Last month, my girls turned three and four. During the girls’ birthday month, my husband and I always sit back and think about the last year and all the great things that happened to our family. This past year, something major happened…NO MORE DIAPERS.
Yes, you heard me correctly! Both kids are officially potty trained.
Not only is this is awesome for the bank account, but this means I get to get rid of my least favorite motherhood-related accessory…the diaper bag.
That may sound blasphemous, but having a bag stuffed full of everything I could ever possibly need to attend to my kid whenever I left the house was not only daunting but annoying. Sure, there are lots of cute bags out there and lots of ideas on how to organize said bags, but mine was always a mess. I also seemed to always be missing the one thing I needed.
Getting to ditch the diaper bag means that I can bust out my favorite purses and feel like a normal human again when I leave the house! BUT ultimately, at the end of the day, I am still a mom. There are usually a few broken crayons and things I don’t want them sticking in their pockets floating around the bottom of my purse.
4 HACKS TO DITCH THE DIAPER BAG
1. Purse Swapper
I got one of these from Thirty-One a few years ago, and I love it. A “swap-it pocket” has become a lifesaver of organization for me! It keeps all my little things in their places and allows me to very quickly and easily swap bags. I have seen lots of variations of this from different sellers the past few years, and I can’t recommend it highly enough!
All those little odds and ends have a home, and I don’t have to worry about forgetting little things when I switch bags. The one that I use has two bigger zipper pockets, and a large interior pocket with elastic pouches on either side to help me keep things mildly organized.
2. Hairspray
This is my number one purse hack. I always, always, always have a can of hairspray with me.
Sure, it’s nice when my hair falls flat in the middle of the day…but I have so many hairspray hacks I can’t even begin to list them all.
- Removes lint from clothes.
- Helps manage static cling – seriously useful in the winter months.
- Can remove lipstick stains – I mostly use this trick at home, but have been known to use it on the go!
- Spraying hairspray on your heels makes walking in high heel shoes a little easier (weird, I know, but it works!).
- Speaking of shoes – spray hairspray on kids’ shoes after you tie them. You’ll be amazed at how much better those knots hold.
- Zippers! Have a zipper that won’t stay up? Hairspray.
Ok, I could go on for days about it. But it’s something that I have in my bag at all times!
3. Emergency Supplies
Since I don’t have a “diaper” in my purse, I do not consider it a “diaper bag,” but I am no fool. My kids are still young and learning, and accidents happen! I always have one backup pair of Peppa Pig Panties in a zipper pouch in my purse.
Speaking of clean things, I also have hand sanitizer on me at all times. Unicorn hand sanitizer, because, kids.
4. Bribes & Technology
I also make it a point to keep some sort of bribe in my bag at all times. Sometimes it’s snacks, sometimes it’s little coloring-sticker books, but most of the time it’s the Kindle!
Speaking of the Kindle, a portable charger pack is another must have. Over the years, we have collected several of them. Most of them are small and will give a little juice when you need it, but my favorite one is this one. It’s big and heavy but it will fully charge your device, and I can charge two things at once. Kindle-low-battery-lifesaver right here!
I think that about sums it up…what am I missing? On longer and busier days I tend to grab my planner and a water bottle for myself. However, I am proud to say I have officially ditched the “diaper bag!”
