What’s in My Work Bag?

Keeping your work bag organized keeps your work TIME more organized as well. It’s a win-win in my book!

While I work from home the majority of the time, several days a week I’m stationed at a coffee shop pounding away on my laptop. During the days I’m not at home, I try my best to utilize my time well. I’m much more efficient without tempting distractions (aka dishes that need to be done), so I value this work time! A big part of the success of my coffee shop work time is coming prepared with everything I need in my work bag to be as efficient as possible.

Here’s what I pack in my work bag

I’ve always been a big fan of pouches. You’ll find them in my suitcase, purse and work bag. In my work bag, I always keep at least two pouches.

Electronics Pouch

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven

1. Computer Charger | Since I have an older laptop with a dying battery, I always keep my computer charger nearby!
2. External Hard Drive | Every week, I backup the documents on my computer to my external hard drive. I get nervous that my computer could crash and I would forever lose all my documents! Ahh!
3. Phone Charger Cord | I like to have several of these on hand in our home as I’m notorious for my phone dying.
4. Portable Charger | When there’s no outlet to plug my phone in to, this portable charger has been my lifesaver!
5. Headphones | I get distracted easily, so popping in my headphones and listening to music while I work is really helpful.
6. Portable Flash Drive | I always keep at least one of these in my bag to easily backup my work.
7. Clips to secure the cords | I like to keep all my cords under control! Having clips to keep them from tangling keeps me sane 🙂

For my smaller, thinner cords, I love these cord clips:

Sometimes the best solution is found around the house: thick rubber bands often do the trick!

Blog Supplies Pouch

One | Two | Three | Four | Five

 

1. Business Card Holder | I not only keep my business cards, but also business contacts I’ve met through conferences and work trips.
2. Mini Sticky Notes | Always in bright colors!
3. Receipt Holder | I keep all my receipts in pouches so that I’m able to process my taxes easily. I’m in the process of writing a post detailing how I handle all my blog finances!
4. Note Pad | I typically take notes digitally, but I ldo ike to keep a pad of paper nearby.
5. Pens & Highlighters | My pens go missing all the time, so I like to carry several!

If I don’t also have my purse with me, I’ll pack my wallet, sunglasses and a

Toiletry Pouch

I like to keep mini versions of toiletry items that I use regularly. This includes items such as a small brush, lotion, chapstick, breath mints, nail file, mascara and a nail file.

My laptop is by far the heaviest item in my bag. It’s an older cheaper laptop which automatically means it weighs more than any out on the market today. Because of this, I like to use a sturdy work bag. If you’re willing to spend the money, I’m a huge fan of Lo and Sons bags, but I’ve found a canvas LL Bean bag also checks all my requirements!

Lastly, I bring a couple folders. The first is my ‘business folder’ which is part of my system to track of net earnings (more on this in a future post). The second is a ‘notes’ folder that includes anything written down from conferences and work trips (I’m a huge note taker).

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Now I just need to grab a coffee and get to work 🙂 .