Modular storage systems

Dan doing his hoodoo-voodoo in
modular storage land.

There aren't many more things that make me want to throw up on myself, and Danimal want to prance around joyously like a baby lamb, than trying to figure out the modular storage system. Now that I have just said this, I guess I've got a long way to come because living out of a Sprinter is pretty much all about the storage system.  I have pared down everything I own to prepare to fit into a limited number of space-efficient and user-friendly boxes, drawers, and bins.  The process has taken months (mostly because I wanted to sell or repurpose most of my things rather than just huck 'em), but I suspect downsizing will have been one of the most important things I ever did for myself and everyone else.  I want it to stick.  Which means in the short term this storage system has got to rock my face off.

Our observations:

1.  We love the Rubbermaid™ "Action Packer" totes. They are sturdy, super light weight, have a well-built lid that you can sit on, and are voluminous enough to fit two peoples' river gear, or one person's entire winter clothing/gear get-up from ski boots to cold weather layers.  They are large, but not too large, and very strong.  Downside: they are pricey (cheapest we've found were $25/ea), and their tapered construction is not the most space-efficient design.

2.  Clear, see-through totes are ideal.  Another reason to steer from the black and grey Action Packer is that we are going to want a window into the soul of the storage bins.  

3.  Uniform totes that stack win the battle vs. that piecemeal tote collection you've been dragging around since college. There is a finite amount of space.  You need to make the most of it, and you want your stored bins to stack nicely so things aren't jangling around every which way.  For those dirtbags who are unemployed (like me), or are cheapskates, or consumer-conscious. . .or all three, I can understand why you wouldn't want to go out and buy a whole new world of ridiculous matching plastic bins like you were some consumer-ignorant suburban zombie Mom, I do. The raw deal of it, though, is that uniformity in your storage system is smart. It just is.

I'll have to get back to you on the status of my dream modular storage system because I couldn't look at/think/talk about/visualize stuff-stuffing-into-bins any longer.  I'm sure storage dreams are had by the robots living in Japan all the time.  I will have to tap into my inner robothead.  

In the meantime, tomorrow we take a break from the garage to hike/skate/freeze our carrot noses off on Pitchoff Mountain. Three inches of snow have fallen tonight and climbing.  
-Delilah