The infamous diaper bag gets a bad rap for being a bottomless pit of sticky, gooey, useless items that we all have to lug around seemingly forever – but it comes in handy when you need it and that’s why we’re here to help you clean it out, organize it and make the diaper bag work for you.
When choosing a diaper bag, this is something that you don’t want to skimp out on. Trust us. Go for that everything-proof material that you can wipe clean day after day without an extra headache to add to your day. Stay away f
rom trendy materials that might seem cute but you’ll be regretting it pretty early on when it gets stained way too quickly for the price you paid! Another element that we may overlook is the zippers and pockets.
If this bag is particularly designed as a full-time baby bag, then it’s likely equipped with all of these things already in mind, but if you’re getting creative with some bags that aren’t typically used for this purpose, then you’ll want to pay extra close attention to these little details. Zippers come in handy when there’s way too much to be held within, as well as those extra little pockets that can hold smaller items that you may not want to get mixed up with the rest, such as those crackers that always have a trail of crumbs not far behind.
As for the ingredients, first things first, based on its name, we know that the first step to having a handy diaper bag is actually having diapers readily available. If your child has already passed this stage, surely this can be replaced with something similar – like an extra onesie, t-shirt or pair of socks for those extra messy lunch or school sessions. If your child is still in the diaper chapter, consider stocking up on 4 or more, as many as you comfortably can fit, as it will allow for you to move throughout your daily schedule earlier – having these back-ups surely make all the difference between a disastrous day and a somewhat smooth sailing one!
Hydration is key but we know that space is too so you don’t exactly have tons of room for gallons of water to claim stake in your bag, so what is one to do? We suggest keeping one or two smaller water bottles in your bag, as well as a few foods that are hydrating – such as your choice of those little juice packs where it should do two jobs at hydrating and fueling your little one temporarily.
Small snacks are those tiny saviors that come in handy when you’ve reached the last tool in your arsenal. Be sure to stock up on as many healthy items as you can, with them still being as minimal and small as possible so you can make proper use of the bag. You might consider a not-so-healthy treat for those times when you really need to make an impact on occupying your loved one.
The element of surprise is the best method here. Be sure to pack something exciting for your child that can come to the rescue when all else fails. It’s true, you’ll have to switch up your ideas and methods quite often, but you’ll be ecstatic when you can save the day with something to grab their attention during a meltdown in the middle of a quiet setting, of course! So, what would this be exactly?
Consider switching this up as your child grows into new chapters and finds new things appealing. So, let’s say that your little one currently loves airplanes – hide a special, brand new airplane toy in the back pocket of your bag to come to the rescue when you need it the most! A pro-tip for this one is to be sure to only use it when you really need it so you don’t have to keep restocking this item all too often.
We highly recommend either creating your very own or purchasing a tiny first aid kit while you’re out and about & on the road. The first aid kit can be basic, but a small bit of burn cream, diaper rash cream or alternatives, bandaids and antibiotic cream can truly take an extreme situation down a few notches. Despite the fact that this one last tip has nothing to do with a diaper bag, we also wanted to provide a friendly reminder that having a more extensive first aid kit both at home and in your vehicle is another back-up plan that can really be there for you when you and your loved ones need it the most.
The properly packed diaper bag will truly be able to provide you that little bit of peace in an often chaotic parenting world. You’ll thank yourself later when you have those tiny little extras that seemed to be unnecessary when you were preparing them, but they truly save the day when you really need these little pick me ups or emergency, day-saving items!
