How do you organize your"junk"?

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Ms. WB. I can't see a thing with them on beyond 3' so I take them off and of course the bilge weasels OR the dog takes them and spirits them away. I've mitigated the problem somewhat by stocking up with Dollorama spectacles of which I probably have about 15 pairs scattered throughout the universe courtesy of aforementioned "tricksters".

 

[BandB]

Greetings,
Ms. WB. I can't see a thing with them on beyond 3' so I take them off and of course the bilge weasels OR the dog takes them and spirits them away. I've mitigated the problem somewhat by stocking up with Dollorama spectacles of which I probably have about 15 pairs scattered throughout the universe courtesy of aforementioned "tricksters".

Wifey B: One word.......Bifocals.

 

[rgano]

Second and third words, eyeglass cord. Been wearing them for a decade or two. I wear tricocals but NEVER have them on when getting on or off the boat or other such activity where good depth perception looking down is required - just drop them on my chest and go. Don't need glasses for anything but reading - the middle lenses are for viewing a computer screen on a desk while standing on the darkened bridge of a destroyer. Uppers and not much of anything but a little clarification at longer distances than my arm.

 

[Nickair]

Since boats have storage areas with various locations, labels and an inventory make sense.

Labels are smart and save time.

An inventory is professional.

Locator schematic allows others on board to assist.

Limit project the supplies and project specific tools to active project/s only.

ALWAYS ONBOARD:
Checklists; Required consumables; Underway maintenance and repair tools; Emergency tools and supplies; Medical supplies; Electrical tools and supplies; Critical spare parts and associated items for underway R&R; complete fuel system parts Inventory for R&R w/ tools.

Tool shadow board with secured cover, in engine room, for emergency tools.
Fuel filters located in engine room. Cable cutter located at entrance to engine room.
A larger engine room is always wished for.

Martini, shaken not stirred.

Please add to my list, although with great consideration for each item added to inventory.

 

[swampyankee]

We've been watching Sailing Project Atticus on YouTube about a young couple cruising in a 30 ft ketch. They have 3 modes of storage - dockside, mooring, and cruising. Their comment is, your storage needs to be flexible to adapt to the various ways it is used. A dockside liveaboard is no way ready to cruise, vice versa, but if you plan to do both, then you must choose wisely.

 

[Maryboo]

I have to chime in here

We e lived aboard for many years and here’s some stuff I found out the hard way. We now have a BC33. Those plastic boxed I see in the pictures above, don’t get the ones with the handles on top. They let moisture and water get inside. Handles on the side are just in the way. Get the ones with just a little shelf on the side that you can grab. They fit closer together.
Get zip lock baggies, freezer ones are more sturdy. Also get small zip lock bags from th Er aft shop for small parts and screws, spare things. The size like an index card is the most useful thing you’ll find. Get index cards to put a label inside bag. Writing on the outside only last a few weeks, then you won’t know what it is.
Start with this. Measure your shelves, up, down, across, measure under seats and anywhere else you could store stuff. Write this down, with the location. Measure heights, this will be critical. Then go online to Walmart, container store, Amazon, search google and match up those spaces with the correct size boxes. Get ones with waterproof lids, particularly for small pieces. Don’t get the largest boxes you can, get some middle size. Clear is better for the shelves, and different colored tops are good too. There will be places that you can put just the box bottom, like under seats in the salon. To level the boxes and get them to sit flat, I used pool noodles.
BTW, the bilge boxes size will be determined by the size of the hole in the floor. I used shoe boxed and wire tired them together in place.
Then consider this. Heavy stuff, not often needed, goes down, center and low. For example, I kept all the plumbing parts, for all systems, in one box, except extra pumps which I vacuum seal with WD40. I keep all the electrical in another box. Tools are all low, under the stepson the lower level, in an under the bed size box. I can also put the separate boxes of screws etc in there.
At first my husband thought this idea wouldn’t work and was too much trouble, but I did it anyway. Didn’t tKe long to corral stuff, electrical, plumbing, misc. Now whenever he needs something, if it’s not in the box or we don’t have it.
My driving force for this organization besides finding stuff was to not feel like I like in a garage. Not all of this will work for everyone, but any step toward knowing what’s where is a big step. And it didn’t take long once I got the boxes, ay be an afternoon. Worth it.

