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Did you ever see that Friends episode where Joey proudly starts carrying a shoulder bag? He is so proud of it.
“At first, I thought it just looked good, but it’s practical too. Check it out—it has compartments for all my stuff: wallet, keys, address book.”
Then, he casually pulls a sandwich out of the front pocket 🙂
Bags are such a common everyday item we forget what a practical, helpful tool they are when you are living with ADHD
5 Ways a Bag Makes Life Easier with ADHD
1. No More Lost Essentials
Every time William left my office, he would perform an automatic ritual of patting down the pockets of his sharp suit. There was a slight panic each time until he found his keys, phone, and wallet. Sometimes, there would be a decoy item that felt similar to his wallet. This would raise William’s panic levels until he found his actual wallet.
When William started to carry a bag, these mild panics disappeared.
Each time he left one environment (my office, the train, etc.), he had one designated place for all his essential items.
All he needed was one quick glance to make sure he had his bag, and he was good to go.
This is the power of carrying a bag. All your important items are in one place, which gives you peace of mind and reduces the chances of forgetting or losing them.
2. Protects Your Valuables
When you carry your wallet, phone, and keys in your hands or scattered in various pockets, they are less protected and more exposed to being lost or stolen.
A bag helps keep your valuables secure and reduces the risk of pickpocketing.
It also lowers the chance of accidentally leaving your items unattended and making it easy for someone else to take.
3. Say Goodbye to Constantly Replacing Things
Jenny used to walk around with her phone, wallet, and keys in her hands. She often left one behind.
On a lucky day, retracing her steps helped to find it.
If not?
She had to call the bank to replace a lost card, get new keys cut, or have the expense of replacing a misplaced phone.
With a little convincing, she started carrying a small crossbody bag.
Problem solved. No more lost items, no more unnecessary stress.
Jenny had thought a bag was a frivolous accessory, but then she experienced life with a bag; she was a convert.
4. Beyond the basics for a smoother day.
When you carry a bag, you can also take items beyond just your valuables. Items that help your day run smoothly but you wouldn’t have space for in your hands or pockets, for example, shades, snacks, meds, tissues, a book, or a Kindle for entertainment.
Having all the items you need for the day in one place (your bag) helps you feel organized, grounded, and nurtured.
Of course, you can make do without these things. You could go a little hungry or buy a snack, squint when the sun shines brightly, wipe your nose on your sleeve (when no one is looking), or feel vaguely bored in the dentist’s waiting room.
But life is much more enjoyable and less stressful when you have some of your favorite helpful items on hand.
Feel organized
When your bag has compartments (like Joey’s), you can organize your items as well as carry them.
You can designate a pocket for your train ticket, have a specific compartment for your earphones, and so on.
This means you know exactly where everything is when you need it.
5. More Independence, Less Relying on Others
Do you often find yourself asking a friend, partner, or coworker, ‘Do you mind if I put this in your bag?’
When you have your own bag, you don’t need to ask other people if you can put your belongings in their bag.
This means you are self-sufficient and don’t have to remember to reclaim your belongings after the outing.
6. Mornings are easier.
When you have a bag, you can grab it and go.
This is excellent news any time of the day, but particularly in the mornings, which can often be rushed, and when you are living with ADHD and are more likely to leave important items at home accidentally.
ADHD Friendly Tips For Using A Bag
1. Choose a Bag You Love
1. Choose a Bag You LoveWell-meaning people might offer you one of their old bags, or you might track down a dusty old bag from your closet.
However, only use these bags only if you like them!
You won’t be motivated to use a bag unless you really love it.
So, choose a bag that fits your style, feels comfortable to carry, and makes you excited to carry each day.
2. Make Sure Your Bag Has Pockets.
When you are selecting your bag, make sure it has pockets or compartments; backpacks, crossbody bags, briefcases, or purses usually have pockets, but double-check.
This way, you can have designated homes for your main items so they are easy to find. For example, I have a deep pocket at the front of my bag, and that is where I always keep my keys.
3. Empty Your Bag Regularly.
Bags tend to gather all sorts of random items, such as receipts, pens, and half-eaten snacks. When your bag gets full of stuff, it’s hard to find your precious items.
Create a weekly habit of emptying your bag so it stays light and clutter-free.
4. Avoid Plastic Bags.
Get a sturdy bag made of leather or canvas, etc. Plastic bags might keep all your items in one place, but it’s only a question of time before you or someone else mistakes them for garbage. Also, there are no pockets to help you stay organized.
5. Use Just One Bag.
If you have a lot of cute bags, it’s tempting to change your bag frequently to match your outfit. The downside is it’s easy to leave items behind in the transfer accidentally. Consider getting a neutral bag that goes with all your outfits. Or perhaps just change your bag with the seasons (four times a year) rather than daily.
Another option would be to get a ‘bag organizer’ or ‘bag liner,’ a smaller bag that fits inside your regular bag. When you want to change your bag, you just move the organizer. This means you don’t forget anything!
Final thought
A bag is an overlooked essential when you have ADHD. As well as carrying your belongings from A to B, your bag helps reduce stress, save time, expense, and generally makes your life run smoother.
What’s your favorite type of bag? Let me know in the comments!
Just like a good bag supports your day, the right ADHD resources support your life. Check out the Untapped Brilliance Club where you’ll find ADHD-friendly tools, structure, and support!
