Whether you’re new to hunting or a long-time veteran, you’ve likely encountered the issue of safe storage. Once you’ve started raising a family, it becomes a difficult proposition, especially if your only option is the garage. There’s no reason to worry, however.
Storing your gear in the garage is easy to figure out. As long as you follow these six storage tips, you won’t have to stress over safety.
1. Hang a Wire Rack
One of the best ways to keep hunting equipment out of curious hands is to hang it up high. Shelving may be easy for kids to reach if they climb up on something, but a ceiling rack is harder to get to.
Hanging a wire rack from your garage ceiling is easy and affordable as well. They’re available for purchase online and at most hardware or home goods stores. Make sure to store the least dangerous equipment on the shelf, like tent poles or hunting weapon accessories. Any additional items like a compass are best saved for the next suggestion.
2. Build a Storage Cabinet
A garage will sometimes come with a garage you can lock, but not always. If you don’t have one, you can make your own storage cabinet.
You don’t need to be a lifelong carpenter to construct one, either. Anyone can build a lockable cabinet over a weekend, as long as you have the right tools and equipment. Plan to purchase the following supplies if this is the route you’d like to take:
- Glue gun
- Relevant drill
- Pegboards
- Hinges
You’ll also need a proper lock to keep the cabinet closed. Use one that has a key you can store in a safe. That way, you’ll know it will never find its way into the wrong hands.
3. Invest in Tupperware
Some hunting gear doesn’t need to be locked away, like game cameras or scents. It may be easiest to store things like that in large plastic bins. Once you organize your garage to minimize the clutter, you’ll find space that can fit large containers.
It’s also a good idea to label the bins with whatever’s inside. Painter’s tape and a permanent marker make a quick labeling solution that’s easy to remove and replace if you ever want to store something different there.
4. Lock Two-in-One Furniture
When a garage is empty, it feels big and spacious. This isn’t the case when you’ve parked a car or two inside. Make the most of the minimal free space here by buying lockable two-in-one furniture. You can get one of those for cheap on classified ads and use moving companies to bring it over.
You can get a bench that has lids that open up to more storage space. They won’t open by swinging wide into your car, and they can be locked by a method of your choosing. It’s a handy way to store your gear without taking away the valuable and limited space in your garage.
5. Break Things Down
Not every piece of hunting gear needs to be stored in your garage while it’s fully put together. Some things, like guns, can be taken apart.
Children won’t be able to harm themselves with gear that’s not put together, so store the pieces of your most dangerous items in separate places in your garage. Two or three different spots can act as hiding spaces so your belongings stay out of sight and mind.
Know What Doesn’t Belong
While you’ll have to find a place to keep your hunting gear while you’re not using it, sometimes things won’t belong in your garage. Make sure you know the difference before you store items so you don’t accidentally ruin them.
The most important equipment not to store in your garage are things like batteries and electric game calls, which need temperature-controlled storage. Most other kinds of gear will be fine in one of these easy solutions, which will keep them away from kids who shouldn’t handle them. Throw random items, liek gifts for red wine lovers, out if you don’t need them.
Author Bio:
Dylan Bartlett is a blogger from Philadelphia who writes about gear and similar topics on his site, Just a Regular Guide. Follow him on Twitter @theregularguide for frequent updates.