The Real Story Behind This Video

I’m recording this at 5:47am in Terminal 2 of Singapore Changi Airport. Our flight doesn’t leave for another three hours, but our toddler decided 4am was morning time. So here we are.

This is actually perfect timing though, because I can show you exactly what’s in our diaper bag while it’s still somewhat organized. Give it another hour and it’ll look like a bomb went off.

Why Another Diaper Bag Video?

Look, I know there are approximately 47,000 diaper bag videos on YouTube. Most of them are beautifully styled, perfectly organized, and completely unrealistic for actual travel with actual children.

This is not that video.

This is what our bag looks like after:

  • 7 years of international travel
  • 2 kids
  • More flights than I can count
  • Multiple “learning experiences” (read: disasters)

What You’ll See in the Video

The Good Stuff

  • Our wet bag system that actually works
  • How we organize cloth diapers for 14+ hour flights
  • The one item that has saved us more times than I can count
  • Why we stopped using diaper bag organizers

The Honest Stuff

  • Things that looked great on Amazon but failed in real life
  • What we forgot on our last trip (spoiler: it was important)
  • Why our bag costs $40 and not $200
  • The weird hack involving a kitchen ziplock bag

Key Takeaways (If You Don’t Want to Watch)

1. Redundancy is Everything We pack like we’re going to war. Two of everything critical. Yes, it’s heavy. No, I don’t care when the alternative is buying disposables at airport prices.

2. Wet Bags Save Lives Not literally. But close. We have three different sizes and they all serve different purposes. This is covered in detail around the 3:42 mark.

3. The Diaper Math For a 6-hour flight, we pack 12 cloth diapers. Yes, that’s 2x what we’d normally use. Yes, we’ve needed them all before. The story involving food poisoning is in the video.

4. Location Matters More Than You Think Where you put things in your bag can make the difference between a smooth diaper change and a meltdown in the airplane bathroom. I demonstrate the “priority access” system we use.

I’m not sponsored by any of these brands. I’m just telling you what we actually use:

  • Main Bag: Basic canvas backpack from Target ($39.99)
  • Wet Bags: PlanetWise large, medium, and small
  • Diapers: Mix of pockets and AIOs (specific brands in video)
  • Changing Pad: Portable waterproof mat that folds small
  • Emergency Kit: The full contents list is too long for this post

What This Video Doesn’t Cover

This is specifically about our airport/flight setup. Our general travel packing is different (and probably needs its own post). I also don’t get into washing logistics while traveling - that’s a whole separate topic.

The Comments I’m Expecting

“Just use disposables for travel” - That’s valid. We’ve done it. This video is for people who want to stick with cloth.

“That’s way too much stuff” - Maybe. But we’ve been stranded in airports, dealt with delays, and experienced every possible diaper emergency. We’re okay with overpacking.

“You’re making this too complicated” - Possibly. But the system works for us, and several readers have asked specifically for this.

Real Talk: When We Don’t Follow This System

There are definitely trips where we scale back. Weekend visits to my parents’ house? We don’t bring the full arsenal. Short domestic flights? Simplified version.

But for international travel, long-haul flights, or trips where access to laundry is uncertain? This is our setup.

The Editing Note

I filmed this at the airport but edited it at home (obviously). The audio at the beginning is rough - there was an announcement about a delayed flight to Mumbai. I left it in because that’s real life.

Also, you can hear my toddler in the background around the 7-minute mark asking why airplanes don’t have tails like cats. I don’t have an answer for that.

Questions?

Drop them in the comments and I’ll answer as many as I can. If you’re watching this before a flight and panicking because you’re underprepared - take a breath. You’ll figure it out. We all do.

And if all else fails, there’s a convenience store after security. It’s fine. You’re doing great.

Update Log

November 25, 2025: Added chapter markers based on viewer feedback. Thanks for the suggestion about including timestamps.

This post accompanies the video. Reading it without watching the video will give you the general idea, but you’ll miss the actual demos and my increasingly exhausted facial expressions as our departure time approaches.