Switching Weapons

[BRC]

So I'm playing a kind of swashbuckly dex-based fighter in the premade module (Right now we're first level, just a few XP short of second). I'm a variant human with the Crossbow Expert feat, and my primary loadout is a rapier and a hand crossbow. However, versatility is always good, so I'm also carrying around a Shield, and I'm planning on picking up a Heavy Crossbow at the first opportunity.

So, I've got three configurations (Rapier and Crossbow, rapier (or crossbow) and shield, and Heavy Crossbow), and Ideally I'd like to switch between them as quickly as possible.

It does not take an action to drop things I'm holding, however my DM indicated that hand crossbows are fragile enough that it's a bad idea to just drop them. With my free "interact with an Item" each turn I can draw OR stow one weapon.
Which means that if I want to switch from, my Heavy crossbow to Sword-and-Hand Crossbow, while still keeping up my attacks.
Round 1: attack with heavy crossbow, Draw Sword (I can hold my sword in one hand and hold, but not fire, my heavy crossbow in the other)
Round 2: Attack with Sword, stow heavy crossbow.
Round 3: Draw Hand Crossbow or Shield.

I can switch into things quickly enough without losing attacks, but only if I am willing to drop my sword, which I would like to avoid (It's durable enough that it won't break, but that limits my access to it).

This is kind of an odd issue, but are there any ways to improve my ability to switch between weapons?

[EvilAnagram]

Tie the stock of your crossbow to your belt. That way, when you drop it, it just plops down by your side. Or bangs you in the knee, which is funny. Win/win.

[BRC]

Tie the stock of your crossbow to your belt. That way, when you drop it, it just plops down by your side. Or bangs you in the knee, which is funny. Win/win.

That came up as a solution. I'm not sure if my DM ever verified whether or not doing so would risk damaging my hand crossbow (I'm low level, and that thing is the most expensive, and hardest to replace, piece of equipment I own. I'm not going to risk breaking it lightly). It could be argued that any string long enough to give me a full range of arm movement with the crossbow would also be long enough to mean it would dangle and swing around while in combat, unless I could find some sort of material that would stretch and extend, then snap back and keep it short.

[Yuki Akuma]

Do what real people do in that situation - put your weapons on slings so you can drop them without them actually being at risk of hitting the ground.

[Joe the Rat]

Dropping the heavy crossbow is an option - he specified hand crossbows are delicate.

The trick on the sling/shoulderstrap (for the heavy) is reloading posture. If you can handwave the draw and load to being a fast lever or pull, you're fine. If you're doing the foot stirrup setup, you need a bit more play.

The real trick on this one is the shield. don/doff is one action. You will lose a round of attacks here unless you action surge.

[UHF]

Another option is to ask him if you can buy a ruggedized (drop-able) hand crossbow. It probably wouldn't take much, but it should be pricy. More solid construction (all metal), a few soft metal flanges to break the fall.

I got a quad helicopter, and dang if the blades don't go flying. Some people have blade cages to prevent that.