The finished desk area!

*Ergonofis Sway desk, Grovemade monitor riser, Dell XPS 15, iPad, Yamaha HS5 monitors, Custom i9 computer,* *Dell U3818 monitor*

This is a continual work in progress since the end of 2022 - but here’s where it’s at now! In this post, I’ll go through how I decided on the new way to store all my cameras and lenses and other details about my minimalist approach to this office makeover.
(Scroll to the end to see a list of everything)

*This site is supported with affiliate links However, all gear, furniture, and accessories have been purchased with my own money.

TOP 5 THINGS TO CONSIDER FOR
CAMERA EQUIPMENT STORAGE

Our gear is a significant investment, and it's essential to protect it from damage and theft. While somewhat unconventional, a tool chest can be an excellent solution for storing that gear securely. However, not all tool chests are created equal, and choosing the right one can be challenging. We’ll start off with talking in generalities and move to the more specific. Here are my top 5 things to consider when purchasing a tool chest for storing photography equipment.

Size and Capacity - You need to make sure that it is large enough to accommodate all your photography equipment, including your camera, lenses, flashes, and other accessories. However, it's also important to consider the future growth of your equipment collection. You may want to purchase a tool chest that's slightly larger than your current needs, so you have room to expand.
Durability and Security - Look for a tool chest that's made from high-quality materials and has a sturdy construction. It should also have a lockable mechanism to prevent unauthorized access. Some tool chests may also come with features like reinforced corners, weather-resistant seals, and impact-resistant latches to provide extra protection.
Portability - If you plan to take your photography equipment on the go, portability is an important factor to consider. Look for a tool chest with wheels and a comfortable handle to make it easy to transport. It should also be lightweight and compact, so it doesn't take up too much space in your vehicle.
Interior Design - The interior design of the tool chest is also an important consideration. Look for a chest with customizable compartments that can be adjusted to fit your equipment precisely. It should also have a soft lining to protect your gear from scratches and damage.
Price - This is going to be brand and size dependent. You want to find a tool chest that meets your needs and provides adequate protection for your photography equipment without breaking the bank. Look for a chest that offers the best value for your money, considering its size, durability, and features.

WHERE IT STARTED

In the Fall of 2022 after 2.5 years of teleworking for my 9-5 job, I decided to redo my entire home office. Since March 2020 I’ve been working from home with no indication we will ever be going back into an office full time.

I had 3 goals for my new “office”:

Transform this into a more productive environment that allowed me to do both my 9-5 job as an engineer and also my photography side hustle
Have the room serve as a place to relax when I needed a break from working.
Increase the storage area for my gear.

Before any of that could happen, I had to get rid of everything in there.

THE PROCESS

FINDING THE RIGHT STORAGE UNIT

The first step was to clean everything out and get new carpet put in and new paint on the walls. That actually took me a solid 3 months to do because I sold so much photo/video gear plus all the furniture I had in there.

The second step was to come up with a new and better way to organize all my equipment. For over 10 years, I’d been using cubed storage. While that was great for showing off, it wasn’t super practical as everything would get dusty and move around. Plus, it wasn’t secure. After a lot of research, I came across the idea of using a rolling tool chest.

I quickly realized that it would be a big challenge to find one that would work. Many rolling tool chests had extremely shallow depth drawers which would make sense as they’re primarily used for things like wrenches and screwdrivers. Looking online gave me some ideas, but I had to get into the stores to actually look and see everything. I actually took my cameras and biggest lenses into Home Depot, Lowe’s and Harbor Freight to try out the items they had on the floor. After several days of this and also more online research, I settled on the Huskey Tool Chest below.

1. SIZE AND CAPACITY

First off, I knew I wanted the rolling tool chest because it would be easy to move around the office and get into position in the closet I was planning to use as a storage area. As I researched I quickly realized there are tons of options out there. The big question was “Are these drawers deep enough to hold my lenses and camera bodies when stored laying down?” As I said above, I took a lot of my gear into the stores and tried out dozens of models. In the end, this is the only one where every single drawer could be used to hold cameras and lenses and all the accessories. Most importantly, this is the only one that would actually fit in my closet and was literally the exact dimensions I needed to squeeze in there. Another big bonus is the wood surface top. There is enough surface area there for me to prep my drone, or clean bodies and lenses with no problem. I can also set up audio gear and prep lighting equipment too.

