Originally Posted by slebo3213

Personal preference. I'm done with small things as soon as I leave the house and need toiletries as soon as I get to the office. If the small things are in a bag on top then they need to be set aside so I can get to the toiletries. Ideally I wouldn't have to go through one to get to the other.

And even if you're practice was applicable to my specific situation, it would still involve the conscious thought of what to pack and where. By using packs with smaller pockets I can skip that step for the most part.

Not a huge deal, but my personal preference is for a few smaller zip pockets on a commuter bag. Judging by the overwhelming majority of commuter products on the market having a few small zip pockets, I'd say I'm safely not in the minority. But to each his own.