Happy Thanksgiving to all of my Canadian friends!
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| P.S. I made this using AI. I know! I am addicted. |
After seeing a lot of people (see some examples here for Stephany, Engie and Elisabeth) post about where they keep things in their house, I thought it would be fun to do this too! However, as you know, I sold my house and got rid of all of my things, and so most of the things on the list I no longer own or keep anywhere! However, here is the original* list, which before I sold my house, I could sum up into four main places: Did not own, kitchen junk drawer, bathroom drawer and garage. (*from Engie)
Kleenex | Medicine | Band-Aids | Heating pad | Nail polish | Winter hats/gloves/accessories | Scissors | Tweezers | Slow cooker/air fryer | Dirty towels | Tape measure | Gifts bags/tissue paper/wrapping paper | Library books | Bookmarks | Pens | Suitcases | Water bottles | Dog leash | Jewelry
Did not own: Kleenex | Heating pad | Nail polish | Library books | Bookmarks | Dog leash
In kitchen junk drawer: Scissors | Tape measure | Pens
In bathroom drawer: Medicine | Band-Aids | Tweezers | Jewelry
In tote in garage/in garage: Winter hats/gloves/accessories | Gifts bags/tissue paper/wrapping paper | Suitcases
The only things that could not be summed up was the slow cooker/air fryer, which was an InstantPot and was in the cupboard above the fridge, dirty towels which kind of seems like a strange category because....the laundry basket...and water bottles, which were in the cupboard with the cups/glasses.
However, since Engie asked me about to provide a bikepacking packing list and I haven't done it yet, I thought it would be fun to go over where my CURRENT stuff lives and what it is! Here is Bob with all of his bags.
The bags are as follows: (1) Handlebar bag, (2) Fork bag x 2, (3) Top tube bag one, (4) Top tube bag two, (5) Feed bags x 2, (6) Frame bag, (7) Rear bag, (8) Hydration vest not shown, (9) Fanny pack not shown, and (10) my body not shown.
(1) The handlebar bag contains my tent and a pair of flip flops. I also strap my rain jacket to the daisy chain on the front of this bag for easy access. You may have seen in some photos that I also strap extra food on here from time to time.
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| Fritos for later |
(2) The fork bags are for food; the left one has my cook kit, coffee fixings and any dinner/breakfast foods and the right one has snack foods.
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Cook kit: stove, gas, pot, lighter.
Not shown: spork and Swiss army knife |
(3) Top tube bag one has things I need right away and may use several times per day, like bug spray and sunscreen.
(4) Top tube bag two has the snacks for the day, portioned out so that ideally I do not need to get into either fork bag during the day.
(5) Feed bag number one has a one liter water bottle; feed bag number two usually has my phone in it so I can access it easily. Or if I put my phone in my fanny pack, I often will put fast action snacks like gummy bears, Twizzler nibs or grapes in feed bag number two.
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| Cherries? Yes please! |
(6) The frame bag has bike repair items (multi-tool, brake pads, lube, spare nuts/screws for my rack, zip ties, rag, tube repair kit), my tent poles, my bike lock and my water filter. I also sometimes keep extra water in here in a one liter foldable bottle.
(7) The rear bag has all sleeping items including air mat, sleep sack and sleeping bag. It also has most of my electronics, an emergency/first aid kit, toiletries and any clothes I am not currently wearing (usually a puffy, spare bottom/top, underwear, but during summer, also includes a beanie, and waterproof gloves and booties, which live in my handlebar bag when it's cold out). I also have a spare/emergency credit card and an extra bike tube in this bag.
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| Toiletries: no tweezers or scissors here! |
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| All packed up! |
(8) The hydration vest I wear, and it has things I may need frequent access to like Advil, toilet paper, a charger for my phone, my passport, a pen, post cards/stamps, emergency cash, gloves, buff, arm sleeves, and wind breaker. I also have a 2L water bladder for when I am in very dry places, but I have not had to use it very often.
