My Stuff-in Bag for the Daily Morning Hustle to Office - Karin
Every day, a storm tears my office apart. Or at least, it seems like that.
My workplace is a mess for aye. Papers fly across the room; oceans gurgle and flow from our water cooler; ink stains create Picasso-esque art on our furniture. There's little space to walk and files, apparently, are unheard of here. Add to that spatial clamour stray coffee cups and abandoned staplers, and you have managed to conjure a mental picture of my office. My office is Marie Kondo’s worst nightmare. I need to remain hyper organised at my job in a personal capacity to act like my high-powered, highly functional self here. That’s why I can’t imagine working without Karin.
I recommend you cut me some slack for exaggeration. I’m bound to hone resentment for my workplace. On some days, I feel like the epitome of a corporate slave. I’m a well-oiled machine expected to translate close to zero emotion in my work and have it be consistent through and through. This expectation reigns supreme, although, by definition, the only reason my labour cannot be mechanised is that I can make innately emotional decisions as a living, breathing human.
It goes without saying that I am expected to isolate the professional from the personal, and at times, pretend that there’s no personal altogether. This spells quiet societal shuns for me. To be clear, I identify as a woman. That my professional should always be secondary to my personal is a norm. I am vilified for being ‘too ambitious’, ‘too professional’ and ‘too objective.’
All in all, I think I receive the short end of this stick.
I am thankful for the auditory pleasure of money’s animated, scheduled kaching! Each month. Yet, I have my qualms with my office- and rightly so, in my understanding. These storms of disorganisation in my office make working a bothersome experience, if not attend to adequately. In such a context, I need an assistant, confidant, friend and support system to latch on to. Thanks to Karin, I feel prepared and ready to take on every day, as dramatic as that sounds.
Karin is an inanimate object - a bag from Strap It. Honestly, it is of more use to me than any person I know. Why you ask? You can repurpose this backpack for women, and it won’t give up on you. It is sturdy. It does its job, delivering more than you anticipate.
I recently invested in Karin when a workplace upheaval-induced breakdown motivated me to up my organisation game. I was looking for a backpack for women that was mobile, spacious, built to last, professional-looking and repurposable. I ordered Karin in a beautiful, sophisticated sandy hue. Of the available five options, this colour spoke to me the loudest. Since then, in visual appeal or practicality, Karin has consistently lived up to my expectations- and if it isn't clear already, I can be rather exacting.
Each night, I house in Karin everything I’m likely to require at work the next day- and more. My requirements include-
- Planners (two, in my case)
- A thick file full of documents
- Business cards
- Wallet
- My phone charger
- A power bank
- Water bottle (netted side pockets are a blessing!)
- An apple
- A few protein bars
- A lunch box
- A small stationery kit
- A hand towel
- A travel pack of sanitary napkins
- Wet wipes
- Sanitiser
- Basic make-up
- Breath mints
My laptop goes in the tote backpack’s laptop compartment. On windy days, Karin carries my office blazer too. It’s the perfect investment if you are looking for a backpack cum laptop tote bag.
Clearly, I’m a compulsive packer- and the list isn't over yet. If I plan to burn some calories right before or after work, I add my yoga mat and gym shoes to the lot. The bag comes with a detachable shoe case to this end, which is a revolutionary idea, in my opinion. I like to be on the go (especially when I hit the gym), so I carry Karin as a tote backpack using its otherwise hidden shoulder straps. You can carry it to work as a standard laptop tote bag too. Genuine leather details and waterproof lining make Karin durable and of premium quality. Basically, this backpack for women is the answer to your prayers to the Organisation Gods.
They say storms draw something out of us that calm seas don't. My office storm hurled Karin into my life, but you don't have to wait for a storm to make this wise wise investment!
