OK, What Are We Putting In Our Analog Bags?
Remember packing bags to keep your toddler entertained at a restaurant? Let's pack one for ourselves.
“Analog” seems to be the new trending word, which is funny, because it really means going back to things you did in childhood or *gasp* the ‘90s. Listen, I’m here for it. Anything that will get me off my phone more and back to actual physical items for fun and relaxation sounds worthy, and that’s why I really love the idea of an “analog bag.” It’s a new phrase popping up in tons of (ironic, I guess) TikToks and Instagram reels, but it’s honestly a great trend and one that I hope sticks around.
If you haven’t pieced it together yet, an analog bag is simply a bag stuffed with analog things meant to keep you off your phone. Crosswords, sketchbooks, reading materials, hobby materials — whatever “analog” thing you’re into. If it can fit in a bag, it works for an analog bag. These bags are meant to be things you can take with you places to encourage you to stop doomscrolling and focus more on an actual hobby or task, but they can also be a bag you keep in your home for when you’re feeling bored and need something to do.
Remember, like the bags you packed for your toddler to go on a plane? OK, you get it.
The thing about an analog bag is that it doesn’t have to be a new way to buy new things. Social media will make you think you have to create a whole new lifestyle for yourself to make an analog bag, but you don’t. Find a bag in your house you already own and love, and just pop things in it that you think would work. And don’t try to follow any specific guidelines — everyone’s analog bag is going to look different. The entire point is to figure out what works for ~you~ and what you want to enjoy, then go from there.
Once you have your bag picked, read on to get inspired about what to put inside it. This is a realistic list (we’re talking just a couple of things) and meant to be encouraging, especially for those of us with little kids who really don’t have the time to take on something new right now. When do you want to stop scrolling your phone? In the car line at pickup? The waiting office of your doctor? During a basketball game? Then figure out which analog items you enjoy — and which ones would work for that particular moment — and pop them in.
Making your analog bag should be fun... and so should using it.
Something To Write With & On
A little journal, a legal pad, a cute spiral notebook — just have something you can write on in your analog bag. A pen or a pencil or a quill and a pot of ink. The idea is to have some tools so you can write on actual paper, and then whatever you want to write is up to you. Maybe you’re sitting in the school car line and remember you need to make a grocery list — grab your paper and jot it down. Maybe you want to take notes at a parent meeting but don’t want to use your phone, or maybe you just want to doodle and draw some vines in the corner of a paper while you wait for your DMV number to be called. It all counts.
Some Kind Of Easy Hobby
I love hobbies, but not all hobbies are created the same. Some are much larger and more complicated, while others are incredibly simple and easy to do on the go. While an analog bag can be an at-home thing and travel with you, I think it’s best to keep your simpler hobbies inside of it. If you need all 5,000 stacks of craft supplies for your junk journal to make it a doable hobby, then maybe keep that somewhere else. The point of an analog bag is that you can grab it when you want to do something without getting overwhelmed, so think nice and easy hobbies: calligraphy, sticker art, maybe a cross-stitch you’ve been working on. Knitting and crocheting can fit nicely in an analog bag, along with embroidery or coloring books and sketchpads.
Something To Play With Others
Whether you’re at a restaurant, a kid’s sporting event, or even in the car on a road trip, few things are better than an easy game. You can keep small boxes of trivia cards, easy-to-play (and clean!) games like Uno, or even just a regular deck of cards. I also love the travel-sized version of Bop It! as an analog game to play with others.
Something That Works Your Brain
Think crosswords, word searches, and sudoku books — but don’t sleep on little brain teaser things like Rubik’s Cubes or a crossword game like Q-Less. Just something you can work quietly on that’s a good exercise for your brain. You’ll be delighted at how much it helps calm your anxiety and keep you focused. (Also, a deck of cards for a game of Solitaire is always a win.)
