Steinbeck lists many personal items that the men use. What is the effect of this?

At the beginning of chapter two, Steinbeck gives an in-depth description of the numerous personal items that the ranch workers possess inside of the bunkhouse. Above each cot are two shelves made out of opened apple boxes, where the workers keep their personal items. Some of the items Steinbeck describes are little vials, combs, razors, talcum powder, soap, medicine, and articles. These possessions are not considered luxury items and are the bare essentials. The few essential items that each worker possesses illustrates their frugal, difficult lives as migrant workers. The fact that they do not possess any luxury items or an extensive amount of material goods also corresponds to their transient lifestyles. Since the workers are continually traveling from one job to the next, they are not afforded the luxury of owning numerous items, which would make traveling difficult. The few personal items described on each worker's two shelves also alludes to the living situation of prisoners. The reader senses that the workers are trapped or imprisoned in their difficult lives as struggling migrant workers.

To find an example of some personal items in the novella, take a look at the introduction to the bunkhouse in chapter 2. In this description, Steinbeck lists some personal items belonging to the men, like soap, razors, medicines, and playing cards.
What is interesting about these items is that they are the very basic things which the men need to take care of themselves. There are no luxury items here, just the necessities for living. In fact, the personal items listed are like those we might find belonging to an inmate who is incarcerated in prison.
In terms of the lives of these men, then, we can infer that they live very frugally and without any real comfort. The ranch is, therefore, more like a prison than a home, suggesting that these men are isolated and lacking any real connection to the outside world.