Everyday Carry Bag — How to Get Organised with an EDC
What is an EDC or Everyday Carry? I can admit that I am not as young or hip as I used to be (although the idea of ever having been hip might be an illusion to start with). I had no idea what an EDC – Everyday Carry was until recently when I saw it explained on a YouTube video. Most of the information and videos are targeted at guys who want to be prepared for everything. For me, an EDC, Everyday Carry is a trendier way of getting really organised and homing in on what you carry with you every day.
It makes you decide before you leave the house, what, when and why you take certain items with you.
As the name alludes to this is stuff that has an impact on you every day, spending time and effort on this area can actually make your day-to-day life run a lot smoother.
I hope learning about the EDC, Everyday Carry, will give you an increased sense of being organised.
What are we waiting for? Let’s get super organised with our EDC - everyday carry
A while ago I released an article on handbags, now I realise that the idea of an EDC – everyday carry is useful irrespective of whether or not you carry a handbag, a backpack or a sling. Simply put, we all need to carry a handful of items; let’s unpack the EDC – Everyday Carry for these three different carry options.
The EDC-Everyday carry for a handbag:
If we go down the road at a minimum, we need:
our phones and our keys
Maybe we need:
a wallet
sunglasses
a hat
sunscreen
a water bottle
This all depends on how far we go, where we go and what we expect the weather to be like.
The EDC-Everyday carry for a backpack:
If I go further from home, need my laptop, or I am out and about for the full day, I will take my backpack.
This allows me to easily carry and add:
The laptop
A book
A sweater or rain jacket
Phone and laptop charger
It also provides me with a space to add some groceries or the kids’ stuff.
The EDC-Everyday carry for a sling:
In day-to-day life I don’t carry a sling unless I go for a powerwalk with my phone, keys and a bottle of water or I am travelling.
On my last trip overseas the EDC-Everyday carry, in sling format transformed into the key piece of gear I had with me.
It contained our:
Passports
Medication
Travel paperwork for the day
Map of the area
Think book for note-taking
Pen
Disinfectant
Tissues
Travel earplugs
Lip balm
Hotel keys
It also provided a spot for receipts which I needed to update my budget when we arrived back in our hotel room.
Having a sling as an EDC - Everyday Carry also reduced the chance of pickpockets and allowed me access to our most important paperwork within seconds.
Some general rules for your EDC – Everyday Carry
Some items live forever in the bag; others, like your phone, wallet and keys, might transfer from bag to bag depending on which bag you are using at the time.
You might not know it but you need an EDC – Everyday Carry if you want to be an organised person.
My Permanent EDC – Everyday Carry items
In both my handbag and backpack I permanently keep:
Travel medication (I get sick very easily from motion)
Headache tablets
Allergy tables
Band-Aids
Betadine (some sort of disinfectant)
Sanitary items
A foldable grocery bag
Tissues
These items are not daily items. They are lightweight and having them with you is like giving your future self a gift when you have a headache or got a cut, and you have what you need on hand. For me, with my travel medication, I saved myself from feeling like crap for 3-4 hours as I had access to travel medication before I got a proper bout of nausea.
Finally, the EDC- Everyday Carry might highlight that maybe you are carrying too much stuff
Doing this exercise with your existing bags can highlight that carrying around too much gear that you really don’t need, which in turn can literally lighten your daily load. My daughter did this exercise and identified that she would be much better off having a charger at school and at home rather than carrying cords and heavy chargers backwards and forwards each day.
So, there you have it you not only know what an EDC-Everyday carry is, you know how to use it for a more organised life!
If getting organised with the small things resonates
Organising Unpacked walks you through the mindset behind bringing that same clarity to your whole home.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should be in an everyday carry bag?
At minimum: your phone, keys, and wallet. Beyond that, it depends on your day — sunglasses, a water bottle, and sunscreen for a handbag; a laptop, charger, and a layer for a backpack. The goal is deciding in advance what earns a spot, not carrying everything just in case.
What is EDC (everyday carry)?
EDC stands for everyday carry — the items you deliberately choose to have on you each day. It's a popular concept in preparedness communities, but it applies just as well to anyone who wants a lighter, more intentional bag.
What items should always stay in your bag?
Lightweight essentials you rarely think about but are glad to have — pain relief tablets, band-aids, tissues, and a foldable bag are good defaults. These aren't daily-use items, but having them on hand saves real time and discomfort when you need them.
