One of the problems of having a good supply of stuff with me
has been I am not as careful with what I do with it. I dunno, maybe it is just me.

For example, if I have a ton of lighters scattered thru-out my gear- and I do- I am not nearly as careful where I put the thing back when I am done with it. Same with knives ( I consider 7 about right).

I think it along the lines of the truism that a fool and his money are soon parted. Have too much and you start misplacing and losing stuff. To my mind one of the brilliant things about Molle is the attachment points. You must have a ton of CONVIENENT attachment points or you start misplacing stuff.

Most people go for the layered concept. I have my PSK, rucksack and then car,home,field supplies. There is always a knife of some sort on my person; legal folder about town,4" sheath knife on a neck lanyard and belt knife in the field and spare moras stashed everywhere. Ditto with lifeboat matches. All systems can fail, get lost or destroyed, including common sense and training. The more redundant I am , the less reDUMBdant I look <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I need to give plenty more thought to my layers.

Perhaps you have seen this as well,everyone. A guy goes for day hike and he looks kinda like an extra from Platoon he has so much gear. "Nam style bandana on the nog- $300 knife,day pack with maxi kit - $200 worth of shorts and shirt and let's not get started on the cost of the boots.
Well, then there is the yahoo trotting with the family on a nice 8 mile-er without so much as one water bottle between them.

I just notice I need to shed some stuff to be equipped appropriately. And when I get to camp- I am so busy multi tasking getting everyone fed and warm and amused that stuff starts to get put away alittle less carefully than good sense would dictate.... Heck, I got plenty more stashed everywhere of everything I need. .......

So it comes to learning. My Dad was a bastard about putting things away when we were done with them. No knife got put away dull or left out. No one went to bed after a trip without all gear being put away. Nothing was left out of place in camp after a day on the trail. No matter how tired or hungry everything had a place and it went there when you were done with it. If I was caught putting a knife down on the table at camp rather than sheathing it it was time for discipline. If I didn't sharpen my knife at the end of the trip and the beginning of the trip ... Worse and worse! The main lesson I took from all of this at the time was that my Dad was a bastard.

In anycase, I rebelled significantly for the past 30 years and now, like you find that I am negligently absent minded about my gear to the point of danger. Well experience teaches slowly.

A very insightful answer MiniMe. After Dad came the Marines.
I wonder. I just wonder if the ghosts of bastards past are not screwing up my multi-tasking. I notice I also think that snacks eaten while I am busy with other things "do not count". Hmm, I gonna take the insight to my favorite place- it is a steep hill I go up and down to condition. After a while, I calm down and really start to get into a nice zen like zone to think. Probably endorphins- but very conducive to clear thinking and ridding myself of emotional left overs. ... Very insightful.. thanks for that. <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Its worse when you get older...did Moses have a checklist ?