Bag It!

Keep Organized By Carrying Only What You Need

By Lisa Marie Metzler

Does your shoulder have a dent from lugging all your daily essentials? Do you even know what you have in all these bags? Would you like to carry less and still have everything you need?

Women have the tendency to over-pack. As nurturers, we want to make sure we have all our essentials – and then some. It seems a diaper bag reflects how much we care – after all, good mothers should pack at least 12 diapers, a box of wipes, bottles, baby food, bibs, clothing, pacifiers, shoes, anti-gas drops, infant acetaminophen, diaper rash remedies, cozy blankets, numerous books, toys and a sweater – in case it gets chilly!

I suspect most of us have the same dilemma with our purses, too. Recently, I found a note from a friend in my purse. It read, "Clean out your purse!" What's really embarrassing about all this is that she wrote the note more than three months ago!

"One of the reasons moms get so burdened with baby stuff is that they feel the need to prepare for every possible scenario or contingency," says Nancy Rosenberg, author of Outwitting Stress: A Practical Guide to Conquering Stress Before You Crack (Lyons Press, 2002). "Unless you're planning a trek through the Amazon, if you run out of something, such as diapers or wipes, you can always go into a grocery or drug store and replenish your supplies."

The trick to keeping the diaper bag pared down is to replenish the supplies after you return home. With this routine, you'll stop throwing in new diapers, lotions and wipes on top of old ones. Your supplies will be fresher and you'll always have just what you need.

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