u/ManzanillaManana

I have tried many bags. (10+) Each iteration has improved on the last. But I have not found the PERFECT bag. Please help me.

I’m a one bagger through and through — I want to take everything in a backpack that I can carry around from the airport, to the train, to a trek, to a work meeting, sometimes even to a party. In any country, regardless of weather, cultural standard, and style. By “everything” I mean laptop, clothes, jackets, shoes, toiletries, chargers, headphones, passport, tiny day bag, snacks, and room to bring stuff home. And it STILL fits under the seat in front of me as a personal item, no questions asked by the gate attendant.

My favorite bag so far has been the Decathlon 20L bag. It was cheap and fit everything I needed… except a laptop, which I wasn’t bringing until recently. So here are my criteria for the new bag:

MUST HAVE:
- fits under the seat in front of me as a personal item
- padded laptop sleeve
- U-zip that goes all the way down to the water bottle pockets (NOT clamshell)*
- water bottle pocket x2
- sternum strap (that goes above my boobs not under or smack dab in the middle… ladies you know)
- minimum 23L (to accommodate laptop), no larger than 30L (due to personal item size restrictions, also helps me pack light)
- extra padded straps and back
- one extra pocket for small things (that maintains its room even when the bag is packed out)
- distributes weight well
- structured back
- as light as possible (for those airlines with weight restrictions)
- sleek style (so it can blend in anywhere) (but also… I like a bit of color, just to make me happy :)
- straps that actually fit women’s shoulders (iykyk)
- height that actually fit a 5’4” woman’s torso (also iykyk)
- doesn’t turtle when fully packed (turtle meaning gets so round and wide that I look like a turtle)
- goes without saying: durable, good zippers

REALLY NICE TO HAVE:
- hip/waist strap
- sternum strap can move up/down
- another pocket for wet/dirty things (whose space can be used by the main compartment if this pocket is not in use)
- a separate pocket for shoes (same thing here)
- tiny secret pocket (to stow away phone/passport/AirPods with easy access to me but not strangers)
- waterproof (or at least resistant)
- compression straps (I like to carabiner clip things here)
- side handle
- the laptop pocket is separate (or separately accessible) from the rest of the bag (for access when fully packed out)
- less than $150 (but if I have to go higher to get the PERFECT bag… I guess costs saved over time? But I believe it’s gotta be out there for less than $150)

NICE TO HAVE:
- pocket on the strap for phone/passport
- option to add paracord to the front (and otherwise stay removed)
- some reflective bits
- squared shape at top (for packing)
- luggage pass through (for trips where I bring a wheeled carry on)

CANNOT HAVE:
-*clamshell zip (I like to be able to access my backpack vertically in the same way I packed it, for space and efficiency reason)
- top loading roll/zip top (I did this once… never again do I want to go fishing in my own bag)
- no water bottle pocket (why is this a trend now??)
- little pockets on the laptop sleeve for office things (don’t use and never did, just takes up space)
- crazy colors or a military look (too conspicuous)
- reiterating, wide like a turtle (I want SLEEK y’all)
- extra pockets that take up room when not in use (ie if I haven’t used all the space, now I have an extra L but it doesn’t fit things like my clothes… I want the main compartment to fill out the space if the extra pockets aren’t in use)
- all pockets on the inside… (can’t access if full)
- tapered shape ANYWHERE (how can I pack fully if it tapers? This has always seemed like a design flaw to me, especially because it throws off the weight distribution.)

Big things to reiterate: no clamshell, must fit under the seat in front of me as a personal item.

I really appreciate folks sharing their lived experiences with their favorite bags! I’m a bit of a bag gremlin at this point, so I love learning about them.

PSA about to do a multi country, dual hemisphere trip (Australia, Thailand, Japan, USA), so I’m packing for winter and summer (kinda crazy really cool), wet and dry activities, varying levels of cultural modesty, and some longgg plane rides. Talk about needing a multi-purpose wardrobe!

