“Create an Analog Bag” Challenge! :)

Our world is heavily addicted to screens, and it’s making us into people we don’t want to be. We want to live in the present, learn new things, interact with other people, and live life to the fullest!

So. We’re going to change that. Starting today! <3

Your challenge: Create an analog bag.

What’s an analog bag???

Read this…

****************

An analog bag is a portable tote filled with screen-free activities or hobbies. For instance, you might put a journal, a novel and a sticker book in yours. A friend’s bag might be filled to the brim with knitting materials. It’s all about personalization.

Analog bags are less about the activity inside and more about doing something that intentionally disconnects you from digital life. The trend can be traced back to a video posted in 2025 by Sierra Campbell. She showed off the contents of her analog bag, including knitting materials, crossword puzzles, a watercolor set and a Polaroid camera.

What’s driving the analog bag trend?

In short, people need a break.

“We are living in an age of digital saturation, and people are burned out, especially younger people who have grown up in this era,” Fehr says. Smartphones keep us connected 24-7, and our daily screen time has been going up since the early 2010s. We’ve since taken our entire lives online, and our mental health has taken a hit.

Between 2011 and 2021, the percentage of young women with five hours of daily screen time jumped from 10% to 43%. (Cue a generation overwhelmed by anxiety, depression, stress and poor sleep.) Then the COVID-19 pandemic plopped us in front of screens indefinitely, putting these ill effects on overdrive. As researchers have been warning for decades, social media doesn’t make us more social—it actually robs us of meaningful connection and exacerbates loneliness.

“Analog hobbies feel refreshing and are attractive right now because it gives young people back their independence,” Fehr says. “There’s no audience, no judging, no metrics to go by.” Everything from papier-mâché to puzzling has become a go-to remedy for overwhelm and uncertainty, two emotions that have been hitting us especially hard as of late.

Getting offline boosts attention span

A single screen-free activity also helps us avoid the multitasking trap we all fall into when scrolling and gives our brain a break from overstimulation. In fact, blocking the internet from a smartphone for two weeks has been shown to improve well-being and mental health and to offer brain benefits such as improved attention span.

How can you create your own analog bag?

Grab a tote bag and fill it with your favorite screen-free activities. Voila—le bag is yours. Don’t already have a fave activity that could fit in an analog bag? No sweat. It’s the perfect opportunity to try something new.

“The goal is to do something that will give your eyes a rest and your mind a break from constantly being prompted,” Fehr says. Activity ideas to put in your analog bag include:

• Knitting and crocheting tools, plus extras to teach a friend if you’re a pro

• Books, newspapers and magazines to stay updated on current events without the endless scrolling

• Poetry, either to read or speak in an impromptu poetry slam

• Sketchbooks, notebooks and fun pens, markers and other writing utensils

• Crossword puzzles, sudoku, and even giant puzzles

• Coloring supplies, especially mini coloring books that fit perfectly into a bag

• Sticker-by-number or paint-by-number books

• Fidget toys to keep your hands busy yet screen-free

• Journals for collaging, bullet journaling and junk journaling

• Embroidery projects

• Records or CDs to bring to a friend’s house

• Film or disposable cameras

• Traditional card decks or card games

https://www.rd.com/article/analog-bag/

*********

Ok, got the idea?

Now it’s OUR turn!

Make a bag. Or a bin. (That’s what I’m doing.) Or even a suitcase with wheels! I don’t care what you use. Just fill it with offline, screen-free activities. Tailor it to your interests! Share with us what you have in it. And every time you’re tempted to mindlessly scroll (or any other time!), open it up and create, learn, be present in the moment! <3

What’s in YOUR bag???? <3