(9) The fanny pack stays on me at all times and has my wallet, headphones, floss stick (yes, I reuse it), Chapstick and two emergency tampons (since the rest are deep inside my big bag). I used to also keep earplugs in here, but to be honest, I have not needed them (knock on wood!) lately, so I took them out.
My wallet here only has two credit cards, an ATM card and my ID. I have an extra credit card, my Costco card (priorities people!) and my Global Entry card stored in a separate place, and I keep my passport on me inside my hydration vest.
(10) On the top I usually wear a sports bra, a short sleeved merino wool shirt with a sunscreen hoodie if it is cooler, with options for the windbreaker from my vest if needed, or my rain jacket if it is especially cold or wet. On the bottom, I alternate between cycling shorts (chamois) and Adidas capris. If it is very cold or wet, I wear rain pants over those, and I wear socks and regular trail running shoes (not cycling shoes). A pair of cycling gloves and a helmet tops off my ensemble.
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| Same shi(r)t, different day!! |
So, there is where everything in my current life lives! I guess from the original list, the only things I still have are: Medicine | Band-Aids | Winter hats/gloves/accessories | Pens | Suitcases (do my bike bags count?) | Water bottles.
Do you keep your dirty towels somewhere besides the laundry basket? Feel free to pick a few other things off the list and tell me where you keep them! Does anything I carry (or don't carry) surprise you?
It surprised me that dirty towels made the list as well. We are filthy pigs who use our bath towels for an entire week, at which time the towels go straight into the laundry.
ReplyDeleteFor all that you and I have in common, we have a big divide. I am never too far away from a box of kleenex, and it is my special brand, which is Puffs with lotion. The reason for this isn't that I'm a big kleenex user, but if I get sick then I'm going straight into princess mode and princesses do not make emergency trips to the store to get the soft and comfy snot wipes. My husband's preferred nose wipe is TP.
I spent a bit of time reflecting on how much stuff I had compared to what you had for our trip. I had two laptops (one personal, one work), a big ol' monitor for work, and practically all of my clothes because the weather was in a place where I couldn't tell if I needed jeans or shorts, and I had both warm weather and cold weather fitness clothes. I am high maintenance!
Team TP all the way. I am not saying my nose doesn't run, I just don't need a separate item to wipe it. I wipe everything with TP. I also use TP to dry my pots and clean my bike chain. Not in normal life though, but I do use it to blow my nose in real life. I can't justify the extra cost just for them to form it into a square for you. 😁
DeleteOh the joys of having a car, when you can bring all sorts of fun stuff with you on trips!! I almost never car camp, but I do appreciate having chairs and lanterns and big beach towels etc. My brother and his gf have all of the stuff and we even cook pork loin and fancy meats for dinner. It's definitely a different experience!
As usual you blow me away with your ultimate in the minimalist lifestyle! I love that you call them your "feedbags," that made me smile.
ReplyDeleteDirty towels do indeed go into laundry baskets. Everyone has their own laundry basket in their rooms, and each towel is used a few times before washing.
I agree re the towels and I usually use mine for about a week before washing. Of course I think we all shared out laundry habits, so you may remember this, but I only do laundry once a week unless I am doing bedding and then it is probably twice for that week.
DeleteFeedbags! Yes, like a horse. It would be nice if you could just hang it off my mouth and I could eat with no hands while riding!!
This was such a great post, Kyria and amazing to have such a clear breakdown of how you carry all your stuff (I was very curious about this).
ReplyDeleteI almost NEVER blow my nose on TP. Though I remember a commercial from decades ago where the whole thing was that it was soft enough to use for blowing noses...
I almost never use Kleenex! I sometimes see people with a box in their car and laugh because I always have a roll of TP in my car!!
DeleteWow, your tent is small! I mean I knew it was small but I wouldn't have guessed it would fit in that small bag! You have packing down to a science certainly!
ReplyDeleteWe are team kleenex in our house. And we have so many boxes all over the place because our kids, especially Taco, often have a runny nose so it's worth the premium price to have a box tissues near by at all times.
