I’m in a weird place, bag-wise, these days. I rarely need an actual purse anymore as I have to tote my work laptop back and forth from the office every day. They gave everyone backpacks, so I just keep everything I need on the daily in there. If I go out somewhere it’s either to a friend’s house for crafting, which requires its own bag and paraphernalia; or I’m running an errand so I just need something small to carry my wallet, keys, phone, and sunglasses. I finally found a small bag that I love for it, and I still have my purse for longer outings, which holds a ton of stuff, but for the most part it’s me and my backpack lately.
I should probably get out more. Maybe once the temperature isn’t surface-of-Mercury and I’m seated better in my finances I can go do more things. This past weekend I went to my first movie in all of 2023! (Mission: Impossible, Dead Reckoning Part 1)
So, what’s in my backpack?
Picture a standard black backpack with a padded laptop compartment and a company logo stitched into the front. Inside you’ll find:
- My bullet journal, a Notebook Therapy dot grid in A5 size.
- My handmade sticker folder full of various and sundry planner stickers
- My sticky note cover which of course matches the sticker folder, LOL.
- A variety of writing implements, mostly either cheap novelty gel pens or Pilot Precise V-5 RT in black; one or several Zebra Mildliners; and occasionally a pencil. I usually don’t carry my art supplies these days but I do have scissors, a roll of washi tape, and a glue stick in my backpack, just in case.
- My newest addition, a self-care kit.
The Unicorn Pouch
I am a middle-aged woman, and I need drugs. I’m also a uterus-bearer so I have issues with that. And I have IBS and allergies! Yeah, I’m a mess. But I’m a prepared mess. I decided I needed to have some things with me wherever I go, especially at work. My company is good about supplying basic stuff – they have Advil, Tylenol, sanitizer galore, and menstrual supplies (in all restrooms, not just the ladies’), but I’m particular about certain stuff.
Contents from left to right:
- A nail file
- Sanitizing hand wipes
- A pill box containing Kratom for my bad period days
- Packets of Advil (I grab a couple from the office just to have on me or I bring a small container of the liquid gels I keep at home and prefer)
- A dose of Dayquil
- Another box full of Benadryl (not just for me, but for anyone having an allergy problem)
- Two or three menstrual pads (I use these U by Kotex big lady pads, they’ve been my go-to for years – they’re the first thing I’ve ever found that was genuinely leak-proof (or as much as possible) that felt like adequate coverage for my lady business)
- Stall Mates – basically baby wipes for grown-ups. I like these out of the different individually packaged wipes I’ve tried. I thought about carrying a travel pack of the regular old baby wipes, but they tend to be larger than is discreet for taking to a ladies’ room. I don’t mind people knowing I’m bleeding but “My big ass needs extra wiping” is a little more than I want to advertise.
- A third pill box containing Pepto-Bismol pills. They’re kind of weaksauce when it comes to a full blown IBS attack but they are great for queasiness, indigestion, and general ick.