By Ryan Scavo // 

Before I was a self-proclaimed mountain mama, I was simply a woman who loved to play outside. On any given day, you would find me fishing creeks, exploring hidden waterfalls, paddling waters, hiking mountains, or touring the backcountry. The activity didn’t matter nearly as much as simply being outside did. If it meant I could ramble around the woods all day or find myself asleep under the stars at night, I was ready for it.

But to be ready, I realized I needed to be organized.

When I was solo, I got my act together by transitioning from storing gear randomly in my trunk and closet to theme/activity-based bags. Bike gear in one pack, ski gear in another pack, and fishing gear in yet another. But, once I combined forces with my husband – and doubled the amount of gear needing management – we decided to ramp up our gear storage game. We took inventory and made some changes. We transitioned gear into larger bins with content labels, installed hanging racks for skis/bikes/boards, and utilized shelving units to keep it all off the ground.

Now, as a family of 4, the gear cache is stocked and we have a few more efficiencies in place; namely, a grab-and-go system. I might have added a “mom” hat to the quiver, but the fact is, we’re still “weekend warriors”. And as such, it’s important for us to have our gear organized and ready at a moment’s notice. Less time searching for gear for four humans and two dogs means more time on the water, in the mountains, or in camp.

Cue the Basic Cube.

You want organized gear? This is how we do it.

I kicked off my love affair for the cube system with the Basic Bundle. This three pack of zippered tote-style bags is now a staple in my family’s gear hauling system. They are ridiculously spacious, spec’d great, and color-coded, so I can specify the contents by the color of the bag accents.

When we’re prepping for a trip, whether it’s a long camping weekend or a day of fishing, we use the bundle like a “go bag” system. The blue bag carries dry boots and extra shoes for the kiddos. The green bag carries food/beverage essentials like the stove, fuel, lunch, snacks, and coffee. The yellow bag holds dry clothes, extra accessories (hats, gloves, etc.) and diapers.

If your family is looking for a better way to pack, consider the cubes.

For us, having each bag dedicated to a specific type/category of gear helps us keep our adventuring as organized as possible. It also helps us reduce the last minute temptation to throw random pieces of gear under car seats or in truck beds. Better organization means you get outside faster with less fuss – a critical component when adventuring with kiddos!

Find the basic cube here on Mountainsmith.com