ewborns are so small when they come home from the hospital. Tiny feet and tiny hands all wrapped up in a tiny little bundle. But what isn’t so tiny is the amount of stuff that having a baby can cause you to accumulate. And when you’re heading out and about with your little one, all this stuff can end up making its way into your diaper bag. No matter how beautiful or functional a diaper bay may be, once it’s crammed full, it loses its effectiveness. What good is it if you brought three changes of clothes for the little man if you can’t reach any of them without dumping out the contents of your bag?

A well-stocked diaper bag should have the essentials for mom and baby, room for outing-specific extras, and be organized enough to find everything you packed. Lighten your load and de-clutter your diaper bag by making sure you aren’t carrying around more than you need. Here are some of my diaper bag essentials:

Baby Essentials
DIAPERS & WIPES: It goes without saying, but make sure you have a diaper or two per child and a handful of wipes stashed in a case. I like to err on the high side for bringing wipes, which can also be used to de-germ shopping carts, clean sticky hands, and wipe up any spills.

CHANGING PAD: You never know when or where you’ll need to change a diaper, so be prepared with a changing pad to protect your surroundings from a full diaper or your baby’s backside from whatever is lurking on the mall changing table station.

SNACKS: I never leave the house without a snack bag. If you have a baby that is now eating solids, a bag of crackers can be a godsend when hunger strikes mid-walk, a distraction is required or when you need to rely on good old-fashioned bribery to get him or her in the car seat.

WARDROBE CHANGE: There’s no reason to cry over spilt milk, or juice, or ketchup, if you have a change of clothes on hand. For my infant son, I’ll stash a simple one-piece while my 2-year-old requires a whole alternate outfit between potty training and his tendency to play hard. From snack spills to diaper blowouts, having a change of clothes on hand means an accident doesn’t have to end our outing.

SUNSCREEN: Mothering is unpredictable; sometimes what starts off as a quick trip to the grocery store with my two boys ends up turning into an afternoon at the park. Stow a small bottle of sunscreen or a package of sunscreen wipes in your bag to ensure that a change of plans won’t sacrifice your child’s sun protection.

DISTRACTION: Balls, books, rattles, or play dough – anything that will buy me a few extra minutes in the last aisle at the grocery story or that can coax a smile while we wait for the bill to come during a Saturday morning breakfast downtown. I like to keep these toys solely for the diaper bag so my boys feel like it’s a special treat when they get to play with them.

Mommy Must-Haves
LIP SAVER: Whether it’s balm, lipstick, or gloss (my pick), I always make sure to have something that prevents chapped lips and gives me a little pick-me-up when we’re out and about. I may have spit-up down the arm, yogurt on my skirt, and crayon on my shoe, but a swipe of gloss will still make me feel like I have it all together.

HAIR HELP: Find a tie, headband, or barrette that is both practical and pretty. I always keep a few clips in my bag to get my hair out of my eyes if a run-in with a friend turns into a lunch date, or a leisurely beach walk turns into a mini-marathon.

THE BIG THREE: I never leave home without having the big three with me: some cash, my cell phone, and my keys. Choose a secure but easy-access pocket or compartment in your diaper bag where you always stash these to eliminate digging.

Motherhood can be stressful enough without searching for a fresh diaper or a ringing phone in an overstuffed diaper bag. Find sanity – and that bottle of sunscreen when you need it – by keeping your diaper bag organized and clutter-free.