Zip It

You can find my original Organizing Bags at laragallagher.com/bags/.

* I would really like your help with something so I'm thinking about having a fun little contest. Start thinking of ways you could use each of these bags and what you would put in them. I'll give more details later.


I've known for several weeks now that I am running out of bags. I need to order more but the perfectionist in me wants to put it off for as long as possible. I want to design the "perfect" bags and since that can never happen then I might as well not even try. Kind of like how my house will never be perfectly clean so I'd better sit down and eat a bag of Cheetos instead. Being a lazy perfectionist is a very fattening combination.

I finally got tired seeing "design bags" on my to-do list so today was the day. It was a very dangerous job but I had a lot more fun than I thought I would. I got to use my very cool super charged industrial sewing machine that sews through zippers and can break your finger off if you're not careful. Ask me how I know.

I played with fire

and I got to scavenge the house looking for items to fill up my new bags. So fun!!!

Lovely had just as much fun dumping them out again. And filling them up, and dumping them out until she moved on to the next bag. That's how it is when you're almost two and in spite of your family refusing to ever teach you how to un-zip a zipper, you figure it out all on your own. You spend many happy hours getting into every single treasure that you have seen locked up in those mysterious bags these last two years. Your family spends many hours crying over this new development.

This is almost as sad as the fact that you are no longer taking four hour naps. We really miss all those hours of sitting around waiting till you woke up so we could see your sweet smiling face again. Fortunately two hours of rolling around in your crib is still plenty of time to get that nappy hairdo that we all find so attractive.

I made my large Organizing bag just a little bit larger so that a file folder will more easily slide in and out, 11 1/2" X 13 1/2".

I made an extra large sized bag for bigger projects and toys, 12 1/2" X 16".

I made my small Organizing Bag larger to fit a box of travel wipes and 3 diapers and I added a handle, 11 1/2" X 7". Isn't that the cutest little diaper bag? (Don't worry; I will still keep the original small bag as well. I love that size!)


Then I decided it still wasn't big enough so I made it even wider, 11 1/2" X 8 1/2". Now it's also the perfect size to fit a couple of the kid's chapter books. I have them keep their books in an Organizing Bag inside their backpacks so the books don't get smashed and bent or wet from their water bottles. These bags are pretty water resistant.


I took a small Organizing bag and made it even smaller, 5" X 6 1/2".


Then who could resist the tiniest bag of all with a little wrist strap to keep their peas in? You never know when you are going to need a snack so why not keep one handy at all times?


If you are really boring you could just keep your credit cards or pocket change in it, 4" X 5".

Oops, I almost forgot the giant daddy baggie, 16" X 24". You could stuff your pillow in there to take to camp if you wanted to.

I still have a few more bags I want to get to this week. I'll let you know how they turn out. Do your have any ideas for me?