Hi all! I’m moving to NYC in the fall and am working on my start up costs. I’m looking to move to a 1bed/1bath with my partner somewhere in Brooklyn (will know where once it’s closer to the actual move in haha), and I’m curious what folks normally pay — and where they find — their furniture! And household appliances.

For context, I’m a value for money kind of person. I’d rather pay a mid-range price for something that will last me 5+ years, than have to pay that same price over time for poorly made items that need replacing every year or upgrading a year later (with the same salary lol). However, I say MID-RANGE; not looking for luxury or brand name, just high build quality. If it’s possible to keep start up costs under $1,000/pp (so $2,000 total), that would be ideal — but let me know if this is realistic in NYC!

EDIT to add: happy to get second-hand furniture, definitely doesn’t need to be new!

These are the big furniture pieces we’ll be getting in the very first week:
- couch (minimum 3 seater, ideally L-shaped)
- dining/kitchen table (seats 4 minimum)
- 4 dining/kitchen chairs
- bed frame (queen size minimum)
- bedroom mattress (queen size minimum)
- TV stand/cabinet
- bathroom carpet (for toilet/shower)
- kitchen accoutrements (bowls, plates, cutlery, knives, tupperware, cups, mugs, cutting boards, pots and pans, etc)
- coasters
- 1 large lamp minimum (can’t stand overheads lol)
- 1 bedroom lamp minimum

These are the big appliances we’ll be getting in the first week:
- vacuum
- Swiffer
- toaster
- blender
- tea kettle
- TV
- extension cords x3

These are the things we can sort out over time:
- living room table
- coffee tables
- throw pillows
- comfy living room chairs
- rugs/carpets
- if there’s room for an office space, then a desk and chair (happy to work at the kitchen table to start)
- more kitchen appliances (pressure cooker, vacuum sealer, etc etc)
- art/decoration
- more lamps
- extra storage space
- pots for plants
- other suggestions welcome!

We’re not exactly minimalists, but we like to keep a clean, functional space. We do also love color.

We don’t have any furniture we can bring from our old place, since we’ve been living abroad. It’ll be a fresh start! Thank you in advance for practical advice.

Hello! I’m moving to NYC in the fall, and I’m trying to educate myself on the different neighborhoods. There are so many! I’m overwhelmed! I would love some help sorting through them.

For context, I’ve gone through Wiki pages about the neighborhoods, StreetEasy descriptions, asked friends and family, poked around on Google Maps for transit stops and parks and restaurants, etc. I’d love some more lived experience POVs.

I’m moving with my partner, and we can each pay up to $1,500/pm for a place. Ideally we’re paying less if we have roommates, more if we’re in our own place. (Must be bigger than a studio tho if it’s just us, so it’s possible a 1bd/1ba is not in the budget haha.) She’ll work in Harlem and Downtown (generally), I’ll be working near the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Downtown (generally), and may need to pop over to Jersey occasionally.

We’d like a neighborhood that’s quiet, has trees (or water), and easy access to public transit. For context, our favorite neighborhood we’ve ever lived in was in Australia, in a neighborhood called Port Melbourne: it was a 10min walk to the beach, right across the street from the grocery store, and a 15min drive to anywhere we wanted to go. That proximity to fun things, without being right in the middle of them, 1) kept things quiet and 2) meant our rent was really cheap, even though we were close to the beach.

Ideally, the neighborhood would have a real neighborhood vibe and not just gentrified stores and cafes, but I know that’s hard to get away from. We’re big on being part of our community and good neighbors!

Thank you for any help and advice. 🙏

Hi all! Considering a move to LA for work, but I’m coming from an even bigger city abroad and am worried about the social life in LA. Do friends make time for each other? As in, do folks want to see their friends on a Wednesday night? Or are they sending Gcal invites for 45min in two month’s worth of Sunday’s in the future? Are there social activities that take place during the day, and don’t revolve around alcohol? Is there anything fun to do that’s FREE?

