Looking for a large plastic storage tote that'll keep the mice/bugs out.

Macchina

Macchina

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I have accumulated a decent amount of merino wool (mostly Icebreaker and First Lite) hunting clothing over the years and have been storing it inside after a dreadful encounter with moths a few years ago in my shed (they made a $200 Icebreaker sweater into a Holy Sweater that was fit for a destitute monk).

I would like to move these clothes into cold storage when not in use but I want a decent container after witnessing mice houses in our "sealed" storage totes that our Christmas decorations are kept in.

Any recommendations on sealed totes to keep about 10 sweaters, shirts, and pants in?
 
I use some buckets that have screw on lids called life latch. They aren't the most convenient sizes, but they work well for keeping water and scent out. I keep all of my hunting clothing and gear in them and use them to store the same gear in during hunting season as well. They're worth looking at. Brad
 
Look at the heavy poly truck tool boxes from places like Tractor Supply. They are three or four times as thick as the totes and most have urethane weather seals. IIRC Wal-mart has them occasionally. I mounted one to the tongue of my canoe trailer for PFDs and tie downs. It has been on there year-round for five years and never leaked or let in bugs or rodents.
 
galvanized trashcan with lid, put your stuff in a heavy poly bag......cheap and rodent PROOF not rodent resistant. Codgers idea looks good too but a lot more pricey.
 
It has taken me a long time to clear out my hoard of trash bags full of textiles I don't use. Don't just throw stuff in unlabeled black garbage bags; then put it in a chest or cabinet in a dusty corner of the garage. You'll end up handling stuff over and over again when you don't know what's what. In fact I'd think carefully about even putting the stuff in storage. I'd reduce the amount of stuff before putting any of it in storage, but that's just me.

For the stuff you do need to store you should invest in a supply of sturdy, stack-able, transparent storage bins. They should be sturdy enough to stack one on top of the other even when heavily loaded and designed to nest one inside the other when empty. Get enough of them when you go shopping so you don't end up with 4 or 5 different kinds of boxes somewhere down the road that don't stack together.

I have not bought bins recently so I can't speak for current production quality but the Rubbermaid ones I have are pretty good. If flooding is an issue where you live you can save yourself some grief by not storing the boxes below flood levels. I'd probably also put out some mouse poison.
 
This is the box I chose. It costs about $70 though. Metal hinges and hasp. •15 in. W x 32 in. L x 13-3/4 in. H.

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My solution is to not store stuff out of sight. Here everything molds if not looked after, but bugs or rodents are where you are not. Rubbermaid boxed are a good start to keep things organized, and adding stuff like ceder chunks can help, but the simple truth is that its got to be where you can check on it. We just tossed a massive part of my father in law's archive because over the last couple months it was colonized by ants. we knew the ants were around, but not in the papers. I'm glad I didn't keep my gear in the same place.

If you have a storage shed, keep it rodent and bug free and your gear will be better for it, but without that, nothing will keep critters out, eventually something will get in.
 
Look at the Gamma2 Vittles Vaults. Get one of the Outback versions. They're made in many sizes/volumes. Designed to protect animal feed and dog food from ants and rodents when stored in sheds/garages/barns.

http://www.gamma2.net/outback-collection.htm

I use one for dog food stored in the garage. It lives up to the company's hype.
 
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I too have invested a decent amount of coin in wool hunting clothing and store mine in large plastic vacuum bags inside wheeled 110 qt. Plano Sportsman Trunks with 4 latches and include bags of cedar chips for good measure. I added weather stripping to the trunks to get a better seal and so that I can also effectively use carbon packs or cover scent packs. The idea is to have different trunks for different hunting situations which also include other non-wool clothing & gear so I can just load a trunk in my truck and minimize time spend packing before a hunt. I still make a packing list and check everything in the trunks so am not sure how much time a really save in the process but it makes me feel better prepared.
 
Gorilla box, the ones without wheels, made to be stackable, and they are cheap.

should be at least 1/one other person on here that's lived out of 1/one.
 
Thanks for the ideas guys. I'm going to look into a truck box like Codger's, kinda makes sense they'd be pretty water/bug proof...
 
Macchina said:
Thanks for the ideas guys. I'm going to look into a truck box like Codger's, kinda makes sense they'd be pretty water/bug proof...
Click to expand...

If you find a good deal on a box that securely closes but is not gasketed, look in housewares for a roll of adhesive backed foam tape.
 
I'd recommend steel over plastic. Like a cheap used truck tool box or something to that effect.
 
Get a surplus military container or a pelican/plano case.
We keep our TP in a snapware container, mice have never gotten into it.
 
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