You are also agreeing to our 
I fractured my leg and found a backpack along with cast boot and crutches easiest to go and get groceries etc. backpacks leave both arms free. I also travel with a backpack to protect my camera and film etc. a lot of places don’t have elevators and stairs are a pain with a hard shell suitcase.
So sorry to hear about your fractured leg. Hope it heals quickly. xxx
I have been a notorious key / wallet / phone loser and yes a bag helps, but you can lose those as well oh and if you have more than one things can get complicated, I find it easier no that I have google pay on my phone I can save my cards, and I leave my purse in the car that way I always have one or the other
I have been using a backpack for years. It has become a part of me. When school ended it stayed. But it’s wonderful. It helps me stay organized and sane. The people in my life appreciate it because I always have a snack, Advil, or toy on me.
It sometimes feels like a child’s blanky because I just feel more comfortable with it on my back. But it helps so much with my ADHD.
I love my small/medium black backpack. I love the pockets for everything. It is light and easy to carry on shoulder or back. I use this bag on the weekend’s and when I go shopping. For work, I have a large black backpack with my laptop and I use an old small backpack to keep my makeup and stuff in the middle. That way if I want to go to lunch. I can take the purse out and only carry that or if I need to go the bathroom and want to touch up my face, etc…
What great ideas about bags! I liked the tip about cleaning out once a week. I’m going to start doing that! I wanted to share somethings that really help me eliminate chaos since I change bags more often than I used to. I hope I might help others as well!
I have 2 bags within my purse. One is my “wallet bag” it’s a zipper bag with slots for credit cards, my ID, etc. It’s big enough to fit my phone, a lipstick, a small lotion bottle (I have a “thing” about my hands) and a pen. It has a loop on the outside that my wrist can go through. It’s everything I need if I’m running in somewhere where I don’t need my whole purse. My keys are on a clip and clip to the zipper on the outside, but there is space to zip them inside if I need to.
The second bag is my “purse bag”—the stuff that I want to make sure I always have in my purse no matter what bag I have—it has my meds, touch-up makeup items, bandaids, etc. It’s the size of a small makeup bag.
If I have more than two “bags within my bags” I start to forget what stuff goes in what bags, but I know others who like to have one or more additional bags.
Also, this is not a bag, but I also have a colorful, clear plastic envelope that holds all my coupons.
Something else that helps to choose bags with the same type of pockets. So anything that I keep in the side zipper pocket of 1 bag can go in the side zipper pocket of the next bag. I work really hard to build habits about where I put things, like my phone and keys so that I put them away in the right place even when I’m not paying attention. It’s like what you said you do with your keys in the deep outside pocket.
Oh! One other thing! In my work tote (separate from my purse, not quite a briefcase) I have a zipper pouch big enough to hold a spiral notebook, my paper datebook, pens, highlighters, and any critical pieces of paper or reports for what I’m working on currently. I can grab it and know I have the most important things I need. If I look in my work tote and don’t see my bright zipper pouch, I know I better go find it!
Thank you! So helpful.
Wow, Jacqueline! How germane this subject is to my current situation. I am a substitute teacher and have yet to find The Solution to my organization woes. I have been switching among various totes, soft satchels– often trading in/out during one work week! I have intensely perused Amazon and eBags, to no perfect avail and of course with ADHD– it must be exactly ‘just-so’.
After (Microsoft) window-shopping and months of pondering, I discovered a solution that, for me, is perfect: a diaper bag. I’ve seen moms around the city carrying very chic handbags… but oops (or poops)! I see babies on those moms’ hips: those are diaper bags! Then commences my very focused, OCD online search; I’ve nearly whittled down the choices from the many designs and features from which to choose.
I so look forward to designating the bag’s handy pockets– in AND outside– for office products I like to have on hand, plus my lunch, and my laptop. One warning to myself: when I reveal the original intent of said bag, I shall prepare for the “eww!” look when I reveal the original intent of the bag to my 13 year-old!
Many thanks for a great post!
I can’t live without my giant purse! In there I have the essentials plus my massive daytimer, a notebook to write down thoughts and ideas as they come in, water bottle/coffee mug, a book, headphones, snacks, and essential toiletries and medications. It is pretty heavy but I find if I switch to a smaller bag, the one thing I left out will be the one thing I need. I can actually get quite anxious if I have not brought a pen or my daytimer as being a person with ADHD if I can’t write something down or check my calendar for other obligations, I am liable to make a mistake or forget something. It feels like a hassle but in the end it is much better for my mental health!!
Wonderful tips! And don’t forget the option of a bag-in-a-bag for people who like to change their bags with their outfits. There are lots of “utility” organizers that are meant to be filled with your things and then transferred from bag to bag when you want a change. My favorite is the Swap-It Pocket by Thirty-One.
I especially appreciate bags that have many compartments. Also, I’ve learned that before I leave, it’s good to check that keys, wallet, phone, etc. are still in the bag. Sometimes I take something out, like my phone, and forget to put it back in the bag. I have a little card with a list of essentials. I clip the card to my bag’s handle when I’m home. That card reminds me, just before I leave, to check that everything is back in the bag where it belongs.
That is a fantastic idea!! I love it! I might steal it.
I love the essentials list idea and the habit of clipping it to the outside to check it. Brilliant!