Stef, The Id, and the Meori Box


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I’ve always considered Stef to be an “id-driven” person. This requires some explanation.

Way back in high school, I had a brief “Intro to Psychology” class with Mr. Tworek. The one thing I remember the most from that class was Freud’s model of the psyche and Mr. Tworek’s definitions of its three parts, the id, the ego, and the super ego.

The id, so the definition went, was the instinctual part of your behavior.  If you were thirsty, for example, the id would drive you to consume mass quantities of the first liquid you could find. Booze, paint thinner, gutter runoff, whatever.

Id thirsty. Must drink. (Salt Lake…)

The super ego was the holier-than-thou part of your psyche. In the thirst example, the super ego would encourage you to drink pure mountain spring water, sustainably sourced, blessed by your favorite clergy, and probably not from anywhere west of the Rockies since consuming that water would have a negative impact on the water rights of users further down the Colorado River basin.

(The super ego is a super buzzkill.)

Finally, the ego is the rational part of your psyche (my favorite).  It gets to play mediator between the two and find a reasonable middle ground that gets you some water, and doesn’t kill you or anyone else in the process.

So now back to Stef.

Cutest girl at the Dusseldorf show…

I think Stef lets a little more “id” bubble through to the surface than most of us.  Or at least, that’s the only way I can understand some of her behavior.  Stef’s the type who uses a butter knife as a screwdriver, and who chops vegetables on the counter without a cutting board.  But it’s probably easiest to show you what I mean with a picture.  Today, Stef went to the store. She bought cat food, onions, oatmeal, salsa, and eggs. This is how these items were put in the pantry.

 

We don’t actually use these items together, mind you.  This is – literally – the first spot Stef saw when she opened the pantry.  The first available spot is good enough… so her work is done!  She assumes that there are gnomes who take care of the details.

Now, I’ll freely admit, I would go too far the other way.  I’d arrange the salsas by expiration date, and I’d remove the oatmeal packets from their box so it all takes up less space.  I’d also double check that all the items were where the labels on the shelves said they should be.  At least I would check that if Stef hadn’t removed all the labels I put on the shelves…

“OK.  But what does all this have to do with RVs?”

Good question!  You see, packing the RV for a trip requires lots and lots of trips in and out carrying stuff to the rig.  Being an id-driven person, Stef makes these trips using the first available container, bag, or receptacle she can find.  This drives me absolutely nuts.

That’s one of the six bins I use for sorting dirty laundry. There’s a loaf of bread in there. Probably on the bottom.

She’s done this for years!  And it’s driven me batty for years!  I’ve tried everything I can think of to get her to stop, but it’s never worked.  I’ve even offered to load things in the RV for her, but unless I am there with empty arms the exact second she decides to it’s time to load the RV, it’s all for naught.

Stef wrapped her clothes in that blanket to bring them out. That blanket more or less belongs to the cat…

This happens twice per trip: once on the way out, and once when we return home. But finally, FINALLY, I think I’ve hit on a way to thwart her misappropriation of receptacles forever.

Enter the Meori Outdoor Box

 

The folks from Meori sent us this box to review, and at first, I thought, “OK. It’s a box.” But after using it for a couple months now, I think it may have helped solve my problem with Stef’s loading and unloading. Here’s why:

1: It’s Collapsible

The box folds down to 12 3/4 x 10 3/4 x 2 inches, and snaps itself shut. This means we can actually keep it in the RV so it’s always there and available for us. If it’s there and available, there’s a good chance Stef will use it. And converting from storage mode to carry mode is a two second operation.

I do have to bring it inside the first time so Stef will start using it, but once she’s started, we’re golden.

2: It’s Water Resistant

Yep. The Meori Outdoor Box is water resistant. This means that whatever it is that needs to be carried, it goes in the box. Things from the freezer with frost on the outside; life jackets; damp rags. All of these get safe passage in the Meori Outdoor Box. The fabric is water-resistant, and the panels inside are plastic instead of paper, so dampness doesn’t phase it.

I can’t explain this, so I won’t try.  The cat cracks me up though.

3: It’s the right size

We got the “Large” size. It can hold about 8 gallons or 65 pounds. But those specs aren’t the big deal. What’s really important is that the box is “big enough” to hold whatever it is that Stef might be carrying, but small enough that it doesn’t get overloaded and the things on the bottom get crushed.  We’ve even used this box on the road instead of re-usable grocery bags!

 

This box really does live in our RV full-time now, right over the cab.  It’s been handy for loading and unloading the rig, and in some small way, it’s helping me keep my sanity. Stef likes the box too, and doesn’t understand the reverence I have for it. That’s part of the magic of being Stef, I suppose. The solution passes unnoticed just as easily as the problem. (Sometimes, I’m a little envious of that.)

