If you know me well you’d know that I rarely step out of my home without my backpack. So much so that it has become a bit of an inside joke among my friends and family. They love guessing what’s inside and why I insist on carrying it everywhere!
Today I stumbled upon a blog post by Matt Mullenweg (co-founder of WordPress and CEO of Automattic) where he shared the content of his backpack. That inspired me to do the same and clear up the mystery once and for all! Plus, writing this felt like a fun and welcome break from the hectic month at work and home.
Below is a photo of my backpack and its content. I have numbered each item for easy reference.
The Content of My Backpack
1. Mokobara – The Transit Backpack, 30L
Purchased in Dec 2023 from Amazon, this sleek backpack is my trusty companion. Despite a few loose stitches, it is holding up well and accommodates all 19 items listed here without looking bulky.
2. Apple MacBook Pro
This is my office-issued laptop.
3. iPad 6th Generation
I bought this in 2018, intending to use it for note-taking with the Apple Pencil – hoping it would replace my notebooks. But after a few years, I found myself missing the pen-and-paper method and eventually switched back.
Instead, the iPad ended up replacing my Kindle. Now, I mostly use it for reading books on the Kindle app, binge-watching Netflix, random browsing, and occasionally annotating PDFs.
I picked this up from a cafe in Gurgaon called For Earth’s Sake. Similar ones are available on Amazon too. I use it for planning my day at work, jotting down meeting minutes and taking work-related notes.
A few years ago, I wrote about my process of planning my day using pen/paper that you might find interesting. Though, since then, I’ve refined my process further and need to update that article.
5. MatrikaS Signature A5 Elite Diary
This diary serves as my personal journal and commonplace notebook. I love its minimalistic design and the flexibility of blank date fields. It also comes with sticker sheets for those who like to add a creative touch to their journaling, and an envelope at the back for storing loose papers, tickets, or notes.
6 & 7. Books
I always carry at least one, but usually two, books in my bag – one fiction and one non-fiction typically. Right now, I’m reading The Great Mental Models and Mr. Mulliner Speaking.
8. Browill Aesthetic Highlighter
This is a set of eight pastel-colored highlighters that I use for highlighting important points in my journal. I like them because the colors are subtle, they have a comfortable grip (unlike regular highlighters), and they don’t bleed through the paper. I got mine from the U.S., but similar ones are available on Amazon India, though not from the same brand.
9. Staedtler Textsurfer Dry Pencil Highlighter
I was looking for colored pencils for highlighting text while reading books but found that regular ones were too light to be effective as highlighter. Then I came across this brand and purchased these 4 color pencils. There is a stark difference in the quality – these have a softer tip, making them smooth on paper, while highlighting effectively. Here is a visual comparison:
10. Sanitiser Spray bottle
I use an old spray bottle to carry sanitiser – makes for a handy spray-on.
11. Leaderachi Hunter Leather Utility Pouch
I bought this from Amazon in May 2019 to store my pens, and it is still going strong after five years. It is quite spacious – I easily fit 6-7 pens, stapler, glue stick, and more.
Fun fact: my backpack often gets singled out at airport security because of the contents of this pouch. I’m still not sure why!
12. Lens Cleaning Spray
13. Sunglasses
14. Profilter Micro Umbrella | Decathlon
I got this small-sized umbrella from Decathlon – it fits perfectly in the side pocket of my bag. It does the job when it rains, but if it’s windy, well… let’s just say it becomes a battle to hold it upright.
15. Airpods Pro
Bought in Apr 2022, and has turned out to be a really good investment – makes it easier to take meetings from my desk.
16. Canvas Bags
I carry a couple of canvas carry bags in my backpack – handy for any unplanned grocery shopping!
17. Trebleon 500 ml Steel Tumbler for carrying water
18. A spare N95 Mask
19. Eye Mask
I bought this for naps during long cab rides to and from work. My commute is much shorter now, but I keep it in my bag – easier than remembering to pack it when traveling!
20. Medicine Pouch
A small pouch for a few essential OTC medicines (painkiller, paracetamol etc), and a thermometer.
In case you are wondering, my bag weighs about 8 Kgs – quite comfortable to carry.
So, there you have it – I have answered the question that I get asked from time to time. Go ahead, poke fun! 😀
But in all honesty, I like having my backpack with me – I feel comfortable with it. So, you’ll probably always see me carrying it. 🙂
A Word from the Writer
I write about a mix of topics, including productivity, tech, books, personal finance, and more. If you’d like to stay updated, here are two ways:
- Real-Time Alerts: Join my WhatsApp Group or WhatsApp channel, (or both!), to get instant notifications for new articles, fascinating book excerpts, useful web finds, and more.
- Monthly Email Digest: Subscribe to my Email Newsletter and receive a curated end-of-month roundup of everything I’ve written, along with handpicked gems from across the web.
I also create Google Sheets templates to automate and streamline workflows. You can check them out here. Feel free to reach out if you need a custom template made for you.
If you’ve enjoyed reading, please consider supporting the blog with any amount you like. Your contribution helps cover server and domain costs, ensuring the blog keeps running.
Photo Credit:
- Feature Image: Photo generated using Meta AI
Just curious to know your dependency on your bag. How handicapped will you feel if someday I pick your backpack and run away?
Really enjoyed this! Always fun to see what people carry, and your setup is both practical and well thought out. Great read, Anshul!
Thanks for sharing, and great choice in that book!