Running out of Space in my closet! Possible down gear storing options and alternatives?

[Eugene Smith]

Like the title says, I've run out of room in my house for hanging my down quilts and garments in an oversized cotton storage bag. I've always hung down gear loosely in a bag in the closet but they're now being compressed with all my regular clothing since I've added some new items. I don't have a spare bedroom to lay them out flat in either, plus my 2 yr. old girl and 1 yr. old boy would have a field day with daddy's gear. I do have the garage but it isn't climate controlled and being in southern New Mexico the constant heating and cooling in the garage is terrible for down and the shell material, so that isn't going to happen!

What I would like to do is store my quilts under the bed in an oversized underbed storage container like these:

Underbed Storage for Down Quilts

I would fold the quilt over and lay it inside. There are also plastic containers at Lowes that are similar in size with wheels and a snapping lid, these aren't breathable though. Assuming I properly dried and aired out my down gear after use, would storing them in a plastic container be kosher? Or is the breathable container the better option? Your thoughts?

[EndoftheTrail]

I would go with the underbed storage over plastic tubs or cubes — you want to store clothing and quilts in something protective and breathable.

[EndoftheTrail]

The Gear Swap can be a perfectly good option too. :)

[Javan Dempsey]

Haha!

[Eugene Smith]

Ahhh, the day you post up a trip report of you sporting a matching baby blue Crocs and a baby blue Jam2 with a baby blue bandanna tied around your head like Aunt Jemima will be the day I put up these items for Gear Swap. :)

I didn't even consider that my post may suggest that I'm overflowing with an abundance of gear! Au Contrare! I came home the other day to find my 2 quilts and down jacket and vest in a nice compact amoeba sandwiched in between a row of jeans and shirts my wife washed and hung! I was more than appreciative of my wifes help with the laundry, my most hated chore, just not too thrilled about finding all my gear crammed against the closet wall like some sort of magic trick. Our house is small and space is limited, somehow I managed to get the tiniest closet in the house, the 3'x3'x8' closet which serves as my overflow clothing closet/gear closet/ man cave/ hide things from the wife closet!

I'll take you up on your advice Ben regarding the breathable storage option, I kinda figured that would be the best solution. The inexpensive cost and immediate availability of the plastic bins was tempting.

Thanks for the help.

[BlackHatGuy]

"I would go with the underbed storage over plastic tubs or cubes"

And you could just stand them on end in the closet instead of putting them under the bed, and still leave room to hang things above them, FWIW.

[Steven Paris]

What about a cotton travel sheet, long enough to enclose the sleeping bag? This could be like a cotton bivy, open at the top. Slide the bags in the sheets, then lay them under the bed. There's a link to one at REI just to show you what I'm talking about, but I'd just buy a cheap sheet somewhere and sew it to rectangle.

This should be fine unless you have animals that might get under the bed, like cats.

http://www.rei.com/product/627255

[t.darrah]

Eugene,
How about I make you a tyvek storage bag – free. We could visit regarding length and girth, I'm thinking a draw cord on each end to seal.

A simple thanks but no thanks would be understood.

[Ken Thompson]

Eugene. You could drill a couple of holes in the plastic bins for airflow.

[. .]

Nice Thom!

@Eugene: Below are a couple ideas I have used for space challenged dwellings:

– hang down quilts/bags in cotton storage sacks from upper corner of rooms where ceiling meets wall a la "Shaker" style.

– use down quilts in cotton storage sacks as large "day bed pillows" (assuming no hairy beasts in the house)

– put them in duvet covers and store on your guest bed (or your own, for that matter) /the ultimate urban stealth use

– i have found plastic bins to have plenty of air exchange as long the lids don't seal tightly, which most don't. You can also drill holes in them, if your concerned about it. I keep most of my gear in clear plastic bins and have found them very useful for protection, organization and space efficiency. Cardboard boxes can work well also.

– a solid wood armoire can be useful

– behind couches

[Chris Morgan]

I think the answer is simple: your priorities are out of order. Can you put the kids outside in a tent?

