I always carry wood, scrap iron and jars on me. You need wood to craft frames, and I pick up and scrap every chair so I rarely need to gather wood or plant tree farms. Cans get scrapped and go to my scrap iron pile, which you will accumulate over time. Same with jars, one drink and you have another in your inventory, so those 3 always have a spot in my backpack.
I don't care for the water purifier murk doesn't give you any benefits like teas/mineral water do and I don't like drinking/eating a lot of low low stat items, I'd rather drink one big ass mineral water once a day and be good for an hour, and eat a high calorie cooked meal than spam down a bunch of chili cans.