what's in my work bag

It has taken a lot of trial and error to establish the perfect work bag and its contents. But I have now settled on the perfect set up for me and my work routine.

The key to having a productive day is building resources that support this. Having the essentials helps! I share my essentials for work and life when you’re on the 9-5 commuting grind and want to stay organised.

First a little bit of background…

In university I was a tote bag lover until I put my left shoulder out and decided to switch to a far more ergonomic backpack.

Starting full time work saw the return of the tote bag. I lived about 300m from work and did not need to bring gym gear and lunch since I could quite easily go home and get these things.

I moved further away from the office and the insulated lunch bag was added alongside my tote.

I changed jobs. Now I have to bring a laptop to and from work, plus I take lunch, might want to hit the gym during work hours and need a decent plan should the weather turn.

Thus I returned to the trusty backpack. It’s better for my back and holds everything I could possibly need for the work day.

Without further ado, here’re my essentials for the 9-5:

The Backpack

I use the Lululemon Everyday backpack 26L. It is the perfect size, has the right amount of pockets a seperate space for your laptop. There are drink bottle holders on either side of the bag which are great for things like my bus card and keys as they’re easy to reach. The front pocket is good for a bit more security and houses things like my wallet and phone.

Water bottle

The Frank Green 695ml water bottle is the perfect size for commuters. It slips into bottle holders in backpacks and cars with ease. It’s insulated and keeps your H20 cool throughout the day. In fact it’s so good I just bought one for my partner. Plus they have the cutest colours - mine is a limited edition that I was gifted by my previous work colleagues and features Indigenous Australian art.

Laptop

A good old standard issue work laptop.

Notebook + Pens

Notebooks are very subjective. Some people swear by them, others have gone completely digital. I still love being able to jot down ideas and to do lists on paper especially during meetings. Typo has some cute designs and mine is a super colourful abstract one. (Don’t be afraid of colour corporate gals!)

Glasses

I am as blind as a bat and need glasses for long distance and reading. I am a specsavers girlie and swear by their anti-glare coating.

Book

I like to read on the bus (if I get a seat) and will usually slip whatever I’m currently reading into my bag. Right now it’s Wildflowers by Peggy Frew.

Lunch

Taking lunch to work is a game changer for the bank account. I keep my lunch in an insulated lunch bag to keep it cool and stop any potential spillage throughout my backpack. You can check out my post on work lunches here.

Headphones

Airpods are life changing. They’re good for phone calls, on-the-go meditations (there’s an app for that, read about it here) and listening to tunes at the gym. Life hack: you can also connect them to your non-apple laptop through bluetooth which is great for Zoom calls. My airpods are first gen and pretty beaten up, so I’ve popped this cute rifle paper co case on them.

Gym gear

If I’m feeling particularly active I will take my gym gear with me and hit them gym during lunch or straight after work.

Umbrella & raincoat

Wellington weather is pretty unpredictable. It is always windy. A blunt umbrella is a staple, they’re wind resistant and have better suspension than some mountain bikes. A long rain coat (like this one from macpac) saves the majority of your clothes from sideways rain.

First aid

I have chronically dry lips and there is a lip balm located in every pocket and bag I own. The blistex standard lip balm is top-notch and has the best price point ever.

Sunscreen. Reapplying is key! I will always put sunscreen on in the morning and take some to work to reapply throughout the day, rain or shine. We’re SPF50+ lovers here.

Anti-histamines. I am literally allergic to the air and never know when I might have a reaction. So I carry these with me everywhere.

Bandaids are always on hand. Corporate shoes are the worst to break in and I’m constantly band-aiding my feet to stop myself from getting blisters.

Ibuprofen and paracetamol for those headaches that hit spontaneously.

Bits & bobs

Wallet, phone, keys, bus card. The bare necessities that I take with me wherever I go.

There you have it, the essentials I take to work. I hope this helps you build a bag that has everything you need for an organised day at work.