---

 

I’m Charlotte (some know me as Mistress of Rumble). I’m originally from the US, and now I live with my husband and three cats in the bustling hutongs near Gulou. I’m an artist, voice actor, writer, and organizer of epic thematic pop-up bazaars that happen all over Beijing.

I got this beautiful, vintage bag second-hand at Rumble in the Jumble the first year that I was doing the bazaar. It caught my eye immediately because of the awesome vintage style and the Japanese crane design, which always reminds me of my favorite album, The Crane Wife, by The Decemberists. I also have two crane tattoos, so it’s totally my style. The bag is a small, light purse, and that’s ideal for Beijing life, where all anybody really needs to carry is a phone. Of course, since it’s pretty old, it has gotten kind of dirty and worn out over the years …

But I’ve maintained it with sashiko (a Japanese style of embroidery that’s used for fixing, maintaining, and decorating clothing). This has given the bag an extra artistic element, adding a bit of my own personality to it. It also shows how I value sustainability. I plan to keep this bag forever.

– Handmade perfume by Vedic Life, and handmade cuticle oil by VSP. These brands are both regulars at Rumble bazaars. I strongly support handmade products and their makers, and if I have the choice, that’s all I’ll ever buy.

– The sunglasses … Again, I bought them at Rumble in the Jumble, from an independent designer called Mantra. I tend to go for the brightest, flashiest styles when it comes to accessories

– The little crocheted bear. At our Ruff n Rumble Adoption day & Bazaar, Rumble collected donations for animal rescue. In thanks for the donation, I was gifted this weird little guy. Now he lives on my purse chain.

– “Weight” zine. This is a gorgeously illustrated zine that was created by my friend Jen Rao, one of the founders of nugget. Jen is a fantastic artist, and this zine tells a beautiful story… Plus, nugget is my favorite local spot because everything they do is driven by creativity.

– Metal chopsticks. Sustainability is important, so, yeah. I carry my own reusable chopsticks with me everywhere. Plus, they make great hair sticks in a pinch!

Want to share your Beijing survival tools with us? Shoot us an email at editor@beijing-kids.com, message our official jingkids WeChat account (ID: beijing-kids), or leave a comment below!

---

My name is Zhao Hong, or you can call me Ella. Last summer I decided to follow my passion and pursue my art career, drawing fashion art and custom illustrated orders after working in the business world for ten years.

I have always followed fashion and been passionate about art, even when I was a child. But my traditional Chinese mother from the North would not allow her kid to fall into this kind of career. I believe that people can discover the beauty of this planet with their own eyes, and their perspective could be completely different from that of another. That’s also the meaning of my brand – Good Eye Art. I hope my art will shine in your eyes.

As a fashion lover, I do have a few bags to match my different outfits. Since I left my “business” work, I carry this tote bag the most. It was bought eight years ago.

Some of the stains can not be washed away. I love it because it is simple with no special patterns or prints on the bag (can fit in all styles), it has an adjustable strap and lots of room. The cute design I like about this bag is its three different colored straps, which add an artsy vibe. Besides, I have to say this bag is very good quality and made of strong fabric.

Health is the number one thing I care about in my life. I buy one cup made of glass especially, because I make my own Chinese-style drinks all the time. Orange peel, dry roses and dry dates boiled with water together could be my drink for a whole day. The glass doesn’t affect the drink, and its size is like a regular coffee cup. Plus, it is pink!

I would like to name this group Covid Necessities. The alcohol wipes have become a necessary item in my bag since the beginning of the pandemic. If I cannot constantly wash my hands, at least I should wipe them when I can. I should also wipe down my phone. It is a habit now. My ID card and social insurance card are in the cardholder in case I need to do a nucleic acid test or I can not show my health kit.

The last items are my make-up/skincare sets. One lipstick protector, one hand cream, one lipstick with color, and one cushion foundation. All of them will make me look freshened up quickly. I like how I look without makeup on, but we have to admit that we look more energetic when we have it on. Sometimes a little lipstick can change the whole look.

My artwork is mostly inspired by my city life and my friends. Beijing combines the modern and traditional perfectly. I can find fashion spirits from different perspectives. I’m trying to catch them with my drawing and hopefully, my art can help my customers bring out their inner beauty. I have made my drawings into cards, stickers, magnets, and other cute items. Come and find them in my WeChat store or just talk to me on WeChat about your artistic visions!

Want to share your Beijing survival tools with us? Shoot us an email at editor@beijing-kids.com, message our official jingkids WeChat account (ID: beijing-kids), or leave a comment below!

