Marie Kondo鈥檚 anti-clutter ethos聽is well known and widely accepted:聽get rid of extraneous shit in your house and watch your life improve. I鈥檇 like to say the same goes for your everyday carry, or the list of gear you have on your person every single day. Cull your gear down and watch how easy it is to get out of the house聽but still be prepared. What you鈥檒l end up carrying depends on who you are, where you live, and what you do for a job, but to get started, here are few suggested essentials.
Taylor Stitch Raw Brass Keyhook ($32)
It鈥檚 time to declutter your keys because I guarantee most of you have some on your ring that no longer work, or belong to some door you鈥檝e long stopped using. Once you鈥檝e pared down to four or five鈥攂ecause who really uses ten聽keys?鈥攕trap them on that comes with one simple ring to聽prevent useless-key collection. The whole setup, which looks great because of the simple design, will slip all the way into your pocket no problem. I personally like to strap mine to a belt loop and let the keys hang, freeing聽up pocket space.
Dango Products D02 Dapper Wallet ($130)
Most low-profile wallets are useless because they鈥檙e too thin for real life and everything you need to carry. , on the other hand, strikes a nice balance. It will carry 12 cards and a wad of cash, but the aluminum chassis won鈥檛 let it聽get too fat. I also dig the DO2 because it will likely be the last wallet I ever buy, thanks to the bombproof metal and leather build.
Fisher Space Pen Bullet Space Pen ($25)
Taking notes on a phone sucks, which is why I stick with pen and paper. This setup is still best for to-do lists and random ideas. A regular pen works just fine, but regular pens are easy to lose. that was invented for astronauts and writes in zero gravity with聽pressurized ink, on the other hand, is something I鈥檓 more likely to take care of and bring home each night.
Timex Horween Leather Chronograph Watch ($120)
If you think a smartwatch is too much of a distraction聽but still need a timepiece on your wrist, look here. has a simple but classy old-school design (like something your grandpa used to wear), and the Horween Leather wristband adds an element of outdoor chic. The watch won鈥檛 tell you who鈥檚 calling聽or what weather is coming, but it will keep you on time.
Zero Tolerance 0456 Knife ($300)
You don鈥檛 need a $300 knife. . However, if you take knives seriously, use them a lot during the day, and want one that will last, you can鈥檛 do much better than . The 3.25-inch CPM 20CV steel blade opens almost instantaneously via a聽smooth ball-bearing hinge and trigger-finger flip mechanism. The blade itself takes and holds a sharp edge that will tear through anything from the salami you eat at lunch聽to the cardboard box that鈥檚 carrying your newly ordered everyday聽gear. And damn if the fat聽handle doesn鈥檛 feel good in your hand.
QALO Silicone Ring ($40)
To be honest, I thought were stupid the first time I saw them. Who wants to celebrate a marriage with a silicone ring? Then聽I read Joe Jackson鈥檚 review of the rings, where he explains how they can prevent a gut-churning injury called 鈥degloving,鈥 and I immediately saw the use. I also came around because QALO rings come in a variety of fun designs. I sometimes wear one in addition to my gold wedding ring just as an added accessory. And if I lose one, it鈥檚 easy and cheap to replace. (My wife鈥檚 QALO is pictured here.)