I spent a few years in Brownies in my youth, and I’m pretty sure the ‘always be prepared’ motto is lodged in my brain somewhere, dictating that I always over pack. For the first few months of Em’s life, I was basically a mom-sherpa. I carried anything and everything that I thought I could possibly need around with me. Toque in the summer? Check… the baby MIGHT get chilly. Extra onesies one size too large? Got ‘em… the baby might grow five inches while we’re out for lunch… you get the idea.
It’s taken me a few months, but I’m fairly proud of the pruning we’ve done in the diaper bag department, and I’ve whittled things down to what I think are the Best of the Best – the diaper bag must-haves, and the little things that just might save your sanity. This isn’t in our typical ABC review format, because I wanted to include a little of everything that we find helpful, in case you’re also living the secret-life-of-sherpas.
Our Diaper Bag Must Haves:
- Diapers… duh (but I have left the house without them before… sigh)
- Extra onesie (appropriately sized), because the moment you don’t bring one, your sweet babe will poop in their car seat, cover their outfit, and you’ll be walking around Costco with a naked baby… you know, not that that ever happened to us.
- Baby Sunglasses. Just because they’re awesome. But also, eye protection.
- Aleva Naturals Pacifier and Toy Wipes. They’re natural, and they’ll remove every bit of dirt from your babe’s favourite teether when they chuck it out of the stroller, and there’s no water nearby.
- Burt’s Bees Lip Balm – this one’s for mama, but sometimes lip balm and sunglasses are all you need to look passably presentable.
- Litsie’s Hand Made (and food safe) Snack Bag – these are handmade in Ontario, reusable, and washing machine safe. It’s lined with a moisture resistant liner, and we use it to tote along all of our snacks (which have saved us from more than one meltdown on-the-go)! We just turn it inside out and throw it in the washing machine when we’re done – easy peasy!
- Litsie’s Wet Bag – remember that Costco poop explosion that ‘didn’t’ happen to us? Well that’s when you’ll want to have a wet bag at hand. It’s lined with a moisture resistant fabric as well, and you can use it to store any wet, messy or just plain stinky bits that you need to transport back home. Your nostrils will thank you.
- Feathers & Fancy Stretchy Cotton Headband and Hair ties – must haves for dealing with ‘mom hair’ when you need to get out of the house, but haven’t blow dried your hair since I-don’t-know-when. The headband covers up any sins, keeps your hair away from pully baby fingers, and the hair ties are just so adorable!
- Teething Toys. Because I’ve learned that infants, babies and toddlers will basically be in a perpetual state of teething. We always have a couple of tasty chew toys (baby, not dog… although?) on hand. We have a fancy wooden one from one of our favourite shops Burrow Home, and we’ve also learned that in a pinch a bath toy doubles as a delightful teething option! Win.
- Spiffy Naturals Air Freshener. Every product from this all-natural cleaning product company plays double (or triple!) duty, and this one is no exception. Because of the combination of pure essential oils inside, this product doubles as a natural hand sanitizer! It’s a no-brainer to keep things smelly spiffy (pun intended), and clean our post-diaper fingers minus the chemicals.
- The Joovy Dood Training Sippy Cup. This is Em’s favourite sippy cup, and an easy way for him to stay hydrated when we’re out and about. It’s easy for him to handle (only 7ozs), the perfect size for travel, and all parts separate for easy cleaning! There’s a 9oz version that he’ll graduate into eventually too!
- Kirkland Baby Wipes. We’ve talked about these before but they’re basically our favourite wipes ever. I love the idea of making my own wipes, or using reusable ones (if anyone has ideas on easy ways to make this happen, let me know!) but sometimes that’s just not realistic for us. These have a mild scent and are easy on tooshies. Plus they’re a great value!
- A soft tape measure. This one is a bit random, but I’ve used this to measure Em’s feet for shoes, the circumference of his head for hats, and other craftier projects when I’m feeling adventurous. It comes in handy more than you’d think, so it made the list!
- A small journal. We use it to jot down our to-do lists, keep track of grocery requirements, and any other lists we’re tracking at the time… also, we jot down blog inspiration as it hits us! There’s something satisfying for us about an old school pen-and-paper list. And it’s just so darn cute.
- Our handmade burp cloth. We use these for everything from spit-up to runny noses, to food spills – they’re the single most helpful item we made for Em! They’re durable and wash up spick and span! If you’re interested in the pattern and a quick how-to… let me know! I’m happy to share.
So pare down, stock up, or optimize your bag… and journey on mamas!
