I use a bolt snap to clip each item of my gear into place.
Rather than an instrument console, I have a lone SPG that I clip with a bolt snap to my left shoulder strap D-ring. It is always there, and all I have to do is look down to find it, read it and dive on. I normally turn around at 1/2 my total SPG pressure on a non-penitration dive, and at 1/3 my total SPG pressure on a penitration dive.
I breathe off my octo as my primary reg, and that has a bolt snap attached to it as well, like in the DIR configuration, except my octo is not on a 7 ft hose unless this is a penitration dive. When my reg is not in my mouth, it is clipped onto my right shoulder strap D-ring, all ready to go, while I snorkel out to my descent point.
My signalling sausage is rolled up and held tight with a piece of bicycle tire innertubing, and it is clipped with a bolt snap onto one of my D-rings as well.
I have a jon line that I keep rolled up and held tight with another piece of bicycle innertubing, and it is clipped with a bolt snap to yet another D-ring on my B/C.
Everything should be bolt snapped to your D-rings, and none of your gear should hang loose and drag around.