Okay so here’s the thing – last month I tried packing for a camping trip and got totally annoyed by how much plastic junk travel gear uses. Like, my toothbrush came in a plastic case inside a plastic bag? Seriously? That’s when I decided to make my own low-impact kit. Took me like three weekends but it was so worth it.
The starter pack I wanted
First I dumped all my regular travel stuff on the floor. Just staring at all those ziplock bags and single-use bottles made me cringe. I made a list:
- Solid shampoo/conditioner bars without plastic wrapping
- Reusable snack bags instead of disposable ones
- Foldable water bottle to avoid buying plastic bottles
- Compact cutlery set that doesn’t scream “takeout”
How I made everything
Started with the boring part: I took this old cotton shirt that had holes near the collar but was still good fabric. Cut it into squares using our kitchen scissors (kinda crooked but whatever). Then I kinda frankensteined these pieces into snack pouches by hand-sewing three sides. Took forever but now I’ve got five stretchy bags that hold my trail mix perfectly.
Next up: The water bottle situation. Found an old plastic juice bottle at the back of the cupboard? That thick sturdy kind. I hacked off the top third with my partner’s utility knife and heat-sealed the edge with a stupidly hot spoon. Then I folded the remaining bottom part flat – BOOM instant collapsible bottle. Looks janky as hell but holds water and folds to nothing.
Biggest win: The shampoo bars! Melted some leftover soap pieces plus coconut oil in a secondhand tin can using a double boiler method. Added coffee grounds from that morning for scrubbing power. The smell? Like baking brownies mixed with caffeine. Poured it into ice cube trays to set overnight. Turned out better than store-bought!
What actually works
Okay so here’s my straight-up findings:
- The bottle leaked when I threw it sideways. Fixed with duct tape reinforcement (not eco but I was desperate)
- My sewing sucks – two snack bags tore when I overstuffed them with crunchy nuts
- Shampoo cubes became our family’s obsession – made six more batches
End result? My kit weights half as much as before and packs way smaller. Took my homemade mess to Yosemite last weekend – no garbage left behind and saved at least $40 on travel-sized junk! Would I do it again? Yeah totally – but I’d practice my stitchwork first. Next project’s gonna be toothpaste tablets!
