There's a quiet revolution happening, and I am completely here for it.
Women are putting down their phones, picking up a pen, and rediscovering the simple pleasure of doing something with their hands. No notifications, doomscrolling, or algorithm telling them what to look at next. Just a cozy chair, a warm drink, and a bag full of analog goodness waiting to be explored.
They're calling it the analog bag trend. But honestly? I've been doing this since high school, and I had no idea it would become a thing.
Back then, my bag probably had a cross-stitch project I was slowly working through, a crochet project in progress, a journal with a lock on it, and a set of colorful gel pens I guarded with my life. I carried it everywhere. It never occurred to me that it was anything special; it was just what I did instead of being bored.
Fast forward to now, and the world is finally catching up to what so many of us have quietly known for years: there is something deeply satisfying about having something to do with your hands that has nothing to do with a screen. My grandmother was so content, and she never had a cell phone or computer in her life. I feel like it's time to get back to some of these life-giving basics.
So whether you're brand new to this concept or you're like me and you've had some version of an analog bag your entire life without knowing it had a name, welcome. Let's build yours together.
Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share things I genuinely love.
What is an Analog Bag?
An analog bag is simply a portable collection of screen-free activities you keep within easy reach for moments when you'd normally reach for your phone. It can be a tote bag you carry around the house, a basket by your favorite chair, or a pretty pouch that sits on your nightstand.
The idea is that when the urge to scroll hits, your analog bag is right there offering a better alternative.
No willpower required. Just a bag full of things you actually want to do.
Why the Analog Bag is More Than Just a Trend
Here's what I think is really happening underneath this movement.
People are tired. Tired of feeling like their attention is being pulled in a hundred directions at once. Tired of picking up their phone to check one thing and losing an hour. Tired of getting to the end of the day and not being able to name a single moment that felt truly restful.
The analog bag isn't really about the bag. It's about reclaiming your own attention and deciding what you want to do with it.
When I was in high school, carrying around my little bag of projects, I didn't have a phone competing for my attention. Now we all do. And the analog bag is a quiet, gentle way of saying, not right now. Right now I'm doing this instead.
That's worth celebrating. And I am here to support every bit of it.
Who This is For
You might love building an analog bag if you:
- Find yourself scrolling without even realizing it
- Feel like your evenings disappear into your phone
- Have been wanting to explore a creative hobby but never seem to start
- Are working on being more present at home
- Simply want more slow, intentional moments in your day
- Or if you've always been a little analog at heart and just needed permission to lean into it
My Own Analog Basket
These days my analog setup has graduated from a bag to a basket that lives permanently next to my favorite chair. Right now it contains:
- A commonplace journal for collecting quotes and ideas
- My current Murdle book (I am completely obsessed)
- A lettering practice book I'm slowly working through
- A junk journaling kit with a small collection of ephemera
- A watercolor activity book
- My favorite Zebra Mildliners
- A small candle
- Fill-in puzzles for evenings when my brain is too tired for Murdle
It's become one of my favorite things about my evenings, and I genuinely look forward to sitting down with it.
The basket version is wonderful if you have a favorite reading nook or chair you return to every day. The bag version is perfect if you want something portable you can carry from room to room or toss in your purse for waiting rooms and coffee shops.
Either way, let's fill it.
How to Build Your Analog Bag: A Beginner's Guide
The key to a great analog bag is choosing things that feel like a treat, not a chore. This isn't homework. It's your cozy escape kit.
Here's everything you need to get started:
The Bag or Basket Itself
First things first, you need something to put it all in. This is actually part of the fun.
Option 1: The Analog Bag
A canvas tote or a pretty zippered pouch works beautifully if you want something portable you can carry from room to room or toss in your purse for waiting rooms and coffee shops.
Canvas Tote Bag
Large Zipper Pouch
Option 2: The Analog Basket
A woven basket or decorative bin that lives permanently next to your favorite chair or reading nook. It becomes part of your home's cozy aesthetic and serves as a constant gentle reminder to slow down.
Journals and Writing
Writing by hand is one of the most grounding things you can do. There's something about putting pen to paper that quiets the noise in your head in a way that typing simply cannot replicate.
A Classic Journal
Start here if you're new to journaling. A beautiful blank or lined journal with good paper makes the experience feel special.
Leuchtturm1917 Notebook
Paperage Lined Journal
A Commonplace Journal
A commonplace book is one of my favorite analog traditions. It's simply a notebook where you collect things that resonate with you: quotes, recipes, ideas, passages from books, song lyrics, observations about your day. No rules or prompts, just a gathering place for the things that move you. I keep mine right on my end table and write in it all the time.
Blank Hardcover Notebook for Commonplace Journal
A Lettering Practice Book
Hand lettering is one of those skills that feels incredibly satisfying to develop slowly over time. These practice books walk you through everything from basic strokes to full alphabets and you can pick it up for five minutes or an hour.
Hand Lettering for Beginners
Modern Calligraphy Practice Sheets
Puzzles and Games
These are the ones that make you forget time exists in the best possible way.
Sudoku
The classic. Perfect for evenings when your brain needs something engaging but your body needs to rest.
Sudoku for Beginners
Large Print Sudoku Book
Fill-In Puzzles
Similar to crosswords but without the pressure of knowing every answer. These are wonderfully satisfying and completely addictive. When I don't want to use much brain power, this is my go-to. But it's still really satisfying!
Murdle
If you haven't discovered Murdle yet prepare to be obsessed. It's a logic-based mystery puzzle book where you solve murders using deduction grids. Genuinely one of the most entertaining analog activities I've found and I may or may not have stayed up too late more than once because of it.
