After one full year of commuting to Manhattan I have experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly. Luckily, these experiences have taught me the valuable lessons of what to never leave the house without.
Below is a full list of commuter essentials that keep me sane from my 8am ride on the packed 6 train to my sprint to the Midtown Terminal to catch the Ferry Ride home.
- Tote or Backpack:
If you’re anything like me, the bigger the bag the better. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to pack your bag for work and not being able to fit all your needs. A dependable bag that fits your laptop, wallet, shoes, lunch, etc is a necessity when commuting. I like to alternate between my backpack and tote, depending on my day. The current tote I use is from Coach, but any tote that fits your needs will work. The backpack I use (that I am constantly complimented on) can be found on Amazon! - Wireless Headphones:
I cannot survive the day without my wireless headphones. Headphones during a commute are incredibly versatile. Nothing sets the tone for your day like putting on your best commuter playlist and starting that walk to your office. Wireless Headphones also give you the capability of keeping up with your favorite podcasts and catching up on phone calls hands free! Bonus! Headphones can double as noise cancellation for the guy that snores next to you every morning! My go to wireless headphones are my Airpods. - Change of Shoes:
If you can power through the city commute while rocking your heels than props to you girl! I for one cannot wait to throw on my sneakers and make my way home. Whether it be a pair of sneakers or a comfortable pair of flats, find something that works for you to make that commute a little more bearable. I am a sneaker addict (shopaholic) so I rotate through my collection of Adidas. You can find the current pair I am wearing here! - Hand Sanitizer:
Though there may currently be a shortage worldwide, hand sanitizer is curial to a commuter. You are using all types of mass transportation and must be mindful of all of the germs you’re coming into contact with. I have multiple personal sized hand sanitizers stored in my car, my desk, and strapped to my work bag for easy access. - Easily accessible wallet:
There is nothing worse than getting stuck behind the person who is digging through their bag for their Metrocard during the morning rush. You can easily avoid being that guy by investing in an easily accessible wallet. Two great options for this are phone wallets or a card holder. I use a stick on phone wallet because lets face it I always have my phone on me. This makes my commute a breeze! I keep my Metrocard, Work ID, and Debit Card in the back of my phone for quick easy access. I ordered my Phone wallet off of Amazon for a great price, check it out here! - Minimergency Kit:
Whether you purchase those cute little Minimergency kits or create your own, these kits are always good to have on you for whatever may come up during your day. I have a small clutch that came with my tote that I fill with little necessities such as tampons, bandaids, mini perfume bottles, chapstick, safety pins, hair ties, aspirin, etc. If you do not feel like making your own kit, I have found this cute Minimergency Kit from Francesca’s to be very useful! - Compact Umbrella:
There’s nothing quite like leaving the house for what looks to be a beautiful day only to be caught in a down pour while trying to get home and being completely unprepared for it. A compact umbrella is the way to go, they easily fit into a bag and they’re not a pain to haul around. From experience, I can tell you there is nothing more annoying than lugging around a golf size umbrella through the crowded sidewalks of NYC. 1.) It’s a pain to carry and 2.) you don’t want to be the person who is bumping into everyone, trust me it only delays your commute. You can find cheap, small umbrellas at any store.