Keep your diaper bag neat and organized with our tips

Every second feels like forever as your baby’s fussing escalates into frantic crying in the middle of a friend’s wedding. You fumble around inside the diaper bag, struggling to locate a pacifier in the midst of the mix of diapers, wipe packages, toys, spare clothes and diaper cream. In even the best diaper bags, it seems like everything ends up in confused jumble in the middle of the bag. And of course, the one thing that we need to stop the judgy stares as our baby screams, is always stuck in a bottom corner under a pack of tissues and a burp cloth.

So how do we change this mess of baby paraphernalia inside the best diaper bags into something orderly enough that we can actually find what we are looking for without the endless fumbling that only increases the disorder?

Is there a way to organize the big baby bag mess?

Diaper Bag Distinct Items

The best diaper bags are organized, neat, and always contain what you are looking for. Unfortunately, this is the ideal and not the norm for most moms. One way you can ensure that your diaper bag remains organized and always contains the essentials you need for any baby-related emergency, is to keep a stock of diaper bag-specific items inside. This means that you buy specific items that always remain in the bag instead of being taken out and often not returned. Sample-sized baby grooming items such as lotion and diaper cream are helpful and can always remain in the bag. Keep two or three pacifiers in the diaper bag and leave them there, rather than trying to remember to throw one in before you leave home. Keeping these bag-specific items always in your diaper bag means you won’t have to run around the house trying to remember to put everything in the bag before an outing.

Purpose Each Pocket

Instead of stuffing things inside the bag willy-nilly before each outing, take a look at the pockets inside and outside of the bag and decide to designate specific items for each pocket. The best diaper bags always come with plenty of pockets to aid in organizing, but they are only helpful if you designate each pocket for specific items and then always keep the same items in those pockets. For example, pacifiers will always be in the outside middle pocket. Teething ring will always be in the pocket on the front right, etc.

If you never vary which pocket you use for specific items, it will help you to be able to locate items in a hurry, even if you are juggling a baby on your hip and a toddler is clinging to your leg.

Ziploc Bag Organizers

Gallon-sized Ziplocs are your best diaper bag’s best friends. Instead of having loose items floating around inside the bag to end up in a messy pile in the middle, keep your baby’s spare outfit in one zippered bag, diapers in another, teething toys in another, etc. It’s much easier to find things when items are separated into bags. Many companies offer cute, decorative zippered bags for organizing, but the fact that Ziploc-style bags are clear plastic means you can see what’s in each bag in a quick glance, which is an advantage.

Change With the Seasons

At the end of each season, clean out the diaper bag and restock with weather appropriate items for the next season. This saves the mess that will otherwise result from stuffing warm autumn clothes into your best diaper bag on top of outgrown summer clothes. This is your opportunity to remove clutter, upgrade to newer toys, and change out season-specific items like sunscreen and beach hats for warm booties and winter caps, as well as to make sure you have all the must-have items from your checklist in there.

“Accident” Bag

It’s helpful to keep a spare zippered bag in your diaper bag. This is so you have a place to safely store away soiled items such as clothes that were dirtied in a diaper blow-out, shirts that were spit up on, and soiled bibs. Having a bag designated for these items means you can take them home for washing without them soiling everything else inside the bag. The last thing you want is for your best diaper bags to be ruined by soiled baby clothing.

The Bag Within a Bag

Instead of throwing your wallet and phone into the diaper bag, keep a small handbag inside your larger diaper bag. In the small purse you can keep your wallet, keys, and phone. If you are going to make a quick trip to pick up a few things in the grocery store, you can grab the small purse out of the bigger bag and carry the baby and the small purse while you shop, keeping the larger bag in the car. You can even throw a single diaper and a few baby wipes in a plastic wipe case into the smaller purse and then always leave the huge diaper bag in the car for big baby messes, but still have an emergency diaper on you at all times.

Resources— ItzyRitzy.com, MaternityGlow, WorkingMother

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