T45 Organization

[swkgisp]

After some careful consideration I am sitting with a cart very full of Tom Bihn products. I’ve been watching some videos on the bag in question and ways to organize it, but was hoping to get some opinions from the pros on my strategy.
- Techonaut 45
- Techonaut 45 Packing Cube (2-3 pairs of slacks, Oxford button down shirts, 1 light cardigan, maybe some tee shirts and a pair of shorts if they’ll fit)
- Clear 3D Organizer Cube (dopp kit)
- travel laundry stuff sack (for socks and underwear and serving as a hotel laundry bag)
- small travel tray (for travel tray uses, probably flat until arriving to the hotel)
- double organizer pouch (first aid kit)
- packing cube shoulder bag (shoes?)
- side effect (day sling/extra organization as needed)

is anything redundant/not necessary? My goal is to have everything super compartmentalized.

[G42]

Hey swkgisp I think you have a good start there and all of it should fit in a T45 without issue unless all your clothes are very large and/or super heavy weight bulky fabrics and even then, they'd probably all fit. 45L is a goodly amount of volume.

I'm assuming you're referring to a Large size T45 Packing Cube to hold that list in your second bullet? Again, depending on your clothes size & bulk of fabric, it could either all fit in that one Large or in two Large (which does fit the depth of the bag) or some (usually pants) in the tie down straps with the Large sitting above.
The Laundry version of the Large may be worth considering, depending on how you like to collect your dirty clothes.

I suggest you double check the physical size of your shoes to the PCSB to make sure they will fit.
Lots of folks have used the End Cubes or Small Cubes specifically for shoes instead, since generally if your shoes are dirty you may not want to use that container as a regular bag at your arrival point (YMMV) and they're less expensive than the PCSB (which has more features since it's a packing cube & a bag). If you do want to use the PCSB at destination (ie, unload it there & use it as a bag), I'd suggest packing clothes in it.

Not sure if you've had a chance to read the full description product page for the Packing Cubes, but it has a lot of good suggestions/examples. (just ignore the references to Aether material, etc....they're still updating things to reflect the recent change from Aether material to Piscine).


This is also a super useful blog post from when the Techonauts were launched

https://www.tombihn.com/blogs/main/techonaut-organization

[swkgisp]

Thank you for your input.

Regarding the packing cube, yes, I did mean large.

My aim is to collect my dirty clothes into the dirty side of the laundry stuff sack for easy transport to and from hotel laundry services (my trips are very long).

As far as the PCSB, this is an excellent point. The only small packing cube currently available is the laundry one but I do think my purposes could be completed by a travel stuff sack. Probably just some loafers. I’m not sure which size travel stuff sack though.

Any other suggestions? By no means am I an expert.

[Chicagoan]

Most of the time it comes to actually packing your things into the bag to determine if they even fit, and if they do, how conveniently organized they are.

Order what you think might work, and when it comes in the mail, test pack everything you mentioned into the items you bought to pack them inside. What doesn't work you can mail back for a refund so long as you don't remove the hang tags.

My immediate thoughts on your list:

T45. Great choice. Same bag I use for travel after graduating up from the WF and TS.

You might be ambitious with the number of items you hope to fit in the packing cube. The T45 does have two tie-down straps you can also use to secure clothing.

The Clear 3DOC is small and short. If you have any taller items like spray bottles, they're a better fit inside the STT (Small Travel Tray) or an SSK (Standard Spiff Kit). I would actually suggest the SSK because it's got three large zippered compartments and whatever you were going to put inside the DOP you could just put in there with your toiletries.

I actually love using the travel trays for toiletry kits because they're much easier to use on a bathroom countertop once you're settled into your destination. Just cinch it all back up when it's time to go. Less chance of losing things. And keeps everything standing upright. Sometimes there just isn't a great place to hang that little plastic hook on the Clear 3DOC.

And grab the Side Kick over the Side Effect. It's deep enough to hold a water bottle, has more pockets, and still small enough to fit into the end compartment of the T45. Small crossbody bags are a godsend when it comes to airport security lines and I always carry one with me (in addition to my carry on) when I fly.

The PCSB is likely overkill for storing dirty shoes, and - as others have implied - it may not fit them, depending on your size. I simply put mine inside a recyclable plastic shopping bag on top of everything packed in the main compartment and zip it shut.

If you've already hit the buy button, maybe this advice comes too late, but even if you already did, once everything comes in the mail it might help you think of alternatives should something not work as well as you hoped.

