Keeping gear in a small apt

How about keeping kit in stackable sealed boxes.

We just moved out of our studio this past weekend and know what you're dealing with, sort-of. Our studio for the last 3 years was 605 sqft, and had a bed area, just no doors, and a walk in closet + a coat closet. However, between my girlfriend's and my stuff, there was little space for our gear.

I put up one of those IKEA Lack wall shelves up at couch back height and pushed my couch against it and put as much gear into the cave it created. This works reasonably well to keep grease, etc off of the gear.

Last year though, I completely overhauled our closets and converted the small coat closet into a gear only closet. Now, we're in a two bedroom so we are using the second bedroom as an office/gear room/giant closet.

If you're able to, you could try making storage space under your bed. Depending on what kinds of bed/frame you've got, you can buy/make some storage furniture to place your bed on top of.

The BPL Bear Study was pretty eye-opening. A bear's sense of smell is 10x that of a dog's. The "Odor-proof Bag" doesn't exist.

What I take this to mean is, your gear is inevitably going to smell a tiny bit about food, regardless. So don't stress too much about it picking up your cooking, I don't think. Just practice good anti-bear practices and do what you can to reduce contact to odors.

The under bed thing was a good suggestion. If you can't go out, go up.

There are under bed storage boxes and buckets and what all. If you raise the bed, you can fit more under there, of course. Raise it on something that is sturdy so the bed isn't likely to walk off…

As far as storing sleeping bags, I used to have room to lay them out on the top shelf of closet racks. Now, I don't.

I store them in a 18" cube box. I think it is 18" on a side… The cardboard should protect while not being quite the same as a plastic bag. I have stored bags and left over sewing stuff this way for years.

Store it only quite dry. If a 18" cube doesn't work for you, then use some other shape of similar or larger volume. I don't think I would use smaller.

While I do have a 2 BR apt, I have hundreds of books and who knows what else with several hobbies from Sewing to diving. I am my garage sale.

The second room is full of 'stacking boxes'. I haven't seen the need to custom build shelving so I have an arrangement of boxes for stuff. On closet shelves, I can /stack/ a couple boxes and fit more than if things were loose and directly on the shelf. I know what is where and dig it out when needed. 'Stacking boxes' are the the love children of 'never finished unpacking' covered by 'where would I put it, anyway'.

Perhaps some low tech (not very pretty as well) thing like this might help. The couch cave is a good idea.

– – some stacking boxes are turned on their side to form hutches. they don't support a lot of weight but careful loading and taping them together helps. yeah, i know…

I keep my gear in a bin, in the camper shell of my truck. Installed a padlock to keep potential thieves out. I also don't have much gear. I've had bears try to break into my cabin. But again, a well placed padlock saved the day. THe clothes I wear backpacking are kept in the cabin. Hopefully after the drive to the trailhead and a couple of sweaty hours hiking the "human" smell takes over the cooking smell.