Storage Advice

[G7evans]

Hello To All,

Trying to get back into camping and really enjoyed taking my 3 year old son with some other friends and their kids. I purchased a large Rubbermaid storage bin to keep all my gear including tent, tarp, first aide kit, air mattresses, duct tape, lantern, hammer, pots/pans, etc. I have several smaller items I keep in there as well such as a pocket knife, multi tool, screw driver, etc. the issue I am having is smaller items are difficult to find when I get into the bin. I would like to find some type of zippered/buttoned bag or pouch that I can screw into the inside of the lid to keep these items in. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

[Irate Mormon]

Re: Storage Advice

You can get some of the little nylon "ditty" bags they sell at WM. They are usually in the camping section and have a drawstring closure. I use one to keep essentials (firesteel, bug spray, headlamp, etc.) handy. There are a lot of ways you could attach one to the lid.

Or you could get one of those pencil pouches they sell with school supplies.

[toedtoes]

Re: Storage Advice

I use eBags packing cubes for a multitude of items. They come in various sizes and colors. They also have a grip handle on one end, so you can set them in the big bin and just grab what you need. One for kitchen utensils, one for linens, one for electronic gear, etc.

[MacGyver]

Re: Storage Advice

I use Plano Stowaway boxes for all my small items. Not the ones with small compartments - the ones with no dividers. Kitchen utensils and other small cooking related items in one, hand tools and fire starting stuff in another and all the electrical stuff like my LED lights, solar charger and mp3 player that I can't live without in yet another. They work great in large containers like your Rubbermaid bins.

[Force10JC]

Re: Storage Advice

The large containers are nice for fitting things into your vehicle but yes, there is the issue of the large container being so big that you can't find anything quickly. We box and label items before placing them in the larger container for this reason. Some items we may keep in their original boxes/containers/stuff sacks if they store well that way within the larger container. Other items, especially loose smaller items, may require a smaller tote type box something like Mac describes in his post. Once you've done it a few times in a way that works for you, packing it will be a breeze and finding things will also be much easier.