Small gym bags are great for a quick trip to the gym, going to work, or taking a spontaneous overnight getaway. Find one that is well-organized and it can easily replace an unattractive and cumbersome duffel bag. Smaller bags are convenient, versatile, and they look great. When you have the right bag, you can fit everything you need inside.
Small Gym Bag Packing Tips
There is an art to packing a smaller sized gym bag and getting the most out of every inch. Try out my top 5 tips for gym bag organization and you’ll be surprised how much you can get into a small bag.
1) Use all of the pockets
When you are packing your small gym bag, start with your smallest items. Stow them in both the interior and exterior pockets. Great bags have a variety of pocket sizes, so pack them in a way that makes sense to you.
Most bags have designated uses for a few of the pockets. There should be an exterior water bottle pocket and an easily accessible cell phone pocket. Put your most valuable items in inside zippered pockets. Some bags even have an interior padded laptop pocket.
2) Fold carefully
Your change of clothes should be folded carefully in order to use up less space. Look online for folding tips – some famous decluttering experts have good tips on how to fold clothes so they fit in smaller spaces. If you are neat and tidy with folding and packing, your clothes should not take up too much space.
3) Only pack the essentials
You don’t need full-sized toiletries in your gym bag. Get small, reusable bottles that you can fill with your hair care products. Purchase smaller versions of things like deodorant, hairspray and lotions. If you need to pack a hairdryer or curling iron, make sure you have travel-sized versions.
4) Don’t forget the exterior straps
The best small gym bags have an adjustable exterior strap. This strap is great for holding your yoga mat or extra towel. Anything big and bulky can be strapped on with this exterior strap.
5) Keep it all clean
Make sure you take a dirty clothes/shoes bag to keep the dirt from getting all over your clean items. Also, put your toiletries in a plastic zip-top bag in case of spills.
The Best Small Gym Bag
My favorite small gym bag is The Core 2.0 by Live Well 360. It checks all the boxes for me. It is made of lightweight and extremely durable nylon, which looks great. There are enough small pockets inside and around the exterior, but they’ve also left enough room for a large main storage area. Even though it is small, I can still hit the gym on the way to work and have everything I need for the entire day in one bag. The Core 2.0 also works great for overnight trips.
When you pack your small gym bag properly, you will find that you have plenty of space for everything you need. It will also be easy to find and access, which makes going to the gym a lot less of a hassle.
2) Fold carefully
Your change of clothes should be folded carefully in order to use up less space. Look online for folding tips – some famous decluttering experts have good tips on how to fold clothes so they fit in smaller spaces. If you are neat and tidy with folding and packing, your clothes should not take up too much space.
3) Only pack the essentials
You don’t need full-sized toiletries in your gym bag. Get small, reusable bottles that you can fill with your hair care products. Purchase smaller versions of things like deodorant, hairspray and lotions. If you need to pack a hairdryer or curling iron, make sure you have travel-sized versions.
4) Don’t forget the exterior straps
The best small gym bags have an adjustable exterior strap. This strap is great for holding your yoga mat or extra towel. Anything big and bulky can be strapped on with this exterior strap.
5) Keep it all clean
Make sure you take a dirty clothes/shoes bag to keep the dirt from getting all over your clean items. Also, put your toiletries in a plastic zip-top bag in case of spills.
The Best Small Gym Bag
My favorite small gym bag is The Core 2.0 by Live Well 360. It checks all the boxes for me. It is made of lightweight and extremely durable nylon, which looks great. There are enough small pockets inside and around the exterior, but they’ve also left enough room for a large main storage area. Even though it is small, I can still hit the gym on the way to work and have everything I need for the entire day in one bag. The Core 2.0 also works great for overnight trips.
When you pack your small gym bag properly, you will find that you have plenty of space for everything you need. It will also be easy to find and access, which makes going to the gym a lot less of a hassle.