Do You Need A Family Organization Refresh? Here Are Six Small Ways You All Can Feel More Organized

I have always felt the month of August offers a great opportunity for renewal. It must be the back-to-school mentality that I never grew out of–the one that to this day makes it difficult for me to walk down a school supplies aisle without wanting every marker, pen, and notebook. “You have 100 unused notebooks at home!!” I tell myself, as I reach for a new planner that will CERTAINLY get my life on track. Whatever the impulse may be, I know I am not alone in wanting to refresh, renew, and re-organize this time of year. In particular, I know those of you with families and kids actually going back to school can relate. As this month catapults us into a new phase of the year, we here at EHD got to thinking about the systems that make us feel more organized. What are the pain points and how do we alleviate them? We all brainstormed some simple ideas that can be implemented easily so without further ado, let’s get organized:

Organize Sandwich Bags For Easier Lunch Prep

photo by tessa neustadt | from: our modern english country kitchen

Kitchen drawer organization feels (and looks) oh so good. We all want the peace of mind that comes with opening a drawer and seeing everything has a place. But drawers are often sneaky little monsters because you can have a designated utensil drawer but throwing lose utensils in a drawer isn’t going to feel organized at all. This is why we have utensil holders and drawer dividers. A drawer isn’t as useful or organized without a little help to keep all the little things in their rightful place.

Now if you feel like one drawer has been driving you a little mad, I think I might be able to guess which one. The dreaded sandwich bag drawer is one I battle with every day. The boxes don’t fit quite right, it’s a constant game of Tetris, and they make prying the drawer open an actual workout. If this is a situation you can relate to, it might be time to decant the bags and put them in one of these simple yet so effective organizers:

1. Silicone Ziplock Bag Organizer for Kitchen Drawer | 2. Acrylic Kitchen Drawer Zip Food Storage Bag Organizer | 3. Plastic Bag Organizer w/Sliding Cover and Engraved Labels | 4. Sandwich Bag Storage Organizer | 5. Bag Organizer Box Sets | 6. Bag Storage Organizer

I am already having fantasies about opening the drawer effortlessly and pulling out the exact size bag I am looking for with ease. I love #5 for its light wood shape and minimal labels, and a clear one like #2 is great so you can see when you are running low.

Disclaimer alert! I know most of us are trying to reduce single-use plastics, and these containers can absolutely work for reusable bags too. However, some of us on the team have tried both reusable and biodegradable options with no luck (so we don’t have any we can honestly recommend yet). Does anyone have any recommendations for reusable bags that don’t get disgusting or biodegradable plant-based ones that don’t make food taste funny? Let us know in the comments!

Use Clear Containers To Organize Your Pantry

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: inside all our (super organized) drawers & cabinets in the mountain house kitchen

Growing up with two brothers, I can’t count how many times I would go grab a granola bar or pour myself a bowl of cereal, and find the box empty. This was endlessly frustrating and would lead to screaming matches, putting everyone in a bad mood. I now realize why decanting food is not only pleasing to the eyes but is so practical. It signals when you are running low on something and a pantry is always going to be more organized if the dry foods have a specific place. I started decanting dry foods this year and my pantry is 100x more clean and organized.

For kids, Emily suggests keeping their snacks in low drawers so they can access them easily. In the mountain house pantry above, they love using clear lazy susans for easy-to-grab snacks because they make everything visible.

1. Slanted Front Kitchen Pantry Storage Organizer Basket – 2 Pack | 2. Bamboo Wood Organizer Storage Bin | 3. YouCopia Kitchen Cabinet Pantry ShelfBin Packet & Snack Bin Organizer | 4. mDesign Bamboo Slotted Bins (Set of 3) | 5. mDesign Plastic Divided Kitchen Organizer Bin Container Box | 6. Crazy Susan® Turntable with 6 Bins in White | 7. Set of 4 Clear Pantry Organizer Bins | 8. Snack Turntable with Gray Liner and Non-Slip Base | 9. The Home Edit By IDesign Sand Open-Front Bins

For bulkier items, #4 is a good option (and comes in a set of 3). Like I said before, lazy susans like #6 are perfect for snacks for kids, and #5 is another nice option for granola bars or other easy-to-grab and go snacks.