---

Greetings from Tianjiaying village! My name is Miranda and I have been Asia-based since 2009. I’ve fluttered about and have lived everywhere from Cambodia to Hong Kong, but I always return to Beijing and call it home.

After being unemployed because of Covid, I cocktailed and gardened for a couple of weeks and quickly became bored. So in the turmoil, I went back to my first love – making stuff! And soon afterwards KIYANI was born. KIYANI is a natural skincare brand that focuses on creating non-toxic products from plant-based ingredients that are free from plastic and quickly biodegradable.

I honestly don’t love this bag but I use it often as it can comfortably fit a lot of stuff and it matches a lot of my clothes. As I live 50km from downtown Beijing, I often run errands and buy supplies when I’m in the city. Which is why I prefer to use this big bag even though a majority of my purses are small and cute.

1. As the car ride is about an hour into the city, I usually use this time to put on my makeup. So I carry all the necessities along with my KIYANI mosquito bite balm as I seem to attract mosquitos.
2. I always make sure I have headphones before I leave the house, to catch up on my favorite podcasts. I’ve also been taking my passport just in case the village doesn’t let me back home during these weird Covid times.
3. As I have to create a lot of content for KIYANI, I always keep a camera with me as I prefer camera photos/videos.
4. In the city I always drop by April gourmet to stockpile treats, so I always have a tote.
5. And I often have flowers from my garden with me as I give them to people I am meeting up with.
6. Since summer is here, I always keep a pair of sunnies with me.

Want to share your Beijing survival tools with us? Shoot us an email at editor@beijing-kids.com, message our official jingkids WeChat account (ID: beijing-kids), or leave a comment below!

---

Hola, I am Ola. I have been living in Beijing for almost six years. By now it is my home away from home. It’s been an exciting journey with the people I’ve met, the relationships I’ve built and the children I adopted… four-legged children…

Along with my partner and two superwomen, we are trying to grow awareness for unfortunate animals. And some lucky ones we help find loving homes.

The bag I’ve chosen or rather the bag that chose me… is old but there is no other bag I’d be cruising through Beijing with. If a stranger would ever open my bag, the door to Narnia would be discovered… sometimes I lose myself in there.

Things I carry with me are as follows. My glasses, for better vision. Several lip balms because I always forget that I already have one. Dental floss. Allergy tablets since I’m allergic to everything under the sun. Reusable coffee cup. Zero waste bag for those unexpected panic shopping sessions. Instant noodles 1xpack (really looking forward to chow down on it). Subway card with pictures of my boys to remind me of my unit waiting back home and many more things that would help my survival on a deserted island.

All jokes aside this bag has been with me through thick and thin – from sleeping on a bus stop in a foreign country to visiting my family after long separation. It’s my trusty travel companion. Who knows what will be added to the contents of the bag, but I am excited to find out what else can fit in there.

Want to share your Beijing survival tools with us? Shoot us an email at editor@beijing-kids.com, message our official Jingkids WeChat account (ID: beijing-kids), or leave a comment below!

---

I’m Taz, teacher and entrepreneur from South Africa who now calls Beijing home. Time has flown by so quickly and I’ve recently celebrated my 5 year China-versary. I moved to Beijing for better career prospects, found love and started FeedHer with my partner Jamie in 2020. It was started as a way to make expats feel more at home during the initial stages of the pandemic. We won the Kente & Silk Beijing Africa Week startup competition which opened the doors to connect with many creatives in Beijing.

FeedHer has since evolved into much more as we’ve included home items and began to showcase more of my life here as an educator. As I am a firm believer in positive feedback for students, we’ve included that in our products with the recent addition of our customizable teacher stamps which are always in my bag!

Along the way here in Beijing we’ve adopted three cats (crazy, I know) named Lily, Oliver, and Kenji. And our most recent addition to the family is a foster fail from Furry Tails; a puppy named Harrison. Beijing has given me a crazy amount of gifts that I am immensely grateful for.

Speaking of gifts, being a primary school teacher, whose birthday fell at the beginning of the academic year I was gifted this awesome backpack. Coincidentally it was exactly the same as a close friend and colleague’s. So as not to run the risk of being labeled twins, I put off wearing it and I’m so sorry that I waited this long to make good use of it, because it is truly amazing!

There’s enough space to fit the essentials and some. It also has relatively long handles that could be used for carrying when my shoulders have had their fair share. And not to mention the pockets; it aids my need to be organized and have a space for everything. A surprise feature was that it sports a charging port which helps for the days when you’ve forgotten to charge your devices.

