Transporting a drum set when homeless?

lxh039

Member
As the title suggests, I may end up being homeless soon. That's fine, honestly. I've been homeless before, and I adjust well to the lifestyle. My major challenge this time, though, is that I'll have a drum set to worry about. It's a standard 5 piece. 14x5.5 snare, 12x9 and 13x10 rack toms, 16x16 floor tom, 22x18 bass drum. Also have all the basic hardware to worry about, including one straight stand and one boom stand. One of the major challenges of homelessness is securing your private property, obviously. I don't intend to set up the kit in different places often, but when you're homeless you have to carry all of your belongings with you wherever you go or risk them getting stolen, so I need to find a way to be able to carry all of it at once. I know that's a tall order. Any suggestions?

Due to strange circumstances, I'll be entering into this homelessness stint with a bit of extra money in my pocket. If it comes right down to it, I can sell my full size kit and replace it with a compact kit like a Traps A400. I'd rather not spend the extra money, but I don't see the alternatives.

Not having a drum set while I'm on the street is absolutely NOT an option. I have mental health concerns, and drumming is one of the very few therapeutic activities I've found to be effective. I've got to have something.
 
As the title suggests, I may end up being homeless soon. That's fine, honestly. I've been homeless before, and I adjust well to the lifestyle. My major challenge this time, though, is that I'll have a drum set to worry about. It's a standard 5 piece. 14x5.5 snare, 12x9 and 13x10 rack toms, 16x16 floor tom, 22x18 bass drum. Also have all the basic hardware to worry about, including one straight stand and one boom stand. One of the major challenges of homelessness is securing your private property, obviously. I don't intend to set up the kit in different places often, but when you're homeless you have to carry all of your belongings with you wherever you go or risk them getting stolen, so I need to find a way to be able to carry all of it at once. I know that's a tall order. Any suggestions?

Due to strange circumstances, I'll be entering into this homelessness stint with a bit of extra money in my pocket. If it comes right down to it, I can sell my full size kit and replace it with a compact kit like a Traps A400. I'd rather not spend the extra money, but I don't see the alternatives.

Not having a drum set while I'm on the street is absolutely NOT an option. I have mental health concerns, and drumming is one of the very few therapeutic activities I've found to be effective. I've got to have something.

Get an XXXL shopping cart from a home depot?
 
Is there a church or civic organization (VFW, Kiwanis) that might have a space they would let you use to store your kit? It might even lead to a gig if they need a worship or house band...
 
Normally a lurker here...

Do you have a car or truck of some sort? How much in belongings do you have? The drums you have do not have a small footprint. You could always partially disassemble them and nest them together. When you have to play, put them back together. If you have a truck, invest in a tarp.

If no vehicle is available...

You mentioned having $$ for a change, correct? Have you considered renting out a storage unit in the area? You could set up the kit in there, and play it when needed, plus you wouldn't need to keep lugging it around. Plus, generally storage units are not the priciest things in the world. Would be a good place to camp out if need be as well.

Finally, you could find a friend to hang on to a couple of pieces of your drum kit, and reduce it to a minimalist kit. Store the bass drum and the 13" one, convert the 16" floor tom to a bass, and keep the 12" tom around. All you'd have with you is the bass, tom, and snare (and the assorted hardware). You keep your drums, have less to lug around, and don't spend a fortune getting a new kit. If you wanna slim it down more, just use no toms. just snare, hat, and bass. You'd only need the hats and stand, and bass pedal. What kind of drumset do you have?
 
I've been where you are and I think you're putting the cart before the horse. The main thing YOU need to concern yourself with is getting a static place to keep your stuff and yourself. The Homeless thing can be temporary, as temporary as it is depends upon your attitude.

It's easy for stuff to go to hell in a bucket at any given time. A drum kit is going to be a PITA to keep up with and you're going to constantly be worried about it if it's not "liberated" by another person sooner than later.

The state of mental health care in the USA is abysmal and as one who has enough hours on a couch that were it a FedEx couch, I'd be flying it regularly!

I think your priorities are misaligned if all you're worried about are inanimate objects that can be easily gotten under different circumstances.

As to the XXXL shopping cart crack... let's hope you never have to endure the indignity of having no place else to go or to turn. It really sucks.
 
OK I take it back... I had a momentary lapse of decency. I'll give 10 bucks to the next homeless person I see to make up.
 
Hey, I haven't been exactly where you are but have come close after university and can relate to the mental health challenges.

Maybe a church, local music school, any school, club or theatre might be a good place to start.

Or a fellow local drummer, other musician, or any music teacher or drama teacher who can relate might be able to stash them for you in a garage or somewhere safe.

I think when one faces such a life change, it is very natural to want to hang on to the things that matter to you - so completely understand that securing the safety of your drums is a very high priority.

Good luck and as Bill says, take care of yourself too.
 
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There isn't a lot of info provided but, scale down your kit to whatever will fit in whatever you use to carry your belongings.

Your existing kit is just stuff. You can get another kit at a more opportune time. If it is not realistic to transport it, unload it and find something that will get you by. Maybe a set of bongos would fill the need for a while?

If you are on foot and homeless, the traps would be about the only thing that could be lugged around on your back.

