Living in New York – What I Always Have In My Bag

I’ve wanted to write this blog for awhile. I love these kinds of blogs that other people write so I thought it would be fun to put this list together. Getting together a bag for the day doesn’t sound like a science or intricate process, but living in New York makes it that way. Unlike my time in Virginia (or my brief stint in LA) where I had a car that would allow me to run by my house between work and evening activities, in New York, I have to think about EVERYTHING I’ll need for a certain day. Many days there isn’t time or I don’t want to put in the effort to run home before heading out for the next item on my schedule. Whatever items I keep in my bag will need to sustain me for the rest of the day. Plus, since I am a woman in NYC, I keep items that allow me to feel safe in certain situations. Read on to see how I break down the contents in my bag.

First the bags – I have about 4 bags that I use most often (and due to the frequency of use, two of them probably need to be replaced at this point). The first is my red Osprey back pack that Pete got me. It’s a great bag because it has a ton of large pockets and space for a long weekend trip, a busy day on the town, OR just a nice big grocery trip. The second is my black Desus and Mero Herschel back pack which I primarily use on days when I’m just heading into work and then going straight home since it’s not too big. Then, the third bag is my Stella and Dot convertible bag that can be a clutch or crossbody bag for nights out on the town. And finally, my fourth bag is an old one from Target that is light blue and standard. It’s the most worn and NEEDS to be replaced with a classier one that can go with any occasion.

Now, here are the items I am rarely out of the house without:

1. Chapstick – I’m addicted to Burt’s Bees and if I am ever without a tube (of Burt’s bee or any chapstick in general) in my pocket or bag, I immediately feel dried out. I also keep one lip gloss or tinted chapstick in my bag so I can dress myself up before a fun event or date with Pete.
2. Water Bottle – I’m really working on being better hydrated and keeping a bottle in my bag helps with that. I still forget to drink when I am busy at work or out of the house on a bunch of errands, but having it on me does help me up my water intake a little bit.
3. One or two black or blue pens.
4. My Bullet Journal – if I find myself with a little extra time out on the town, I may update my bullet journal to save me some time at the back end of my day.
5. Umbrella – native New Yorkers will probably scoff at this but since I’m not a native, that’s fine with me! lol I keep my umbrella on me at all times. Since I travel everywhere by foot or subway, the umbrella keeps me looking somewhat presentable on those rough weather days.
6. Pepper spray – Thankfully, I have never needed to use it but I still feel grateful to keep something in my bag that could help me if I ever run into a scary situation. I sometimes worry that I’d accidentally spray myself in the panic of the moment, but I hope I can gather myself enough to use it properly.
7. Bag of masks – ever since the start of the pandemic, this bag of masks keeps me feeling safe and healthier. Plus, in order to ride the subway, we have to wear masks, so in case the string breaks on one of them, I always have a backup.
8. Bag of miscellaneous medicine – I have Ibuprofen, Excedrin, Tums, and a few cough drops just in case I need them during a long work day, I get a migraine, or I start feeling a little under the weather.
9. Hand lotion – I hate having dry hands and especially during the winter, lotion is essential to avoid that. I like Neutrogena’s Norwegian Formula since it does a great job when my fingers sometimes crack from the harsh weather in NY.
10. Sanitizer – even before the pandemic, I always had a bottle of sanitizer in my bag just in case I touched anything dirty while moving around the great, but also very grimy city.
11. Hair elastics – I have long heavy hair. Even if I leave the apartment with my hair down, I most likely return home with it in a bun or pony tail because I will get hot or it gets in my way.
12. Poopouri – for the bathroom when needed.
13. Breath mints or tic tacs – for when my breath needs to be freshened up!
14. Airpods – I got these for Christmas from Pete. Earbuds of any kind of are pretty crucial in NY. Most subway trips are, on average, a minimum of 20 minutes while most can be about 40-45 minutes. I love listening to a great non-fiction audio book or a podcast on my journey between home and work or visiting the sights with my friends and/or Pete.
15. My wallet – obviously, I can’t get too far without my wallet. Occasionally when I have my winter jacket on, I’ll just put my id and card or a little cash in my huge pockets, but most of the time it’s a tried and true companion of mine. Shoutout to my lovely friend Rachel who got this wallet for me I think 6 or so years ago. It still looks like new!
16. My packet of reusable straws and straw cleaner – along with my water bottle, I try to be as environmentally friendly as possible (a blog/vlog will be done on that one day too!) and by keeping these in my bag, I’m more often avoiding single use plastic and straws when I’m at a coffee shop or fast food restaurant.
17. Reusable shopping bag – there are several days a month where I may need to pick up a grocery or two for dinner that night or breakfast the next day. I will occasionally stop by the Target near my work or the market near my home since they are conveniently located near the subway and use this bag.
18. Last and final must for my purse is probably the most obvious – my keys! I have two versions – the one I use most of the time just has the keys for our apartment building; and the other version is the one I bring when I go to Virginia since it has the keys to my mom and dad’s homes as well on there.

Along with the items listed above, I may have coffee cups or mugs, a Tupperware of oatmeal or cottage cheese with fruit, or prepared lunches to eat during my work day. I may also have a change of clothes or an extra pair of shoes if I plan to head from work to an event or a work out class.

I am told often that I’m the mom of a group partially because I usually have everything that people need in my purse and that is a characteristic of my personality that I don’t see going away anytime soon.

Are there items that you can’t live without when you leave the house? Any favorite brands of the items I listed that you suggest I try out? Let me know in the comments. As always, thank you for reading!

Sending you all lots of Love,

Alanna