I am a visual person, which means if I can’t see it, it doesn’t exist. Filing cabinets are black holes. Opaque Tupperwares or Rubbermaids might as well be stone sarcophagi. I have gear I didn’t know about because it was inside some other gear.
Organization is hard when you organize yourself visually. Gear must necessarily be containerized or we get chaos. It’s hard enough to pack for a trip without digging through every piece of gear. I decided to take on a project to make it work. What I needed was a visual cue. Not labels for containers, which also don’t work for me. What I need is a list of what goes in what and where that goes, on the outside of the container, pack or duffle bag.
Thank goodness for InDesign.
InDesign (for those not familiar) is a desktop publishing program that allows the user to lay out graphics for anything from a simple pamphlet or flyer to a full-on book or magazine. It’s a powerful program and allows for great manipulation of text and objects.
I have some familiarity with the program from having to do occasional desktop publishing, from floor plans to ads for magazines and newspapers. I decided I needed lists. Not just for reference, but to make the inside things visible to my visually-organized brain.
What I’m doing is making a card for each piece of gear I take on my solo trips. I have accumulated enough gear duplicates so I can create bags that are never unpacked and never different. I have a few headlamps. I don’t need to forget a headlamp anymore. It’s on the card, and it’s in the thwart bag, period.
The text for the cards is being compiled as I actually sort the gear. When the sort and the cards are done, I’ll print them, laminate them, and attach them to the outside of each piece of gear. If I want to see what’s in the gear, I just have to reference the tag.
The last sheet I’m making is the “add right before” list. Things like a digital camera (and spare batteries) are easy to forget in the mad rush to prepare for a trip, especially when it’s a last-minute deal.
Order from chaos indeed.
So far, the paddle clothing duffel, the bailout bag and the kitchen box are all done. Working on the day pack and the big portage pack for the big stuff (tent, sleeping bag, dry bag of clothes, big first aid kit, etc.)
It feels good to get a handle on things.
Respectfully submitted,
Canoelover
What a GREAT idea! This could be a huge help for me. I’ve taken a similar approach at times in the past, but used Excel. InDesign sounds like it would work even better–and look nicer!