A bit of context: I’m from the South, where people are friendly. We talk to strangers. We hold doors for each other. I’d never heard of the phrase “corporate ladder” until I moved to Boston, and then suddenly everyone was on the corporate ladder and nowhere near making friends.

I’m coming from another large city abroad, where everyone has such ingrained friend groups that they’re not interested in, for example, grabbing dinner after soccer practice. I want to move to a city where people reciprocate genuine effort in making and sustaining a friendship, and where friendships aren’t just seen as networking tokens.

Thanks in advance!

Hi folks! My current job is finishing in a few months, and I have the opportunity to move ANYWHERE, which is really cool. What are some underrated US cities with Big City, Small Town vibes that you’d suggest? (Looking for suggestions other than the typical LA, NYC, etc etc — unless you can make a really good case for them!)

I work in women’s sports + media, so can get a job almost anywhere; but a city with a focus on these fields would be great!

Here are some criteria I’m looking for, and I’d love to hear folks’ lived experiences of places like this:
- Big City, Small Town vibes
- easy to get around (by car or public transit, not picky), with most places <25min drive away
- openness to different cultures, ways of living, etc etc (even if the town itself isn’t very diverse… diversity of thought >>>)
- LGBTQ+ friendly
- FRIENDLY PEOPLE (this may be my biggest one! Folks who make time for friends on weekdays, not just weekends; strangers talking to each other at the store; people holding the door for one another)
- an abundance of free, live music
- easy access to a source of water (think oceans, rivers, lakes)
- social things to do that don’t revolve around drinking, or having to buy a drink to walk in the door
- daytime activities! (I’m a morning person, would love if parties were 10am-2pm instead of the other way around haha)
- overall safe (not just specific neighborhoods)
- overall clean
- affordable relative to average salaries
- rec sports leagues would be a big plus :)

Please note that it doesn’t matter to me what the predominant religion, politics, or demographic is; or even the region of the US — so long as people make an effort to be kind to each other, create fun spaces for connection, and can get outside safely and accessibly, I think I’ll be happy. :)

I had never one-bagged before getting the Decathlon 20L Arpenaz backpack, and now I’ll never go back! Wanted to share a review for all those looking for a cheap backpack that won’t get you any second glances in security, and still fits all your things.

I’d recommend Decathlon’s 20L Arpenaz backpack. It’s super cheap (and normally on sale, I got mine for €4 while living in Spain), so you can buy it without worrying about breaking the bank. I took that bag on the most budget of budget airlines, never got a second glance about the size, even at its fullest. And it was always always comfy to carry with very plush straps and back padding, and never got too hot — I had some long treks in that bag (think layovers in multiple countries, walking/taking public transit across an entire city and then some, redeye flights where I actually used the bag as a pillow while waiting to connect in the middle of the night, and the bag making it through rain and snow and extreme heat) and it was never an issue.

Easily packed clothes for weeklong+ trips to London, Norway, Edinburgh, Portugal, Germany, and across Spain, plus trips to all manner of cities in the US. I could fit all sorts of different configurations (packing for 4 seasons in a day, bringing cleats and workout clothes for weekend-long sports tournaments plus going out clothes for the afterparty, or a light setup for a laptop plus clothes for work-focused trips). It’s not clamshell, but the zippers go down almost to the bottom, which I prefer because I can zip down to where my item is located length-wise in the bag and take it out without having to open the whole thing. (Super useful on the crowded Tube.) It also looks fairly nondescript, so it’s not an issue to wear it in cities or on trails. It’s the right size to be both a daypack and a travel bag, with no one ever looking at you sideways (and you always feeling smug because you have the BEST bag).

Also took it through a year of uni and threw every manner of clothing, food, electronics, shoes, and stuffed papers in there — and never got to the point where something didn’t fit. I once needed 3 days-worth of clothes (including shoes and winter jackets) during a single day at work, and folks were asking me where I had the rest of my stuff, since they all needed a second (and even third) bag to fit theirs.

10/10 would recommend!!