My anything-and-everything-I-could-possibly-need bag

My "everybag"

I am the sort of person who likes to be organised. I like to think in advance, "what might I need with me today" and I pack the things I think I might need.

This has the unfortunate side effect that I cannot pack light. Time and time again I've tried, only to lug huge bags out the door. Occasionally it bugs me and I wish I could just take life as it comes. But mostly, I like being prepared and having with me the things I need, when I need them. (And yes, I am aware of the subjective nature of the word "need" in that sentence.)

Friends, colleagues and family regularly mock me for the random (they think) things that I pack and the size of my bags, only to find the widgets I have with me to be just what they need on arrival (or at least, my stuff makes their job/trip/day out much easier or more comfortable).

So I think, despite the dreary mockery, I'm going to go on planning what I might need with me, and continue failing to pack light.

Since about the age of 13, I've carried around a little bag with "stuff I might need". It's receptacle and contents list has morphed with my occupation, my age, my location and all the other elements that make up my life.

This is it's current incarnation:

It lives in a pencil case I bought at a stationers years ago. One side has a pen holder and some little pockets, the other is one bigger pocket.

In the flat pocket side, I carry around:

- a click-up pencil (or two)
- a blue, a red and a green ball point pen. (These are a hangover from my student days, when I used to take notes in different colours. I still do this at work. It's way easier to find my notes if I can remember, for example, that I wrote something about that on the top of a left hand page in green.)
- a good black pen (preferably something that dries fast on shiny surfaces like postcards or greeting cards)
- a black, fairly fine-tip permanent marker. (You can always use a permanent marker.)
- a highlighter. (Haven't actually used this for ages, but again, can come in handy when taking notes at work.)
- a nail file. Actually two. A metal/sapphire with pointy tip and a glass one with a nice filing surface.
- a small plastic ruler (hmm... seems to have vanished when I went to take the photos. Wonder who's borrowed that...)
- my phone earbuds
- two balloons. (I have a child and use balloon balls to keep him entertained every now and again.)

In the little side pockets here there are:
- pencil lead refills
- a white eraser
- a mini white-out tape roller
- post-it page markers in two sizes
- panty liners
- bandaids (sticky plasters)

Ok. Still with me? Take a deep breath... Here's what's in the main pocket:

- a small hairbrush
- some hairclips
- a hairband or three
- a mini tube of hand cream
- lip balm
- tiny tube of lip gloss
- mini tube of hand disinfectant and a couple of single wrap disinfectant wipes
- toothbrush (supposedly with travel cover if said cheap travel cover would stay on)
- a couple of sanitary pads
- small pack tissues
- useful tablets (painkillers, antacids) and some rehydration salt sachets
- a teaspoon
- a USB memory stick
- a mini s-carabiner
- a chocolate bar
- a little (old) vitamin container full of my favourite hot chocolate mix
- a few of these cable holders

It's probably time I gave it a go-through and left a few things at home. But you never know when you might need something!



There are some similar bags here that would also work well:

Easy-Classification-Pencil-Case

Flap-Type-Pencil-Case

Mega-Pencil-Case

(I have no idea if this is a reliable online shop - I found these bags through Google and have never used it).



And I have a soft spot for these bags, not so many pockets but lovely designs:
Ceannis cosmetic bags




Does anyone else feel the need to carry around all this paraphernalia?