Now let’s take a closer look at just how I make use of all of the space. In no particular order, I give you – all things you never knew you needed, or perhaps you did.

* Laptop – I’ve been carting this home from work throughout most of the pandemic because you never know when we’ll need it for online teaching
* Coffee mug – getting my caffeine fill and reducing my carbon footprint with my reusable mug.
* TWS Journal – it gives me clarity and helps me stay organized whilst having a pretty cool layout for busy minds
* Pencil bag – yet another gift filled with my favorite fine liner pens, ballpoint pens, erasers and even some washi tape

* Trusty black pouch – it’s well worn and is my on-the-go pharmacy. Allergy medication, cotton buds, and plasters to name but a few. You need it, I’ve probably got it.
* Mask & tissues – these are must-haves that fill my side pockets.
* Teacher stamps – great for personalized feedback if I happen to take work home for marking
* Snacks – you never know when you’ll need a pick me up. I interchange with whatever is in the pantry but nuts and fruit chews are staples
* AirPod – good vibes & noise cancellation = max focus
* Sunglasses – these are pretty nifty magnetic sunglasses that fit on my prescription frames

Items not pictured, but I’d be lost caught without them: my umbrella because the weather is unpredictable, my Carmex lip balm along with keys & teacher card lanyard.

Want to share your Beijing survival tools with us? Shoot us an email at editor@beijing-kids.com, message our official Jingkids WeChat account (ID: beijing-kids), or leave a comment below!

---

My name is Francesca Hanshing Urra. I was born in Chile and I’ve been living in Beijing since 2011, the year I decided to become a business developer in China. I met the love of my life in 2012 at a “Kisses for Charity” event in Beijing, and now he is not only my husband but also my partner-in-cream, helping me with my business endeavor.

My main commercial activity is international trading and professional sourcing. Taking advantage of my sourcing skills, I started searching for raw materials for cosmetic use in China and elsewhere to keep a responsible and healthy skin routine adapted to my busy yet eclectic lifestyle. Velveteen’s Secret Potions 曼君指葳尔汀 (VSP) was conceived in 2014 as handmade skincare, prototyping, and customizing products for body care using 100% active ingredients. In order to keep developing VSP’s business model, in 2020 I opened a showroom called “Sacramentos Wellness Incorporated 至尊绒化工坊” in Dongcheng District, a retail project with the objective of exhibiting, testing and retailing bulk and boutique items, with VSP as our flagship brand getting ready for the Chinese Market.

I bought this bag 2 years ago while we were renovating our store (due to the pandemic, our workers never came back, so we had to take care of the renovations ourselves). This bag is a heavy-duty bag for construction tools, 100% super thick cotton, cargo color. Maybe it’s not the fanciest bag in the market, but it’s very efficient in terms of space, durable and washable They’re also brand-able!

PS: We have them available at our store *wink

I carry the following items:

Passport, keys, silk mask, 3 cellphones (in the picture there’s only 2 because I’m using the third one to take the pictures), bank transaction gadgets, sunglasses, and my “El Menjunjero”.

In the branding process for Velveteen’s Secret Potions, instead of calling the products “cosmetic” or ” body products” I call them “potions and menjunjes” (both trademarked). “menjunjes” (pronounced “menhoonhe”) is a latino word that means “natural ointment or remedy”, so el menjunjunjero is the bag which carries all the menjunjes, which in this case is VSP’s most iconic products.

In my #Menjunjero bag I keep all the small items in tin containers that I’ve reused from lozenge candies.

Want to share your Beijing survival tools with us? Shoot us an email at editor@beijing-kids.com, message our official Jingkids WeChat account (ID: beijing-kids), or leave a comment below!

---

Hey! I’m Carrie Yu (余元), I’ve lived in Beijing for over a decade and I co-founded THE BULK HOUSE in 2017 with Joe. I started trying out this zero waste lifestyle thing back in 2016 and it has improved my life in so many ways. Without realizing it at the time, my parents brought us up with zero waste in mind (even before it was a thing!) – food was never wasted, we only really had what we needed and we were always playing in nature. Admittedly, most of that was for financial reasons more than necessarily thinking of the environment. That thinking kind of went out of the window when I left home and moved to Beijing until one day I started to learn about environmental problems and realized that zero waste was the major solution.

I’ve had this FJALLRAVEN bag since around 2015, I wouldn’t say I love this bag as its actually not that well designed, the straps are too thin and you can’t fit much in the side sections of the bag, however, I have gotten a lot of value out of this bag as I use it about 250 days a year.

