My Mobile Office in a Bag

My office in a bag has been one of the most useful productivity systems I’ve created for myself over the years. Having a portable workspace makes sure I always have my important tools within reach, no matter where I’m working from that day.

I don’t have a dedicated home office, and my workspace often changes depending on how I’m feeling. Some days, that means working from the couch, while others—mainly flare days—call for blogging from bed. Keeping everything together in one place makes it so much easier to stay organized without wasting time and energy gathering supplies every time I sit down to work.

*This post may include affiliate or referral links. At no extra cost to you (and with a special reader discount, in some cases!), I’ll receive a small commission or other rewards to help support An Ideal Life. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases*

The information in this blog post is provided for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read online. The author of this post is not a licensed medical professional and does not assume any liability for any actions taken based on the information contained in this post.

What Is An Office in a Bag?

A mobile office in a bag is a flexible, portable workspace that keeps your most-used tools and supplies together in one place. Rather than being tied to a traditional desk setup, it allows you to work wherever is most comfortable and convenient for you. For some people, that might mean bringing their work to a coffee shop or library. Others may use an office in a bag while traveling, studying between classes, moving between meetings, or working remotely throughout the day. In my specific case, it mostly means having everything I need to work within reach, whether I’m sitting on the couch or blogging from bed.

Read more: Tools for Being Productive While Bedridden

My Office in a Bag

Over the years, my personal office in a bag has changed quite a bit as my work, routines, and needs have evolved. While everyone’s setup will look a little different, here’s what I currently keep in mine!

The Bag

The bag itself is arguably the most important part of any office in a bag. The right bag should be comfortable to carry, large enough to fit your essentials, and organized enough that you’re not digging around for your charger every time you sit down to work. A tote bag, backpack, laptop bag, or something else entirely might suit you best!

Right now, I’m using an L.L. Bean zipper tote I received as a lovely gift (this Land’s End one is similar, if you need Prime shipping!), but I’ve previously used both backpacks and other totes. I most consistently come back to tote bags of some form myself!

Tech Essentials

I spend most of my days writing, planning, creating, and managing things online, so my tech essentials tend to get a lot of use! Keeping them together in my office in a bag means I can easily move from one space to another without worrying about forgotten chargers or having to collect every item I need before finally sitting down to work.

MacBook Air

My MacBook laptop is probably the MVP of my office in a bag and beyond. So much of what I do for An Ideal Life and my other projects happens here: writing and editing blog posts, creating digital products, answering emails, and keeping up with the never-ending list of admin tasks that come with being a business owner.

And of course, a charger lives alongside it at all times! To quote the masterpiece that is Twilight:

I didn’t lose my power cord. It ran away. Screaming. I literally repel technology now.

In other words, I have a generic charging cord in my own mobile office in a bag right now, since my actual cable ran away screaming. I also recommend a case (here’s my current laptop case) and some sort of screen cleaner (like these screen cleaning pads or this screen cleaning spray, both of which are in my mobile office).

iPhone

Like any good millennial, I do my “big screen” tasks on my laptop but turn to my phone for things like social media. It’s also the go-to extension of my workspace when I’m on the go. Here too, I’ll always keep a charger on hand!

Noise-Cancelling Headphones

A good pair of noise-cancelling headphones is another office in a bag essential for me, especially being neurodivergent. I use them almost every time I sit down to work and they’re especially helpful when I really need to focus.

ThePhotoStick Omni

The lovely folks at ThePhotoStick were kind enough to send me ThePhotoStick Omni and it’s quickly becoming my favorite tool for versatile file backup. I love that I can use it between devices, including my phone, so I always have the documents I need on-hand.

Productivity Tools

Technology definitely does a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to my work, but I still love putting pen to paper whenever I can. Keeping a few productivity essentials tucked into my office in a bag means I’m always ready to jot down an idea, map out a project, or make yet another to-do list.

Planner

My planner goes just about everywhere with me! It’s where I keep track of appointments, deadlines, upcoming projects, and all of the little things that keep my life and my businesses running. The planner I’m currently using is from pen+gear, a Walmart brand, but I’ve also used and loved options from Blue Sky, Day Designer, and Passion Planner, as well as my favorite digital planners from HappyDownloads!

Read more: The Best Planners for Spoonies

A planner pairs perfectly with my favorite color-coded erasable pens—I love being able to color-code different areas of my life without worrying about changing plans, fluctuating spoons, or just making mistakes along the way.

Clipboard Folio

My clipboard folio helps keep all the analog office essentials organized and easy to find. It has space for my legal pad, loose papers, and anything else I’m actively working on. It makes it easy to grab this from my office in a bag and get right to work.

Writing Essentials

I try to always keep a legal pad (in my folio), pen, and my favorite mechanical pencil tucked into my office in a bag. They’re perfect for jotting down notes, brainstorming ideas, and making those inevitable to-do lists that pop up throughout the day.

Read more: The Best Productivity Tools for Spoonies

Comfort & Accessibility Finds

Creating a portable workspace that’s comfortable and works well for my needs as a disabled person is an equally important part of putting together my office in a bag. Since I spend so much of my day writing, planning, and working online, I’ve found it helpful to keep a few extras where I can grab them as needed.

Blue Light Glasses

I spend so much time staring at screens throughout the day so blue light glasses are an easy addition to my office in a bag. They’re especially helpful during long writing and editing sessions! I’ll grab the blue light glasses whenever I’m working in contacts and have a blue light filter on my Zenni glasses, too.

Compression Gloves

A majority of my work involves some sort of typing and writing, which my faulty connective tissue doesn’t love. I keep compression gloves on hand as an easy way to add a little extra support when I need it—my favorites are from Grace & Able!

Water Bottle and Electrolytes

As a dysautonomia girlie, I always try to keep a water bottle with electrolytes nearby. Staying hydrated is so much easier when I don’t have to stop what I’m doing to go looking for a drink! I usually oscillate between my Owala bottles and Stanley cups, and my favorite electrolytes are Liquid IV.

Loop Earplugs

If you don’t have or don’t love noise cancelling headphones, I’ve found Loop Earplugs to be really helpful! I have a few older versions, but they’ve only upgraded their design since.

What would you include in your own office in a bag?

There’s More to Explore!

Subscribe to the AIL newsletter for free access to our subscribers’ resource library, a growing collection of printables, guides, and resources from An Ideal Life.

You May Also Like