Do you have an organizational method

[ATCclears]

A piece of duct tape (and writing on the duct tape in a Sharpie pen) makes an easily-removable label for ammo cans.

 

[fredridge]

Mostly seems like no real system. My safe and ammo are decently organized. I only carry 4 calibers 22, 9, 223/556 and 308. I have a shelf with ammo cans for each one.

Now working on the other stuff.

Harbor freight had the small ammo cans on sale, just bought a bunch. With separate mags, parts accessories into various cans with labels.

 

[Stomper]

I use the French method called pie-lay.




They spell it "pile."

Pretty sure that's eye-talion…..

 

[Mono1]

They spell it "pile."

THIS ^^^. File by Pile.

 

[Camelfilter]

A piece of duct tape (and writing on the duct tape in a Sharpie pen) makes an easily-removable label for ammo cans.

Painters tape & decent metallic crafts store tape do so as well.

 

[nwslopoke]

My safe has long guns on one side, handguns and important papers on the other. The rest of the stuff is scattered about the house and shop.

Organized is probably not the best word to describe my stuff in general...

As long as you know where everything is, it's organized.

 

[solv3nt]

Painters tape & decent metallic crafts store tape do so as well.

Easy! I keep my duct tape, zip ties, shovel and tarp in my trunk.

 

[Catbox]

Surplus file cabinets are cheap.
I have some of those for the extra bits you mention.
Ammo cans fit in them as well and they will hold a fair amount while staying organized as long as you don't go stuffing everything in them.

I also use a file cabinet to store soft drinks out in the garage.
Keeps the vermin out too.

 

[fredridge]

I looked at filing cabinet options but was unsure and wanted to preserve floor space.

I just picked up some upper cabinets on Craigslist

 

[gmerkt]

Organized is probably not the best word to describe my stuff in general...

Fair to say about my stuff, to a degree. Which leads to the next quote.

Do you have an organizational method? Alas, no. Am I actively working on one? Yes, very much so.

This has been a life-long effort for me. I can stay task-oriented and on-point for mission accomplishment. Yet I'm deficient on maintaining a constant, high state of organization.

Simple, cheap, fits well on shelves, expandable as needed...

Cardboard boxes are a lot cheaper than steel ammo cans and a lot lighter too. I've got my gun stuff functionally batched and boxed; it isn't all the the same spot.

As long as you know where everything is, it's organized.

This. My level of physical place organization may not be the best, but my memory for where everything is located is pretty good. I've found that highly organized people don't always have the best retention. A permanent, high state of physical organization is their way of coping with bad memory.

Surplus file cabinets are cheap.

This is very true. In a world where paper documentation is less often practiced, these come up for sale very inexpensively. I've got four each four drawer file cabinets. Unfortunately, they are most full of -- PAPER. Meaning, photographs and various docs. I've inherited a lot of it from family members; some I have yet to properly sort through after many years. Probably a lot of it will go to our son, who is the generational person who has any interest in such things.

Further:

Bench top space. I have several bench tops. One for automotive work. One for cleaner work, like gun stuff and reloading. Another for administrative-type work and packing. Another couple that have, well, just defaulted into piles of storage. When is the time to clear off a bench top? When it is no longer functional for work. I have to carry out periodic purges, orgies of organization, where I go through everything on the bench top and figure out a disposition for it. Then it looks good and I feel good - for a while.

I have extensive photo files stored in my PC. Now there's an organizational challenge.

 

[fredridge]

So not exactly organized yet but getting there. This has mostly been since I posted this thread.
Added the narrow rack, the cabinets and the small ammo cans.
The small ammo cans fit sideways inside the rack, so once loaded and labeled I will probably move them down and then get a couple more of those clear tubs.
So far about $140 for all of that, rack being the most expensive. Safe already looking better because I don't just have to shove extra stuff in there.

I have some cheap LED strips coming. Those fluorescents came with the cabinets.

 

[Knobgoblin]

So not exactly organized yet but getting there. This has mostly been since I posted this thread.
Added the narrow rack, the cabinets and the small ammo cans.
The small ammo cans fit sideways inside the rack, so once loaded and labeled I will probably move them down and then get a couple more of those clear tubs.
So far about $140 for all of that, rack being the most expensive. Safe already looking better because I don't just have to shove extra stuff in there.

I have some cheap LED strips coming. Those fluorescents came with the cabinets.

View attachment 1804573

What's your estimated maximum weight once the cabinets are full?

 

[fredridge]

Don't know. The cabinets themselves are pretty heavy. They are decently mounted and solid. Each cabinet has 9 screws spread across 3 studs.

With that said, the plan for the cabinets.

Top - all my empty gun, optics and accessories boxes. So won't carry much weight.

Bottom - soft rifle bags and holsters. And stuff I don't want to get dusty.

I do have one of those hang under backpacks which is pretty heavy mostly because I leave ammo in it. I may just put that on top of the safe as it would fit anyway.

That rack carries the most weight as it has a lot of ammo on it. It's flimsier that I would have wanted, but it's fairly narrow and wedged in between the safe and the wall I think it will be ok.