If you look closely at the image of the bag open you’ll see there is a new piece of fabric in the bottom part of the bag (Repair, the 5th R of zero waste). When the bottom part of the bag got worn out, I got it fixed for about RMB 20, which shows I do have love for my bag! 

Let me take you through some of the items in my bag.

Although I don’t always have every item with me, one item that stays with me always is my reusable bottle. It’s insulated and lightweight so it’s great in the winter to keep hot water or tea inside and handy in the summer for cold drinks or kombucha. I clip a carabiner to it to make it easy to grab and drink from when I’m cycling.

My makeup bag is not very exciting, I just have 1 lipstick, 1 small tin (with some solid lip color inside which I use to add some color to my cheeks), and 1 lip balm. At the moment I’m using the Sweet Orange fragrance from our lip balm range, this is part of our bathroom and beauty brand called Lagom Planet, it’s vegan and only RMB 32.

Want to share your Beijing survival tools with us? Shoot us an email at editor@beijing-kids.com, message our official Jingkids WeChat account (ID: beijing-kids), or leave a comment below!

---

I’m Olivia Nadine and am originally from Washington, DC, USA. Over the last six years I’ve been in Beijing, I’ve had the honor to pursue a lot of amazing projects. From teaching soul food cooking to my first time co-chairing a gala this June, living in Beijing has been a dynamic experience for me!

In what may be a bit of a rogue entry, my favorite bag is actually a vibrant and surprisingly spacious fanny pack that was made in Sierra Leone and not available on the market anymore. It seems fanny packs are on the rise though! During our last BlackEXPO, this fanny pack caught my eye and I just had to have it. With it my outfit gets a burst of color, while my hands are free and I still have all of my essentials: chapstick from Grace & Gina, lipgloss from Queenly, perfume from Oil of Phoenix, and whipped body lotion from O.N. Skin. These are my everyday products that just so happen to be from other BlackEXPO vendors as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Want to share your Beijing survival tools with us? Shoot us an email at editor@beijing-kids.com, message our official Jingkids WeChat account (ID: beijing-kids), or leave a comment below!

---

What’s up, people that read? My name is Shagi, and I’m a native of the Commonwealth of Dominica – “Nature Island of the Caribbean.” Been here in Beijing for about 17 years – came for education and stayed for opportunity. I live here with my amazing partner and carrier of our beautiful li’l human, who is coming soon to a playground near you!

I truly appreciate having been in China over almost two decades and witnessing growth in all major industries. It’s been inspiring and exhausting. Five years ago I got my younger brother over here, and he too is thriving and expanding his mindset on a global level.

I’ve journeyed through a few fields, starting in events management back in ’07 doing promotions and bookings for major international acts performing here in China, then moving on to fashion accessories with our sunnies brand, Dienastie, and now currently working on pivoting that brand into the metaverse. I also work with local brands: I am presently working with Reflection Eternals on Taobao. And I’m also on the magnificent Migas team working and building the Larry the Bird brand: “Better chicken, better times.”

I have a few bags, but my summer favorite is this tote I got from my German friend Marcus, who made it about six years ago from repurposed fabric. It’s a solid pack that few people have, and which I cherish.

Inside, in order of importance:
1. My workhorse Apple MacBook Air M1– Everything is in here. This is my office.
2. Concertino notebook – Best analog recorder of life, procured at Concertino in Jiaodaokou.
3. Beats Fit Pro earbuds – With Active Noise Cancelling on, life is beautiful for music, podcasts, etc.
4. Carmex lip balm – Because it’s the best!
5. Herbacin hand cream – Protection + care.

6. HYPB X FRGMT PILOT FriXion Ball 3 3-color pen – One pen to rule them all.
7. Hot Wheels – I have a collection. This one is the classic Batmobile.
8. My decade-old Ricoh GR camera – For capturing moments.
9. Water bottle – From the homies at Yardbird Hong Kong.
10. Wallet – Upcycled wallet from The Bulk House.

These things keep me productive(ish) all day and night, no matter where I am.

Honorable mentions go to: my iPhone 12 mini, a major workhorse that truly lives in my pants pocket, and a small pouch from Incase that serves as a sort of work Dopp kit, containing a battery pack, cables, dongles, stickers, small sketch pads, and some amazing antibacterial wipes by ch22.

Want to share your Beijing survival tools with us? Shoot us an email at editor@beijing-kids.com, message our official Jingkids WeChat account (ID: beijing-kids), or leave a comment below!