How to organize truck gear so you can find it fast

A truck collects gear. Straps, a jacket, half a bag of tools, a tow rope under the seat, three flashlights and none of them work. The fix isn’t more storage. It’s a simple plan for what lives in the truck, where it goes, and when you check it.

Decide what lives in the truck

Start by splitting gear into three groups.

1. Always in the truck. Things you need any day, any trip. The vehicle kit below.
2. Goes on certain trips. Hunting, camping, fishing, work. This lives in the garage and rides along when needed.
3. Doesn’t belong. Anything that ended up there by accident. Take it out.

Most clutter is group three. Empty the truck completely once, sort everything into the three groups, and only put group one back.

A basic vehicle kit

What belongs in the always group depends on where you drive, but a solid start is:

• Tire and recovery: a working jack and lug wrench, a tire inflator or plug kit, and a recovery strap if you go off pavement
• Power: jumper cables or a jump pack
• Light: a headlamp or flashlight that works, with spare batteries
• First aid: a basic kit
• Weather: a warm layer, gloves and a rain jacket
• Water and a snack: for when a short drive turns long
• Paper and a pen, and a paper map if you drive where service drops
• Basic tools: a multi-tool, a few zip ties, duct tape

In winter, add a scraper, a small shovel and traction aids. Your owner’s manual will tell you where the jack and any tools are meant to be stored.

Bins by job

For gear that rides along on certain trips, use one bin or bag per job.

• Recovery bin: straps, shackles, gloves, a shovel.
• Camp kitchen bin: stove, fuel, pots, utensils.
• Hunting pack: what you need for the day in the field.
• Range bag: everything for a range day in one place.

The rule: a bin goes in the truck whole, and comes back out whole. You don’t build it from the shelf every time.

Label everything

Labels feel fussy until the first time you send someone to the garage for the recovery bin. Clear bins help too. If you can see inside, you don’t need to open it.

Keep a list for each vehicle

The truck isn’t the only vehicle with gear. A side-by-side, a boat, a toy hauler or a rooftop tent each have their own kit. Keep a separate list for each one so the side-by-side’s tools don’t get lost under the truck’s straps.

Check it every season

Gear goes bad sitting in a truck. Batteries die, first aid supplies expire, a tire inflator stops working. Pick a few times a year, like the change of seasons, and run a quick check:

1. Test what has batteries. Flashlights, jump pack, inflator.
2. Check expiration dates. First aid supplies and any food.
3. Swap seasonal gear. Winter kit in, summer kit out, and back.
4. Restock what you used. That strap you lent out, the zip ties you burned through.

Flag what needs care

Sometimes you notice a problem mid-trip: a frayed strap, a headlamp with a dead battery. Make a note right then, so it gets fixed before the next trip. A simple list of “needs attention” is enough.

How Kitted helps

Kitted is our free gear checklist app. It started because we wanted gear organized in one place, so we could see what we have and get out faster, without finding out at the trailhead what got left at home.

• A list for each vehicle. Truck, side-by-side, duck boat, toy hauler and rooftop tent, each with its own list.
• Gear and packs. Lists for EDC, camera gear, trail cameras, the range bag, the bow case and a travel kit.
• Packed by the bag. Items sit in the bag they ride in, with a packed count and a progress ring.
• Gear that needs care. Flag items that need maintenance, a charge or a wash, and see them all in one tap.
• Quick filters. Show what’s left to pack, what’s packed, and what’s going this trip.
• Plan the trip. Tell it how long, the weather and who’s coming, and it works out what the trip needs. Pair it with the camping checklist guide.
• Works with no signal. The app opens offline, and changes made at camp sync when you’re back in range.

Kitted has a free Windows desktop app and a web app. On an iPhone, open the web app in Safari, then Share, Add to Home Screen.