Hang Up Shared Calendars & Chore Charts

design and photo by keyanna bowen | from: blue walls be gone! key’s totally transformed office reveal

Earlier this year, my husband and I started using a physical calendar to keep track of our schedules and it is a complete game changer. Even though there are only two of us in our household, it helps us feel secure and more organized when we can see what the other has on their plate each day.

While we haven’t started using chore charts yet (everything is a friendly competition in my eyes and in this category, he would undoubtedly win), I can see how that would be incredibly useful for us adults too. For kids, Emily is a massive fan of having designated cleaning supplies in one place for her kids, so they feel like big kids and have more ownership over their cleaning tools. The chore charts can act as a reward system and using fun stickers or colorful markers to check off tasks is an inspiring visual way to keep kids engaged (at least this is what I have heard :)).

1. Acrylic Weekly Calendar and Wall Hanging Organizer Set of 4 | 2. 2023 Wall Calendar, 9.5 X 17.25, Wall Planner | 3. U Brands 8”x8” Chore Pad Bold | 4. Acrylic Wall Calendar with Translucent Background | 5. Leila Wall Calendar | 6. Personalized Acrylic Monthly Calendar with Weekly Planner | 7. Peel and Stick Whiteboard Chore Chart | 8. Dry Erase Calendar Decals | 9. Acrylic Wall Calendar with Translucent Background

Many of these are acrylic wall decals so you can use a dry erase marker and use them year after year. I am someone who prefers physical print copies so I am drawn to #2 and #3, but #4 is a really nice, minimal option.

Use Rolling Carts To Create Productivity Stations

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | styled by emily bowser | from: kids organizational hacks – inspiring ways to get them to do more by themselves

I love this mantra that Emily says often: “without systems there’s chaos”. She mostly uses it in reference to her 7 and 9-year-old kids, but I feel it applies to my 28-year-old self too. Even though I am not the same routine everyday kind of gal, I still need systems in place so I set myself up to be productive and efficient throughout the day (not just at work but in life).

For little ones, creating “stations” can be a fun (and organized) way to encourage them to do the tasks they probably don’t want to do. You might remember this post from earlier this year, where Emily shared some clever kids’ organizational hacks, and in it, she shared the idea of creating chores, homework, and crafting carts (envisioned by Emily Bowser). The idea is to create zones for these tasks to help kids stay focused and more organized. You keep all supplies for that task in one drawer or cart, so everything they need is in one place thus making the task less chaotic and scary. I am a HUGE fan of this and think I might need a chore cart of my own to make my own chores more manageable and fun (I am 12 years old at best).

1. Pierro Bar Cart | 2. 3-Drawer Cart Storage Bin Organizer Rolling with Plastic Drawers | 3. Gold Wire Basket 3 Tier Antonia Rolling Cart | 4. 3 Tier Round Metal Utility Cart | 5. 3 Tier Metal Utility Cart | 6. Honey-Can-Do Slim Wire Cart

#2 is a playful option that would look really sweet in a playroom or kids room. #1 has a pretty, minimal wood tone that would be a nice accent in a neutral kitchen or laundry room (or really, any room). If you are looking for something small space friendly, #6 is a great narrow option.

Optimize Your Shoe Storage

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | design by jess bunge for ehd | from: jess’ long awaited small space living room reveal

A shoe rack, bin, or bench is a great way to start what we like to call a “command center”. It’s usually in the entryway (but doesn’t need to be) and is where all of your grab-and-go stuff should live. Shoes, bags, sunglasses, keys, backpacks, etc etc. This zone is super helpful to have on those rushed mornings. Here are some simple shoe storage options we love:

1. Temple Street Metal/Wooden Shoe Storage | 2. Seaton Large Round Woven Storage Basket with Lid | 3. 26″ Entryway/hallway Storage Bench With Shoe Rack | 4. Mid-Century Disk Entryway Collection | 5. Woven Hamper | 6. Aubrey Entry Shoe Rack | 7. Small Washed Red Metal Stacking Storage Bin | 8. 2 Tier Shoe Rack Metal Mesh | 9. The Sculpted Bin With Lid

#1 is a sleek and modern entryway option that would be great for a small space. If you like lidded baskets to eliminate visual clutter we love #2, #5, and #9. We used #7 in the brand new kid’s room reveal we did with Velux Skylights (if you haven’t checked it out yet, run don’t walk!).

