Dress rehearsal for our first dance competition was last weekend. Over the years I have learned a thing or two about what to pack and HOW to pack. Everyone does it differently - there is no right or wrong way, this is the way that works best for us.
Three years ago we upgraded her smaller competition bag. We were using a small rolling suitcase - but as she got bigger and her costumes got bigger it was clear we needed to make it bigger. I purchased the red rolling duffel bag for $20 on black friday, the PVC pipe cost me no more than $10. I already had the PVC cutters from the last one we made. These name branded costume duffel/racks can retail for $200-$400!! Sometimes that just isn't in peoples budget!!
Here is her bag at the beginning of the repacking process. She still had stuff in it from recital last May!!
I have painted a few wooden hangers - this way when things are getting crazy in the dressing room we aren't losing them or someone is accidentally taking them.
Because in Georgia EVERYTHING gets a monogram!!!
I keep all her tights and undergarments in this tub. With her age we keep a nude and black pair of underwear in case we need them for girls time. Thankfully her timing has been good and we haven't needed them but I like to have them JUST in case.
I started putting her shoes in plastic tubs because there is nothing worse than having to take EVERYTHING out of the bag to find a missing shoe. Each pair has it's own tub, her hip hop boots are in old pillow cases to make sure if something brakes in the bag they won't ruin her boots.
How we keep bobby pins, hair elastics, eyelashes, donut bun when we needed it....I also keep a travel toothbrush and toothpaste in here because there has been times I have gotten her in the car at 5 am straight from her bed and arrived at competition 2 hours later. I recommend HIGHLY that you keep a pair of small scissors somewhere in your bag. We keep this pair with the eyelashes because we have to cut the ends off to fit her eye.
All emptied out and any debris was swept out. The first time we used this I didn't think we needed to PVC cement the connections together. We learned after that first season it was NECESSARY! Everytime we opened up the bag something had come undone and we had to connect it back. The cube shape really helps the bag keep it's shape and not cave in when it's popped up at competition. I've seen others just put a bottom stabilizer and it just wasn't sturdy when costumes were added.
We keep makeup remover wipes, a sewing kit, a box of 1500 safety pins, a small bathroom towel (because sometimes we have tile floor and it's nice to not have to sit ON the floor or stand on the cold floor first thing in the morning.
A small extension cord is a must as well. Sometimes someones bag is over the ONLY outlet and you need it!
I bought this little steamer on Amazon 2 years ago during a daily deal. It has come in handy more than once! It's small enough to not take up a lot of room, and it heats up SUPER quick!
I got these hanger covers from 31 like 5 years ago during one of their clearance events. They come in SO handy.
I got all her costumes all hung up. In the hanger bag that is with her hip hop costume (yellow hoodie) I have her leggings, sports bra, and a pair of black socks. Keeping it all together so it makes changing easy. If she has a hair acessory I will stick it in the bag as well. Hanging on the right side is her make up bag. I added that little extra piece after her FIRST year of competition 10 years ago for that same make up bag. It also doubles as a hook for her jacket when she is on the stage or changing. Then it doesn't get thrown somewhere, someone doesn't pick it up thinking it's theirs and keeps the dirt from the ground off of it.
Everything in the bottom of the bag fits nicely and flat. I need to keep all of those tubs flat on the bottom - once I pack it up I lay the costumes on it flat and zip it up.
Curtains for the bags are a newer trend. Probably the last 5 years or so. When I remade her bag to this bigger one I had to make a new curtain. I chose colors that matched her bag and her team. If you are a dance mom this is a GREAT addition as when there are a TON of these bags lined up the curtain with a name is super easy to spot and run to. Before the curtains were a trend and all the bags were the dream duffel brand everything and everyone's looked the same. If you aren't a sewer don't worry, a lot of my friends just bough super cute one panel curtains from Walmart, Target, Ross and TJ Maxx. Even if they didn't bring it to me to put their name on it was easy to spot their own bags.
A lot of first year parents with one or two costumes don't see the need for these and that's fine, but once you have been in the game for a few years you can understand why you would need one because you accumulate so much stuff!!!
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