 

[Bellakins]

We lived on our sailboat in the Caribbean for 6 months a year for 3 years. We inventoried the boat and kept a spreadsheet of everything on the boat. I printed it out 3 times, sorted 3 separate ways, and kept them all in a binder so that I could look something up quickly. We now have a trawler and I need to do the same thing for it. The storage space is different on the trawler and we have fewer drawers and don't have a nav table, which was very handy for all the little stuff. I keep things in small baskets or bins. For things like glasses, sunglasses, pens, pencils, charging cords, etc., a picnic silverware caddy works great. I have a silicone non-slip pad that I can put something like that on so that it doesn't slide around. Holds it like it's glued down. Plastic bins of various sizes with lids are great for all kinds of things. I organize the refrigerator with open weave small plastic bins. All the lunch stuff in one, fruit in another, etc. Cleaning supplies go in an open plastic bin under the sinks. I hate not knowing where something is and having to go on a search so I try to put things in logical places and keep them organized or I drive myself nuts.

 

[Poach]

Greetings,
Ms. WB. Them's fightin' words lassie! MY mate is a tosser....


Google “tosser” British slang

 

[Charlie williams]

My wife and I have been getting rid of as much material stuff as we can before we shift to life afloat! We have a 40 ft trawler so space is sparse! Lol ...
I make it a goal to get rid of , give away , take to the local donation center at least 1 pickup load a month. The more we minimize the happier we get. When your looking for ways to store more might be a good time to consider other ways of what makes one happy. Try Tonic and Gin with lime, a couple drinks will put you in the mood to get rid of more stuff and helps keep the Corona virus away!

 

[squimmy27]

I told my wife that I was going to commandeer one of the kitchen drawers as a "ditty drawer." I love to cook and gadgets have their place, but there is no justification for having an egg beater aboard. Rescue tape, spare deck fill o-rings, etc., can all go in a ditty drawer. For things that fall into a recognizable category, then I use plastic tool and storage boxes. I don't rely on my memory as to what is inside. I label them.

One of my main tools for organizing my tools (and other junk) is a Brother P-touch. One of the best investments I ever made. If I ask the wife to get the electrical tool box, she knows exactly which one to get because it says "Electrical Tools" on all four sides and the top. I simply type in "Electrical Tools" on the P-touch and print 5 labels. Same with something like "Garmin Transducer" during an installation. Then I put labels all along the wires during the install. No need for my storage boxes to be clear (which always seems to be a more brittle plastic). If the box says "Shop Rags," I'm not going to open it when looking for fuel filters. I'll probably open the one that says "Fuel Filters." Smart, huh?

God, I wish my prior owner had had a P-touch.

I've been living aboard for nearly 7 months and thank god the PO did have a P-Touch. He labeled every tool box, top and all sides, labeled the gauges on the helm, labeled the dock/mooring lines length in the deck cupboard. His wife did the same in the galley, stateroom and head. I channel the dear souls everyday to thank them.

What I have done is organize the aft and salon lazs and the under V-berth storage areas using same-size clear plastic boxes, side handles, and label every box trying to capture: System, Purpose/Type - like Propane/Spare Parts/Hoses, Solenoids, O-rings, yada-yada. The laz shelves are also labeled with what box is in that location. So it's sort of like a mapping spreadsheet labeled all over the MC. To Mr. RTF's point, the bigger the letters the better! I did just install this and have all the sizes of needed clamps so that I know my inventory, every clamp is redundant on the hoses themselves but this keeps me knowing when to buy more clamps.

 

[squimmy27]

I told my wife that I was going to commandeer one of the kitchen drawers as a "ditty drawer." I love to cook and gadgets have their place, but there is no justification for having an egg beater aboard. Rescue tape, spare deck fill o-rings, etc., can all go in a ditty drawer. For things that fall into a recognizable category, then I use plastic tool and storage boxes. I don't rely on my memory as to what is inside. I label them.

One of my main tools for organizing my tools (and other junk) is a Brother P-touch. One of the best investments I ever made. If I ask the wife to get the electrical tool box, she knows exactly which one to get because it says "Electrical Tools" on all four sides and the top. I simply type in "Electrical Tools" on the P-touch and print 5 labels. Same with something like "Garmin Transducer" during an installation. Then I put labels all along the wires during the install. No need for my storage boxes to be clear (which always seems to be a more brittle plastic). If the box says "Shop Rags," I'm not going to open it when looking for fuel filters. I'll probably open the one that says "Fuel Filters." Smart, huh?

God, I wish my prior owner had had a P-touch.

I've been living aboard for nearly 7 months and thank god the PO did have a P-Touch. He labeled every tool box, top and all sides, labeled the gauges on the helm, labeled what lines/length are in the deck cupboard. His wife did the same in the galley, stateroom and head. I channel the dear souls everyday to thank them.

