Storing gear: Two questions

1. Where do you keep your gear? In boxes? Bags, drawers, other? Labeled?
2. How much is categorized by type (box of cooking gear; stove, pots, etc) and how much is stored in kits (already in a go bag for instance.)

We’re use a mix of bags and boxes. The bags have first aid symbology on velcro patches to indicate which compartment to get at medical gear. The bins are not labeled but they’re kept in a location clearly communicated to all of the family. Our camping gear has its own place in the garage.

We have two comprehensive emergency kit bags in each of my wife’s and my cars. Either kit is designed to serve for short term emergencies and to be the core of the larger system.

For longer term events, there are two “wife portable” bins designed to add additional capability. They’ve never been in the cars except for testing. The OTC meds we commonly use are replenished from the bins and immediately replaced with fresh ones.

There’s one more, smaller bin for wound closure in austere conditions. Three of us have been trained on this and I hope we never have to use it. NB: Don’t close serious wounds unless you’ve made 100% sure they’re clean, and it’s always better to get to definitive care if it’s available.

I laid in a pretty decent supply of pandemic-specific items kept near those bins, that we’ve been using as needed. I was able to provide Eldest Offspring some hand sanitizer to bring to college from that.

There are two emergency ammo boxes (one for pistol and one for rifle), staged near the aforementioned bins, never to be touched except for actual emergencies that we hope will never come.

The Glucerna, bottled water, and cans of Zevia are in their original cases, in my bedroom. Alka-Seltzer, boxes of cracker sandwiches, and Kleenex Go Packs are on the shelf of my bedroom closet. Oralcare items, including Carmex, are in one plastic bin. Rx medication (except for the controlled medicines in my fireproof safe) is in the second bin. Aspirin, hand sanitizer, extra pill crushers, and boxes of alcohol swabs are in a third bin.

I have my apocalypse first aid kit and my EDC first aid kit. Refill items are semi-organized in boxes.

Jeanette Isabelle

My stuff is just in boxes and totes.

Some of my stuff is in boxes and some in small duffel bags.

- Plastic bin with lid, in category. Not labeld, because i'm single and know which bin contains what.
- Ikea bag (sleeping bag and other bulky stuff).
- Folding crates. (the ones with a seperate handle, so you can carry them in by one hand are fantastic)

Our go backpacks each have a printed-out list of the contents in the top pocket. (The items are listed in groups according to which pocket they are stored in.) This helps when I need to change out something and don't have to dump out everything to find it. (Like, where did I stash the spare batteries?)

Whenever I tinker with the contents, I update the lists on my computer and print out new copies. Having the list on the computer helps me when I get a new suggestion from, for example, this forum. ("Bring a toothbrush? What an excellent idea! Oh, wait, I already did that.")

As for the endless series of flashlights, Leatherman tools, and pocket knives, all acquired in the lifetime search for an Even Better One, they just go in a plastic bin.

when I started looking a the concept of bugging out, I was teaching in a school built prior to the hurricane Andrew code changes after 92... our building was at that time a designated community shelter area... I took a look at what the early arrivals for an approaching storm were using... most evacuees were from a low lying area on the Anclote River ..their mobile home park was always effected by rain induced flooding... these "pros" arrived with some form of a rolling transport... a hand truck, garden cart etc, but several used a large Craftsman rolling plastic tool chest,.... strapped to the top a Sterilite or Tupperware sealed large bin, a cooler, and a folding aluminum chaise lounge...

clothing, toiletries, battery lights, radio, some consumable snacks and non alcoholic drinks... cooler full of ice, and the lounge gave the option of reclining fully to sleep, or sitting upright... the Craftsman plastic tool chest was strong enough and of the right height to sit on... the tool chest and large water resistant tub were my first purchases ... good 5 day cooler, battery powered fan, and light weight lounge chair followed... 30 years later I think they cover the necessities of bugging to a shelter for a minimum duration event....

today a small Asian camp stove, mosquito netting, better LED lighting, canned food, and a tarp and ridge pole for my utility trailer could still get the job done for a couple of weeks

I've added rolling duffels to the camping part of the bug out kit.