Please share your organization tips & photos

[WanderingSoul]

How do you organize all of your stuff onboard?

We’re less than 2 years away from living aboard. We bought our “adventure boat” last fall and I only spent about 4 days onboard before it went on the hard 7 hours away. So I’ve basically spent all winter organizing everything in my mind.

We bought a house with half the square footage of our last one (and a kitchen about 1/3 of the size) about 1.5 years ago, so I somewhat obsessed over organizing blogs, the OrganizationPorn subreddit, and other online sources of tips and photos. The house is organized and all of the closets and storage areas are functional and beautiful. It makes me happy.

I’m hoping to find similar inspiration for our next (floating) home. What do you have to share?

[Zanshin]

I use Excel spreadsheets to keep track of my inventory and item location. It works well, as long as I update it when using spares or moving stuff around.

[Chotu]

I do it a little bit differently than Zanshin.

Just like a hardware store, I have departments. Everything is in the proper department, so I know where everything is.

Power tools (separated into sanding, cutting, drilling)
Hardware: nuts and bolts, screws, hinges and latches
Electrical department
Plumbing department
Engine department: Funnel, grease, motor oil, oil pumps, filters, spare parts, anything you need to do engine work
Paint department
Glues and adhesives department
Etc

One thing I particularly like that I do is I have not only these departments. But I have other smaller boxes for the specific type of work.

So for example in the electrical department, I have the bigger electrical department, but I also have this small project box. This includes wire cutters, electrical tape, electrical fittings, meter, things like that which are required for every electrical job that you have to do.

I have a plumbing box as well like that. A small project plumbing box. It has everything you need for a plumbing project including thread sealer, flare fittings tools, pipe cutter and things like that.

This way when I have to do something, I just grab the small box out of the proper department and off I go to do the job. I don’t have to look around for the tools. Or even dig through anything. My wire cutters and strippers are right there in the project box. It’s about the size of a shoebox.

I also have a bin for “frequently used tools”. This was an absolute necessity when building the boat. Because there were a number of us working. When you need a screwdriver? It’s in the bin. When you need a socket set? It’s in the bin. Vice grips? In the bin. Everything you use on a daily basis is in that frequently used tool bin.

Same with the galley. Like a grocery store. Even back stocks. Just like a grocery store. I have a lot of shelving.

Personal items and effects are in their own boxes. For example I have an office box. This has everything I need to do office type things. Printer, paper, and important documents folder, necessary cords and cables, etc

This way, I never need a list or to think very hard. I just go to the place where the item is. Everything is set up logically. Intuitively.

[Madehn]

Take a look at the boat galley website. I believe boatgalley.com by Carolyn shearock. Lots of good info there

[sailorbobdeb]

I second The Boat Galley. Sign up for her email updates. Lots of practical advice and suggestions.

[ChrisJHC]

Do a long passage with a crew member with OCD!

[Kd9truck]

I have a lot of background, a rigger a culinary degree a CPR/CFR-D certification and I taught water rescue I’ve got a lot of task appropriate “stuff” that I keep ready to deploy.

We keep wood plugs for all thru hulls by each access point with a cheap ikea mallet in those spaces in mesh bags
We keep electrical tools, spares, meters, etc. all in clear rubber made totes under the nav station desk they slide in hp under the desk and lock in place.

As stated by Chotu about tools it’s good to have things grouped for task, l have carpenters belt pouches ready for a quick task like: a 4 way screwdriver, electrical tape, a brass brush, dielectric grease, a file, a currency tester, wire strippers and a utility knife.
So a quick tool bag that clips on to a belt keeps the tool hunt to a limit.
Some things like the 4 way screwdriver are found in multiple “quick pouches”

We have a good amount of space for food storage in the galley but the pantry is in the bilge in clear totes sharpie marked on top and bottom, totes are water tight and are secured.

