Heigh Ho! Heigh Ho! It’s back to work I go!! Now that I am heading back to work twice a week, I’ve had to put together my purse again. Since being home, I haven’t had the need of a purse at all…we just started having restrictions lifted, I’ve actually only needed to use the diaper bag.
Since we’ve been on lockdown, I haven’t had the need to go out anywhere really and once it was slightly lifted, we would really only go anywhere together as a family, so the diaper bag became my best friend.
As a commuter, I’ve tried multiple different bags throughout my career…backpacks, large open bags, carrying multiple bags. I usually have a few on hand for when I change my mind and want to switch things up a bit. Because I change my mind a lot, I have dozens of purses, bags, etc.
Check out the backpack below that I used while pregnant…this was a complete lifesaver! It evenly distributed the weight and I didn’t feel like I was carrying 1200 pounds on my back. But once I went back to work after my maternity leave, I did go back to my over the shoulder purses. I’ve had multiple over the years and have tried so many different options but lately, I have been favoring the ‘catch-all’ bag.
The BAG
If you know me, then you know that I am a LOVER of big ass bags that can fit my entire life in them. Although, if you ask my husband, I may ‘think’ I have everything but I never seem to have what he is looking for. He usually catches me on a day where I’ve switched from the diaper bag & I always forget to grab something.
I’ve had multiple purses over the years that fit this bill and have tried so my brands and styles. While I love the big open bags, I’m also a lover of being organized and being able to find what I need super quickly but having a big, wide-open bag, doesn’t really help with being organized. So, I purchased a bag organizer from Amazon & I LOVE it. It has a spot for everything & also helps with keeping your bag structured so it doesn’t lose its shape. It also comes in so many different colors & multiple sizes, there is one for each of your bags!
Check out my Instagram to see my new bag! It’s a great dupe to the ‘Neverfull’ bag. Even though you are a mama with little ones running around, you still want a nice, elegant, professional-looking bag but don’t want to spend the big bucks. Because let’s be honest, that bag will get the crap kicked out of it while running errands with a toddler. While I didn’t need a new bag (seriously, who does?) but I wanted a new one to make myself feel better about having to go to work (retail therapy can be SUPER expensive).
What’s actually in my BAG
So, what is actually in my bag for commuting? I have my essentials which are my wallet, keys (obviously), multiple chapsticks (you can never have enough LOL), make-up bag, tech accessories bag & finally my catch-all bag. What is a catch-all bag you ask? It’s where I keep everything from hand wipes, band-aids, Tide to Go, etc.
I know it seems like a lot in a bag and honestly, it is quite heavy, but I like to be prepared and as a commuting mama, I need to be prepared for anything. I have a charger pack for my phone, extra wired headphones (let’s be real, no one wants to have to listen to other conversations at 7 AM).
The ACCESSORIES
Now, I am not usually the type of woman who likes to be matchy, matchy with my bag and accessories but this time around, I thought ‘why the hell not?’ I have had the same wallet and make-up bag for years, so I upgraded them and purchased the matching pieces to my new pretty bag.
With everything going on now, I also have a ziplock bag of Lysol wipes, face masks (a few disposable ones just in case), gloves, & hand sanitizer.
So MANY Bags…
Since we are only working in the office twice a week, I will be doing a majority of my work at home. But, when I go into the office, I will need to bring files, paperwork, etc. with me. So, I’m also bringing a large plastic bag, you know those bags that people sell for fundraisers?? Yep, that’s me, below is a photo of my commute on my first day back with all my bags.
I’ll also be bringing a small cooler bag (next to my big ass pink polka dot bag) that will have my breakfast, lunch & snacks. At the moment, one of the safety precautions in our office is that the kitchen is closed (with the exception of access to our in-house water filter system). I do not plan on going outside the office once I arrive, so I will be prepping my breakfast & lunch at home to eat at work. Also, who doesn’t love snacks?! I’m mainly a snacker, especially at work, I usually don’t eat lunch until well after 2:00 PM.
I seriously love when things look all perfect and organized, it makes me feel like I’ve got my shit together even if I’m running around like a chicken with my head cut off.
