What’s in my bag? – The minimalist edition

I’m sure everyone has already seen at least a 1000 “What’s in my bag” blogposts or YouTube videos.

I’m afraid this will not be as exciting as most of them.

But it may be a good opportunity to discuss what exactly constitutes an everyday necessity and whether we should carry half of our home in our bags?

I’m not exactly sure which law of nature makes a bag act like a black hole, but most of the time it just keeps swallowing stuff. And it keeps getting heavier and messier by the minute, until we’re elbow deep in them, searching frantically for the one (usually small) thing that’s just lost in that darkness.

It’s frustrating, time wasting, and also not very healthy (to our backs or to our minds).

Could we just try to simplify our bags? Reduce the physical and mental burden of what we carry around all day? Go for lightness, efficiency, and organization?

I think we could at least try.

What’s in my minimalist bag?

+ Mini makeup bag

Concealer, a lipstick, eye pencil, blush and a mini brush. Some tissues, a hairband, floss, a hand sanitizer, and an emergency painkiller.

+ Keys

Home/Office/car keys. I like to have it all on one ring – makes it much easier to find it. Also, colored key covers help a lot.

+ Wallet

Money and all my cards. I don’t carry around a lot of change, we have a small bowl where we gather them and take out just a handful when we need it.

+ Headphone + Phone

Maybe 10 years from now, this will be all what we need? Think about it, you can pay or park with them, take notes, look up anything, access your files, listen to a podcast or audiobooks, have meetings. Multifunctionality at its best.

+ Umbrella/sunglasses

One or the other is usually with me, depending on the weather. Sometimes I keep them in my car.

+ A reusable water bottle

I’m trying to get better with avoiding plastic.

And that’s all?

Maybe my what’s not in my bag list will be somewhat longer.

What’s not in my bag?

By the way, it’s not a random list, but the result of a careful research of “What’s in my bag” videos.

Do we really need to carry around all that stuff?

How can we ensure we have everything we need, while still reducing clutter in our everyday bag?

Create your own minimalist bag

Step 1. Decide on your absolute essentials

It’s good to sit down and think through what your absolute daily essentials are. It’s not going to be the same for everyone. A university student’s essentials are different from a young mum’s. But take an honest look at what you really need and try to be as minimalist as possible.

Step 2. Plan

The most crucial step. I’m fairly convinced we can prepare for the day with a 90% certainty. As for the remaining 10%? I guarantee it’s going to be something you never even thought of, so no need to be prepared for the “what if” scenarios. I do take some of the items from the above list (though surprisingly never the flashlight or the spare bra), but only if I know I’ll need it.

+ Going on a meeting? Take a laptop or an iPad to take notes.

+ Going out for the night and need to completely redo the makeup? Plan your makeup and pack accordingly.

+ Will you be out for a long time and need your phone? Take a portable charger.

+ Is it spring and the nights are cooler? Take an extra cardigan.

+ Will you have no time to eat? Take a snack.

+ Will you go grocery shopping? Take a bag (or better, keep it in your car)

Are these things happening all at once? Rarely.

Plan your day, think through all your tasks and meetings, and pack only what you need.

Also, I’m not a big fan of duplicates, but there are some things I invest in so that I can avoid carrying them around all the time. Like a phone charger for the home/office. At one point, I’m either going to forget it or I’m going to lose it if I constantly carry it around, so this is one area, where two is better than one I think.

Step 3. Organize

The secret to having an organized, clutterless bag, where you can find anything in 2 seconds? Small bags or pouches. A wallet, card holder, make up bag, one pouch with all your electronics, maybe one for your snacks, and you’re done. This way, you only have to rummage through a couple of bigger items, it’s much more efficient and fast.

Step 4. Declutter. Every week

Let’s be honest. Our bag is also basically a dumpster. Even the tidiest bag doesn’t look the same at the end of the week. Receipts, paper junk, a lost lipstick, coins are all swallowed up by them. So take some time Sunday evening to rediscover what it has collected throughout the week. Or you can do this when you change bags. Just do it regularly.

Isn’t that a great feeling when you clear out the junk from the bag and it can breathe again? (some Marie Kondo deepness here)

By the way, I admit, I do love knowing what’s in other people’s bag. It’s like watching what kind of groceries the person before you in the line bought (am I the only one who watches it?).

So, what’s in your bag? What are your daily essentials?