What should I grid on my Grid-It?

January 7, 2014 5:05 PM

I got given a Cocoon Grid-It as a present a couple of years ago. I've never used it, and it's just been sitting around useless and I just rediscovered it in a drawer. It's 19.1 cm x 26.7cm. I've come across some everyday carry websites which occasionally use these, but curious what people use them for. So far I've just stuck some headphones, a notebook and a fan into mine, but I'm sure people must have some very interesting or practical things they are using these for. Any and all suggestions welcome (picture links too in particular). Thanks!
posted by inbetweener to Grab Bag (9 answers total)

Truth be told, I don't use the one I have. It's such a cool idea, but in practice I found it too fiddly and not secure enough. For a while I used it to hold pens and a smallish notebook, but having a bag with pockets eliminated that need. I keep holding on to it, though, because I want to use it.

I carried mine around in a messenger bag where it knocked around with my other stuff; I think it'd perform much better in a location with minimal jostling, like a dedicated pocket of a bag, or in a fixed spot, e.g. as a fridge organizer, attached with magnets.
posted by Metroid Baby at 5:26 PM on January 7, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: They are great for travel, either "going away" travel or just regular laptop bag travel. You can hold all your cords etc in it, and it wins at headphones. You can also organise travel toiletries in it -- it's great in a hotel bathroom, for example.

Alternatively, you can free cabinet space by housing your everyday spices in it (packets, boxes, jars) and chucking it in a drawer. If we had a spare one, I'd put the tools we use most in it along with a torch and put it in one of those freed-up kitchen cabinets.
posted by DarlingBri at 5:37 PM on January 7, 2014

Best answer: I love my Grid-It. I use it for all my cords and tech stuff in my EDC and travel bag. The Grid-It sitting next to me has:

1) double and triple-A batteries
2) iPhone cable/micro-USB cable
3) USB wall charger
4) apple ear buds
5) aux cable
6) microfiber cloth
7) dongles (thunderbolt->RJ45, thunderbolt->VGA)

I change it up sometimes but that's the constant stuff.
posted by shew at 5:42 PM on January 7, 2014 [1 favorite]

If you fly frequently, load it up with Chapstick, a pen, your phone, eye drops, and whatever else you like to have available, and stick that in the seat back pocket. Way better than having to keep track of a bunch of small items.
posted by phunniemee at 6:24 PM on January 7, 2014 [1 favorite]

I have a smallish one that goes in a dedicated pocket in my headset bag (I work in aviation). Holds a small flashlight, a couple of pens, my Leatherman, spare batteries for phone and a charging cord. I also have the car visor model, which is a total game changer for me. Phone & mp3 player cords, the note book holding my registration, insurance cards and AAA card, a flash light, pocket multitool & tic-tacs.
posted by KingEdRa at 6:49 PM on January 7, 2014

Best answer: I use my large (standard letter-paper-sized) Grid-it that was gifted to me (thanks mgar!) for holding a lot of misc crap I take when travelling, especially flying: USB cables, a couple of screwdrivers, all the sharp things I normally carry in my pocket, hand sanitizer, some adapters, a roll of Tums, eyedrops, etc.

I am in the market for a little one that fits into my fleece jacket breast-pocket, where I keep a business card case, a credit-card shaped multitool thing, more cables, and a stack of loyalty cards for fast-food restaurants. I was going to fake one up, but need to find the right material that'll stay stiff, while still allowing me to attach the elastic ribbon. The pocket is great, but it gets weirdly bumpy if things jumble up in there.
posted by Sunburnt at 7:34 PM on January 7, 2014 [1 favorite]

Well, the GridIt is indispensable for me. I carry a MacBook Air, and the peripherals are bulkier than the laptop itself.

I carry the power supply with the cord wound around the horns, the plug detached and tucked into another loop, the extension cord detached and tucked into another loop, the mouse in another loop, two different screen adapters get a loop each, an Ethernet adapter gets its own loop.

Inside the pouch I carry a dialup cable (sometimes necessary in foreign hotels), two kinds of spare batteries, and my iPhone cable.

Without the Grid-It, I have all manner of spaghetti spilling around uncontrolled inside my bag, or at least have a bulky carrying pouch which is unlikely to fit a commonplace laptop bag. At least with the Grid-It I can contain it within a fairly conventional laptop sleeve.
posted by tel3path at 6:14 AM on January 8, 2014

Super useful for traveling with peripherals. Travel extension charger, emergency cell battery, USB cables up the wazoo, et cetera and so on. Keeps everything from ending up in a giant jumble in a backpack pocket.
posted by canine epigram at 6:18 AM on January 8, 2014

I made my own. Here's what I did with it. Here's how to make your own.
posted by Rikocolin at 5:03 PM on January 8, 2014