[G42]

My aim is to collect my dirty clothes into the dirty side of the laundry stuff sack for easy transport to and from hotel laundry services (my trips are very long).

As far as the PCSB, this is an excellent point. The only small packing cube currently available is the laundry one but I do think my purposes could be completed by a travel stuff sack. Probably just some loafers. I’m not sure which size travel stuff sack though.

I'd stick with the non-laundry Cubes then, maybe skip the Laundry Stuff Sack too (since you won't be using it as intended anyway), and just get a small packable drawstring laundry bag from someone else. I have several nylon Reisenthel ones; I leave one in each travel bag so that they're there in case I do laundry on the road, need an extra bag, etc. Lots of places have those types of bags, they can also be used for shoes or go the plastic bag route as Chicagoan suggested. For shoes I have inexpensive drawstring nylon bags so that I can pack each shoe individually (more options for how you pack your bag) and wash the bags easily

Put the clothes in a couple Large and/or small Cubes...I tend to put my pants in the tie downs, one Large or two Smalls with most of the other stuff on top, and socks/undies in a Small (Laundry versions in my case, with the cheap packable bag as backup).

With regards to availability, shoot an email to the fine folks in TB Customer Service and they'll give you an idea of what availability looks like. Usually if items are 'In Production' they're within a 12 week zone.

For packing in Travel Stuff Sacks vs Cubes, the Size 3 and Size 4 are probably the most useful in that they're the largest and it's not that big a deal if they're underpacked, the excess fabric isn't extreme. TSS are good I think if you like to roll your clothes.

Toiletries are impacted by whether you're flying (subject to USA TSA reg) vs other modes... the clear 3DOC is great for small liquids/TSA compliant, but as mentioned, not great for larger bottles. I personally use a clear 3DOC for the liquids and only carry small versions and other things like a rechargeable toothbrush, comb, etc all go into a matching Small Snake Charmer. The Snake Charmers and Grab Bags are sort of the traditional Dopp Kit size/aspect ratio.
Like many things in the TB world, it depends on what you actually carry and how much internal organization you want - so that's where the Spiff Kits come in.

Didn't mention the FAK earlier, but the DOP is a good option, as are the other OPs and the Q-Kit and the Ghost Whales, if you want to stay on the smaller side. The Handy Little Things, the actual First Aid pouch, clear or fabric 3DOCs have all been used too.

More threads to read over:

https://forums.tombihn.com/forum/tom-bihn-forums/packing-lists-travel-tips/15581-what-do-people-use-for-first-aid-kits#post15581

https://forums.tombihn.com/forum/tom-bihn-forums/photos-videos-and-reviews/12722-my-first-aid-kits-small-double-organizer-pouch-and-mini-clear-organizer-pouch

https://forums.tombihn.com/forum/tom-bihn-forums/photos-videos-and-reviews/334476-parents’-first-aid-kit#post334476


Love bartleby photo spread here, even though not specifically FAK

https://forums.tombihn.com/forum/tom-bihn-forums/general-bag-discussion/15774-what-do-you-put-in-your-organizer-pouches-help-for-a-newbie?p=265977#post265977

General organization

https://forums.tombihn.com/forum/tom-bihn-forums/accessories-organization-strategies/16613-ode-to-pouches-stuff-sacks-cubes-other-organizational-bits#post16613

[Traveltech]

Much as I love all the TB organization, these things can get heavy. For shoes, I use a shower cap I got at a hotel years ago. For laundry, another lightweight reusable bag.

Will be interested in seeing how it all comes together for you.

[Chicagoan]

Much as I love all the TB organization, these things can get heavy. For shoes, I use a shower cap I got at a hotel years ago. For laundry, another lightweight reusable bag.

Will be interested in seeing how it all comes together for you.

I can't tell you how many times I've tried to make packing cubes work for me, but the extra expense, weight, and time rifling through them has never using them worth it - usually spending a few extra minutes trying to rearrange items in a better way (if possible) proves the most helpful, as does buying compartmentalized bags that do most the organizing for you.

I took a T45 with me on a trip last month.

I'm leaving for another trip today and am using my Tri-Star instead. Despite the fact it's, what, 12 or so liters smaller, I'm actually able to fit more in the bag [than in the T45], surprisingly.

And similarly, I'll just use recycleable plastic store bags for my own dirty shoes and laundry. They weigh practically nothing and can be replaced VERY easily if a bag gets dirty or damaged.