Dirty towels definitely go straight to the laundry basket. Admittedly we do not wash our towels very often... But I'm the only one who showers/bathes daily in our house. Phil mostly showers at work after running/working out and ideally the boys once take 2 baths/week as they are both prone to eczema so less bathing is best for their skin.
I used to shower when I ran, which was about 4-6 times a week, but now I just shower when I have a shower, which is sometimes only 1-2 times per week. However, even if it was 5x per week I still only washed my towels once a week. So I guess my real answer should have been back on the hook in the shower, except that I don't really consider those as "dirty."
DeleteGosh, I love that Canadian Thanksgiving graphic. Too cute!
ReplyDeleteI keep kleenex in the bedroom and on the window seat in the living room. Rick refuses to use them and insists upon using a handkerchief, which I find irritating and disgusting. As far as towels, I use my shower towel for about a week and then toss it into the bathroom hamper.
I don't have a junk drawer in my house, but that was a hard-fought battle.
Your efficiency and minimalism is beyond impressive. I had no idea there was even such a thing as a fork bag--I'd have thought there would be a constant worry of something like that interfering with the spokes of your wheel. You really know how to make the most of your space.
Okay, I am intrigued Nance. If you don't have a junk drawer than where do you keep your odds and ends? I am a pretty organized person, but even I had a drawer with a hammer, spare batteries, scissors, lighter, etc. What's your strategy?
DeleteRick has a workshop in part of the basement, so all his tools are there. I have a toolbox of my own on a shelf in my part of the basement. I have a pair of scissors in EVERY SINGLE ROOM OF THE HOUSE except the dining room (there used to be a pair in there, but i got rid of the table that had a drawer in it when I streamlined). Spare batteries of all kinds are kept in a cabinet in a space designated just for that. I have a system of plastic baskets in that cabinet for things like adhesives, candles, twine/string, etc. Office supplies are kept in our home office and desk drawers. Matches are in a little decorative cow jar on the counter. A long-handled lighter and fireplace matches are kept in a decorative wooden box at the fireplace.
DeleteWe have a small Cape Cod style house, so organization is critical. Pretty much everything has a place.
It sounds like your cabinet is a little like my junk drawer. I definitely had a toolbox and a place for matches and batteries and stuff (a multi drawer thing) but I definitely kept a duplicate of some of those in a drawer in the kitchen for easy access. I grew up learning that everything has it's place and am a firm believer in that! However, how do we all accumulate so many scissors!?
DeleteOh, I definitely know why I do. Here's why.
DeleteHaha! That was an entertaining post! I probably had 7 pairs, but not as many as you!!
DeleteAs someone who loves bike camping (but whose trips have maxed out at three days and with seemingly more cargo than you have!) this was super interesting to read. I’m curious why you don’t use panniers on your rear rack? I’d imagine stuff stays more organized when it’s separated into lots of smaller bags… and maybe it’s better to have the weight more distributed instead of having most of it in the back? Ok, maybe I just answered my own question but curious to hear your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI knew I would have a lot of dirt roads and single track trails and wanted to be more streamlined for one. Also I wanted to have the backpack in case I wanted to get off the bike and spend a couple of days hiking. I actually did a lot of hike a bike and in one section it was so steep that I took the pack off and put it on my back and went up the hill which was very convenient.
DeleteI'm actually curious about what you use. Do you go on windy or steep singletrack with panniers? Or are your trails more wide or flat?
Toilet paper will tear up your nose! Stop using it as tissue!! STOP IT!!
ReplyDeleteLet's talk about clothing. How much clothing do you have with you? Like two shirts, two shorts, pants?, underwear? A rain jacket? Sounds like a puffy coat? How many pairs of socks? I know you probably thought this was detailed enough, but I AM NOSY.
