By | Deepali Singh
COVID-19 has made us carry things like masks and sanitisers, along with the usual keys, phone and wallet
Ask anyone what essential items they carry in theirbag , and chances are the responses would be similar: The mobile phone, wallet, house keys, bottle of water and perhaps a pocket comb or a perfume, among other things. People with larger bags may also load up on things like medicines (including band-aids), mobile chargers and power banks, and energy bars or a fruit for when hunger hits. Bookworms will almost always have something to read handy, and the trusted earphones are a must for music lovers.
In the past nine months, however, COVID-19 has ensured that we change our priorities — and the contents of our bag. Now, even if we forget our mobile phone we are not likely to forget a few extra face masks, gloves and that bottle of hand sanitiser. While everyone’s idea of what’s essential and what’s not may differ, there are quite a few things that would not necessarily strike us as imperative to keep handy. Here are some non-obvious things people in the city carry with them, and why you should too:
Clean underwear and travel-sized dry shampoo
While we all love the feel of clean clothes, there might be times when we are not able to get a hold of them. Communications manager Hardik Varma likes to stay ahead of these situations by carrying a fresh pair of undies, a vest, a T-shirt, wet wipes and dry shampoo. “Before the lockdown, this was my backup kit whenever I needed to either meet someone or stay back atwork ,” he says. For meeting friends in the evening, he would sometimes slip into a nearby mall to quickly freshen up. “It somehow helped me forget that I had had a long day at work. Dry shampoo wasn’t a constant addition, but as I began growing my hair, it became a necessity. The extra clothes helped when I travelled during the rains and reached office or some meeting completely drenched,” says Varma, 35.
Carry own cutlery
With meetings popping up early in the morning or at unexpected times through the day, Namrata Laungani, account director at a PR agency, would often end up missing her morning cup of coffee at home. “I started carrying a travel-sized coffee mug so that I could sip on coffee or green tea in the cab while on my way to work. It’s also useful when you have back-to-back meetings and need a hot drink on the go,” she says. In recent times, Laungani has also started carrying a small plate and spoon. “I don’t want to take any health risks by using outside cutlery. Having my own small spoon comes in handy,” adds the 30-year-old. Yoga teacher Sangeeta Tanwar seconds the suggestion. “I had picked up a small cutlery kit from Singapore that consists of a steel spoon, fork, straw and chopsticks. It’s very useful when you don’t want to use cutlery that has been used by others,” she says.
Extra bags
A couple of extra bags are always useful, especially when you have last minute shopping to do. Media professional ReshmaKulkarni Pathare usually keeps a cloth bag and another eco-friendly bag for emergencies. “I’m an impulsive shopper and even after making a list, I end up buying more things. The cloth bag is for such occasions and the recyclable one comes in handy for frozen goods such as ice-cream,” says the mother of a five-year old. She also recommends keeping a couple of small and large ziplock bags that can be used for varied purposes. “They don’t take up much space and can be pretty useful, from carrying loose change to keeping your mobile and electronic chords dry during the monsoon,” Kulkarni adds.
Emergency grooming kit
Ask anybody for safety pins and it’s possible they might have one or two lying somewhere in their bag or office drawer. But add a few more knick-knacks to complete the emergency grooming kit, and you are sorted. After all, nobody likes to have a button missing on their shirt or have food lodged between their teeth just before an important meeting. “I carry a small pouch in my laptop bag that contains a couple of safety pins, some basic black and white spools of thread, a needle, a small pair of scissors and dental floss. These little things go a long way in helping you when you want to look neat and tidy before a meeting,” shares finance professionalVanita Dhingra
Ear plugs
With so much of the city dug up for either Metro work or road construction, you are likely to be exposed toloud noises whenever you are out on the road. For such times, PR professional Divya Nandrajog likes to keep a pair of ear plugs with her. “By the time I reach the office, the noise from construction work and honking cars gives me a headache. I started wearing ear plugs on my commute and it has helped bring down the noise levels. They don’t cancel out the noise completely; one should also be aware of what’s happening around them,” she advises.
GALLERIES View more photos
COVID-19 has made us carry things like masks and sanitisers, along with the usual keys, phone and wallet
- What’s in your camera bag? The camera package I use to shoot the MOTOTREK YouTube videos is centered around a durable, weatherproof Panasonic GH5 and the Sigma 18–35 mm f/1.8 zoom lens. The EF lens is adapted to the micro-four-thirds camera with a Metabones Speed Booster which delivers an effective f/1.1 aperture.
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Ask anyone what essential items they carry in their
Valuables: Your jewelry, cameras, laptops, cell phones, photographs, GPS units, first edition books and anything else worth a reasonable amount of money all belong in your carry-on bag. You will need to keep your bag within sight, too, as pilfering from carry-on luggage occasionally occurs. Chargers: Cell phone, camera and laptop batteries. In fact, you can’t go wrong with a mini dental kit in your bag. Include a toothbrush, paste, floss and some minty chewing gum, and you’ll always be prepared, regardless of that garlic-fuelled.
In the past nine months, however, COVID-19 has ensured that we change our priorities — and the contents of our bag. Now, even if we forget our mobile phone we are not likely to forget a few extra face masks, gloves and that bottle of hand sanitiser. While everyone’s idea of what’s essential and what’s not may differ, there are quite a few things that would not necessarily strike us as imperative to keep handy. Here are some non-obvious things people in the city carry with them, and why you should too:
While we all love the feel of clean clothes, there might be times when we are not able to get a hold of them. Communications manager Hardik Varma likes to stay ahead of these situations by carrying a fresh pair of undies, a vest, a T-shirt, wet wipes and dry shampoo. “Before the lockdown, this was my backup kit whenever I needed to either meet someone or stay back at
Carry own cutlery
With meetings popping up early in the morning or at unexpected times through the day, Namrata Laungani, account director at a PR agency, would often end up missing her morning cup of coffee at home. “I started carrying a travel-sized coffee mug so that I could sip on coffee or green tea in the cab while on my way to work. It’s also useful when you have back-to-back meetings and need a hot drink on the go,” she says. In recent times, Laungani has also started carrying a small plate and spoon. “I don’t want to take any health risks by using outside cutlery. Having my own small spoon comes in handy,” adds the 30-year-old. Yoga teacher Sangeeta Tanwar seconds the suggestion. “I had picked up a small cutlery kit from Singapore that consists of a steel spoon, fork, straw and chopsticks. It’s very useful when you don’t want to use cutlery that has been used by others,” she says.
What's In Your Bag
Extra bags
What's In Your Bag 2020
A couple of extra bags are always useful, especially when you have last minute shopping to do. Media professional Reshma
Emergency grooming kit
Ask anybody for safety pins and it’s possible they might have one or two lying somewhere in their bag or office drawer. But add a few more knick-knacks to complete the emergency grooming kit, and you are sorted. After all, nobody likes to have a button missing on their shirt or have food lodged between their teeth just before an important meeting. “I carry a small pouch in my laptop bag that contains a couple of safety pins, some basic black and white spools of thread, a needle, a small pair of scissors and dental floss. These little things go a long way in helping you when you want to look neat and tidy before a meeting,” shares finance professional
.
Ear plugs
With so much of the city dug up for either Metro work or road construction, you are likely to be exposed to
I started carrying a travel-sized coffee mug so that I could sip on coffee or green tea in the cab while on my way to work. It’s also useful when you have back-to-back meetings
GALLERIES View more photos
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