A Savvy Auntie wants to remain savvy as she takes around her baby or toddling nieces and nephews. Let’s be real. A diaper bag would clash with your favorite auntie outfit.

So how do you put together a diaper bag that doesn’t look like a diaper bag?  

Diaper bags themselves have come a long way, and even top purse designers, such as Kate Spade and Coach, have thrown in a chic diaper bag or two in their lines. Designer diaper bags often resemble fashionable tote bags instead of the stereotypical, duck-festooned diaper bag.

If you don’t want to pay designer prices for your own chic bag, you can create your own by adapting a large purse or a tote bag.

Think categories. For babies and toddlers, you need the following categories: food and drink; diaper-changing; toys; extra clothes; and first aid. To organize your categories, grab plastic baggies, freebie make-up bags, and/or small plastic food containers with good fitting lids.

Food and Drink

Put snacks for toddlers into snack size baggies and then tuck them inside a small food container so they won’t be crushed. In case the bag opens or breaks, the food remains in the container and not lining the bottom of your bag. Companies like The Container Store have special cups and boxes to hold juice boxes.

For bottles with formula, put some formula into a baby bottle. You can ask an eatery for hot water for the bottle. For pre-filled bottles, slip one into the pocket normally used for cell phones. The bottles usually stay in place there. Make sure you have a lid to snap on top of the bottle to avoid leaks. You don’t want to clean up your sister’s breast milk out of your bag.

Diaper Changing

Diapers and travel size baby wipes can be slid easily inside zippered pouches inside your tote bag or purse. If you happen to run out of wipes or diapers, pop into a local drug store to buy a few more. Travel size diaper rash cream and baby powder need to go into a snack pack baggie size to avoid leaking onto your savvy stuff.

For potty-training toddlers, put an extra pair of underwear (or two) in a plastic bag. If there’s an accident, you have a plastic bag to put in any wet items.

Toys

If your little one uses a pacifier, make sure it’s the kind that latches onto their shirt so neither one of you loses it. Tuck a rattle or small stuffed animal in your bag.

Extra Clothes

An extra onesie or outfit can be rolled up, slipped inside a plastic bag, and tucked next to the diapers or underwear. In case of accidents, put wet and food-soaked items into the bag.

First Aid

This doesn’t need to be fancy. Put a couple of bandages, antibacterial ointment, sunscreen, hand sanitizer and headache meds into a snack-pack size baggie or small make-up bag.

Then you’re ready to hit the streets in style with your niece and nephew, Savvy Auntie.

Janice Marie Simon, MA, CPO