Why organization is so important for your backpacking gear

While there are dozens, maybe hundreds of ways you could pack all your gear into a backpack, there's one thing that makes all the difference in feeling more confident with your gear on the trail, and that's being organized. It may seem trivial, but it's actually incredibly important. 

I myself am an organized person that really likes to have all my gear in a home. This helps me know what gear I do have, what I need and where it all lives. And the story is simple, because i've developed these organization systems, I rarely ever misplace gear or forget where it is. 
All that said, there are two specific organization habits I focus on that help me enjoy my time on trail more. 

Organization Bags:

I am one who likes to have organization bags for the small gear items to keep them from falling out of my pack, getting lost, or hard to find in my pack. While this does add some weight to my pack, I find it incredibly helpful in not having to fuss with as much stuff. For example, I place all my electronic items in one bag like the Backcountry Exposure Little Ditty Bag. The gusseted bottom of the bag makes more room for the bulk you get from a headlamp and battery bank. I'll use a Medium sized Flat Zipper Pouch for all my poop kit stuff like my trowel, hand sanitizer, wipes, etc. 

Being organized with good bags will create a home for those smaller items and make it easier to keep track of those things. But also, a good bag for your food is key as well. Far too often when I've been out guiding in the backcountry, I see cheap bags get used that fail, break, fall apart, or rip open when being hung in a tree. So it's worth investing into a better bag for your gear and food. 

Organization Systems In Camp:

This one I feel is highly overlooked, and I encourage watching the linked video below for a better explanation of this. But for me, I find I enjoy my time in camp more if I am fussing with less stuff in my tent. So i've created a system of where my gear goes when I get into camp and how I set everything up. Inside my tent I place specific items in either the head end of the tent of the foot end depending on what it is. For example, my first aid kit always gets placed in my tent next to my pillow or the head end of the tent. So that I always know where it is, and in the event of an injury, if I am with someone else, I can direct them to the exact spot, rather than them searching around and wasting time in a potential emergency. 
Having a system in place for being organized will help you enjoy your time in the backcountry more. It's that simple. The hope is that one or more of my accessory bags helps you get more organized out on the trail.