What we choose to carry with us every day can say a lot about ourselves. With summer being a time to travel, get outdoors and just interrupt your weekly pattern, we asked barre instructor Charlotte, who just got back from vacation, to tell us a bit more about her everyday self by opening her bag and heart to us. We pried into her bag and her psyche to see what her must-haves are when it comes to travel! Read on to see what possessions have earned a prized spot among her personal items and why.

What bag do you use for vacation or the beach?

I LOVE this bag from Lulus which may look like it can’t hold much for the beach, but looks are deceiving! This baby is like a Mary Poppins bag and can hold soooooo much!

What’s in your bag?

I pack WAY too much; if you looked at the amount of bags I bring with me, you’d think I was traveling for two months. So to narrow down to just a few items:

• A great beach read: I just finished reading “Girl Wash Your Face” ( I know I’m late to the game), but it changed my perspective on so many things in life! So if you haven’t read this bad boy, do yourself a favor, start flipping through those pages.
• Sunglasses: duh. It’s sunny out there and I have squinty eyes even without the sun blaring on my face.
• Gym clothes and running shoes: If you follow me on Instagram, you probably saw that I typically run every day. Even when I’m on vacation, running on the beach is my favorite thing to do, and yes I could sleep in, but nothing beats a sunrise run on the beach!
• Swimsuit: How can you NOT travel with a swimsuit when you’re going to the beach?

Are there any must-have items that always go in your bag?

• I’m actually really bad at packing. I hate doing it and I wait until the last minute! I tend to be unorganized and I’m always forgetting my must-have items, especially power cords! But ever since I created a packing list, it makes the process more tolerable — and faster. Most importantly, checking off items on a well-honed list helps me avoid the “how could I have forgotten that???” moment when I arrive at any destination.
• My top must-have item on any trip though would be my running shoes. I love being active even when on vacation and trying out new studios if I can!

What’s the most surprising thing you carry in either your suitcase or beach bag?

• Beer: Sorry not sorry, but on vacation, happy hour starts when you slip your toes in the sand!
• laptop: I work remotely, so even though I should shut everything down while on vacation, I can’t help but be productive and get a few things done.

What would your bag say about you?

• Honestly, it probably says I need to relax more since I pack so much sweat gear! I don’t know how to sit still and am always on the move, so I would like to think my bag would say I’m full of energy and life…

Whether it’s big, small, salty, sweet, or running shoes like Charlotte, we all have items in our bags that we can’t live without! In a few short months, this lady will be packing for her honeymoon, so hopefully she will “forget” her laptop and pack extra adult beverages for her newlywed celebrations! Thanks for letting us take a peek into your bag, Charlotte!