]

I keep my down hanging where I can see it and dream of trips......
Shug

[ShortTripHome]

HA! thats so cool to see the rest of your garage Shug

[Gavin1999]

i keep mine in my backpack that way it is all ways ready for a hiking/camping adventure but i will keep my backpack in my closet or by my bed

[Agfadoc]

Thanks everyone for the advice, and for the pics Shug, good to know that I'm not the only one with too much stuff.