Chic & Classy Diaper Bags

ToteSavvy @jillian.harris

Note: There is no one universal “best,” especially when it comes to parenting. These are “The Best Diaper Bags” based on Also Mom's strict criteria, detailed here.

Good news for all you diaper bag searchers who haven’t been able to find anything decent out there: Having a designated diaper bag is not as important as you think!

There is very little you need to carry along for most outings with baby. You’ll need your stuff– keys, wallet, phone, sunglasses, plus baby’s stuff– some diapers, wipes, bags for dirty diapers, a change of clothes, and bottles with pumped milk or formula if you’re not breastfeeding on the go. For toddlers, just substitute the bottles for a sippy cup and snacks. That’s it!

Even if you add in a few extra baby goodies, this stuff will all fit into most totes and backpacks, completely eliminating the need for a specialized diaper bag altogether. To keep things organized, get yourself a ToteSavvy by Life in Play, or even a few large wet bags– one for clean things, one for dirty things, and one for bottles so your purse doesn't accidentally become a milky messy.

And just like that, you’ve successfully dodged the need to buy (and carry) an ugly mom bag.

First, meet the organizers…

ToteSavvy Original ($72, often on sale) – Measuring 14″ L x 10″ H x 4″ D, the ToteSavvy Original fits in most large totes. It has 11 pockets– one extra large pocket for bulky things like clothing, five large pockets, including an insulated bottle pocket, for things like bottles, diapers, and wipes, four smaller pockets for things like diaper cream, pacifiers, your phone, and your wallet, and one flat pocket for documents that can't get squished. It also comes with a key clasp and a washable changing mat (20″ x 25″).
ToteSavvy Mini ($45, often on sale) – Measuring 9.5″ L x 9″ H x 4″ D, the ToteSavvy Mini fits in bucket bags, smaller totes, and smaller backpacks. It has six pockets — three large pockets, including an insulated bottle pocket, for things like bottles, diapers, and wipes, two smaller pockets for things like diaper cream, pacifiers, your phone, and your wallet, and one small flat pocket that is frankly not all that useful because it's pretty small. It also comes with a key clasp and a washable changing mat (20″ x 25″). The ToteSavvy Mini is NOT ideal for cloth diapering mamas, since the large pockets are only large enough to fit a single cloth diaper.
Wet Bags (~$5-20) – There are lots of options out there, and because these will be hidden inside your nicer tote or backpack, it's not totally essential that they are gorgeous themselves.

These are some of our favorite totes and backpacks, which can be used as baby bags, diaper bags, or everyday life bags. We've starred our absolute faves.

Note: Opt for a bag that fits a ToteSavvy Original if you plan to carry everything but the kitchen sink and one that fits a ToteSavvy Mini if you are more of a minimalist. Know that most backpacks only fit the Mini, but are deep enough to fit extra goodies on top or beneath the bag organizer.