A "what's in my bag" post is among my favorite in the blogosphere...what can I say, nosiness is my guilty pleasure! A few weeks ago I switched from my usual summer bags (mostly smaller crossbody type bags) to a good fall bag. I've gotten myself sorted with what I need to carry on a daily basis, so I thought I'd share a peek inside...
BAG: My go-to bag right now is this roomy Zara shoulder bag that I picked up over the summer (currently sold out, similar here). It's lightweight and spacious, and it goes with just about everything.
ESSENTIALS: There are a few things that I always have with me. First, my wallet (I'm using this pretty rose gold one) -- I prefer a large zipper style wallet, which I stuff to the max with the usual (credit cards, cash, gift cards), as well as every receipt I've ever received (except the ones I need to turn in for work, never seem to have those), discount and reward cards, movie ticket stubs, coins from foreign countries I have no plans to visit, month-old to-do lists, and public transit cards from at least 3 different cities.
I also carry sunglasses, my keys (I like my tassel keyring -- here's a similar one -- though I'm on the lookout for something new), some all-purpose wipes, headphones (the ones I use are similar to these, with a built-in mic for phone calls), and my iPhone with this pretty Rifle Paper Co. case. I'm a bit more reliant on my phone than I'd like, but these days it is essential -- I use it for entertainment, navigation, note-taking, keeping track of my schedule. Finally, I always have this magical little reloadable gift card for my many trips to EPCOT's Food and Wine Festival. You wear it around your wrist and just tap, tap, tap when you want something tasty to eat or drink. Food and Wine is the social event of the year and I find myself there a few times a week, so I never leave home without it.
POUCH #1: I'm a big fan of keeping small items in pouches. It makes everything so easy to find, and it also lets me keep my sanity when I need to quickly swap bags. For makeup, I love a little mesh pouch (ideally one that is compact, flat, and lightweight so that I can have my essentials close at hand -- these are great). I'm not someone who is going to redo a full face of makeup on the go, so I just carry some touch-up basics -- my favorite eyeliner and mascara, a good lip balm, and lately I've added a mini sized Benefit Posie Tint (perfect for just a hint of lip and cheek color). I love this little travel perfume atomizer (so easy to fill) for a bit of freshening -- Sephora's rollerballs are insanely expensive, this is a much better option. Aquaphor is great to dab onto cuts, dry spots, blisters, etc. Finally, some hand sanitizer for emergencies -- I don't know how safe any of these products are, but I hope that this one from the Honest Company isn't the worst of the bunch.
POUCH #2: This is where I carry the things that aren't essentials but just so nice to have (if I switch to a smaller bag, this pouch stays home). This luxe hand cream is very handy, especially this time of year (this was a Sephora Black Friday deal from last year and I still have a bit left -- fingers crossed we see it again this year!). Healthy snacks are nice -- these almonds keep me from running to the king-size Snickers. I love this sunblock stick, perfect for reapplying throughout the day (I always miss a spot!). As a runner, I have hair elastics and safety pins in every pocket and drawer, so I throw a few in my pouch as well. I'm not a big gum chewer, but it's nice to be have just in case I need to make sure my breath is minty fresh. I try to keep a pen or two with me, and for some reason I'm carrying around this metallic Sharpie right now. I like to have a flash drive on me -- mine has some work files, but sometimes I have photos, music and fun stuff to carry around. And I love this little tape measure (I got mine from Pier 1 years ago, but this one is adorable). So handy!
BAG: My go-to bag right now is this roomy Zara shoulder bag that I picked up over the summer (currently sold out, similar here). It's lightweight and spacious, and it goes with just about everything.
ESSENTIALS: There are a few things that I always have with me. First, my wallet (I'm using this pretty rose gold one) -- I prefer a large zipper style wallet, which I stuff to the max with the usual (credit cards, cash, gift cards), as well as every receipt I've ever received (except the ones I need to turn in for work, never seem to have those), discount and reward cards, movie ticket stubs, coins from foreign countries I have no plans to visit, month-old to-do lists, and public transit cards from at least 3 different cities.
I also carry sunglasses, my keys (I like my tassel keyring -- here's a similar one -- though I'm on the lookout for something new), some all-purpose wipes, headphones (the ones I use are similar to these, with a built-in mic for phone calls), and my iPhone with this pretty Rifle Paper Co. case. I'm a bit more reliant on my phone than I'd like, but these days it is essential -- I use it for entertainment, navigation, note-taking, keeping track of my schedule. Finally, I always have this magical little reloadable gift card for my many trips to EPCOT's Food and Wine Festival. You wear it around your wrist and just tap, tap, tap when you want something tasty to eat or drink. Food and Wine is the social event of the year and I find myself there a few times a week, so I never leave home without it.
POUCH #1: I'm a big fan of keeping small items in pouches. It makes everything so easy to find, and it also lets me keep my sanity when I need to quickly swap bags. For makeup, I love a little mesh pouch (ideally one that is compact, flat, and lightweight so that I can have my essentials close at hand -- these are great). I'm not someone who is going to redo a full face of makeup on the go, so I just carry some touch-up basics -- my favorite eyeliner and mascara, a good lip balm, and lately I've added a mini sized Benefit Posie Tint (perfect for just a hint of lip and cheek color). I love this little travel perfume atomizer (so easy to fill) for a bit of freshening -- Sephora's rollerballs are insanely expensive, this is a much better option. Aquaphor is great to dab onto cuts, dry spots, blisters, etc. Finally, some hand sanitizer for emergencies -- I don't know how safe any of these products are, but I hope that this one from the Honest Company isn't the worst of the bunch.
POUCH #2: This is where I carry the things that aren't essentials but just so nice to have (if I switch to a smaller bag, this pouch stays home). This luxe hand cream is very handy, especially this time of year (this was a Sephora Black Friday deal from last year and I still have a bit left -- fingers crossed we see it again this year!). Healthy snacks are nice -- these almonds keep me from running to the king-size Snickers. I love this sunblock stick, perfect for reapplying throughout the day (I always miss a spot!). As a runner, I have hair elastics and safety pins in every pocket and drawer, so I throw a few in my pouch as well. I'm not a big gum chewer, but it's nice to be have just in case I need to make sure my breath is minty fresh. I try to keep a pen or two with me, and for some reason I'm carrying around this metallic Sharpie right now. I like to have a flash drive on me -- mine has some work files, but sometimes I have photos, music and fun stuff to carry around. And I love this little tape measure (I got mine from Pier 1 years ago, but this one is adorable). So handy!