No kidding. This is actually where the box lives.

If you’d like to get a Meori Outdoor Box for yourself, you can find out more about them at Meori.com. And of course, you can get them on Amazon, here: The Meori Outdoor Box.

Now, if I could just come up with some way to help her out packing her toiletries, maybe I could sleep at night.

Yes. That’s a year-old gallon Zip-Loc bag.  Ten minutes ago, there were frozen berries in it.



James is a former rocket scientist, a USA Cycling coach, and lifelong fitness buff. When he's not driving the RV, or modifying the RV (or - that one time - doing both at once), you can find him racing bicycles, or building furniture, or making music. In his spare time, he works for a large IT company.


    21 thoughts on “Stef, The Id, and the Meori Box

    1. Mike Parkerson

      I look forward to your motor home walk-through reviews with relish. Salesmen and salesladies can make a walk-through sheer monotony. Viewers are apt to miss important details because they’re more than half nodding. Not with you two. Your ‘fights’ over such things as bells and arm-waving are a delight. Your personalities make a new motor home look better than it probably is. Have you been offered jobs at Winnebago yet?

      Reply
      1. James - Post author

        🙂
        We’re really glad you like our videos! It takes a lot more effort to make them the way we do, so we’re always glad when someone “gets us”.
        Hope to see you on the road soon!

        Reply
    2. Jessi

      O.M.G. This is totally my hubby and I. Including my reusing ziplock bags! Just rinse it out and repurpose it! He’ll never understand. 🙂

      We have a Class B too, and I’m not allowed to pack the Roadtrek anymore. I just dump everything in a big box in the living room and he hauls the box out and puts it all away. Doesn’t matter that then I have no idea where anything is 🙂 The only thing I’m really responsible for is packing my clothes in ebags, which then get put in the box and hauled out. I think this Meori Box might actually work well for us.

      Thanks for the laugh, and it’s nice to see someone full-timing in a class B. We’re getting ready to hit the road next year. Visit us at Trekkers.org

      Reply
      1. James - Post author

        I haven’t quite figured out how to prevent Stef from “helping” with the packing…
        Perhaps the big box in the living room is the answer I’ve been looking for.
        Thanks for the tip! (Now, if I can just get Stef on board with it.)

        Reply
        1. Jessi

          It’s worth a shot! I like packing the kitchen stuff, so I know what I have to cook with, but other than that, I’ve learned he’s a way better packer and organizer! Also, just realized I typed our website wrong. It’s Trekers.org (only one k). Good luck!! Love your blog!

    3. Bill Pemberton

      HAH! James I know what you mean so well. I used to empty all the kitchen cupboards and arrange everything. Pots and pans here, mixing bowls here, plastic containers here. All sorted by size etc…

      In less than a week my (ex) wife would have everything arranged by this system. This fits here so I’ll jam it in there and so on…

      Complete frustration on my part, yet I’m sure she found the whole thing very funny in a semi-sadistic way.

      I just had to give over and stop arranging the cupboards.

      Reply
    4. TRowley

      My husband Rod Barbee and I are the same way except I’m you and he is Steph. My best advice….just get over it because in the end it doesn’t matter! I’m 57 years old and it has taken me this long to say these words. Let go because it doesn’t really matter! Just turn your head James and move on.
      Tracy the OCD child!

      Reply
      1. James - Post author

        I know… But hope springs eternal… 🙂
        And I always thought it should be called OCO, because there’s no DISorder about it!

        Reply
      2. Stefany

        Ya know, Tracy, I do think you’re onto something! We all chill with age, and I’ve DEFINITELY seen a significant mellowing with James’ OCD. But hopefully he won’t mellow too much because there are perks to his OCD! Like how I never have to clean or do laundry because “I don’t do it right…” HAAAA!

        Reply
    5. Gary

      Yeah I have to say as much as I want to stick to bro code, I’m with Stef on (most) of this. Plus, the complaints ring hollow when your id driven wife looks half her age. Poor fellah.

      Reply
    6. Wayne

      Loading stuff in and out of my new Travago I have found works good with
      Trader Joe bags, tough, waterproof, easy to carry. Storing food has been a problem due to heat in the cabinets. I added more insulation to hopefully help
      that issue.

      Reply
      1. Stefany

        Oh trust me, there are rebuttals every day. The best part about be married to an OCD guy is how fun (and easy) it is to mess with him.

        Reply
    7. Stefany

      I’d be offended, but #1) he said I was the cutest girl at the Dusseldorf Show, and #2) it’s all true. Here’s to the id! xoxo

      Reply

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