I am excited to share with you, my favorite systems for staying organized on the go with a toddler! Of course, you will see what is in my mom bag, and how I organize everything that I bring with me as a mom of a toddler with no more diaper bag.
Downsizing to something smaller can come with it’s challenges if you are like me, and feel like you have to carry “everything but the kitchen the sink” every where you go. Once my son turned two, I finally transitioned from the diaper bag to “the mom bag” and wondered why I hadn’t done it sooner. It was also probably because I LOVED my diaper bag – it worked so well as a mom bag too – though I packed more in that bag than I really needed to. (If you are looking for the best diaper bag/mom bag, this truly checked all of the boxes for me and is also beautiful and very durable. Click here to check it out on Amazon.)
As time went on I learned I didn’t need to lug around every single item I thought I needed every where I go, but could still go places feeling prepared for most anything without it all having to be on my back. After all, you never know what can happen when you have young kiddos! Being prepared is good, though I didn’t need to break my back doing it!
After some searching, I bought a Fossil Megan Backpack like new off of Poshmark for an amazing price. This bag met my criteria of being hands free, versatile, and very durable. It doesn’t feel like the baby’s bag anymore, and is sleek and very well made. My perfect mom-bag!! I have been obsessed. As for the other things that I no longer keep in there anymore, I have this canvas bag from Amazon that acts as the “emergency bag” for all the extras and stays in the vehicle.
I have three receptacles for all the items that come with me always:
- My mom bag that I carry with me
- My “emergency bag” kept in the vehicle
- The car tote that always stays beside the carseat
In order to keep everything easy to organize, grab, and move between vehicles or a different purse if necessary, I keep a system.
The key is to:
- Categorize : Decide what “alike-items” go together (ex. diapers and wipes, extra kid outfit and shoes, lotion and chapsticks, busy books and toys etc.)
- Bundle: Combine items into groups and place in reusable bags for quick and easy finding.
- Organize: Figure out where it makes sense to keep each bag. Will this go in the mom bag, the emergency bag, or the car tote? Or another spot? What works best for you and your family?
My emergency bag contents and must haves for the car consists of:
- Busy bag (for church and restaurants etc) including toys, coloring books, stickers, hand wipes and one snack etc.
- Washable bag with extra outfit, socks, shoes (hat and gloves go in here as well as swimsuit, sunscreen, sunglasses and bug repellent depending on what is seasonally necessary)
- Side pocket with easy to grab wet wipes and hand sanitize wipes, also a pullup, plastic bag, and mini First Aid kit.
- Side pocket with light blanket
- Diaper change mat, wipes, diapers (we are still in early potty training) and toilet seat cover
- Dechoker kit bag
- Emergency snack bag (granola bars, dehydrated fruit, crackers etc)
To imagine that I used to be carrying a lot of this around on my back for so long too! This bag fits and stays nicely on the floor in front of my son’s carseat. For winter, I lay his jacket on top as it is too bulky and not safe to buckle him in with it. All of this is easy to grab when I open the car door to get my son too. I purge and add to this bag once a week to keep it up to date with what works for our family.
My beautiful mom-bag backpack contents and must haves include:
- Sunglasses, chapstick, granola bar, gum and keys are kept in the inside pockets
- Front bag pocket keeps my iphone and hand sanitizing wet wipes
- Wallet
- White and black bag for feminine products
- “Emergency” bag (black) for extra eye contacts, eye drops, bandaids, floss, allergy meds, ibprofen, cough drop, tums, tide wipes etc.
- “Beauty bag” (floral) extra makeup, tissues, lipstick, mini deoderant, hair ties, nail file, lotion etc.
- Toddler bag (gold) for wipes and diaper/pullup
- Toddler water bottle fits nicely in side pocket
- There is usually one or two toddler toys floating in this bag as well 🙂
If you are wondering how to organize your purse or mom bag, keeping all of your loose items organized in small storage bags this way is KEY! You won’t have to dig around for everything and you know exactly where each item is. This system also helps when you need to quickly switch purses or don’t want to bring your entire mom bag with you somewhere, except for a few things.
The car tote always stays in the car, unless we are taking my husband’s truck on a long trip, then it comes with. This tote gets updated as well here and there with different toys and books for car rides. I always keep a blanket and stuffy in this tote for car naps as well.
What would you add to this list of must-haves for a mom on the go? I hope these ideas and systems can help you too!
“Strength and honor are her clothing; she is confident about the future. Her mouth is full of wisdom; kindly teaching is on her tongue”
Proverbs 31:25-27
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