Originally posted by Menzagitat:

You have to pick up items one by one in this game?

No.

Drops you auto pick up.

On death items require you to interact with your tombstone. If you have all the original spots open or at least enough slots for what you had it will put them back as a group.

If you have the original spots open it will put them exactly where you had them.

Basically the best way to get your loot back is to set up a portal close by to the tombstone.
Eat out of a box for max benefit and carry nothing. Once you grab your stuff you get a bonus that will make you very hard to kill so all you need to do is run in and grab your stuff and run out. Put on armor when you can and proceed normally.