How to optimize storage on a boat

Five years ago, Darren and I downsized from a 1,100 sq ft house to a 39ft sailboat eliminating a lot of excess things we owned by channeling our inner Marie Kondo and embracing a more minimalistic life.

After the daunting downsizing task, we still had to find ways to organize and make everything fit in a much smaller space than we were used to. This can be quite stressful for a new cruiser, not knowing what works well for your life on the water. So based on our liveaboard experience, I have come up with a few helpful storage tips, whether you're a new boat owner or a liveaboard looking for a new perspective.

Vacuum bags - A seasonal clothing exchange

Even though we like to cruise around places in the right season, we still have to carry clothes for all climates. We found the easiest method for this is to pack our out-of-season clothes in vacuum bags. These sealable bags come in all sizes too. So you can even do this for the blankets that you don't need in the tropics and likewise for the bathing suits you don't need in the higher latitudes.

Once vacuumed, the bag and its contents are much easier to store in a locker on the boat that you don't need to access often and not take nearly the same amount of space.

Collapsible Galleyware and Silicone

I don't know if gallyware is a word, but we love these types of containers and just about any collapsible item in the galley. They are simply way easier to store in boat-sized cabinets.

Even these floppy silicone lids are great for pots and pans instead of the hard-to-store glass or metal ones. They also offer a great sound dampener and grip between the cookware while under a seaway.

Vertical Space

Sometimes you can take advantage of vertical space too. Instead of decorations, think of a practical way to utilize an area. My favorite galley optimization has been magnetic boards for holding spices and knives (never had an issue with knives falling off either). Great for a cooking underway because you can quickly and safely put the item back instead of it moving around on the counter.

On Panda Rosso, this was an empty space which we have now added hooks for hanging PFDs and foulies when we are offshore sailing or bathing suits and towels when we are cruising in the Caribbean. Adhesive hooks are your friend. They don't require putting holes in your boat and it makes an otherwise empty space usable. Add them to hang hats in your cabin or hand towels and potholders in the galley.

Hanging storage

Currently we do not store our fruits in a hammock, but we did on our monohull and I see them quite often on other cruising boats. When the cabinets are full of provisions, the hammock or a net bag is a great way to take advantage of unused space and offers easy access to grab a snack.

Hanging nets that can double as bags are a bonus! You can use them as reuseable produce bags at the grocery store.

This one here is my garlic bag I hang in the galley.

Tools

Only keep the tools applicable to your boat. You would be surprised by how much weight you can reduce here. We carried around a whole socket set on our monohull that had no corresponding bolts to use them around the boat.

This is also an exercise that can be performed over time. Each year go through the tools and see if there's anything you haven't used. Worst case, you have to buy a new one or perhaps you can borrow it from a fellow cruiser in the anchorage.

In the end…

The best way to optimize your space aboard is to live a more minimalistic life. Evalute your belongings. Do they serve a purpose, BONUS if something serves multiple purposes on a boat, or do they bring value to your life.

After all, a life on the water isn't about the stuff, it's about the experiences you will have and the people you will meet.

Owning fewer possessions and living a minimalist life means that you have less to lose.

-Amanda Seltzer