Its easy to get too much stuff, doesn't matter if its gear or tools or something else. The trick is to keep organized. Don't fall into the trap of running out and buying a bunch of stuff or grabbing whatever Walmart has on sale, in the long run you will end up with a bunch of crap that gets misplaced, lost, or broken.

Start out by taking an inventory of what you have. I created a few spreadsheets, one for my EDCm one for my Bob, one for the kit in my truck, one for the gear in my garage, etc. You will find out that you have a lot more than you thought you did once you list it all down somewhere.

Then categorize all your items, I took a bunch of different "10 essentials" lists and consolidated them down to a basic essentials list and then grouped/categorized all my gear accordingly. Then I was able to count the gear for each category and see if I had too much of one and not enough of another.

Then decide on how you will store/carry all that gear. I make it a rule that before I buy something it has to have a place, be it a bag, box, shelf, etc if I don't know where to put it then it doesn't get purchased. See the shiny new knife, hmm, where can this go in my bob, maybe the side pocket, check the spreadsheet, I have three knives in tha bob already do I need another, maybe this can replace two of the others, if so then I'll buy it, if not then I pass.

So by my organizational scheme every item must justify its self in how it fits into the essentials and plan I have set forth and where it will be kept. This prevents me from buying a bunch of gear and then having to find somewhere to put it and prevents me from buying a bunch of stuff that I either have plenty of or don't need.

My essentials spreadsheet is sort of a master plan besides listing the essential groups of gear I list ideas and a direction I want to go which helps with future gear purchases.

I've gone from carrying a fairly massive load of stuff to a relatively tight set of "the basics" and a lot less of the "ifs"

The expression that I've heard is "the more you know, the less you need" - and the experience I've had in emergency situations has been pretty good, as far far people willing ready and able to help out. Look at this video I made: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8247617796963879054&hl=en

And you'll see lots of people helping out in an emergency.

That said, as I've said before, the most critical tool you have in an emergency is your mind.

Most of my camping gear is in the garage too, I built a row of shelves one year so I could clean up my garage. All the tools sit on one shelf, then oil and filters and such on another and the camping gear on the top. If I actually did need to evac then its a simple matter of tossing everything from the shelf in the back of the truck and going, the organization is such that the gear is stored pre-staged and ready to go.

Organization certainly helps, especially for the storage aspects such as Eugene practices.

A while back Chris made yet another profound statement. He noted that equipping for survival should be similar to how you would dress for varying weather conditions. It should be done in layers. Several smaller layers are better than one big one. He was referring then to the difference between EDC and BOB and such, but the principle is global. I try to tote aroudn as little as possible, and keep stashes of supplies at my regular locations, such as work and home, of things I might need less often. I figure that the point of my EDC ought to be to get me to a location where I can equip further, and the point of my stash is to help me either get by where I am or make it to somewhere safer. I would only keep in the car what I am able to tote on my person, except for specialty items for specific planned or expected circumstances, which would rotate in and out as the need changes. I keep my bug out supplies in good order at home and use them once in a while just for an equipment check and so I can stay familiar with the lot.

Thanks gang,

I knew I could count on y'all for honest feedback.

I've got a series of excel spread sheets that I've tried to catagorize/prioritize what stuff needs to go where, but I think I've been trying to cover too many bases too haphazardly.

I like the idea of risk assessment to narrow down the focus and layering/staging of coverage.

On my shift today I was reminding someone of the nursing model we follow then it dawned on me; go with what you know.

My battle plan so far based on the feedback I've gotten from y'all:

Assess:

1) Inventory what I already have.

2) Assess most likely hazards/events to deal with.

3) Assess what gear would give me the most bang for the buck (or space)to cover hazards?

4) Assess where would supplies need to be during said hazard?

5) Coordinate with my wife on how would this fit into our overall plan to simplify our lives? (she's the wisest person I know).

6) What do I need to cover most likely hazards?

7) Where are my loved ones and myself most vulnerable?

8) Where to store/stage goodies?

I like the idea of using my backpacking gear as part of the family BOB. It doesn't make sense to have duplicate gear in all places which is where I felt like I was heading.

Plan:

1) Make a specific disaster plan. (I already have the basics of one with meeting places, etc), and incorporate it into the family control log my wife is building. I'm carrying too much of this stuff in my head.

2) Make Shopping / improvising list to cover what I don't have focusing on quality.

2) Schedule rotation schedule for expiring supplies (already have a semi-routine for hurricane season).

Intervention:

1) Pick only one area to work on first.

2) Add one element per paycheck to add.

3) Get out and go more places (my in-laws are the most prepared folks I know outside of this group. They lived in their RV for a while traveling around).


Evaluation:

1) Ask my beloved and child for feedback. Is this something you would use? Are you feeling cluttered?

2) Reassess threats as needed.

3) Reassess inventory (did I use this during the year, is it taking up space that could be better used for something else?

4) Use the gear from time to time. (does it work as planned, does canned ravioli taste ok cold, etc ?)

Thank all of you again.

I am continualy trying to learn new skills so I can drop some of my gear. there is some that is just so handy to have but you have to really want it and ask yourself is it really worth the extra weight?

Bingo.

Seriously - it's warm shelter, water, food. In that order. The rest is extra.

Sounds like your on the same track I am. Make a new blank spreadsheet (I use OpenOffice instead of Excel but thats a whole different thread) for your overall plan. This is where you take a step back and think things at a high level. Instead of knife or flashlight your thinking EDC/BOB/etc
I like the idea of using my backpacking gear as part of the family BOB. It doesn't make sense to have duplicate gear in all places which is where I felt like I was heading.



I work in IT so Disaster Recovery is a common thing. I made a personal/home DR Plan. Much like the ones I see at the office that say what if this regional processing center or data center goes down mine says what if I have to leave my house or what if my house is destroyed.



Not only quality gear but make sure it fits in with your master plan, for example don't buy a camping trailer if you don't have a vehicle to tow it with or don't buy gear you don't plan on learning to use.



I found spreadsheets work well here too, make rows with each todo and then make columns of weekly, monthly, yearly, etc times. I used to use a calendar with todo's and such but it was too easy to snooze those reminders. I now will open the spreadsheet when I get a chance and do everything that needs done.



I try to buy gear each paycheck but don't hold your self exactly to it, let yourself splurge on something fun every once and a while so you don't get depressed from gloom and doom.
We take trips to state parks and places like that. I'll get up on a Sat morning and the weather will be nice so I'll pick a park and we'll throw the camping/portable/bugout grill in the truck and take off and spend the day somewhere new. I applied my same standards to the fun stuff, got a bag and put in bathing suits and towels and sunscreen so its packed and always ready to go so if the park I picked has a lake were good to swim.


How old if your child? If old enough and enjoys the trips to places then buy him/her a small colorful backpack and have them pack it for a travel bag. Put in a change of clothes, book, game, etc and anything else he/she might use when your out at parks and such. Then when you get up one morning and say "hey lets go to lake _" they can just grab their 'go travel' bags and hit the road.
We managed to make a real camping trip last summer and have another this summer so all my gear was packed and taken.

Yeah, we all go throught this. It helps if you think of your 'stuff' as tools and camping gear. And, on the plus side, its still a cheaper hobby than golf...:)

Teacher