Take a look inside my work bag to see what I carry with me to stay on top of it all while working on-the-go.

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If you’re nosey like me and like taking a peek inside someone’s bag, then today’s post is especially for you! Rather than the standard handbag, though, I thought it would be interesting to go inside my work bag with you. After all, I know I’m not the only one out there juggling multiple work priorities at the same time. And over the years, I’ve really streamlined my process and what I truly need with me to stay on top of it all.

Inside My Work Bag

First off, I suppose, I should share with you the work bag I’m currently using! Recently I updated from one who’s handle was starting to fall off to the Coach Central Tote. What I most like about it is its size.

The tote is large enough to fit my 15-inch laptop, which I commonly refer to as the Mothership. While I don’t carry that around on a day-to-day basis, it is something I bring with me while traveling and so the Central Tote works perfectly as a carry-on while flying. Obviously air travel is restricted at the moment, but when things resume down the road…I’ll be ready!

Now that you’ve officially met the tote I’m using, let’s go inside my work bag so you can see everything I bring with me to get work done while on-the-go!

Yearly Planner

Call me old-fashioned, but I still love a physical planner! After several years of using Kate Spade, I switched things up for 2020 and went for a Vera Bradley planner. The inside has a great layout, with weekly and monthly spreads as well as multiple notes sections and more. It’s how I plan things big picture as well as small picture, keeping on task throughout the year and monitoring progress on specific goals.

Bound Journal/Notebook

Inside my work bag you will also always find a notebook! This one I picked up at Papyrus in NYC before they went out of business (sadly) and I use it to write down project plans and brainstorm ideas. I also use it to jot down notes about certain meetings or conversations I have, so I have those details to quickly refer back to down the road.

Spiral Notepad

Thinking more short-term, such as daily or weekly to-do lists, I also always keep a notepad on hand. This is where I jot down daily things I don’t need to hold onto and can throw out when I’m done. I’ll even use notepads like this to jot down grocery lists, what I need to pack for an upcoming trip, etc.

iPad

As I mentioned before, my 15-inch Mothership laptop is not something I like to carry with me on a day-to-day basis. Instead, I pack my iPad which is loaded with a number of apps to help me stay on top of everything easily while on-the-go. I know there’s a huge age-old debate between PC or Apple products, and when it comes to laptops I’m a user and lover of both. For a tablet, however, I am very much stuck on using my iPad and syncing it up with my iPhone. I’ll give you a rundown of some favorite apps below.

iPad Case

Obviously when toting an iPad around, you’re going to want to have a case to protect it. I’ve had several different ones throughout the years, but my current favorite is by Speck. It’s sleek and sturdy, with cut-outs for your camera and side buttons. It’s available in a number of colors, but the purple is my favorite.

Work Apps I Rely On While On-the-Go

In addition to taking you inside my work bag today, I thought it might be useful to share my most-used apps. I try to keep what I pack with me to a minimum and make as much use out of cloud-based systems so I can remotely access work no matter where I am on my iPad or phone.

MAILCHIMP: Those who subscribe (which you should) will know, I publish a weekly newsletter via Mailchimp on Fridays. Rather than working on it all at once, I like to add to the newsletter throughout the week – so having easy access to it as well as the metrics from previous issues all on the Mailchimp app helpful.
BITLY: If you’re a digital content creator or marketer of any kind, you’ll know that Bitly is a savvy way of sharing trackable links on social media. I use Bitly for basically every web article I publish and its analytics help measure how well and where content is performing.
DROPBOX: An excellent tool to have on hand for sharing photos, videos or other files.
GOOGLE DOCS: Creating documents on Google Docs is a convenient, free and user-friendly way to remotely host documents that you can access anywhere from any device. No need to email yourself a spreadsheet back-and-forth!
ADOBE LIGHTROOM: About 95% off the time, I use Photoshop and Lightroom on my laptop. But for those occasions where I want to quickly edit a photo, the Lightroom app does the job in a snap.
WORDPRESS: All the sites I manage, including DreaminLace, are hosted on WordPress. The app isn’t perfect, but it is great for making quick edits wherever needed, scheduling or publishing posts.

Charging Equipment

Inside my work bag I have two pieces of charging equipment: the standard Apple wall adapter for when I have access to a plug as well as a portable charger from Jackery. I bought a much bigger Jackery charger before, but honestly it was so heavy I hated lugging it around. The lightweight option is much more user friendly on a day-to-day basis and charges incredibly fast! And yes, it works both on my iPad and phone!

SD Card to Lightning Reader

My most used device of all? The SD Card to Lightning port reader. This is an essential for anyone who takes photos or video as much as me. I can quickly transfer content from my camera to my iPhone or iPad with this one lightweight adapter. It cuts down a lot of time and keeps me from having to lug my heavy laptop around with me all the time. A must-have for any creative!

Blue Pilot G2 Gel Pens

Yes, I realize pens aren’t the most exciting of topics but I couldn’t take you inside my work bag without mentioning my devotion to the Pilot G2 pens. The blue ink is my true favorite. I’ve loved these for years and honestly don’t buy anything else. They have a nice cushion to give you a solid grip while writing as well as protect your fingers from getting sore. They also write beautifully, always work and don’t smear all over the place. A trusted staple!

Shop Work Bag Essentials

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