 

[Caveman Jim]

My trademark, no copycats please.

 

[when_DM_smiles]

Ran out of storage space so it's now LIFO (last-in-first-out) inventory...

 

[fstdraw]

One safe for .22's and AK's. The other safe is for AR's and other guns. Pistols are a proprietary secret. Ammo labeled as to new or reloads. Reloading components in a closet-high and dry! Everything else? I can find it most of the time.

 

[Mono1]

My trademark, no copycats please.

View attachment 1804718 View attachment 1804719

I already took notes. Should I destroy them?

 

[Capn Jack]

A number of you guys talk like you're single.

Room in the closet? Hah ! One rack you mean.
Room in the dresser ? I have 5 drawers out of 8.
She has 2 complete units and the entire spare bedroom.
At least I have the den which is full of bookcases, air rifles and computer stuff.
The garage is my space. That is, it was until storing Christmas in the attic became a hassel and a huge cardboard coffin arrived with a 7.5 ft. artificial tree in it. ARGH ! The safe said 10 rifles, but that was without scopes. The ammo cabinet is full and I've put the lead pot and molds away because that cabinet is full of bullets and resized brass. And, the covered bed of my poor 'ol truck has become a depository for anything that won't fit anywhere else.

But, I know where everything is.

 

[FATAL125]

How do you organize all your gun stuff?

I mean handguns and rifles arranged in the safe, but there is lots of other stuff.

How do you organize mags? Loaded and unloaded?

Accessories? Replaced triggers, extra parts, batteries, charging cables etc

Gun boxes- the stuff guns and accessories came in.

Bags, packs etc for transport and load outs.

Tools

Anything else I missed.

Catalyst is I moved my safe and put a small each next to it for ammo but have a some extra room.

Until now everything has either been in the safe or just shoved in a closet.

I'm thinking of some extra harbor freight ammo cans and labeling for various things.
I currently use like 6-8 mags actively per gun that I use in rotation and quite a few more in a box just stored away to future proof.

Thanks for your thought.

How do I organize all my gun stuff? With a huge smile on my face! One of my favorite things about my gun stuff is organizing it. I'd start a business doing just that if I could.

I've gone through a few variations based on what my home at the time allowed. Most recently in the new house I've been fortunate to have a good amount of storage space.

Generally speaking...

- Weapons are organized as cleanly and efficiently as possible in the safe. Weapons only though... nothing else allowed.
- Magazines are now getting transferred to the Hold Up Displays wall mount racks. I've also used wire baskets mounted to the wall before as well. The hanging shoe holder idea from @washagonian is cool though too.
- Ammo is all in factory boxes on open shop type shelves. Each shelf or two is a dedicated caliber. No mixing up and I can see and access everything easily.
- Parts, holsters, cleaning supplies, tools, optic boxes for items I still own, etc, etc... are kept in clear shelf size totes that are labeled and stack easily and are easily accessible.
- Cases and range bags are organized by size in a closet and again, easily accessible without having to fight to get what I need.

Regular downsizing is huge for me and my organization. I try to purge about every 6 months. As with most things in my life, if I haven't thought about or needed it in a year or less it finds a new home. There are exceptions to this, but not many. I don't keep hoards of stuff for that "just in case" scenario. I used to and it was exhausting. Both with gun stuff and my construction company. I realized IF the time ever comes where I need this "thing" again I'll just go buy it.

EDIT TO ADD: Forgot about blades. Pocket and belt size knives are getting a new treatment with the Hold Up Displays wall mount heavy duty display shelves. Might even put some magnets on the underside of the metal shelves to keep stuff from falling off. Larger blades like machetes get hung on the wall with simple hooks and paracord.

 

[Mono1]

A number of you guys talk like you're single.

Room in the closet? Hah ! One rack you mean.
Room in the dresser ? I have 5 drawers out of 8.
She has 2 complete units and the entire spare bedroom.
At least I have the den which is full of bookcases, air rifles and computer stuff.
The garage is my space. That is, it was until storing Christmas in the attic became a hassel and a huge cardboard coffin arrived with a 7.5 ft. artificial tree in it. ARGH ! The safe said 10 rifles, but that was without scopes. The ammo cabinet is full and I've put the lead pot and molds away because that cabinet is full of bullets and resized brass. And, the covered bed of my poor 'ol truck has become a depository for anything that won't fit anywhere else.

But, I know where everything is.

Dude, you need your own room. I have my own room with a deadbolt on the door that I lock when I leave home.

That is so she can't borrow my tools (She has her OWN Toolkit that I bought her) and somehow misplace them.

Or, to Re-Arrange Things in there to "Make it Better For Me"

All Manly Things are in My Room. The Things I Can't Live Without.

The rest of the house is hers. That's OK. Women NEED that.

If you ever watch a female bird building a nest, you will see Laser-Focused Dedication to making Sure Every Twig IS Where It Needs To Be.

Humans are no different.

We do Our Thing.

They Do Theirs.

Wisdom,

From Mono1

You're Welcome