Packing weight.

[LUNCHBOX]

I put up some shelves in the basement for storage (3 shelves high with 20" gap, 20 feet in length) and was placing my tubs on them and found that if I load the tubs to capacity and have to move them in a bug out scenario....I'm gonna bust a :confused:. My dry foods are re-packed in bottles or ziploc bags. I have decided to change out my tubs out for 5 gallon buckets with lids. I filled one and it was much easier to manage for me or the wife (even one of the kids) I know alot of you are not planning on bugging out but you might want to look at the options just in case. The buckets are not to costly and stack out of the way until needed.

I'll post some pics in the propper post (I think Stig has one somewhere) when they are completed.

[ak474u]

Yeah, full plastic tubs are stupid heavy. I guess if you had a walk out basement or a bulkhead door that leads out to a convenient loading area, you could pre-fab a ramp up the stairs that would lift into place so you could just walk up the ramp with a dolly. I've pretty much put all dry goods in smaller under-bed boxes that my wife can carry, as well as pull out to rotate stuff. They aren't ideal for LTS, but everything is vac sealed, so it's no big deal. I'm thinking that once we have another place, the square buckets would be a good idea to save space, and have a good built-in handle, as well as protecting the food in a situation where they might have to be in a truck bed, or trailer during a rainstorm etc.

[izzyscout21]

I cant afford to to all bucket or tubs right now. I did start putting a lot of dry goods like rice and beans into 2-liter bottles. It really has gone a long way to make them more portable and user friendly. Just unscrew the top and pour.

It has also allowe me to relocate a lot of them from my pantry to the barn. This has freed up a lot of space for me.

[Grumpy Old Man]

See my last post in dumpster diving Izzy for uses for Folgers plastic coffee cans. Even if you don't drink coffee, have a friend who does save them for you.

[LUNCHBOX]

Here is the shelves I threw up (give me a nail gun, wood and screws and I'll build you anything...of course it will look like crap but work) I am not quite done stacking and placing everything yet but it is coming together. The bottom pic is my little work area/dungeon office.
http://i39.tinypic.com/ao16yb.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/2yvqb1l.jpg
http://i44.tinypic.com/x0xjkl.jpg

[izzyscout21]

Wait, there were shelves in there? All I sw were tubs and crates of gear whore goodness.............

[bacpacker]

And you've been giving me crap about building stuff! Those shelves look nice.

I have moved a lot of our LTS into totes and completely agree they are heavy to carry. I've even found they tend to want to collapse at times when carrying them. They are still great for organization as we use them in a closet. They fit in just perfect. Plus we have a straight shot out the front door if we need to load up and go. I can back the truck up to the porch, drop the tail gate, put down a sheet of plywood or a couple boards, and dolly whatever I need into the truck.

Another bad thing about the totes if you are hauling them in a open pick up or trailer, you gotta come up with something to keep the lids in place.

Have you found any square buckets? If so, do the lids snap in place?

[Sniper-T]

Several brands of kitty litter come in rectangle shaped buckets with secure snap lids. Presently I use them for non food items, but I don't see whay they couldn't be washed out and used.

They stack well too.

[LUNCHBOX]

My biggest plan for the buckets are for food items, you can load a lot of canned goods in a bucket but its still not to heavy to carry. I also put rice and beans in 2 liters and 20 oz bottles and they can be carried in buckets as well. 3 of those tubs are full of them. Lowes has the bucket with lids for a couple bucks a piece. I loaded a tub and dropped it on purpose and it cracked so the buckets are worth it to me. I'll use the tubs for all my other gear.

BP, I put those shelves up alone, as long as you don't use a level your ok. The center ammo and can food shelf is the only one leveled.

[bacpacker]

It's hard to get things level working on stuff alone. My lumber rack is no where near level and square, but it hasn't fallen over yet either. I couldn't see putting a ton of time into it right now since I know it will be coming apart when I pour the floor. I'll work on level then.

The rack does look nice. Looks like you still have quite a bit of room left to.

[Sniper-T]

tubs are big and awkward. they require both hands, and force you to hunch over to carry the weight out in front of you. Not unlike the old style coolers. Horrible, and for most people, not very user friendly.

The tubs, you will find, are excellent for things like clothes, socks, toilet paper, etc. light, and not an issue to carry.

I usually drill a hole through the lid, and through the base, right at the handle. a short bungie cord can then be hooked in one side, and stretched across to hold the lid down. And further, it can be used to help tie the boxes into a truck or trailer.

[LUNCHBOX]

Yes, there is still more room on the other side. That's where the gear loadouts and boomsticks are kept...its of course classified...lol. I still have to rearrange some stuff and sort some more but I should be done just in time to grab it and throw it in the trailer to go....lol.

[mitunnelrat]

Several brands of kitty litter come in rectangle shaped buckets with secure snap lids. Presently I use them for non food items, but I don't see whay they couldn't be washed out and used.

They stack well too.

They sure do. When I had a cat I bought those on purpose for that very reason.