somHACK: the tote-strap hack you didn't know you needed

the $7 fix that stops your pesky tote strap from slipping. once and for all.

today’s newsletter format is our somHACK. A quick tip to make your life a little easier (and your day just a little better). Today’s edition? A hack to fix the problem you might not know you have: the always-falling tote strap.

this year marks my 29th anniversary in NYC - a.k.a. i’ve been schelpping stuff on the subway for about 10,585 days. that means what i schlepp my stuff IN becomes really important - and i find myself choosing backpacks over the collection of cool totes i have. why?

because i just HATE how one strap is always sliding off my shoulder - i’ve always wondered if this is something that happens to everyone (or could this be….my awesome traps….?!). jokes aside - i lately have been hearing more and more people complaining about it.

I set out to find the solution for that annoying bag strap slipping off your shoulder, and I've finally found the answer.

Enter: the cable tie.

this $7 amazon purchase will save u hours of inconvenience. pictured on a shane gabier plate.

last year i was at an alexmill ecomm shoot at my brother in laws studio and i noticed he used these velcro ties/straps to keep his camera cords tied up & hold rolling racks together.

they were easy to use, strangely super strong and came in a bunch of fun colours. that’s when i thought - hey what if i used them around the straps of my tote bag? i remember having a tote strap battle that morning and was dying to fix it once and for all.

i ordered a set - and it worked! not only did both straps stay up but i would clip onto it keys and random stuff i didn’t want to rummage for in my tote.

the strap in question. they come in a bunch of colours and lengths so u can adjust them to any size.

here’s how u style it, featuring my favorite totes:

1. the special handmade-in-brooklyn tote - adam wade wagner XL tote

i’m a huge fan of big totes and this one i just got from adam wade wagner (all hand made in brooklyn). i find that the bigger the tote / wider the base, the more easily the straps fall off - so these velcro straps have proven super handy here.

2. the perfect commuter bag - alexmill weekday tote

this alexmill tote was where i first used the velcro invention since it was my first most used commuter bag - in addition to holding the straps up - i’ve clipped keys, water bottles, baseball hats and even sunglasses to the velcro. there are a ton of size options here.

3. the classic canvas tote - vintage llbean bag

i love llbean bags but esp love / prefer when they are super worn down, second hand ones. this one i found on ebay a few years back (similar option here) - although this doesn’t go over my shoulder - i use the velcro straps to clip my keys so i can open my apt door quickly when i get home.

4. the “everyone has one” reusable tote - MHL cotton tote

these straps also work on these light packable totes - this one is from MHL - i know everyone has one or 2 or 3 or 10000 of these - when they get full of groceries the straps ALWAYS slide off. so the velcro straps are essential - and for those who love to hang bits and bobs on their bags - you can use the straps for that too.

there you have it. a 7 dollar hack you didn’t know you needed. any other very important life problems u are hoping i can solve?! comment below - i am listening!

xs