The first thing I did after my oldest was old enough to not NEED a diaper bag was get a regular tote that I could use instead. Then I got pregnant again and the thought of getting another bag that screams I HAVE DIAPERS INSIDE made me a little sad. I’m not a big ‘bag’ person. I typically use 1 purse and use it until it is unusable and get a new one. I do however like quality bags that fit everything I need and are easy to tote around. I also like them to be cute and match my style. I don’t think I’ve ever willingly purchased a black purse or bag…its not my jam. I prefer a more casual chic aesthetic like my favorite Free People vegan leather tote I got after I graduated from my first official diaper bag.
Needless to say, when it came time to find a new diaper bag I knew I wanted a couple of things:
- Backpack option is NECESSARY. When you are chasing two super active kids around you NEED the ability to have your hands free 100%. I’ve had bags with a cross body option in the past and let’s be honest, It only feels ‘right’ wearing it on one shoulder which ultimately leaves my back and hips unbalanced and achy…not to mention when you bend down 257 times in a day it swings forward and whacks you or a child – which is never good.
- It had to be cute – aka NOT look like a diaper bag. I wanted a bag I could take with me with or without the kids and not feel like I was carrying around a sign saying ‘I HAVE WIPES IN HERE’! Not to mention when you are rocking yoga clothes and a ponytail for the 50th day in a row without actually having plans to go to yoga, having a nice looking diaper bag somehow makes you feel like you look put together.
- It had to be durable. Again, 2 kids, lots of on-the-go time, messy hands and sandy water bottles – it needed to be something that would withstand some abuse and look good doing it.
After searching around and seeing what’s out there I settled on the Storksak Jude in Natural Grey. I love that it DOES NOT look like a diaper bag, but has all the functionality of it – the brushed canvas is water-resistant (also super easy to clean off after grabby hands get on it), It opens nice and wide without collapsing down so you can access everything you need to, it has a nice sized front pocket that easily fits my car keys, iPhone and some wet wipes, AND it has a padded technology pouch that I can slip my Macbook into when I take it with me to write while Luca naps and Avery is at school.
Here is what I typically tote around in my Storksak bag:
3 diapers – We love Honest Co. Diapers (but we order on Amazon Prime Family for a great discount since they no longer offer the ‘diapers only’ bundle – their wipes aren’t the best and after a series of mold recalls we stopped getting their wipes)
Wipes – I love Water Wipes but for on-the-go, I prefer Seventh Generation because they close better. I put my diapers and wipes in a waterproof zippered bag from Penny Scallan Designs. I recently started doing this and it works great because I can easily grab it and throw it in the stroller or another bag if I’m not using my diaper bag.
Magazine in case the kiddos magically fall asleep – this never happens…but a girl can dream.
Emergency snacks because I’m pregnant and someone’s always hungry.
Zoli silicone place mat (so I always have a clean place for the little one to eat off of)
Skip Hop bib (These are hands down my favorite bibs – they are super lightweight, rinse off easily and roll into a little carry pouch and you can put them in the washing machine so they don’t get disgusting)
Water bottles – I love my Lifefactory glass bottle and for Luca our favorite is the Thinkbaby Thinkster straw cup.
Wet wipes – it’s flu season…I don’t mess around.
Highlights High Five magazine for Avery and Hello book for Luca – If you don’t have subscriptions to these I STRONGLY encourage it – they are amazing. Avery has been getting them every month since he was 6 months courtesy of his Mimi and Poppi. They start with Hello which is a chew proof, rip proof little ‘magazine’ with cute songs and stories, then they graduate to High Five which has longer stories, some bilingual stories, an art activity or recipe to cook. We love getting them every month and they are great to throw in your bag for easy entertainment that doesn’t take up a lot of space.
2 Hot Wheels race cars – because sometimes a book doesn’t cut it.
My LeSportsac ‘wallet’ that is the perfect size for my 2 Epipens and Benadryl just in case
Sunscreen – because it’s 80 degrees in February. Sorry, not sorry.
Portable iPhone charger since I never remember to charge it overnight.
iPhone and headphones
Extra clothes for Luca
The best part is this all fits so easily in my Storksak bag with tons of room to add the essentials for baby #3 in June. I mean seriously all that crap in the first picture is in this bag and it looks neat, organized and not at overflowing. I sometimes feel like Mary Poppins when I’m packing it up. I’ll be sure to update when I add in baby #3 to let you know how it all fits!
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