Kidding aside, I'm reminded of this thread:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=16956&startat=20

[James D Buch]

How about making furniture whose purpose is to store down gear?

Perhaps a foot stool type of thing which is a hollow box with a decorative padding on the top and sides, and a lid or hinged side (locking) to accept the down goodies?

A window bench seat …. which does about the same thing.

Maybe generalize the idea into some kind of a couch thing where the underseat space, and maybe the arm space, is filled with down gear.

This is probably a good place to stop.

[Eugene Smith]

Wow! Primo suggestions from everyone. My brain has a healthy dose of ideas and creative ways to stow away gear. I think I just needed some inspiration and a kick in the rear. Most likely some combination of all these suggestions will be employed.

@ Thom,

No thanks but thanks for keeping me in mind! I think I'm going to use my ingenuity and exhaust my local resources before I have you spend your hard earned and precious time making gratis custom Tyvek storage bags. I'd much rather see you spend a few hours out for a run or hike then helping me out in such a capacity. Gratzi!

@ Aaron,

Your creativity is infectious. I'm sure it is this kind of brainstorming and problem solving that led you to the alternative dwelling construction and design field. Very cool solutions.

@ Chris,

LOL! Thanks for the thread share, I missed that one. Gear rooms and gear closets oh my. Boozer's gear labyrinth takes the cake… wow. I'll have to take pics of my humble gear "quadrant" in my master bedroom "broom" closet and post some pics. The great thing about UL gear is it's small footprint.

@ James,

Awesome, I think you've found yourself a new niche in the UL gear market in the form of custom made cedar gear storage solutions. Alright…now I'm the one who took it too far. Cheers.

*I'll get everything squared away and stored properly and I'll report back with some pictures when I get a chance.

[Ike Mouser]

I've been storing my down quilts in the garage for ages, never noticed anything bad from the heat or cold…

[Hikin’ Jim]

I've had good luck with storing my down sleeping bags in plastic tubs. I make sure they're very dry before putting them away, which isn't hard to do living in dry Southern California.

I've been storing them in the attic where it does get hot. I think that dry and hot is an OK storage option, although I don't think hot will be good on DWR coatings (mine are uncoated).

HJ

[Mike In Socal]

I had the benefit of some high ceilings in my closet so I installed some wire shelves up high and that's were I keep my sleeping bags – in cotton storage sacks.

[Eugene Smith]

Ages? How old are you!? :)

That's cool Isaac. My brother in law does the same and it makes my skin crawl. I'm somewhat of an obsessive personality and perhaps I'm being slightly ridiculous in my storage solutions. The investment I've made in the last 2 yrs. with down gear in particular has been considerable for me so I'd like to be a good steward of what I've been blessed with and take the minimal amount of effort required to ensure the gear serves me or someone else well for some time in the future.

Living in southern New Mexico, an average day in July and August can potentially have a 40 degree fluctuation with daytime highs near 100F then dropping down to the 60's in the evening. This constant variation in temperature over the course of a summer, add monsoonal moisture and humidity, the abundance of desert dust, my '86 Toyota Land Cruiser exhaust going in and out of my single car garage and you have yourself a nice unhealthy dose of ingredients I'm just not comfortable exposing my down gear to. It's just not worth it to me to use the garage, hence my desire to find a suitable storage solution in my bedroom closet or under the bed where we maintain a constant 72F more or less 12 months out of the year.

[jeffrey bennett]

If you want to send me your bags. I will store them in a climate controlled house for you. I promise I won't use them to much.

I have an old armoire I bought at a garage sale that has become my gear closet. The wife was very happy to have her closet back.

[Roger Caffin]

The under-bed storage in a plastic bin is fine, just don't put the lid on the bin. Grab a worn-out sheet and either drape it over the bin, or put an elastic edge on it and clip it over the bin. The will allow more than enough breathing while keeping the dust out.

Cheers

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