Use Wall Hooks Near Your Entry For Backpacks & Coats

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: 8 steps to building a smart, organized pantry and mudroom

This isn’t a new idea but having an entryway hook system is so important for kids (and adults) on the go and is a great addition to the aforementioned “command center”. For kids going back to school, hooks create an easy drop zone for backpacks, coats, umbrellas, etc. If you don’t have a mudroom like the above one from the Portland project, Emily wrote a post on small entryway organization hacks here and it’s full of clever storage ideas.

1. Acrylic Row Of Hooks | 2. Peggy 9 coat rack | 3. Beaumont Grey Peg Rail | 4. Marble Wall Coat Rack | 5. Wood Peg Wall Hook | 6. Cayman Row Of Hooks | 7. Sadie Wall Hooks | 8. Utility Hook Rack | 9. Modern Home by Bellver Wooden Ball Wall Hooks – Set of 4

If you love a peg rail look, #2, #5, #6, and #7 are beautiful options. For a more industrial look, I love #8 but oh my, those wooden ball hooks are so playful and cool.

And that’s a wrap! I hope these simple hacks will help you and yours feel more organized for the rest of the year. Happy organizing! xx

Opener Image Credit: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | Styled by Emily Bowser | From: IT’S TIME TO ORGANIZE – Small Entry Organization Hacks For Those Of Us Who Are “Mudroom-Less”

The post Do You Need A Family Organization Refresh? Here Are Six Small Ways You All Can Feel More Organized appeared first on Emily Henderson.

from Emily Henderson https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/family-organization-hacks

Choosing The Cozy Paint Color For Our “Low-Light” Family Room… And Then Choosing Again

Thank goodness I’m not trying to bag new design clients right now. I really should blog more about all the design decisions that I’ve totally nailed and had zero hesitation on, but what’s the fun in that? Having to pretend to be great the first time at everything would just be exhausting so I’m glad we have this safe space to really go through the process. I have my strengths, but they lie more in instinct than bold fast decisions. But my instincts tend to be safe at this stage which both protects and annoys me. Luckily the permanence of paint is less threatening than say, tile or flooring, and over the years I have gotten much better at it so I’m trusting myself more. Plus the whole large paint sticker sample thing is extremely helpful. I’m trying HARD to go outside my “50 shades of blue” comfort zone and create a palette that is cohesive, vibe-y, and works with the overall art direction of the house (Scandinavian shaker farmhouse) while also creating the mood that we want in each room. This room is the most challenging – The media/TV/family room and here is what you need to know about it before we get into the color:

• The only sources of natural light are few and indirect – the french doors to the covered back porch and the hallway with windows and skylights (and TBH I wish we had put a door there so when we are watching TV we wouldn’t have that light source – window treatments might be happening).
• We wanted this room to feel dark and cozy and put it in the interior of the house on purpose – with barely an external wall.
• We didn’t put skylights in here because the function of the room is movie watching and cuddling – we envision our winters being cozied up in here. But as I’m writing this I’m wondering…should we put skylights in here with room darkening shades so daytime can be more pleasant with nighttime feeling cozy? We vaulted the ceilings and I don’t think we have any HVAC up there…stay tuned…
• There will be a stove fireplace in the corner on a low hearth/storage bench underneath the TV.

• We will NOT keep the paneling natural wood no matter how pretty it looks here – the reasons are: 1. Poplar is paint grain and doesn’t stain well, 2. To stain it we’d have to go very dark to reduce the high contrast green tones in the grain, and 3. Dark stained wood would be more of a “cabin” vibe than a farmhouse one. If we could go back in time would we have chosen white oak for the walls? Maybe, but it would be much more expensive in material and in installation (it’s harder to work with, literally). Ultimately we think that the farmhouse vibe is better painted than stained, but it’s hard to see it as wood, I agree, then paint it (I wish we had used primed paneling but we couldn’t because it’s a custom run).
• This room is not a corner or self-contained media room – it is a pass-through room which makes it trickier, IMO. We want the feeling of it to be dark but do we really want to go from a light room, through a really dark room to get into another brightly lit room? Would that feel weird? I think so. I think dark rooms work better when they are more self-contained, or have a ton of natural light…but honestly, I’m NOT an expert in dark rooms so I feel hesitant to suggest anything.

