Modular Diaper Bag

01/11/2009

I am in the process of designing the most awesome diaper bag ever. It has so far involved me inspecting every bag, backpack, diaper bag, purse, satchel, wallet, or other “put stuff in here and carry it around” device. I have even been inspecting art caddies. Anyway, my goal is to have a diaper bag that works for me and doesn’t just get crammed with crap all the time (sometimes literally).
So, I’m going to go modular. That means that the bag will have different parts that you can add or subtract depending on where you are going. For example, I currently put my wallet, lip gloss, iPod, and cell phone in the side pouch of the diaper bag (mostly because… why would I want to carry a purse and a diaper bag???). There have been too many times that Josh has been carrying the diaper bag and went off somewhere and I didn’t have my stuff until I could find him. Like the time I got carded for wine tasting and…where…is…my…wallet???
I want to be able to detach a slick looking purse/bag that is feminine and wonderful that I can take with me and reattach to the diaper bag when I don’t want to be carrying a million things. I would also like another piece that is detachable from the main bag that can be used when you need extra stuff like pajamas or toys to occupy the child. I don’t need them all the time, but sometimes I do and I don’t want to have to cram them all in my current diaper bag or carry an additional bag (can you tell that I hate carrying lots of bags).
Here’s where I’m at so far. It will be a backpack (where I can zip the shoulder straps together to have just one strap that you can sling over if I wish, for the times I’m feeling one-handed). It will have three modules, that can be added or subtracted from the main compartment as needed, and each designed specifically to hold the following stuff:

• Main Compartment: diapers and diaper soil bag (we do cloth), wipes, sippy cup, snack, a few first aid items, nursing cover, and a place to attach my sling.
• My Purse Add-On: book, lip gloss, wallet, gum/mints, feminine things, cell phone, iPod
• Extra Stuff Add-On: functional space for miscellaneous stuff like toys, books, change of clothes, blanket, lunch, etc.

I’m trying to think this through very thoroughly since it’s going to be a huge task once I get started. I have lots of sketches in my book waiting to evolve into the most perfect bag ever. Please let me know if you have any thoughts about what could make my bag super awesome, or if you have any things that you hate/love about your bags that I could keep in mind.