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Step 1
Empty your entire pack as soon as you get home. Be sure to remove all garbage and food remnants. Hose out tents and packs if necessary and then hang to dry. Turn sleeping bags inside out and also hang to dry.
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Step 2
Store down bags and parkas in loose, breathable, cotton sacks. Tight stuff sacks compress the down too much for extended storage. Place these items on the top shelf of a closet where they won't get crushed by heavy gear.
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Step 3
Purchase several large plastic storage bins with secure lids. These are great for keeping camp stoves, pots and pans, backpacks, tents and assorted camping gear all in one place and away from rodents, insects and moisture.
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Step 4
Fill sealable tubs with supplies, such as a bucket, dish soap, towels, a flashlight, spare batteries, bug spray, sunblock, aluminum foil, garbage bags, rope, string, a first aid kit, propane, a lighter, cooking and eating utensils, plates and bowls, and a tablecloth. Packing for the next trip will be a cinch.
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Step 5
Use separate tubs for rock climbing and mountaineering gear. Ropes, carabiners, harnesses, chocks and other technical gear should all go in one place. Keep sunblock, insect repellent, stove fuel and all other chemicals away from this bin. Your life depends on this gear and you need to protect it from anything that might weaken it, including the sun's ultraviolet rays.