Other things you should know – We already have our cuddly sectional which we are obsessed with. Here she is:

We do not have a rug yet but I’m hoping to use the rug from our former living room since it’s not big enough for our new living room:

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: a quick update: the changes i’ve made to my la living room

The Zena wood floors here won’t be this light – they are already sealed and covered but my goodness they are GORGEOUS and a lot richer than the dust-covered floor here.

So my first instinct was to do a warm pink/purple/mauve color. Something to contrast with the sofa, draw you in from the living room and feel so cozy. Brian nixed that pretty quickly but I think it’s because I didn’t show him the right tones. My bad. I now realize the colors I presented were either too pink or too brown.

The Decision: Round 1 – Blues And Greens

A few days before we left for a month we had to make all the downstairs paint color decisions. Most of them I thought were “easy” but this one stumped me. So I called in Anne and Stephyn (ARCIFORM), and of course, Brian and Sarah. After staring at like 30 options we narrowed it down to these blue and green worlds. Of course, like a real pro, I had lost my fabric swatch of our sectional so as you can see below I held up the phone with the photo of the sectional to the swatch to see what worked.

We all decided that Privileged Green would be it (despite its name). It’s a medium-tone green that has some blue in it but is decidedly green (remember that we have blue tile in the kitchen so when staring at it from the living room you likely don’t want to see two different shades of blue).

I wasn’t fully on board with Privilege Green, but everyone else felt EXTREMELY strong about it. Fine. But also maybe they were just done choosing paint colors. Maybe they have a better gauge of “what’s important in life”. Maybe they were hot and hangry. My hesitations were that it went very dark without natural light and that most of our artwork, light in color and framed in glass, would really contrast and reflect, negating the cozy and calmness of it all. A wall of oil seascapes or mountainscapes? Sure! But that’s not what we have (but could if we weren’t so starved for wall space in this house). We have mostly modern art. I also feared that while I love green, I don’t know if an all blue/green room sounded as good to me in this otherwise really light/airy home with one “cozier” room. I don’t know…I just didn’t feel GREAT about that color in that room, despite really liking the color in a different home.

The paint prep work for the house is going into week three and therefore I had more time to decide and then question my decisions. When we got back in town I went immediately to the house and now primed I felt even more sure that a dark green in the middle of these two well-lit rooms would feel jarring and off. I immediately ordered a bunch of larger sticker samples of mauves, but this time less pink and more gray. We have been told over and over “no gray paint” in Portland because well, the PNW can be dreary enough during “the great long dark”, so I think originally I really strayed away from anything close to gray. But I found a few that were so warm and cozy in the gray/mauve worlds and I started to feel hopeful.

You see I LOVE a warm tone mixed with our cool blues. And I really didn’t want 50 shades of blue or gray. So I ordered the samples and headed over with a lot of hope that A. I was right and B. Brian would passionately agree.

I held up the paint sample and at first it was a fast but not hard “NO”. Brian kindly asked, “is it kinda gray and dreary”, which I had been expecting. I responded, relating to his fear, “I would think that too!” and then I gave him my pitch. It’s warm and cozy and actually pretty light, but when in a dark room it goes medium toned in such a good way. It contrasts so well with the blue of the sofa and the kitchen, and yet isn’t “pink” or “purple”. It’s a complex color with a lot of pigments so the color changes all day (I love this in a paint color while also unpredictable, FYI). It feels more like a Scandinavian pastel tone – a neutral that you can just float through. Sure enough within 5 minutes, he said “No. You’re right. That’s good!!” Just like that! I think he could tell that I had been thinking about it for months and felt really really strongly about this color. He was very ready to put it to bed. I of course brought some other options, too, but Ponder by Sherwin-Williams was the real winner.

It’s so hard for the colors to be properly represented here because it had no real natural light (Kaitlin, our photographer, does such a good job). The sofa fabric isn’t quite that dark (I think the velvet sucked the light a bit), and the gray is a bit darker.

