How the heck do you store and organize your gear?

hollybaumann

I cannot for the LIFE of me find a closet solution that works for my enormous pile of cameras/lenses/filters/boxes/cords/chargers/cards/flash/camera bags/accesories etc. What do you all use? Be specific: stores, brand, photos, name of the organizational products you use. I am totally at a loss and have looked at everything! What is the answer other than continuing to have a pile that I must sort through every time I need something?

TopCat

Flea Market???:D

roakey

Reply 34 in this thread has an excellent solution...

Roak

NeilL

roakey wrote: »

Reply 34 in this thread has an excellent solution...

Roak

I remember this thread - good discussion.

I use a metal filing cabinet (EliteBuilt, heavy duty, ball bearing, anti-tilt) in my small home studio. It is lockable, and because the drawers hang inside the cabinet there is airspace which ventilates and insulates but at the same time is dustproof. The cabinet is stable, solid, heavy and shockproof. The drawers are very long and deep, and I usually leave my gear in the three carry bags I use - two Lowepro 1 camera + 2 lenses bags, and one Lowepro Compact AW (http://products.lowepro.com/product/Compact-AW,1921.htm) - I dump these, packed, in two of the drawers, and pluck them out as I need them, ready to go, when I am heading out the door. When I am working at home, I open the bags, leaving them in the drawers, and set out what gear I am using on a trestle table in the studio. At the end, I pack the gear back in the bags and they are ready to go again when next I am heading out. The other drawers in the cabinet I use to store a variety of other expensive gear - my 300mm, monopod, Maha recharger, ETTL synch cords, accessories and so on, plus in the bottom drawer I throw a variety of attachments, clamps, bungee chords etc. I have found this a good solution in my way of living/working.

Neil

yendikeno

richy wrote: »

floor.

Mainly because i am a man and incapable of tidy.

+1 ;-)

aquaticvideographer

richy wrote: »

...

I am a man and incapable of tidy.

. Me too. I used to get away with this but now I get hints in the form of camera bags with internal organization systems for birthdays, holidays, randomly...

I've actually been doing a pretty good job of at least keeping things inside bags, and bags in the closet, lately. I find it is helping keep the dust/cat fur levels to an acceptable-ish level.

divamum

Richy, you're making good use of what my husband calls "the floordrobe"

Most of my gear is packed and ready to go much of the time; the other stuff lives in plastic crates/baskets. The extra stuff usually ends up in my music room, which has wound up doubling as a studio on occasion. I really need to rearrange the shelves in there a little and add some doors to them (thank you Billy bookcase) so that I can use at least one section as "bits and pieces storage" for photo gear but make it look a bit less of a jumble!

Ikea is almost always my first port of call for storage/organization items - I can usually find something (even if it's repurposed) to suit my needs.

lfortier

My Lowepro AW roller backpack is full and ready to go at all times. The "extra" stuff is all stored away in a bureau drawer. I have two other smaller bags that get used when I'm only carrying specific items.

Good luck.

rpcrowe

Not at all well...
I am disorganized and am always searching for the piece of gear I need...

zoomer

Expensive stuff like cameras and lenses stay in the safe unless I am using them.
Misc. stuff stays in the travel bag.
Lighting equip. stays in the trunk of my car.

Manfr3d

hollybaumann wrote: »

I cannot for the LIFE of me find a closet solution that works for my enormous pile of cameras/lenses/filters/boxes/cords/chargers/cards/flash/camera bags/accesories etc. What do you all use? Be specific: stores, brand, photos, name of the organizational products you use. I am totally at a loss and have looked at everything! What is the answer other than continuing to have a pile that I must sort through every time I need something?

Faceing a similar dilemma I came up with the following solution:

+ All gear (12 lenses, acessories, 2 bodies, 4 flashes, etc.) goes into one giant bag: A LowePro Magnum 650 AW

+ All bags (shoulderbags, backpacks, lenscases, etc.) go into big stackable transparent plastic boxes (a few bucks @ home improvement stores) stored away in a closet (4 boxes until now).

+ Tripods & lighting stands go into the closet as well. (I am thinking of getting a studio bag some time, from Calumet or so for transporting tripods+lighting stands ...)

+ Empty Cardboxes (from lenses to cardreaders) either go into the trash or in more plastic boxes stored away in the cellar (think "resale value")

This allows me to easily configure any bag that I choose with the
gear that I need for a particular shoot. So far it has worked very
well for me.

divamum

This was the best addition best inexpensive addition to my bag collection, found at my local dollar store for $15. It's not exactly like that one, but very similar. Mine doesn't zip at the top but has a drawstring covered by a flap which velcros down which is actually better, since brollies etc can just stick up at the sides, but are still securely seated. It fits my umbrellas, lightstand, folded-down reflectors/softbox, small footstool, extra lighting bag w/flashes, fong and other small modifiers and is super-easy to wheel around. It also makes for great storage for those items at home, and easily tucks into a closet or corner.

NeilL

divamum wrote: »

This was the best addition best inexpensive addition to my bag collection, found at my local dollar store for $15. It's not exactly like that one, but very similar. Mine doesn't zip at the top but has a drawstring covered by a flap which velcros down which is actually better, since brollies etc can just stick up at the sides, but are still securely seated. It fits my umbrellas, lightstand, folded-down reflectors/softbox, small footstool, extra lighting bag w/flashes, fong and other small modifiers and is super-easy to wheel around. It also makes for great storage for those items at home, and easily tucks into a closet or corner.

I think it'd be great if they made this in a scooter configuration so you could ride along!:D

Seriously, I've been intending to get a collapsible luggage trolley onto which I can load my Lowepro AW carry bag if desired. This means I can use the same bag whether I am carrying it or wheeling it, or both! without transfering stuff in and out of other bags. I can also add to and take my smaller bags off the trolley, making the arrangement more flexible and gear more accessible.

Neil

ThatCanonGuy

I keep my stuff on the floor too Even though I like to be tidy:D
Hey, I only have 1 body and 1 lens, and my accesories go on my desk ;~). My monopod and tripod go under my bag on the floor ;~)