Feeling the wind in your hair and taking in the fresh air are just some of the perks of spending time in the great outdoors. But when you’re returning from your camping trip or your weekend getaway spent hiking, you’re left with organizing and putting away your gear. It’s not advisable to leave it in your garage among other household items – they can get damaged in time, and next time you embark on an outdoorsy trip you’re likely to dig through piles of tools, camping chairs and other garage “regulars” to find all your camping gear. Organizing and storing your gear can help you avoid this situation. That’s why we’ve put together a guide below to help you care for your gear, organize it and properly store it:
Clean your gear first
Before putting your outdoor gear in storage, clean it first. Taking this step ensures that your equipment is free from grime, dust and bacteria that can breed unpleasant smells. Use a soft-bristled brush to remove any mud traces and use a soft sponge dipped in a natural soft soapy water to wipe the surface. Avoid harsh chemicals, as they can damage your gear.
If your equipment has traces of mold, you need to take another step in the cleaning process. Spray the affected area with a spray bottle of vinegar and water and let it sit for an hour. If needed, carefully scrub the area with a brush. Wipe with a cloth dipped in warm water and spray again with vinegar. As a last step, allow the cleaned surfaces to air dry before putting them away. If the moldy area is waxed wood, cast iron or aluminum, avoid using vinegar as its acidic content can damage these materials. Instead, use a commercial mold remover to protect them in the cleaning process.
Fix damaged gear and perform basic maintenance
Unpack tents, check seating and lounging items and check all your other outdoor equipment for rips and tears to make sure there is no damage. If you do find damaged parts, try to fix them before putting them away. Look for holes in your boat or raft and fill them if possible. It’s also a good idea to wax them before hoisting them up for storage.
Check smaller items, too and remove batteries from your electronics. Most of them are probably dead anyway, unless they’re rechargeable. Removing batteries is also a good idea to avoid any leakage-related damage. Moreover, don’t be afraid to part with items that are too damaged to use again. This is a good time to discard them and to make room for functional gear only.
Organize your gear based on activity
With your gear cleaned, dried and fixed, your next step is to start organizing it so that you can easily find it next time you’re looking for it. You can organize them by season or by activity. However, if you’re a big fan of the outdoors, grouping them by activity might be the more practical approach. You can make backpacking, skiing, climbing, water sports, trail running and camping piles to begin with. Keep an inventory list if your collection of outdoor gear is extensive – this will give you a better handle on what you own and help you better organize it.
Create dedicated storage space for your outdoor gear
You’ve cleaned and sorted your gear – now it’s time to find a good home for everything. Here are some options to help you keep it for winter:
- At home
If you have extra room in a guest bedroom, you could use the space under the bed and the closet for storage for smaller items and clothing. Also, for a lot of people, the garage, basement or attic might seem like excellent candidates to keep the outdoor gear. Consider these options only if you live in a warm climate. However, these spots are not ideal for long-term storage as they don’t control for humidity or temperature. Your gear could get moldy in time and can even get heat- or cold-related damage.
- In a self storage unit
Putting your items in storage for winter can be a much better option. It saves you the hassle of finding a new storage spot in your home and ensures your items receive the protection they need. It’s worth considering a climate-controlled unit, which can provide the right environment with optimal temperature and humidity conditions to prevent your belongings from getting damaged.
When it comes to the unit size you’ll need, your hiking gear can probably fit quite easily into a 5’x5’ unit if we’re talking smaller items. Should you need something that’s closer to a walk-in closet, there are also larger units, sized 5’x10’ or a 10’x10′ fit for a motorcycle, for instance. If you need vehicle storage or boat storage, you’ll need a 10’x20′ or, respectively, 10’x30′ unit. Better yet, you can use our storage unit size calculator to figure out what would work best for your needs.
Generally speaking, self storage is an inexpensive service, with a 10’x10’ non-climate-controlled unit renting for $119/month, on average. Rates differ based on location, with some cities offering more competitive rates than others. Check out how self storage rates compare in some of the biggest cities below:
Make the most of the designated storage space
Next, think of how you’ll arrange your supplies and gear in the space where they’ll be stored.
- Prioritize access to frequently used items
Ensure that any frequently used items, first aid kits and flashlights are all easily accessible — the front of the storage unit would be a good spot. Heavier items can stay on lower shelves or directly on the floor to prevent any accidents, while any gear that is rarely used should be packed away so it won’t get in your way.
- Organize items based on function
Another option would be to arrange the items in the order you’ll need them when packing for a trip. This way, you’ll spend less time rummaging through boxes for that one item you really need. Having a master packing checklist can be useful for this process since you could make note of what supplies and gear you use on every single camping trip.
- Rotate gear location based on seasonality
You can also rotate your gear and supplies based on each season. An efficient way of doing this would be to keep winter gear easily accessible during the winters, at the front of the unit or in some easy-to-reach containers, while the summer items are stored toward the back of the unit or inside boxes that aren’t so easily reachable. When winter is over, you can then switch everything around and bring the spring/summer items out where you can find them without too much effort.
- Go vertical
Vertical space can be very helpful when storing these items and should not be ignored. Use tall shelving units to fully use the available space in your self storage unit, but make sure that bins or boxes are safely stacked to prevent them from toppling over. Stackable containers can be a lifesaver in these situations.