In general we try to keep heavy as close to the keel as possible and as close to the centerline as possible.
Wet heavy stuff low
Dry light stuff high

Power tools are all ran off the same brand batteries, impact driver,-Variable-Oscillating multi tool, and right angle joist drill as my electric winch all stored under salon seats

We have taken apart 95% of the interior and found a great deal of voids we have been able to create access for more storage.

I do not like the strap it to the safety line if it has no place bellow method I try to keep it all contained and stowed.

Safety stuff: Go bag and all PFDs harnesses Jack lines flash lights all in reachable distance from the companion way.

More Safety out side in lazarettes with foam, PFDs, flairs, cold water immersion suits and a spare for all the running rigging, scuba gear, grill, fishing tackle, boat cleaning supplies in buckets dock lines backup anchor all on rope in the stern lazzarettes and the rope held in cam clutches to be pulled up out of that dark and deep storage.

When we were looking for current vessel we knew that we would need a lot of storage space for spares, upgrades, fuel, tools and luxuries like a water maker, washing machine, freezer, scuba gear, etc.

I am in this vessel 5 years so things have moved around but we think everything is where it will stay, I like the idea of a schematic of where everything is but that’s not me.

Cheers

[JPA Cate]

For cockpit organization: Winch handles in coaming pocket; also spare snatch blocks, rope bag, clothes pegs. (Used above decks, stored above decks in contained storage: lazarette contains dock lines; sail locker, spare sails, and fenders, and anchor pail, which contains the anchor ball and lines, also.)

We have rope bags and weather cloths. The rope bags is where the sheets and furler lines go, and there is an extra one on the stern pulpit for the two lifelines that go across the stern, also.

One whole cabin is devoted to our tools and parts and stuff to do stuff with.

Advice is to bring an absolute minimum to the boat, then let your subsequent experience teach you what you will need in addition. Good cooking gear and boat gear is available outside the US.

I like to have one complete bed change in addition to the one in use for each cabin. This gives you the option to change a bed that got soaked inadvertently, or had some accident that makes you want it clean again.

I like the store it near where you use it philosophy, not always able to do it, but it is to be aimed at. Stuff you'll want to get at when you have guests is best placed where they won't be seated.

The tools I mostly use belowdecks are screwdrivers and pliers (and the sewing machine), and galley items.

Ann (cruising full time since '89).

[jabrockert]

Grew up all my life with an advanced workshop, wood working tools, metal working tools, dust collection systems, welding equipment and large peg boards lining all the walls. Moved on board 2 years ago and just have to a peg board area. It's in a shallow cabinet in the helm and hold tools you need to get to quickly.

[Enfant Du Vent]

Ahoy WanderingSoul:
-Whatever you need NOW will always be at the bottom of the locker full of things you
thought you'd need next.
-This is just one example of Sod's Law Of The Sea


-Needing a rather specific type of cleaning solvent I searched the whole boat but

couldn't find any. So after buying a bottle and using it, I decided where to stow
it for the next time. Reaching into the locker, there was an almost full bottle of
the exact same solvent!


-Another aspect of Sod's Law Of The Sea: The carefully constructed list of where

everything is stowed will only be valid until you cast off for your next passage.

[WanderingSoul]

Thanks to all! There are some great ideas here.

[Benz]

I just sort everything by category, or by where it is usually used. A couple screwdrivers and pliers in the galley drawer (with flashlights, matches, bric-a-brac). All other tools and spares are in a huge bow compartment that serves as chain/rope locker, sail locker, fender storage, etc. Two high shelves have room for bins and tool boxes, which I arrange like Chotu does above.
Winch handles, air horn, binoculars in the cockpit coaming bins, where sail ties get stashed underway as well.
Really, every boat is going to have different geometry and require different solutions, and if you dedicate a locker to a certain thing, and another thing just naturally wants to be found or looked for there, it might be time to change. I've rarely ended a voyage with everything allocated to its original spot....it's an evolving game.