Her bag is totally big enough to hold my 6 go-to items and way more!

There are some things, over the summer that you just cannot leave home without. Because there is so much more free time and fluidity, we end up staying out of the house a lot more than usual. From one working girl to another, here are some staples to pack in your oversized tote bag before you head out for the day…because you never know where the night will take you. Here are some staples I never leave home without:

1. Toothbrush. No one wants to go to work the next morning with dog breath. just throw one in your bag and you’re good to go. Your best bet is to just leave one at home and one in your bag so you never have to worry about being without a toothbrush.

2. Underwear. Small, comfy, something you can wear with the outfit from the day before. Clean underwear is a must because re-wearing underwear is gross and can give you infections galore, and there’s no way if knowing if that underwear you washed by hand in the sink the night before will be dry come morning. Just pack a pair, keep it simple.

3. Mascara, non-powder blush and coverup. These three things will take you a LONG way when you wake up with that pimple or big bags underneath your eyes. A fresh coat of mascara will instantly make you look more awake, and the gel/cream blush will give you a fresh, morning glow (and can double as eyeshadow if necessary). If you don’t wear makeup at all, all the more power to you!

4. Cell phone charger. Unless you have the same phone as all your friends, just pack a charger. If you have an iPhone (lucky duck), just bring a usb cord to plug your phone into a computer at work the next day. Seriously, who wants to be left with a dead phone when all your friends are going out later that night?

5. Clean, wrinkle-free top. Wearing the same bottoms flies much more easily than wearing the same top — especially if you’re rocking a print or brightly colored top. Throw something soft (cotton, preferably — I love basic Alternative Apparel/James Perse tanks) in your bag so you don’t carry around a whole wardrobe, but don’t have to see the boss in the same outfit twice.

6. Deodorant. Do I need to explain this one?

The biggest trick here is to think ahead. Will you be going out the next night? Make sure you wear jeans/something night-appropriate when you’re leaving for the first night. Will I need to accessorize? Just wear the same jewels twice. Keep it all simple. I love awesome, diva outfits as much as the next girl, but those usually require planning and can be messed up much more easily than a pair of cute shorts or skirt paired with a basic tank.

What staples do you never leave home without, lovelies?