The Things I Keep in My Mom Emergency Bag

I have learned that there are two kinds of moms:

The moms who carry a small purse with their phone, wallet, and maybe some lip balm.

And the moms who carry a bag that could probably sustain a small family for three days.

I am, unfortunately, the second kind.

I don’t always carry a traditional diaper bag anymore, but I do still like having a few things with me that can save the day when someone spills something, gets hungry, gets hurt, or suddenly decides that the outfit they chose five minutes ago is now completely unacceptable.

Here are the things I keep in my mom emergency bag.

Snacks

Obviously.

A hungry child can turn a perfectly normal outing into a full-scale emergency in approximately 45 seconds.

I usually try to keep a few non-perishable options tucked away, like granola bars, crackers, fruit snacks, or whatever my kids are currently willing to eat.

Snack containers – Thee are great with multiple kids. Each of the four compartments can be filled with something different so there’s a nice variety of options when the hunger attack hits.

The key is having something available before everyone reaches the point of no return.

Wipes

Even though I don’t have a baby in diapers anymore, wipes are still one of those things I never want to be without.

Sticky hands.

Spilled drinks.

Mystery substances.

Wipes handle all of it.

On-the-go water wipes – These are slammer packs of wipes that are easy to toss in a purse and work well for basically everything.

Band-Aids

Do my kids actually need a Band-Aid every time they get a tiny scratch?

No.

Do they sometimes need one emotionally?

Absolutely.

I keep a small assortment of Band-Aids in my bag because apparently the healing process is significantly faster when there are colorful characters involved.

Compact travel first-aid kit – If you have to have it, it should be cute! We keep these in each car and also in the diaper bag. They come in a bunch of patterns, which is just a nice bonus.

A Change of Clothes

I know.

My kids are older now.

I know better than to think they won’t still find a way to get something on their clothes.

A spare shirt or outfit doesn’t take up much room, and it can be the difference between a minor inconvenience and having to completely abandon your plans.

Hand Sanitizer

Because children are basically tiny scientists constantly testing the limits of what can be touched.

Hand-sanitizer – A three-pack of pretty hand-sanitizers in some yummy scents. What more do you need?

Hair Ties

I don’t know how many hair ties I have lost over the years.

I do know that the moment I need one, there are never any around.

So I try to keep a few extras in my bag.

A Portable Charger

A dead phone is inconvenient.

A dead phone when you’re trying to navigate, contact someone, entertain a child, or look up an important piece of information is a completely different situation.

Mag-safe portable power bank – This thing requires no cables to change your phone. It magnetically attaches to our phone and the magic happens. And it’s purple!

A Small Pouch for the Random Stuff

I have found that the easiest way to keep a mom bag from becoming a black hole is to use smaller pouches.

One for first-aid items.

One for snacks.

One for little miscellaneous things.

Small zip pouches – The patterns on these are cute and they’re a good size to corral the small things in your bag.

It makes it much easier to find what I need without dumping the entire contents of my bag onto the floor.

The Things I Don’t Carry Anymore

I have also learned that I don’t need to prepare for every possible scenario.

I don’t need to carry an entire pharmacy.

I don’t need to pack every snack my children have ever liked.

And I definitely don’t need to bring enough stuff for a week-long expedition every time we leave the house.

The goal is not to be prepared for everything.

It’s just to be prepared for the things that happen often enough to be predictable.

And with kids?

There are plenty of those.

What’s one thing you always keep in your bag