I’d say my diaper bag is pretty small, compact, and minimal compared to many of the ones I see others carrying around. I wanted to share my must-have items.

What I look for in a diaper bag:

Backpack style: Personally, I prefer a backpack style diaper bag. It makes you 100% hands-free. Plus, husbands don’t mind toting them around.

Not too big: As mentioned above, I prefer to not have to bring a lot with me. Some people might prefer to have everything “just in case” but that’s just not my style. Having a bag that’s not too oversized prevents me from overpacking. It forces me to stick to JUST the essentials which makes trips out a lot easier.

One-handed zip: Something I discovered pretty quickly into going out with a baby is hands are a hot commodity. A bag that requires both your hands to zip closed can be annoying. One-handed zipping is key.

Pockets, pockets, pockets: Obviously, pockets help organize all the baby stuff. I NEED two side pockets where you can put a water bottle and a cellphone. I also prefer a front pocket for quick-grab stuff. Inside the bag itself, I like a few strategic pockets, but sometimes TOO many pockets just gets annoying – so it’s a little bit of a balancing act.