Request: Inventory Management Tips from Vets

[Krotoan]

If you're paying for a "standard" account and are part of a FC. make an alt. Level that alt till you get your 2nd retainer and ask to have them join the FC and to have both characters have access to the FC chest (just one tab) . If you ABSOLUTELY cannot stand to part with something , stick it in the FC chest and pick it up on your alt, that's a heck of a lot of "extra" storage for free even though it's a bit of a bother to manage. Convert/turn in old equipment unless you like the glamour, even if you think you might level a job someday and are saving leveling gear for it.. it's super cheap to pick up equipment while you level. You don't need it.

[Enkidoh]

That only works if your FC leader actually allows the chest to be used in such a way - we had to lock our chest to stop people making off with expensive furnishings we were storing in there (only my bf the FC leader has the authority to remove items and gil from it, not even I have access to it and I agree with his decision). So that is not really an option for most players I'm afraid.

Personally in regards to inventory and retainer management I've gotten myself into a routine now of getting rid of all gear I know I can get again, especially low level vendor equipment which as I have all my Disciples of War and Magic above level 50 now, is no longer necessary (why bother keeping that junky level 22 sword I never used and never will now that my GLA/PLD is at 70?). If it is fully spiritbound, I convert it to materia (which I then sell on the MB), if the gear itself can be sold on the MB I sell it there (even if it's for 500 gil, 500 gil is still 500 gil), and if it's pink/green/blue gear that I have no use for or desire not to use for glamour purposes (and which I know I will be able to acquire again if I wish) it goes straight to the Adder's Nest for GC seals.

And it should go without saying that anything that can be stored in the Armorie is (indoor furnishings I have likewise put into the Storeroom as you'd be surprised just how much furniture you accumulate during the game, most of which I have no use for but can't bare to part with).

I only hold onto gear if I still have a use for it or if I know I can't get that gear easily again. Hence I have quite a bit of free space left between my inventory, armoury chest, 3 retainers and the chocobo saddlebags.

I think those who have no space left are those who hold onto crafting materials so that does explain why I have a bit of space left (I don't bother with crafting as it bores me to tears).

[Rufalus]

I do this.

Inventory - consumables
Saddlebag - crafting mats (only valuable ones)
Retainers - tokens and miscellaneous

Got enough room for gear in armory chest, dresser, armoire.

I think the bottom line is just be selective about what you keep. If you have gear that you won't use any time soon or maybe never, then just sell it to npc / sell on market / deliver to GC.

Only keep items that you are actually using or are otherwise valuable or difficult to obtain again. Sell all the junk items you accumulate every day.

[Krotoan]

That only works if your FC leader actually allows the chest to be used in such a way - we had to lock our chest to stop people making off with expensive furnishings we were storing in there (only my bf the FC leader has the authority to remove items and gil from it, not even I have access to it and I agree with his decision). So that is not really an option for most players I'm afraid.

It's super easy to set one tab for FC use while the others stay secure. Never had a FC leader refuse this yet. Then again I've never given any FC leader a reason to distrust me.

[InkstainedGwyn]

I use my saddlebags for mats I need in the immediate future, materia (for either mutamix or melding), items I'll want to use (like maps, dyes, glamour prisms, fishing bait) but don't want to have to search the retainer for. For retainers, I keep anything that I know I craft with regularly that cannot be easily gathered (timer, folklore, bought with scrips/seals, only brought by retainers, etc.) If it's something like a furnishing you won't be using, doesn't fit in your storage, and you can make again relatively easy, vendor (or mb, if it's not bound). I highly recommend using the glamour dresser and armoire as storage, but as people have differing views on that, I'll just say that it's helped me immeasurably.

I do keep a lot of GSM materials (I'm the main GSM for our group, and I use the stuff a lot) and CUL, because oh my god you need so many, having to gather 24 things just to make a round of foodstuffs makes me want to quit the game. That's just personal, though.

[wizisi2k]

what I do is I practically have ONE retainer for just matera (ok 5 tabs isn't all of it but it's most of the retainer) which is a mix of DOW/DOM and DOH/DOL. Other stuff on there is hand-ins for ilvl 90 gear I haven't thrown away, faded scrolls, a copy of the crafted music from t12 (by me; there because the market is below my break-even price). I have crafting mats spread across my other retainers along with gear. Some of it is food for use when lvling but most is mats. Saddlebag has equipment from armory chest/ moogle costume/glamor items (there or in armory chest; I will NOT put it in the glamour wardrobe as it's from the first fanfest stream). I think of the gear I have in armory chest, I can equip readily: RDM, MNK, PLD, maybe WAR, WVR, ALC (maybe ALC), CUL maybe, BTN, maybe FSH, SCH/SMN, BLM. Anything else is look through retainers for gear for it.

[CainCrimson]

Pretty much this. I’ve started storing all crafting materials of 40+ on an alt. I use my mains retainers for housing items, glam, and gil/dyes. Everything else is tossed or turned into GC seals.

How do you get the items to your alt?

[Iscah]

Depending on your main Crafts, a Battle retainer can benefit a WVR/LTW/ALC/CUL; a miner retainer can benefit a BSM/GSM/ARM and a Botanist retainer can benefit a CRP/CUL/ALC. Also, with a miner/botanist retainer you can just send them off to gather crystals which can help you in the long run.

Miner also supports leatherworker because you need a constant supply of alumen if you're converting hides into leather.

Botanist collects a lot of raw materials for weaver.