Engie. First of all, my nose almost never runs. I probably have at most one week a year that I need to blow it. Second, I am not going to buy and carry a specialty item. It's just not going to happen. Each thing should have at least two uses! Your turn! 😁
DeleteI am down with nosy and can do a post about all of the clothing too. But for you, here we go. 1 pair socks, 1 pair undies, 1 sports bra, 1 short sleeve shirt, 1 tank, 1 bike short, 1 Capri pant, 1 rain pant, 1 long sleeve shirt, 1 rain jacket, 1 puffy, 1 windbreaker. 1 beanie, 1 buff, 1 pair arm sleeves, 3 gloves (fingerless, fingered, waterproof), 1 pair neoprene socks (not waterproof but warm when wet). 1 pair running shoes, 1 pair flip flops. Voila!!
Wow...I find this so interesting! I'm constantly trying to pack less when we go on trips but it's so hard! My friends and I do overnight (or weekend away) at least once a year and we laugh at our big bags/luggage we tote every time! LOL
ReplyDeleteWinter gear -- we have some cupboards in our laundry room that houses our snow gloves and outfits. We have not gone skiing/boarding in a while so they don't get used much so that's where they live.
Used bath towels get hung on hooks in the bathroom -- and after 2 or 3 uses, they go in the laundry basket.
I'm curious -- did you keep any of the things you used to have in your house for future use or just to keep? Like did you rent a storage or have some things stored in your parents' garage/room?
I got rid of pretty much everything in my real life. I have a couple extra sets of clothes, but I would guess it's likely about 20-30 pieces and a lot is active wear (ski gear for example) and various other camping and hiking gear which I know I'll use. Other than that I have some momentos and photos but my plan is to digitize those this winter and probably get rid of them too.
DeleteThat stuff is at my parents house. I plan to do some international travel after this and I personally did not see the point in keeping most things, as I have no idea where I will be in ten years and by then most things will probably be a lot lighter and faster and cheaper so if I need to buy them again, I can. However I think at this point I don't see myself accumulating a lot of things again in the near future.
This is such an awesome post, Kyria! I love knowing what you keep in each of those little bags! You are so efficient and well-prepared. All the bags fit on your bike so nicely, keeping things aerodynamic and light.
ReplyDeleteIt blows my mind that you live without Kleenex! I have a box in every room of my house. Thank goodness for Costco and their super packs of Kleenex!
Haha! I guess I'm in the minority when it comes to Kleenex!! Do you and your family blow your noses a lot?? I don't really have to do that, so I guess it's not something I ever thought about having everywhere. Now, ChapStick on the other hand is one thing I have stashed in many places!!!
DeleteI love this post so much, Kyria! It is fascinating to me how streamlined your possessions are. Is there anything you find yourself missing about static living? Or anything that is impractical for life on the road that you miss? I am trying to come up with an example and failing to think of anything besides "blow dryer," lol.
ReplyDeleteWe have Kleenex boxes in many rooms of the house, but that's an innovation of my husband's, not mine. I grew up using TP as facial tissue and that worked just fine. I still probably use TP more regularly than Kleenex and I blow my nose several times a day.
I guess the possessions have to be streamlined or else I'd be lugging around a hairdryer and who knows what else! It does definitely make you take stick of what you really need!
DeleteI definitely miss being able to plan more than a few days ahead. I am normally one of those people that cooks something on weekends and eats it for a week, and now it's a bit more day to day. I don't miss a hairdryer because I never used one before but I do miss my lounging pants and hoodie! They are so cozy but way too bulky for this trip!
Wow. Reading this, it really strikes me how much STUFF most of us have. And here you're living proof that you can get away without most of it. I'm reading your response to Engie- do you mean that in addition to the clothes you're wearing, you have one of everything? Also... looking at your response to the comment above- I would definitely miss lounging pants and a hoodie! I would somehow find a way to bring those with, ha ha.
ReplyDeleteI do love my lounging pants and hoodie too, and wearing mostly lycra all the time is not great! And yes, in addition to what I am wearing, I basically have one spare set of clothes!
DeleteI guess if you travel by bike, you really have to have a VERY good plan on how to store all the things! I loved learning how you carry all of the essentials on your bike!
ReplyDeleteYes, you don't have a lot of extra space, and you don't want to carry extra weight either, so you have to whittle it down to the very basics!
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