We went around the room and took photos of it on every wall, trying to make sure it felt good. Again, it’s hard to understand but this room is void of a lot of natural light so the color looks light here, but check it out from the living room…

See? There you can see how it actually goes pretty darn dark in there. It draws you in but isn’t just this dark void.

Lastly, I wanted to see how it looked if we had the french doors open to the back porch. When we have the darker green paint swatch hanging there I thought it felt weird to have such an indoor/outdoor situation into a dark room. But let me be clear, this is a personal preference and can ABSOLUTELY look great and I’ve witnessed it myself. I just want the house to flow a bit more from room to room, whereas some people want each room to be its own experience (which I love, just not for me). It’s like how some boutique hotels really create a different vibe and color palette for each space so when you walk in and you really get a sense of excitement and wonder. I love that, but again just not for this house. It’s honestly starting to feel like we are getting there – we have 10 different paint colors that draw you into different rooms and help create a really good vibe, but they all as of now are really feeling good together. And if I’m wrong about this whole “light Scandinavian farmhouse in the PNW” thing, I can always add more paint and go darker.

*Photos unless otherwise noted by Kaitlin Green

The post Choosing The Cozy Paint Color For Our “Low-Light” Family Room… And Then Choosing Again appeared first on Emily Henderson.

from Emily Henderson https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/choosing-the-moody-paint-color-for-a-dark-room

The Link Up: Emily’s New Kitchen Tool That’s Changed Her Salads, Jess’ Picks For Cool Bachelorette Party Decorations, And Ryann’s Big Announcement

Happy August y’all and a happy one it is! Our very own Ryann Miller shall now be forever known as Ryann Trombetti. That’s right, our gal had the sweetest courthouse wedding with just their parents by their sides last weekend and we all could not be happier for her and her HUSBAND, Rocky. Even though it was just Ryann who got married, I think we are all riding high on this celebration of love. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Trombetti! Now that we are all in a good mood, let’s get into these links and what we can only assume is a very Ryann-approved home tour:)

design by gaby dellal | styled by sara mathers | photos by simon upton | via architectural digest

This week’s house tour is not only EHD/Ryann-approved because Ryann and the owner share a maiden name, ha. But also that its charm and soul are almost overwhelming. This 16th-century thatched-roof cottage, that’s straight out of a storybook, was restored by Sienna Miller’s (the homeowner) friend and director, Gaby Dellal. Actually, Gaby gave Sienna her first acting job! The story is wonderful, the interiors are breathtaking yet completely welcoming, and there’s almost an infinite amount of vintage. Check the rest out here!

From Emily: After 4 years of heavy chopping for soups/salads and refusing to buy those weird “As Seen On TV” chopping tools with a ton of annoying accessories (no offense if you love those!), I finally bought myself a Mandolin and it’s EXCELLENT. This was spurred by my desire to prep out salad makings on Sunday for the week – I wanted those super thin radishes, carrots, and slightly thicker cucumber. I read a ton of reviews and watched videos before I settled on this one, which is very simple (only 2 parts), yet has enough variety in settings to make thicker slices if needed. So many mandolins that were recommended were beautiful french or Japanese and over $200 so I just put it off forever, not willing to spend that (and frankly intimidated by the amount of functionality). This one is $50 (still an investment for a KITCHEN TOOL, but not $200) and so far I’ve LOVED IT. Lunchtime salad assembly for Bri and I is an absolute breeze. I really should show you my chopped salad formula, it’s absolutely delicious and is something I look forward to eating all morning every day.

mr. and mrs. trombetti<3

From Ryann: The secret is out! I got hitched last Friday!!! My now HUSBAND and I eloped at Beverly Hills City Hall and it was perfect. The plan wasn’t always to get married on a random Friday but when we were at city hall getting our marriage license, we sort of spontaneously decided to make an appointment for a civil ceremony (you can read this post if you are curious why we opted for a city hall wedding versus a more traditional one). ANYWAY, I only had a few days to get a dress and after ordering and returning a bunch of white dresses that didn’t fit right, I finally bought this one and fell in love. It has a beautiful pink and white floral pattern and fit like a glove. At first, I was sad I couldn’t find a white dress that I loved, but it ended up being the perfect vibe for our sweet and intimate city hall wedding. The brand is called Selkie and they make GORGEOUS whimsical dresses for brides and/or for any occasion and the price is extremely reasonable for the quality. The whole day felt like a dream and this dress was just the icing on the cake!

design by tiffany howell | photo by frank frances | via architectural digest

design by tiffany howell | photos by frank frances | via architectural digest

From Jess: I have been WAITING for this home tour! I am a big Elaine Welteroth fan. So when she and her husband moved to LA, bought a home, and were shopping for lots of vintage, I couldn’t wait to see what they would come up with. It’s calm, full of soft curved shapes, and so much love (especially now with their beautiful baby in tow). Still crossing my fingers that one day our paths with cross and we’ll become friends:) In the meantime go check it out!

