Skirt {wearing s/m}, Top {size small}

A question right up there next to, “So what are you having?!” when you are pregnant is easily, “What diaper bag are you using?” Diaper bags are a HOT TOPIC along with strollers, car seats, and diaper pails. There never seems to be a perfect solution and as mamas, we want to know what our friends use that makes their life easier. While I’m no diaper bag expert, I did want to review a solution I’ll be using in the beginning, as it is the solution that works best for my lifestyle right now: a tote organizer!

If there is one thing serving in our church’s nursery has taught me it is that diaper bags are all dependent upon your lifestyle and your family. Moms that need to take their diaper bag to daycare during the week have their diaper bag down to a labeled science and I stare in awe at the organization. If you’ve got four little ones, sometimes a little seersucker bag works best for each child, instead of a full-on backpack system. When picking a diaper bag, you’ve got to ask yourself all the questions:

• How often will someone other than myself be needing to get into the diaper bag?
• How often will we leave the house during the week?
• Am I chasing after my 18-month old, too?
• Will I need bottles on hand or no?
• How long of periods will we be gone from the house? {If you’ve got older kids, you may be gone hours between carpool and after-school activities, etc.}

It seems I tried just about every system under the sun with Maxi and I found each system had their pros and cons. I used a diaper bag in the beginning, but now I traditionally keep our diaper bag for travel. I used a tote organizer, but I didn’t take that to the park when she was 18 months and I was running after her. I used a backpack, but I didn’t’ use that all the time as our “daily bag.”

For now, I’ll be using a tote organizer in a tote. It boils down to a few separate things. Maxi will be 3.5 when he is born, so when we leave the house, we really only need a water bottle for her and then maybe an activity if we go to a restaurant. She also has her own little backpack for church that she takes and one for Mother’s Day Out. A tote organizer allows me to use the handbags I love and own, while I figure out what 2 kids looks like for us. I will definitely get a backpack for when he is older, but I haven’t quite figured out which one I’ll want. When he eventually goes to our church’s nursery, I’ll use either my old diaper bag from Maxi or a backpack, as I can’t just hand my purse over. For now, a tote organizer is something I used with Maxi, I’ll use with him, and I’ll use after baby, too. You all know I am obsessed with keeping things tidy. Today I thought I’d break down 3 tote organizers I have personally purchased and used over the years, and when/why I recommend them! Even if you have a diaper bag, a tote organizer can be used to organize the inside, or you can simply use it to organize your tote for days that you don’t want to carry multiple bags.

There will be an IGTV on my Instagram today if you like to see these broken down in video, as well!

Alright, friends. Let’s talk organizing!

Tote Savvy Original

The most common organizer you will probably hear about is the Tote Savvy Original organizer. This organizer works well in LV totes, the Tory Burch Gemini Link tote, or a Longchamp. Another great tote I recommend is the Leatherology Belmont Structured Tote. You can see mine above in the black with the monogram on it. It comes in a few different neutral color palettes and can also be customized with a monogram. The best thing about this tote is that it doesn’t scratch. I’ve had mine for a few years and it still looks brand new. I know with toddlers we are always on the lookout for a bag that doesn’t show wear and tear, so I thought I’d mention this gem.

Another great thing about a tote organizer is that switching bags is incredibly easy. If you are partial to handbags like I am, you can swap bags depending upon what you’ve got going on this week, and you don’t end up at your parents’ house without baby wipes or something you need. When I would switch without an organizer from tote to diaper bag to backpack {because I really do believe all 3 have great uses!} I’d accidentally leave an item or two behind. With an organizer, you just simply pick the organizer up by the handle and move it back and forth.

Bags that Work with Tote Savvy Original

What Fits in Tote Savvy Original

Overall Review

The Tote Savvy Original works well for the mom that loves to leave her house with everything she needs perfectly organized. It also has a large pocket on one side that can fit coloring books, pull-ups, and snacks for your toddler. In the center, I also throw in my keys and a little makeup bag for myself. I keep all of my items like lip gloss, sunscreen, and gum in a makeup bag that way my items don’t get mixed in with baby’s. This is what my tote looks like on the inside with the Tote Savvy Original.

I’m using this Tory Burch floral tote bag! It’s wipable and the floral detail is something I love for summer.

One other organizational must-have for a diaper bag? An Oventure key chain. I’ve shared these over the years, and it’s the big blue keychain in my bag. You slide it on the wrist and then can be hands-free as you hold your baby or toddler.

Tote Savvy Mini

Say you love the organizer situation in theory, but the original seems a little too large for your liking. Maybe you’ve got 4 kids and everything they need is down to a science. You don’t need a large organizer for just one or two of them. Are you a minimalist and you know exactly what you need, and it won’t require all that space? Maybe you’ve got a 3-year-old as I do, and you don’t need to leave your house with 500 things, just the basics. Or what if you do want to keep your backpack organized and the original size would be too large and defeat the purpose? That’s where Tote Savvy Mini comes in! I have the mini as well, for different situations like organizing a backpack or keeping things more minimal.

The mini is the same concept as the original. You get a wipeable organizer with a changing pad, but not as many pockets. This one really gives you the best of both worlds, because as you can see in the Leatherology Tote photo above on the graphic, you can keep baby’s stuff in the organizer, while throwing in the extra things you need in your tote, as well. This size also works well with an LV Neverfull MM and gives you a bit of breathing room in the handbag.

You could even use the Tote Savvy Mini with this Leatherology Pouch to keep your things separate, for an incredibly organized handbag.

Felt Organizer

What if you want a shorter organizer? Or what if you want something a little more budget-friendly? Maybe you have two toddlers and just need to somewhere to throw in sippy cups so that they don’t leak on your handbag, and a Tote Savvy may not work for that. Enter, the felt organizer.

I’ve had two from Amazon, both are pretty much the exact same! Just read the sizing descriptions to make sure you get the correct size for your bag. Shop them here or here. Even if you don’t have kids, I recommend these felt organizers for organizing your LV totes or larger handbags!

So no matter what your life or family looks like, I hope you find one organizer that helps make your life as a mama a bit more seamless. Have you ever tried one?!