Personalize storage options based on gear type
Each type of gear needs its own storage solutions. Here’s what to consider based on what you’re storing:
- Camping chairs
Camping chairs fold to be easily carried away, which makes them easy to store. You could easily hang them folded on a pegboard or have them lean against a wall in your closet or storage unit. Many of them come with a bag that also works as a carrying case. Cover the chairs with their original cover if possible, or use a tarp for this purpose to prevent them from collecting dust while in storage.
- Tents
If camping is in your blood, you’re probably the proud owner of at least one tent. These items should be stored closed in a cool and dry place to ensure they maintain their shape. Take the time to prep your tent for storage by folding it properly to make sure the air pockets that naturally form are removed. Apply pressure to force the air out as you fold out the tent.
You can use a pillowcase or a mesh of appropriate size as a cover for your tent as these types of materials allow for air circulation. Also, check to make sure that your cover of choice keeps tension on tent poles at a minimum.
- Sleeping bags
When storing them, sleeping bags receive a similar treatment to tents. Put your sleeping bag in a large mesh or fabric sack. Ideally, you should store them hanging and not scrunched up to allow them to preserve their shape and fluffy loft. This is crucial to helping them maintain their ability to protect you from low temperatures much longer. You can then hang them in your closet or on a pegboard. An alternative would be to store them under a bed.
- Bags and backpacks
A good storage idea for your bags and backpacks is to keep them together in an area that you can easily reach. Place them on a hook near the door leading to the garage or on your pegboard. If you backpack year-round, you might find it useful to keep your backpack ready-packed for your next with non-perishables only, of course.
You could also use a duffel bag as a storage “center” for all your other outdoor bags for camping and more. Place the duffel bag in your closet if you have the room or in your storage unit.
- Tarps
When not used as storage covers, tarps must also find a home. To prevent them from creating clutter, you can neatly fold them and put them on the bottom of a shelf of a storage unit. You can easily store other outdoor items on top now. Or, if you have several of them, you can place them in a clear bin.
- Camping kitchen
Packing and storing a camping kitchen seems like a daunting task, but if you have a camp chuck box, storage can be a breeze. Clean all utensils and other kitchen items, dry them and put them in the chuck box. As an alternative, you can use plastic bins for the same purpose. Make sure to group items together and use even smaller containers inside the “kitchen bin” for added organization. This way, you’re almost ready for your next camping trip.
- Long items
Your oars, hiking poles, and other long items that you use when you enjoy the outdoors can be tricky to store. You can use an umbrella stand for the sleek ones or a tall laundry basket if you have several of them.
- Kayaks and canoes (and other large gear)
If you own large items, whether it’s a kayak, canoe, paddleboard or snowboard, you might also need to find a way to store them. If you live in a single family home, you can use the garage for this purpose. You can suspend your kayak from the ceiling to maximize the way you’re using the space. If you live in an apartment and own a paddleboard, you can incorporate it into wall décor. However, if you own a boat, your best bet is to put it in storage, especially if you need long-term storage. Check out the storage facilities in your city to see if they provide boat storage.
Besides the warm weather watercrafts, many enjoy getting out on the snow with a snowmobile. Owning one is most likely to happen in climates that enjoy the changing of the seasons. That means you need to store your snowmobile for the off-season. You’d typically leave half a tank of fuel and grease it – on the rear and front suspension, steering and drivetrain to prep for it for long-term storage. You can keep your snowmobile in your garage, but a climate-controlled unit is a much better alternative as it protects it from the damages of fluctuating temperature and humidity.
- Smaller-sized winter gear
If you love the snowy season and all the fun sports you can do outdoors, you probably own various winter sports gear that also needs some TLC when being put in storage. If you enjoy ice skating, you should wipe the blades with a soft cloth to remove any remaining residue. Wrap them with a terry cloth that will help absorb any moisture. Keep your ice skates in a cool and dry place, whether in your home or at your storage unit.
- Electronics
After removing the batteries from your electronics, you can put them in a labeled bin. This way, you can find your headlamp or your flashlight or other similar items you need for your next hiking adventure. You can keep, in a separate organizer, a bunch of spare batteries to be ready to be used if you need them.
- Toiletries and first aid supplies
You should also dedicate a separate storage area to your toiletries and your first aid supplies. You can use a clear bin for this purpose and a couple of smaller containers to keep things separate. It’s a good idea to label everything inside this bin for easier reach. You can also color code the containers and keep the same system when you’re out in nature.
- Clothes
Once they’re washed and thoroughly dried, your outdoor clothing should be folded and placed in a vacuum-sealed bag. They’re a great investment for out-of-season clothing as they offer protection from dust and mold. Alternatively, if you live in a climate where hitting the trails is a year-round activity, you can create an outdoor gear section in your closet where you can hang everything to keep it organized. Start by hanging your base layers on the left and move to the right with the thicker clothing. This way, you have an easy and effective storage system for your outdoor clothing.
As for shoes, you can put your hiking boots and running shoes on an over-the-door shoe storage rack next to your other shoes on your closet door.
Putting together an organization and storage system for your outdoor gear is no easy feat, but it’s worth it to put in the time and the effort to do so as it prolongs the life of your gear and makes leaving your home on your next adventure much easier as you can easily find what you need to enjoy the outdoors.
Florin Petrut also contributed to this article. With a big passion for storytelling, Florin interned as a marketing writer for Yardi. Having always been passionate about writing, he pursued a B.A. in Journalism and then further developed his skills during his two years of M.A studies.
