Everyday Carry, Mom Edition

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Moms are used to being the carrier of all the things, especially when their kids are young. Oddly enough, I finetuned my everyday carry essentials in 2020 when we rarely left the house. Here is a breakdown of my everyday carry (EDC) that can hopefully help you in your own prep.

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Stay-With-The-Kids Mom: Most would call this Stay At Home Mom, but this post is about getting out and about. Either way, I’m the primary childcare provider in our home and we are a homeschooling family (again, not always at home). The only time I pass off my kids is one hour for church on Sunday mornings. If you are taking kids to school or daycare, your everyday carry will look different than mine.

Kids: Boy, 6 years; girl, 5 years; boy, 4 years; girl, 2.5 years. All but the youngest are fully potty-trained.

Location: Our home base is out in Lee County, so we’re generally 30 minutes from home or more whenever we go somewhere. Not being able to easily run home for forgotten items makes my EDC essential.

Purse

I like this purse because it can be worn cross-body or as a fanny pack. I like this versatility, but regardless of the style, you want something that can hold your personal essentials. Keys, phone, wallet, ibuprofen, bandaids, Chapstick, sunglasses, hairbrush.

 

Backpack

This was my husband’s school backpack when he was a student at Auburn. It got a second tour of duty as our diaper bag from 2015-2019. Last year it got reinvented again as we updated its contents to serve our whole family on outings. The premise is that we would have whatever we need on hand without having to make a trip home or stop at a store while we’re out for the day. 

Contents:

  • 1 full change of clothes for each child (updated seasonally)
  • 2-pocket wet bag
  • camping towel
  • First Aid Kit
  • 3 diapers
  • 1 small pack of baby wipes
  • 1 sunscreen stick
  • 1 unscented deodorant

Change of clothes: this allows me to say “yes” more often to messy play because we can easily change afterward. It’s important to change these out seasonally as the weather changes and kids grow. Don’t forget underwear!

Wet bag: this was leftover from our cloth-diapering days. I roll each kid’s extra outfit up and can fit all four in the big pocket with room to spare. I could easily add an extra outfit for me if I wanted to. You could also use a large Ziploc bag or just a plastic grocery sack. I like that the wet bag is washable and reusable. Since it has two pockets I can put wet/soiled items in one and keep the other things dry.

Camping towel: This was a great addition to our bag that only cost $5 and takes up very little space. If I’m planning on everyone swimming I bring additional towels, but for everyday carry, this camping towel can easily wipe down kids after creek play, etc. before putting on dry clothes.

First Aid Kit: after looking at some pre-assembled options, I decided to build my own. I found the case for $1 at one of those closeout stores, but they originated from Target. Other empty First Aid Kit cases are available online. Inside I have various sizes of Bandaids (don’t forget to replenish them regularly), tweezers, nail clippers, dental floss, feminine products, a small pair of scissors, gauze pads, and various children’s and adult medicines (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, Benadryl, and anti-diarrheal). You can easily customize your own kit. Note that these medications should generally be stored at room temperature, so avoid leaving your kit in a hot car for prolonged periods or replace them regularly.

Diapers and wipes: As long as we still have one in diapers, I try to keep 3 in our bag. Don’t forget to change these out as your child grows into the next size. In the summertime, throw a swim diaper in for good measure. It’s not a bad idea to pack these in a Ziploc so that they stay dry if your bag gets wet, and to contain stinky diapers if you don’t have a place to throw them out right away. I will probably always carry wipes because they are so useful for all ages! I prefer the smaller packs though because they’re more likely to dry out, and I don’t need to haul a big 100+ pack for the occasional diaper change or hand wipe. 

Sunscreen stick: Won’t leak, easy to apply to faces, doesn’t take up a lot of space. If I’m planning to be out in the sun for longer periods I put in a full-size bottle for arms and legs, but for everyday carry the sunscreen stick does the trick. Be sure to test it ahead of time for skin sensitivity and replace it annually.

Unscented deodorant: I choose unscented because then any member of the family can use it without smelling manly/womanly. Great for reapplying after swimming/sweating, or in the event that you forgot to put it on when you were getting dressed!

Snack Bag

If the main backpack was forgotten or missing items, it’s likely that my children would not notice. However, if the snack bag was forgotten or depleted, I would not hear the end of it! As I mentioned, everywhere we go is generally 30 minutes or more away, so we do not travel without snacks. It might not be completely necessary, but if we’re going to be gone for two hours or more, I make sure to bring something. It normally consists of individual packs of peanut butter crackers, fruit snacks, and sometimes cookies. These are easy to grab, shelf-stable, and sturdy. Most importantly, all the kids eat these things so I don’t have to individualize anything. Each kid has their own stainless Camelbak Eddy+ Kids water bottle that we fill before leaving the house. For day trips or park outings, I also bring our one-gallon Coleman cooler filled with ice water for refills.  

Other Everyday Carry Items to Consider

Portable power bank: I keep an A/C phone charger in the van, but a separate power bank is not a bad idea especially if you plan to hike or otherwise be away from your vehicle for a long period.

Picnic blanket: I found a nylon beach blanket that is lightweight and easily packable. A quilt, flannel-backed vinyl tablecloth, or sheet would serve the same purpose. You probably have a nook or cranny in your vehicle to store this multi-purpose item.

Travel potty: If you’re potty training, you might consider adding a foldable potty seat to your EDC. During the pandemic, I decided to stash a small potty with trash bags and toilet paper for emergency use since so many places had closed their bathrooms for public use. Thankfully, we haven’t had to use it, but I’ve kept it in the van just in case.