Bigger is not better...

Do you have a big bag of stuff that you bring back and forth from work to home?  I used to... I'd lug stuff home, set it down, make dinner and do all the home stuff that being a mom demands.  When I looked at the big bag, I'd get overwhelmed and end up not doing any of it.  So the next morning I'd lug it all back with nothing accomplished but a slight weightlifting working out from hauling the materials back and forth...

I've learned that by having a smaller bag, I prioritize what I put in it.  Because it's smaller, I don't get (as) overwhelmed and am more likely do what needs to be done.  Ideally, I would leave my work stuff at work and focus only on my family when I get home.  However, I'm a teacher and the reality is that work comes home with me in the form of grading and lesson planning.

I found this bag at Target a few years ago - it's by Real Simple and cost less than $30 when I bought it.  Since then I've seen it updated seasonally in new colors but the idea remains the same.  I love that it's not only a bag but a traveling file cabinet (more on that later).