You could also research city funded recreation centers that may have some type of music programs that may have space or even a kit provided somewhere.

You are fortunate enough to have some money so plan ahead and use it wisely.
 
I second stashing them at the house of a friend.

I hope this is very temporary for you.
 
As the title suggests, I may end up being homeless soon. That's fine, honestly. I've been homeless before, and I adjust well to the lifestyle. My major challenge this time, though, is that I'll have a drum set to worry about. It's a standard 5 piece. 14x5.5 snare, 12x9 and 13x10 rack toms, 16x16 floor tom, 22x18 bass drum. Also have all the basic hardware to worry about, including one straight stand and one boom stand. One of the major challenges of homelessness is securing your private property, obviously. I don't intend to set up the kit in different places often, but when you're homeless you have to carry all of your belongings with you wherever you go or risk them getting stolen, so I need to find a way to be able to carry all of it at once. I know that's a tall order. Any suggestions?

Due to strange circumstances, I'll be entering into this homelessness stint with a bit of extra money in my pocket. If it comes right down to it, I can sell my full size kit and replace it with a compact kit like a Traps A400. I'd rather not spend the extra money, but I don't see the alternatives.

Not having a drum set while I'm on the street is absolutely NOT an option. I have mental health concerns, and drumming is one of the very few therapeutic activities I've found to be effective. I've got to have something.

Being homeless isn't an option to me.It's not really a life style and nothing to be casual about.Why not get a job ,and become self sufficiant?Is the reason you're becoming homeless ....again,because you've decided that drumming is more important than food on the table and a roof over your head?If that's the case,then the role of the starving musician is highly over rated.Get a job to support your drumming career ,and then you can concentrate on your instrument.

Being homeless,by choice is dangerous and pointless..No health care,no roof over your head and no kind of security what so ever, is no way to live,and anyone who thinks that this an acceptable life style, is an idiot.I'll say it again,....anyone who thinks being homeless for the sake of playing music and their instrument, is just an ass.I get the whole starving musician thing ,but again,it's truly over rated and just plain stupid.Sorry to be so blunt,but it seems that you still have computer access,so you'll read some of the responces.

Maybe you need to chose a different path,and NOT be homeless again.

Steve B
 
If the drums mean that much to you, you really need to find a place to stash them and maybe get a pair of bongos as one person suggested. I have never been homeless, but I have lived in places where drums weren't allowed. I was fortunate enough that I had friends that let me keep my kit at their houses and played my bongos at home/park/campsite etc.
You don't list where you are, but there may be someone on the list that lives close and would be willing to store your kit until your situation gets better. If you are in the St. Louis area, send me a private message.
 
If the drums mean that much to you, you really need to find a place to stash them and maybe get a pair of bongos as one person suggested. I have never been homeless, but I have lived in places where drums weren't allowed. I was fortunate enough that I had friends that let me keep my kit at their houses and played my bongos at home/park/campsite etc.
You don't list where you are, but there may be someone on the list that lives close and would be willing to store your kit until your situation gets better. If you are in the St. Louis area, send me a private message.

Or maybe someone near you knows of an opportunity for you to avoid becoming homeless. What do you do? What did you do? What can you do?
 
Hmmm I suspect the OP is hinting at having mental health issues ( my apologies if I misread that) and may be feeling like another "bout" is close which may in turn lead to unemployment.

There are huge cracks in a lot of countries mental health systems between hospital / shelter bound and functioning well enough to get by.

It is important in managing / recovery to have an interest / emotional safety place and in this case it looks like drums.

I dont know the system in the place you live, one would hope that there is a support organisation that can give you advice, but perhaps youve been there.

Sorry I cant help except to say that the shopping cart observation and subsequent apology were not humourous in any way, nor are replys saying "get a job" work is more important than drums etc.

Drums could be the only consistant and "safe" and reliable item in this persons life and could help shorten the lenth of a relapse if it comes.....
 
Hmmm I suspect the OP is hinting at having mental health issues ( my apologies if I misread that) and may be feeling like another "bout" is close which may in turn lead to unemployment.

There are huge cracks in a lot of countries mental health systems between hospital / shelter bound and functioning well enough to get by.

It is important in managing / recovery to have an interest / emotional safety place and in this case it looks like drums.

I dont know the system in the place you live, one would hope that there is a support organisation that can give you advice, but perhaps youve been there.

Sorry I cant help except to say that the shopping cart observation and subsequent apology were not humourous in any way, nor are replys saying "get a job" work is more important than drums etc.

Drums could be the only consistant and "safe" and reliable item in this persons life and could help shorten the lenth of a relapse if it comes.....

Very much agree with Wombat. A support network and people who 'get you' is also important at times like this and getting life back to normal for the OP and looks like this forum and we are part of it.
 
You say Homeless. Are you also jobless? Sell the drums and find and find a room for a few months
 
You say Homeless. Are you also jobless? Sell the drums and find and find a room for a few months

that was my first thought but he said selling them is not an option

"Not having a drum set while I'm on the street is absolutely NOT an option. I have mental health concerns, and drumming is one of the very few therapeutic activities I've found to be effective. I've got to have something. "

So I am curious as well, have you lost your job?
 
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