What-I-Carry-Wednesday: The Minimalist Diaper Bag

Oh, the diaper bag. So full of opportunities for an Eagle Scout who can't justify carrying around a man-purse filled with gear. Yet, after 16 months, I've learned just how valuable a streamlined diaper bag can be. By keeping the contents to a minimum, we can stash it in the mesh pocket under our stroller or other out of the way places, and aren't tempted to leave it behind.

One bit of hard earned diaper bag advice: never, never, never put the diaper bag in the trunk. Always, make sure it's accessible from the front seat of the car. Once it's locked in the trunk, and you're cruising along at 65Mph, you'll find that you desperately need the bottle, toy, whatever securely stored in the diaper bag.

On to the contents...

• A Hammock Bliss day pack - I prefer a day pack to a over the should bag because it's easier to carry and multitask. I like the lightweight Hammock Bliss bag because it takes up minimal space, and as I mentioned above, can be stuffed in the bottom of our compact stroller.
• An extra change of clothes (that fits!). I've been tempted before to leave these out. And then I've had various diaper disasters that have caused me to re-evaluate my thinking. Eventually you'll have a diaper blowout and you'll be ever so thankful for these.
• My Emergency Toddler Entertainment Kit
• My Urban Survival Kit (and of course, my other EDC items)
• A container of crackers, including a small container of peanut butter. Of all items in the bag, the crackers are probably the most frequently used.
• Baby Tylenol. Only the best drugs ever invented, thank you very much. It's amazing how a miserable child can be transformed with just a dropper full of this cherry goodness. We used to carry a thermometer, but I found I could live without it.
• First Years Diapering Kit - rolled up in this sucker, I've got 3 diapers, a container of wipes, 3 ziplock bags, a kitchen trash bag, a wet wipe and our little one's medical records. If I need one essential item, I can grab the kit, and I know I'm all set.

Not shown: usually, I've got some sort of water bottle or sippy cup to keep the little guy hydrated.