I enjoy catching a peak into other people’s lives and what they are loving. There are several items I never leave the house without on summer days and I thought I would share them with you.

1. A large Tote.

I’m not a fan of purses and pockets. I think they are cute and probably keep you organized but they just aren’t “me”. I love a deep tote that you can throw anything into; laptop, book, change of clothes. I joke that you could push me out of a plane over the dessert and I could survive for a few days. Sure, sometimes I can’t find anything and it takes dumping out all the contents till I can find what I was looking for, but that’s just ok with me. I’ve used a $5 tote from Target for the pst 3 years and recently splurged on this leather tote for Madewell.

2. Sunscreen.

This is practically life or death to a fair, freckle skinned girl. I’ve tried SO many sunscreens, (I have about 5 different ones at the moment) but I am fond of the Neutrogena brand. It doesn’t leave your face looking white and feels so smooth. And most importantly, it works!

3. Water Bottle.

I went for years not even owning a water bottle but now I can’t get into the car without double checking if one is with me. I love the Swell brand, they are really cute and keep your water cold for 24 hours! I’ve been on an Alta kick recently. It adds some flavor and bubble to your water experience. 🙂

4. Bug Repellent.

Another side-effect to being fair skinned is it’s sensitivity. When I get a bug bite it gets itchy and red for days. Random DC fun fact: Dc used to be a swamp so the mosquitoes are worse here than any other place I have experienced. I’m not kidding, think welts! I love the California Baby brand because it also is safe to use on children.

5. A good book or magazine.

I recently started reading and I love it. I’m in the middle of reading 4 different books, so I have at least 1 or 2 on me all the times. (another reason for having a large tote handy) The Magnolia Journal is one of my favorite magazines. The design and photos are lovely but the content is even better. Uplifting and encouraging. Also, it’s only $20 for a year’s subscription (4 magazines) and after you read through it, it makes a lovely gift so it keeps giving.

If you have any favorite summer essentials, I’d love to hear about them!