Fun fact: When I complete a Sudoku, Murdle, or a Fill-In Puzzle, I give myself a 100 and a smiley face. It's the little things!
Creative and Artistic
You don't have to be artistic to enjoy these. That's the whole point.
Watercolor Books
Paint-with-water style books that require zero supplies beyond the book itself and a small brush. Perfect for complete beginners and deeply relaxing.
Dot Coloring Books
Lifeline dot coloring books are having a major moment and for good reason. The intricate dot patterns are meditative, and the results are stunning.
Lifeline Dot Coloring Book
Dot Art Coloring Book
Junk Journaling Kit
Junk journaling is the art of creating collage-style journal pages using scraps, ephemera, washi tape, stamps, and found materials. It sounds chaotic, but it is incredibly freeing and creative. A starter kit gives you everything you need to dive in without any planning.
Junk Journal Starter Kit
Vintage Ephemera Pack
Washi Tape Set
Bible Journaling Kit
If faith is part of your life, Bible journaling is a beautiful way to combine creativity and reflection. You don't have to be artistic; even simple lettering and highlighting create something meaningful.
Bible Journaling Kit for Beginners
This kit also makes a great gift. I've purchased it for several friends.
Cross-Stitch or Crochet Project
This is where it all started for me. There is something deeply satisfying about working on a handcrafted project that builds slowly over time. A small beginner cross-stitch kit or a simple crochet project tucked into your bag is the most classic analog activity there is.
Beginner Cross-Stitch Kit
Learn to Crochet Starter Kit
Small Embroidery Hoop Kit
The Finishing Touches
A few extras that make your analog bag or basket feel extra special:
Good Pens
The right pen makes everything better. This is non-negotiable.
Staedtler Triplus Fineliners
Zebra Mildliners
Paper Mate Flair Felt Tip Pen Set
Colorful Gel Pen Set
Sticky Notes and Tabs
For marking pages, leaving yourself notes, and adding little bursts of color to your journals.
Aesthetic Sticky Note Set
Page Flag Tabs
A Small Candle or Diffuser
Setting the mood matters. Light a candle, or turn on a diffuser - something that signals to your brain that this is your slow time.
Small Beeswax Candle
Diffuser Kit
How to Use Your Analog Bag
Building the bag is the easy part. Using it consistently is where most people get stuck. Here are a few simple tips:
Put it somewhere visible. The basket by your chair works because you see it every time you sit down. Out of sight really does mean out of mind for analog activities.
Start with just five minutes. You don't have to commit to an hour. Just reach for the bag instead of your phone for five minutes and see what happens. Most of the time, five minutes turns into thirty without you even noticing.
Rotate what's inside. Keep things fresh by swapping items in and out. When something starts to feel stale, replace it with something new from your wishlist.
Make it pretty. The more beautiful and inviting your analog setup looks, the more you'll want to reach for it. Arrange things so they look appealing sitting in the basket.
Pair it with a ritual. My analog basket time happens after dinner with a cup of tea. Pairing your analog time with an existing habit makes it stick much faster.
Start where you are. You don't need to buy everything on this list. Pick two or three things that genuinely appeal to you and start there. The bag will grow naturally over time, just like mine did.
Shop My Analog Basket
I've put together a complete collection of everything mentioned in this post over on my Amazon storefront. You can shop the full Analog Bag collection here:
SHOP MY ANALOG BASKET FAVORITES →
TL;DR
An analog bag is a portable collection of screen-free activities you keep within easy reach to replace mindless scrolling with something that actually fills you up. I've been carrying some version of one since high school, long before it had a name. Fill yours with journals, puzzle books, creative kits, and good pens, then put it somewhere you'll actually see it and reach for it before you reach for your phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is an analog bag? An analog bag is simply a collection of screen-free activities you keep within easy reach for moments when you'd normally reach for your phone. It can be a tote bag, a basket by your favorite chair, a pretty pouch on your nightstand, whatever works for your life and your space.
Do I have to spend a lot of money to build one? Not at all. You could start with a journal you already own and a set of pens and call it done. Build slowly over time as you discover what you actually enjoy. The point is having something to reach for, not having the perfect curated collection.
What if I'm not creative? This is not about being creative, it's about being present. Sudoku is not creative. Fill-in puzzles are not creative. Reading is not creative. An analog bag can be entirely made up of things that have nothing to do with art or making. Start with what appeals to you.
How is this different from just having hobbies? Great question. The difference is intentionality and placement. An analog bag or basket lives somewhere visible and accessible specifically to intercept the scrolling habit. It's a physical cue that says "reach for this instead." Having hobbies somewhere across the house doesn't serve the same purpose.
What if I pick it up and then just go back to my phone anyway? That's completely normal at first. The phone habit is strong and it took years to build. Give yourself grace and just keep reaching for the bag. Even five minutes of analog time before you pick up your phone is a win worth celebrating.
Can kids have analog bags too? Absolutely, and honestly this might be one of the best gifts you could give a child right now. A bag with colored pencils, a sketchbook, a puzzle book, a simple craft kit, and a good book is a beautiful alternative to screen time and teaches them early that boredom is actually the beginning of creativity.
What's the difference between a bag and a basket? Purely personal preference and lifestyle. The bag is portable, great for carrying room to room, taking to coffee shops, or keeping in your car for waiting rooms. The basket is more of a permanent cozy station, it becomes part of your home's aesthetic and signals that this spot is your slow time spot. I personally love the basket because seeing it every time I sit down is its own gentle reminder.
Where do I start if I'm completely overwhelmed by the options? Start with three things: something to write in, something to write with, and one activity book that genuinely interests you. That's it. You don't need everything on this list, you just need enough to make reaching for the bag feel like a treat rather than a chore.
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