Also From Jess: The last bachelorette party of the year is upon us (well, for me at least:)) But this one is for my cousin best friend (CBF) that I helped coordinate. We aren’t big penis-shaped everything/tons of matching things that we likely won’t use again. So I kept what I bought minimal, affordable, cute, and mostly from Etsy. This customizable banner (retro font), these biodegradable balloons (hopefully they actually are but better than the alternative, right?), these customizable wine bottle labels, and these woven visors (there are nicer ones out there but we needed to save $$$). Her other friend picked out this super cute veil headband and got fun custom temporary tattoos of my cousin’s fiance and dog’s face (here are some options: these and these). I can’t tell which one she’ll be more excited about… just kidding, it will be Barney (her pup). The last thing I did was buy extra polaroid film for my camera so that my cousin and all of us can have some physical photos to take home with us. If you are planning a bachelorette I hope this helps!

From Caitlin: I am OBSESSED with the fresh (and kind of like…flirty??) cut of these new Nisolo boots!!! I get more comments on my d’Orsay Oxfords than literally ANY other pair of shoes I own – they are VERY chic and timeless but also fun and easy to wear, which is a suuuuper hard balance to strike – and I love that I can continue to rock that silhouette in a more fall/winter-appropriate way. ADDED TO CART SO FAST. (I think I’m opting for black, but the bone is also calling to me. Thoughts???)

From Mallory: I have officially been wearing this sports bra for nearly 5 years now and it’s STILL my favorite. It’s such a classic, has the prettiest back, and has a great amount of support for the little ladies. I can’t recommend it enough – I have it in white and black so they go with all of my colorful workout pants and I still wear them every day. Also, size up…I wear a 6 in this and I’m usually a 4

Our Erik Staalberg is A STAR! Grab a martini and enjoy this video🙂

Congrats again to the Trombetti’s and see y’all tomorrow!!

Opening Image Credits: Design by Gaby Dellal | Styled by Sara Mathers | Photo by Simon Upton | via Architectural Digest

The post The Link Up: Emily’s New Kitchen Tool That’s Changed Her Salads, Jess’ Picks For Cool Bachelorette Party Decorations, And Ryann’s Big Announcement appeared first on Emily Henderson.

from Emily Henderson https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/cool-bachelorette-party-decorations

Stylish Purses That Fit A Laptop (+ One Accessory To Make Them Even Cuter)

When I was traveling earlier this year, my laptop of 7 years was stolen. I think it happened at the airport but I honestly don’t know. The only “blessing” was that it wasn’t brand new and I had been toying with the idea of buying a new one anyway. My girl was slowing down. Sure I was planning to, you know, take some time to save up but the universe had other plans for me and my bank account. So to the Apple store I went and bought a BIG, big kid laptop. Why did I buy the biggest one? Well, since EHD is remote, I wanted a laptop that could handle all of my programs, files, and have a decent size screen if and when I want to work not in LA:) This 16″ babe is a thing of beauty. However, I don’t have a purse to support such a large device. So since I was on the hunt for a stylish, practical bag that can house one of my most expensive possessions, I thought maybe some of you are looking for something similar. Caitlin wants to also do an “event purse” post so if that’s more of what you need, let us know in the comments. But for now, let’s talk about those crucial everyday purses starting out with the more affordable options. Also how cute is Em in that outfit?!

