Good storage/travel solution for absurd number of mobile devices?
January 19, 2016 11:12 AM Subscribe
I have a giant pile of tablets and smartphones for work, and sometimes I have to travel with them to work from remote locations. Do you have any ideas or suggestions for keeping everything better organized and protected?
Right now, I have a small drawer set to keep them organized at home, and when I need to travel, I throw the rest (including cables/chargers) into a messenger bag and head out, but the bag tends to just turn into a disorganized mess and it's a pain to deal with. Numbers: I have probably 18 or so phones and 10 or so tablets total (of varying sizes) and when I travel I usually bring about half.
Right now, I have a small drawer set to keep them organized at home, and when I need to travel, I throw the rest (including cables/chargers) into a messenger bag and head out, but the bag tends to just turn into a disorganized mess and it's a pain to deal with. Numbers: I have probably 18 or so phones and 10 or so tablets total (of varying sizes) and when I travel I usually bring about half.
Best answer: Grid It organisers! Love these.
posted by ellieBOA at 11:22 AM on January 19, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by ellieBOA at 11:22 AM on January 19, 2016 [4 favorites]
How many chargers / cables do you actually need? Is it possible to switch things up so that they at least exist in one ecosystem (Android or iWhatever) so that you can interchange cables? Are wireless things an option?
My Outreach Backpack includes laptop + power cord + mouse; hotspot + cable; personal cellphone + cable; personal wireless headphones + cable; folder for paperwork; wallet; work ID; & keys. But I don't actually need all those charging cables since they're all regular Micro USB. So I just have a couple tucked away but I only use one. Everything has a home in a particular pocket / pouch of the backpack. It gets cleaned out regularly (at least weekly), so that random papers / receipts / notes to self / loose change don't build up.
If you have a hotspot you may be able to plug it directly into the computer, which reduces the number of outlets you need to use.
posted by tivalasvegas at 11:28 AM on January 19, 2016
My Outreach Backpack includes laptop + power cord + mouse; hotspot + cable; personal cellphone + cable; personal wireless headphones + cable; folder for paperwork; wallet; work ID; & keys. But I don't actually need all those charging cables since they're all regular Micro USB. So I just have a couple tucked away but I only use one. Everything has a home in a particular pocket / pouch of the backpack. It gets cleaned out regularly (at least weekly), so that random papers / receipts / notes to self / loose change don't build up.
If you have a hotspot you may be able to plug it directly into the computer, which reduces the number of outlets you need to use.
posted by tivalasvegas at 11:28 AM on January 19, 2016
Could you do something like attach all the power cables / charging cords together with zip ties (USB or power cord ends all together), color-coding each individual cord on each end, so that you end up with basically one big cord that is "power supply" on one side? Then you'd just plug in everything that you need on the supply end, and plug the other end(s) into the device(s) being used.
posted by tivalasvegas at 11:33 AM on January 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by tivalasvegas at 11:33 AM on January 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I have a similar work travel arrangement. I stuff all my charging cables, outlet adapters, etc into an airline amenity kit bag but any toiletry sized bag would work. The phones and tablets go into padded sleeves or a pelican case, depending how remote the place I'm going is.
posted by foodgeek at 12:20 PM on January 19, 2016
posted by foodgeek at 12:20 PM on January 19, 2016
Search for the term "multi charger" and you will see lots of cords with multiple device plug ends so that you might end up needing only 1 or 2 of them.
posted by soelo at 12:37 PM on January 19, 2016
posted by soelo at 12:37 PM on January 19, 2016
For the cell phones: http://www.artbin.com/en/crafts/site/details/3003AB
For the tablets: http://www.artbin.com/en/crafts/site/details/6977AB
posted by cyclicker at 1:20 PM on January 19, 2016
For the tablets: http://www.artbin.com/en/crafts/site/details/6977AB
posted by cyclicker at 1:20 PM on January 19, 2016
Can't you store your info from all your devices on cloud-based software and lighten your load?
posted by evcourtexaminer at 1:42 PM on January 19, 2016
posted by evcourtexaminer at 1:42 PM on January 19, 2016
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posted by carter at 11:19 AM on January 19, 2016