When I asked my friend Craig, the experienced outdoorsman, for his advice on what to pack for my kitchen he said,
“One bowl, one plate, one fork, one spoon, one mug, one sharp knife, one pot to boil water, a spatula, a can opener and a frying pan. It should all fit in one small bin.”
My immediate reaction was “That’s not enough.”
I thought I needed at least 4 of everything so that’s what I initially intended to take. But as I packed and downsized, I knew I needed less. I decided I wanted to have enough to cover me, Snickers and a guest (if I ever have one).
Here’s what I took:
- 4 stainless steel bowls(2 for me, 2 for Snickers)
- 4 large plastic drinking cups
- 2 plastic camping plates
- 4 sharp knives
- 4 forks
- 4 spoons
- 4 butter knives
- 3 cooking spatulas
- 2 rubber spatulas
- 2 giant spoons for cooking
- Titanium Mug
- Pot to boil water and use for cooking
- Small frying pan
- One complete stainless steel mess kit (with a tiny pot, plate, frying pan, lid and bowl)
- Long handled cooking fork
- Pressure cooker
- Twelve empty Tupperware containers
- Meat tenderizer mallet
- Can opener
- Jar lid opener
- Pop top tab puller tool
- Digital Thermometer
- 2 Pairs of Kitchen Scissors
- 2 Potato Peelers
- 5 Cork Trivets
- 2 pot holders
- Plastic Wrap
- Tinfoil
- Gallon Ziplock Bags
- Sandwich Ziplock Bags
- 2 Burner propane stove
- 4 heavy placemats
- Napkins
- Papertowels
- Microfiber Dishcloths
- One Nalgene water bottle with a lid.
- A Sterlite 2 quart pitcher with a snap top for Icd Tea
I had what I thought were 6 well-organized bins stuffed on my galley shelf.
My first week on the road was a kitchen disaster. I had expected to unpack my kitchen onto my folding table, setup my camp stove, and cook meals.
That was not how things went.
Instead, I’d pull into a rest stop and dig hastily for the dog’s food or a can of tuna. I’d dump it into a bowl and we’d gulp down our food as the traffic whizzed by, rain poured down, or wind gusts slammed the doors open and closed. Sometimes we ate on my mattress in the camper. Afterward I’d do my best to wipe clean the dishes and shove them away until next time.
I could never find what I needed without pulling out different bins. Even then, I struggled to put my hands on the things I needed – dog food, people food, a clean fork, the dish cloth, a clean bowl. My organization went to crap the minute I was rushed and threw something in the wrong bin.
Once I finally was in a quiet campsite site, I unpacked my entire truck and camper to reorganize. It was immediately apparent why I had struggled so much with meal prep and cleanup.
I had too much kitchen stuff! So I purged once again.
Plastic cups – gone.
They were great at home but on the road they took up space, got filled with dirt immediately, and blew over in the wind.I use the Nalgene water bottle or I reuse the plastic water bottles I had in the truck.
Silverware and utensils were cut down drastically until all I had left we’re two forks, two sporks, two spoons, two sharp knives, a can opener, a cooking spoon, one cooking spatual, one rubber spatula.
I kept the stainless steel mess kit but still have not used it.
I kept 2 plastic plates and 4 stainless steel bowls.
I got rid of the pressure cooker. It was heavy and took up too much space.
I got rid of the plastic wrap.
I kept 4 small Tupperware containers to store dog/people food in the fridge.
Everything else I dropped off at a thrift store.
My galley was 4 small bins. That seemed more manageable.
Or at least it did until yesterday when I realized that every time I make a meal (twice daily for me and the dog), I spent more time gathering and cleaning dishes than eating.
I’m constantly wiping dishes clean, then washing, rinsing and drying. Then putting them away. Then getting them out again and doing it all over.
If I had one of everything, it would be a lot simpler.
If I has one bin instead of four, everything would be in one place immediately accessible.
And that, I think is the lesson here.
Getting to the bare minimum needed isn’t just about saving space or reducing weight or being minimalist for its own sake.
It’s about being able to focus on the things that are most important (enjoying a meal) by reducing the distraction and effort involved with maintaining too much stuff.
Having four kitchen bins instead of one means:
More time packing, unpacking, organizing and finding.
More time washing, drying and putting away dishes.
More time searching for the right item.
More frustration whenever adverse conditions apply – which is everyday so far when gale force winds blow my stuff off the table and into the tumbleweeds.
Although I am not there yet, once the wind dies down, I’ll likely drop to one bin. I’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.
(Yes Craig, once again you were right).