2. DURABILITY AND SECURITY

This unit is built like a tank but I was able to lift it from the garage up into my house by myself one end at a time. The top drawer is lockable and will keep the most expensive bodies and lenses safe from being stolen.

3. PORTABILITY

It’s not like I’ll be taking this out on the road, but having the luxury of being able to simply wheel it around is awesome. If I move houses or get a more permanent office somewhere, it will be easy to take.

4. INTERIOR DESIGN

As noted above, this thing holds everything I need and more. This one came with mats that fit each drawer that are soft and pliable and they sort of mold to shape around the gear so it doesn’t just roll around.

5. PRICE

At $298 during the sale I got it at, it is 100% worth that! They do make other colors (Blue and Black), but at the time, both were sold out and no one knew of an ETA for restock. And since I was doing all this at once, I just went with the red. It’s in a closet and no one can see if anyway.

HOW IT FITS IN THE CLOSET

It really was a miracle to find a tool chest that would fit exactly where I needed it to!

GEAR ORGANIZATION

Top Drawer

This was the most important one and the one that I spent the most time ensuring I got right. This holds all my cameras and 95% of my lenses, including the Nikon Z mount 50 F1.2, 24-70 2.8, and 70-200 F2.8 with ease. All my most used gear is in the top drawer.

Second Left and Right Drawers

On the left, I keep batteries, old hard drives and assorted cables and tripod mounts.
On the right, I keep my bigger F-mount lenses: 14-24 F2.8, 70-200 F2.8 and 500 F5.6 and the lens hoods.

Third Left and Right Drawers

On the left, I keep all my flash and main video lights
On the right, I keep all my Magmod gear that isn’t in the bigger Magbox cases for the 24” and 42” softboxes.

Fourth Left Drawer

I keep all my audio stuff for video here:
Missing from this photo is another Tascam DR40 and the little Tascam DR10 along with 2 DR10 Lav Systems - I had them in a bag for a wedding.

Fifth Left and Fourth Right Bottom Drawers

The bottom left drawer holds my clamps and accessories along with filters.
The bottom right drawer holds my 4 camcorders (Sony NX70, CX 900, Canon XA20, Canon Vixia Mini)

THE REST OF THE CLOSET

Along the top of the storage closet I keep all my bags and the Magmod gear.

Along the right, I put in a 3x3 cube storage unit from walmart with bins to hold lens hoods, all my Nikon 1 CX camera gear I need to sell, padded dividers for the bags above, cables, and assorted junk.

*June 1, 2024 office layout! That’s a 50” TV on the stand for reference.*

This has been a fun project to work on over the past couple years. With life and work and so much happening, it’s been hard to sit down and get everything completed. I still have some peg boards and other LED wall lights to put up. But it’s come such a long way and has really increased my productivity with less clutter and more dedicated organization.

If this is something you need to do, you can get ideas for everything I have used in mine at the section below!

PRODUCT GUIDE

Paint

Dark - Glidden Knight’s Armor PPG1001-6, East and West Wall
Medium - Glidden Flagstone PPG1001-4 - North Wall
Light - Delicate White PPG 1001-1 - South Wall and Closet

Carpet

Shaw Cabana Bay Granite 00551

Desk

Ergonofis Sway 72” Standing Desk - Walnut - The best desk I’ve ever had. Incredible quality.

Desk Accessories

Benq - Halo Light Bar and Remote ($179) - The best monitor light bar system I’ve used
Grovemade - Large Desk Shelf ($460) - The best desk shelf system
Grovemade - Medium Plus Gray Desk Mat ($95) - The best desk protector
Ikea Krosamos - Memory Card Tray ($10)
Yamaha HS5 - Speakers ($399) - Awesome computer speakers
Logitech - MX Mechanical keyboard - The best keyboard I’ve ever used
Logitech - MX Master Mouse - The best mouse I’ve ever used
Anker - 525 Tabletop Charing Station - Super useful device with multiple charging options
Epson - XP-8700 Printer - I have the previous version and this looks even better
Dell - U3818 ($1200) - this is the newer version and an awesome monitor