What's in my bag
Here's a look at what's inside my everyday pocketbook, and the things I can't go without…
I lug a lot of crap around with me.
Except, it’s not really “crap” at all.
I don’t know how to pack light. I loved pocketbooks as a little girl, and for as long as I can remember, I always carried one around. I lovingly blame my mother for it. I strongly recall how when I was a little girl, my mom had gotten a new pocketbook that came with a miniature one, that she then gave to me. This was the catalyst.
When I was in elementary school, my play-Aunt Gwynne once called my little purple leatherette pocketbook my “suitcase” because of how unexpectedly heavy my little purse was. I would fill my bags with all of the things I couldn’t go without: my wallet which safeguarded the allowance I made from doing chores, charms from Claire’s, American Girl x Bath & Body Works lip gloss, my Nintendo DS and some extra games, and my purple Motorola flip phone once I started middle school.
Safe to say that although my necessities in life have changed, I’m still always packin’ and prepared―another (very useful) habit I picked up from my momma.
Here’s what I currently tote around:
Wallets (including my card wallet, and a card-shaped AirTag for tracking)
Keys, which include my Loop earplugs (for loud shows or hotels with paper-thin walls), Birdie alarm, pepper spray, an AirTag for tracking, and my beloved Penn Herb Co. Preferred Customer Bonus Card
A spare tube of Toups & Co. tinted tallow lip balm, the only “makeup” that I wear and cannot live without (I get it delivered to me on a subscription!)
Sapér organic castor oil roll-on for pocket-sized emollient moisturization—comes in clutch for dry skin, lips, cuticles, and hands (love that I can refill this)
Bare Hands Dry Gloss Manicure Kit for polish-free polished nails on the go
Mini jar of homemade tallow butter for face, body, and hand moisturizer
A roll of refillable by Humankind floss (my favorite) to use between meals
Digestive bitters for support before or after meals (also doubles as anti-nausea support as it clears the palate)
Travel-sized bottle of Source Naturals Wellness Formula Advanced Immune Support and a bottle of their Resistance Liquid from my recent work trip
Two pairs of sunglasses, one pair stowed away in a case from Los Angeles Apparel
Lavender hand sanitizer
A tiny travel bottle of Dr. Bronner’s Lavender Castile Soap that I typically prefer to use to wash my hands or to give my drinking bottles a rinse with when on the go
Thai Compound Herb Inhaler that I picked up from the Thai grocery shop when I went back home to Jersey for the holidays―helpful for dizziness, nausea, and congestion (Traditional Chinese Medicine food therapist and dietitian Zoey Xinyi Gong put me on)
Wired over-the-ear headphones and dongles, because I’m already exposed to enough EMF radiation without Bluetooth sitting in my ears (my favorite hack is that these double as earmuffs in the cold!)
This nifty USB rechargeable pocket lighter for when someone needs a light
This season, a pair of long black cashmere gloves to keep my tiny hands warm
Alexis Smart Flower Remedies Mini First Aid Kit Spray for homeopathic support during times of stress or panic, like during travel and more
The tiniest jar of plastic-free, high-quality, Redmond Real Salt for when something ain’t seasoned enough, or when I could use some extra electrolytes
A pack or two each of Cap Beauty Matcha and Moon Juice Mini Dew Electrolytes
This Beurer bug bite heat zapper thing because I have sweet skin that bugs love, and I can’t stand getting bit up! The heat from the ceramic plate soothes itchiness
A stick of my Native Sun Companies deodorant—the one that has worked for me the most for the past several months (knock on wood)
What can’t you go without?
I think that the contents of our bags and the things we carry around say a lot about us. I’d be interested to know your must-haves and staples!