Sara Hicks

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What’s in my Bag in 2017

As part of a new yearly tradition, I am going to take inventory of what I carry around in my bag. I have my bag with me almost everywhere I go. As rare as it sounds for someone living in Los Angeles, I walk and bike a lot, and I am regularly working on-the-go, so I’m constantly optimizing and changing what I carry.

Here are the things I’ve found to be the best or most effective items to have with me all the time. With these things, I can be productive at pretty much any place on the planet with an internet connection.

  1. Patagonia Black Hole Packback - Confession: I have a thing with bags. I’m on a quest to find the right backpack for daily use and for travel. There’s a lot I like about this bag, but it’s not perfect. It’s got good open space, but I’m often digging around trying to find things at the bottom. It has a good sleeve for my laptop, but there could be a few more compartments. It’s comfortable for cycling and walking, and it easily has enough space to be an overnight bag. Most importantly, it looks cool. That said, I suspect I’ll have a new bag in rotation in the near future.

  2. Tom Bihn Guardian Light - This waterproof light is helpful to see inside my bag or to guide my way when attached to the outside of the bag.

  3. MacBookPro, 13-inch and MacBookPro power adapter - It’s sporting Reaction Commerce stickers, of course.

  4. Amazon Basics Felt Laptop Sleeve - This is as simple as simple gets, and that’s what I love about it. It looks good without any fuss. When I don’t need my entire backpack, I can carry my laptop in this sleeve and take it into any meeting.

  5. Kindle Voyage with blue leather cover - I do love my Kindle, and it’s a rare trip when I don’t travel with it.

  6. Apple Lightning EarPods - I mostly use these for calls.

  7. DONGLES! Sigh.

  8. iPhone wall charger + cable

  9. Five-Minute Journal - For me, daily journaling has been a life saver.

  10. Passport - Always prepared to go, go, go.

  11. Hustle bag - I can’t remember where I got this. Maybe Etsy? Love it.

  12. Tom Bihn Snake Charmer Bag - This one is handy for cords and cables.

  13. USB C Charger,Tronsmart 30W Dual USB Wall Charger with Quick Charge - This is handy, especially in hotels, and it charges quickly.

  14. Sunshine-tipway Memory Card Reader

  15. Anker PowerCore 20100 - Ultra High Capacity Power Bank - ABC: Always Be Charging

  16. Kensington international plug adapter with dual USB charging ports - My carry-to-use ratio on this one is questionable, but when I’ve needed it, it’s been a lifesaver.

  17. Aukey 4-port USB Car Charger - I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in a Lfyt/Uber, rental car, or friends car and needed desperately to be able to charge my phone.

  18. [Cord taco](https://thisisground.com/collections/cordtaco

  19. Kingston Digital 128GB Data Traveler SE9 G2 USB 3.0

  20. Earbuds - I’ve had these for a long time. I use them mostly for listening to music/podcasts when flying as they’re more comfortable

  21. Reaction Commerce Notebook

  22. Reaction Commerce Stickers - It’s always good to have these on hand to be able to give them away.

  23. [**Tom Binh accessory bag pen/pencil, clear**](https://www.tombihn.com/collections/accessories/products/clear-organizer-pouch?variant=16621006791) - Great for pens.

  24. [**Lamy Pico Ballpoint Pen**](https://www.amazon.com/LAMY-Ballpoint-Pearl-Chrome-L287/dp/B000CN9KEW/) - I have a minor obsession with pens. This just happens to be in rotation at the moment.

  25. [**Twin Tip Sharpie**](https://www.amazon.com/Sharpie-Permanent-Markers-Black-37035PP/dp/B000PXJ26A)

  26. [**Zebra Sarasa Clip 0.5 Black Pen**](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0060S2V8K) - This is an all-time favorite pen.

  27. **Pocket Size Tape Measurer** This comes in handy more than you can imagine.

  28. [**Garmin 735XT watch**](https://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Forerunner-735XT-Black-Gray/dp/B01DOJDNEI/) - I'm a big fan of Garmin gear and their software.

  29. [**Patagonia Ultra Light Down Vest**](http://www.patagonia.com/product/mens-ultralight-down-vest/84776.html) - I often have an additional layer in my bag for temperature changes, cold conference rooms, cold planes, etc. 

  30. [**Merino Wool Buff**](https://www.amazon.com/Lightweight-Merino-Wool-Multifunctional-Headwear/dp/B009VU2TQI/&tag=salhi-20) - This has multiple purposes. It pulls my hair back, it can be a scarf, and it keeps my head warm

  31. [**LA Dodgers Baseball Cap**](https://www.amazon.com/Angeles-Dodgers-Cleanup-Adjustable-47/dp/B0014GM8KY) - When bad hair day hits, this hat comes to the rescue. Go Dodgers!

  32. [**Deck of cards**](https://www.amazon.com/Bicycle-Black-Second-Playing-Ellusionist/dp/B0018DPOMM) - An old school game of solitaire is still a great way to unwind. Playing reminds me of my grandparents.

  33. Eye Mask- Comes in handy way more than you’d think.

  34. Earplugs - Loud hotels, loud planes, loud trains, loud coffee shops, loud airports, loud people, loud… be gone. For when I just want quiet and am not interested in music.

  35. Warby Parker eyeglass case & cleaning cloth

  36. Lindberg n.o.w. eyeglasses and case - These glasses are, by far, my most favorite and receive a lot of compliments. They are crazy lightweight and very comfortable.

  37. bkr Glass Water Bottle - I am one of those people who fills up their water bottle at the airport. This is a good size. Not too big. Not too small. I prefer glass over metal or plastic bottles. To me, the water tastes better in glass.

  38. Miscellaneous personal items

  39. Tom Binh accessory bag medium, clear - This pouch holds various personal items. Clear is key to easily be able to see at a glance what I’m looking for.

  40. Aveda Blue Oil - This stuff is super helpful when I need to relax and calm down on a stressful day.

  41. Aesop Ginger Flight Therapy - I also have some of this on my desk at the office.

  42. Advil and Aleve in small pill case from MoMA

  43. Burts Bees Lip Shimmer

  44. Aquaphor Lip Repair - Life saving

  45. Pure Protein bar - For those hangry moments

  46. Five Rain Spearmint Gum - True confession: I’m kind of addicted.

  47. Refresh eye drops - I have an eye condition that makes my eyes dry which causes them to tear up all the time. Also, staring at a computer screen for too long makes my eyes tired and dry.

  48. Hotlix Toothpicks- Promise me you’ll let me know if I have food in my teeth, okay?

  49. Glide Dental Floss - See above.

  50. Mirror - I got this at the MoMA store in NYC.

  51. Bandana - Never leave home without a bandana or handkerchief.

  52. Tissues Travel Pack

  53. Face and Hand Wipes

  54. Reflective, Neoprene Pant Strap for Biking - Having ruined a couple pairs of pants while biking, these are a lifesaver.

That’s a lot of stuff! It will be fun to see how these numbers change over time.

#Random