What I have done is organize the aft and salon lazs and the under V-berth storage areas using same-size clear plastic boxes, side handles, and label every box trying to capture: System, Purpose/Type - like Propane/Spare Parts/Hoses, Solenoids, O-rings, yada-yada. The laz shelves are also labeled with what box is in that location. So it's sort of like a mapping spreadsheet labeled all over the MC. To Mr. RTF's point, the bigger the letters the better! I did just install this and have all the sizes of needed clamps so that I know my inventory, every clamp is redundant on the hoses themselves but this keeps me knowing when to buy more clamps.

 

[CarlF]

I recently added these 12x18 brightly colored mesh bags. They are perfect for the storage wells under berth cushions that are too small for a milk crate and awkward for plastic boxes. I use them for spare parts that are only needed 3-4 times a year. They are easy to toss in and pull out.

An example is the orange one has John Guest plumbing fittings, plastic pipe cutting tool, barbed hose fittings, hose clamps and the head replacement joker valves and rebuild parts,

My inventory list just says Plumbing/head- orange bag port settee.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007K671CM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Leo Reise]

There is an app that we have on our iPad - Where on my Boat - but just checking it looks like the name has changed to What's on my Boat.
Anyway - I nicely got our sailboat inventoried and then we sold it.

Now to start again on our new to us trawler.

It worked for us.

 

[FF]

How do you organize your"junk"?


Plastic milk crates , works great for food too.

 

[ranger58sb]

A couple more storage things we use:

Rubbermaid (or other brand) clear plastic storage boxes. Mostly this for longer trip where and when we can keep dry provisions in the guest stateroom. Boxes partly so stuff inside is visible, partly because they stack nice, and nest into empties.

MTM (or similar brand) "dry boxes" -- sort of like plastic versions of ammo cans. Better for dry storage or smaller stuff in our outside areas (eyebrow, fishbox, etc.). They also stack, if/when space allows.

-Chris

 

[Bethany]

I think it’s a constant battle to keep from accumulating “junque” on a boat. Therefore it’s important to really think about what you really need, and get rid of the rest, donate, sell, throw out... Guests seem to always leave certain things behind, sunscreen, bug spray, sunglasses. If they are not retrieved they go.....I also think there is a continuous movement and improvement of items to better locations, different plastic containers, depending on frequency of use. I do not think the use of drawer organizers and bins can be underestimated. I have them in every part of the boat to keep things from spreading to random areas. So for example:
I have identified all the tools I need to fix everything on the boat and they fit into a tool case that opens like a book..it is flat and fits in a perfect location in the pilot house. It will never move.
I have several drawer organizer type containers that you would normally use in kitchen drawers in your house, there are so many shapes and sizes that I have a variety to use through the boat. From “junque” drawer to organize pens, spare batteries, labels, tape, scissors etc. but I also use these in the bathroom storage area, or general cubby holes in the pilot house. These move from location to location depending on how things get used or stored...
Then of course the galley is the other heavy container user... again having a variety to keep things together helps keep everything sorted. Good luck with spring cleaning!

 

[Nickair]

How do you organize your"junk"?


Plastic milk crates , works great for food too.

Yes, Plastic milk crates are great to use. They breath, some interlock stack, they are strong for heavy things, they stack to make a temporary work bench, they stack to support tools or parts at a determined height, they can be modified as floppier stoppers, they can be a dock step or stair onto a boat, they can loaded and stacked on a hand truck to move heavy things to and from land, they can be used on the dingy to ferry heavy groceries, laundry or parts etc. They have so many uses. And they are inexpensive. They can be stored and stacked of the way in the engine room or other storage area. They can be stored in areas with things in them that can be emptied to temporarily use crates for a project or other uses. Can be used as saw horses. Can be used as a stool to reach things. Can be used as a Small crab trap with modification. Can be used as a portable seat. These are things I have done with them. Others may have better ideas.

 

[Marco Flamingo]

Another organization item that I frequently use is stretch wrap like this. There are sometimes things that are made up of several different little parts. Even when mummified in stretch wrap I can see what they are and the corresponding little parts (screws, o-rings, etc.) are right there. The spare dinghy anchor and rode can be mummified into a package that doesn't get caught on other junk. Anything that gets tangled up more often than it is gets used is mummified in .5 cents worth of wrap.

This thread reminded me that the milk crates in the garage would be much more valuable if they joined the ones already on board.