1. Claudia Canova Curved Shoulder Bag: I love the shape and sporty thick strap on this bag. That strap is really nice if you tend to stuff your purse full of things, making it a little heavy. Wouldn’t work for a 16″ laptop but is good for ones under 14″. Also, you can’t beat that sale price.
2. Myron Vegan Backpack: Matt & Nat was one of the first “cool” vegan leather brands I remember hearing about years ago. They are still killing it and I love this cute backpack that doesn’t really look like a backpack from the front. You can carry it two ways, it has a top zipper, and there’s another exterior pocket on the back! Oh, and it also comes in a bunch of other colors:)
3. Cayden Triple Compartment Tote Handbag: I actually just looked at this one in store and it’s cute! Like the name says it has a few compartments to keep things organized (what a concept!) and the color is great. It also comes in brown and black.
4. The Zip-Top Transport Carryall: I’ve had the smaller non-zipper version of this for four years and I have loved it. Now that I have the larger computer it’s a little small so this one is definitely a contender. I think I would opt for a cute thicker strap like the ones you’ll see in a minute.
5. Vegan Leather Laptop Bag: I really love the modern quilted pattern and color! It also has two compartments and a top zipper.
6. Canci Faux Leather Tote: Another Matt & Nat but for a steal! It’s got a laptop sleeve, multiple pockets, and just looks super chic.
7. Carson Convertible Backpack: Here’s another backpack/purse mix! I love the rich color of the suede and how it feels a bit more casual than the others.
8. Haven Laptop Tote Bag: This is truly the ultimate laptop tote for both work and travel. There are almost too many features to talk about here so hop on over to the site to see for yourself. Best of all there’s a one-year warranty:)
9. Luxury Sustainable Laptop Brief Case: Never have I wanted a briefcase so much. But sadly it only fits up to a 14″ laptop. Regardless, this is a sexy bag.

Now if you have a bigger budget, I have some other really awesome options for you…

left: from: what i’m wearing (kinda) | right: photo by veronica crawford | from: six fall sweaters i’m loving (+ how to wear them)

1. Eden Carryall: I’m pretty sure Emily has owned and loved this bag for the entire time I’ve worked at EHD (almost 6 years) so I can confidently say that it’s EHD-approved (as you can also see in the photos above). It’s cute, fits a ton (including a laptop), and also comes in brown.
2. Messenger: We are all Clare V. fans over here so naturally I had to find a laptop-friendly bag on their site. This one is just a classic! If you love it but the price tag is a little too much I would check out a secondhand site like Poshmark. I saw a few there:)
3. Essential Leather Tote: I love the boxy shape and the ability to personalize. It’s also super roomy and has a little interior zipper pocket.
4. Voyage Large Work Tote: For something more classically feminine, you can’t go wrong with Kate Spade. This elegantly curved beaut has a few interior pockets and zips up for maximum security.
5. Le Zip Sac Tote: OOO I love a perforated leather bag and in navy, it’s even prettier. This bag would easily fit my laptop, zips up at the top, and I know it’s high quality because it’s Clare V. Guess I should start saving:)
6. All Day Large Zip-top Tote: Another sleek Kate Spade bag and look at the shape of those strap ends (I don’t think that’s the official term). So not only is it pretty but it has three interior slip pockets and a padded center divider. Basically a great work bag.

To finish us off, let’s talk about one of Em’s favorite ways to personalize and style up a purse…a bag strap.

from: how i’m styling some comfortable fall basics/classics to look fresh in 2021 – my current fall uniform

A lot of large bags are either fairly simple and could use some personality or their straps are too thin for the weight of the bag contents, making them uncomfortable to carry. Enter these thicker bag straps that will only up your bag game in style and comfort.

1. The Shoulder Bag Strap: Braided Leather Edition: This one is just pretty. Look at that braiding! It would add such a nice detail to a simple bag. Madewell has a lot of other options too.
2. Boutique Bag Strap: Affordable, simple, but graphic. Why not add a pop of pattern and color?
3. Black & Cream Checker Crossbody Strap: You know I love a checkered pattern so this one is tops for me. I also love the leather detail at the ends. This will make any bag look cooler but they have a lot more options on the site.

Did any catch your eye? Do you have any suggestions of bags you own and love? Let me know in the comments so hopefully, I can actually make a decision this year!

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credits: From: Styling Luxury Handbags with Trendlee

The post Stylish Purses That Fit A Laptop  (+ One Accessory To Make Them Even Cuter) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

from Emily Henderson https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/stylish-purses-that-fit-a-laptop