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Moving to a new country with just two suitcases has been a challenge. Moving to a new country with just two suitcases and living out of them has been even more challenging.
I live in New York City and am currently spending the summer subletting until I find my perfect apartment in my dream neighborhood. For now, I am enjoying hopping around and experiencing everything that each area has to offer, whether it’s the ultra-modern Long Island City or the quaint and calm Park Slope.
However, as great as it has been checking out different neighborhoods and living in various parts of the city, it has been hard to truly settle. Between the length of my stays and having limited space to store my belongings, I’ve resorted to keeping most of my things in my suitcases, only using an apartment’s storage space for everyday items or clothes that need hanging up in a closet to stop creasing.
I knew that I would be spending time moving around and subletting before I found my own apartment, and I also knew that it would be tough to find space for my things amongst the apartment renter’s belongings. Plus, NYC apartments are notoriously small anyway, so it was always going to be a little challenging.
To make sure I keep my toiletries and beauty products organized while I move from place to place, I invested in a hanging toiletry bag — and I would honestly go so far as to call it life-changing. It’s making sure I stay tidy and don’t leave anything behind on the bathroom sink because I immediately pop my products back into the bag after using them. It’s also amazing for living in smaller spaces, as it frees up the counter and keeps things looking a lot less cluttered, which can happen very quickly when you don’t have a ton of room to deal with.
The first thing I do when I move into a new place is take the compact toiletry bag out of my suitcase, unzip it, and hang it on the bathroom door (or, in one case, the towel rail, as there was no door hook). The bag unzips to reveal four separate compartments — two larger, two smaller — that can fit so much. It’s basically a modern-day Mary Poppins bag. Atop the first compartment is a hanger that you can hook over a handle or rail.
At first, I was a bit hesitant about filling it up too much in case the handle gave way, but I can safely say that this bag has some durability to it. The smaller compartments are reserved for miscellaneous items such as toothbrush heads, medication, tweezers, and skincare tools, while the larger compartments are home to sunscreen, haircare, perfume, makeup, and more. It’s holding pretty much all of my toiletries, and there is absolutely still room to add other things.
I love how the compartments are clear so you can see exactly what you need, rather than having to rummage around if the bag was completely opaque. And because I can see what’s what, I know if I am missing anything or need to restock.
When the bag is zipped up, it has a convenient carry handle so it’s simple to transport from place to place. When fastened, the bag is so compact and I was surprised how little room it actually took up in my suitcase.
For $21, it was such a steal for how functional of a product it is. Sure, there were more expensive branded bags available, but this one sold me, thanks to the playful colors and patterns, along with the thousands of five-star reviews. Whether you’re moving countries like I did or are going away on a summer vacation, it’s worth checking out this bag if you’re determined to stay neat and organized.
Buy: Narwey Hanging Toiletry Bag, $21.99 (originally $24.99)
