Sick of Doomscrolling? Try an Analog Bag Instead
This functional catch-all holds items chosen to keep you occupied by anything but your phone — crafts, books, toys, and games.
Analog bag / Photograph by Nell Hoving
Desperate for an alternative to doomscrolling when you’re killing time? Try an analog bag. This functional catch-all (a pouch, tote, backpack) carries items chosen intentionally to keep you occupied by anything but your ever-present digital companion — think crafts, books, even toys and games. “Science has not yet studied the impact of analog bags, but a growing set of studies highlight how constant smartphone use can ruin our mental health,” says J. David Creswell, a psychology professor at Carnegie Mellon University whose research focuses on mindfulness. “Analog bags remind us that even simple items can be tools for relaxing.”
While the scientists might not (yet) have proof that carrying around non-screen distractions actually helps us feel better, Philly Mag staffer Courtney DuChene, for one, swears by it. “I’ve found it easier now to avoid staring at Instagram because it’s just as easy to reach for my crocheting or a novel as it is to grab my phone,” she says. Dorit Avganim, owner of Manzanita in University City, takes it a step further: “Real luxury is a bag that doesn’t even fit your phone,” she notes. “We sell tons of them at the shop, but we also sell bags I can pack full of tools to keep me occupied.” But analog bags aren’t just for adults — Carrie Whitcraft, a Wayne native and mom of two, has been toting around these bags since her kids were babies. “I don’t want their sole instinct to be to reach for a screen,” she says.
Filling your own analog bag is part of the digital detachment fun. The Philadelphia Museum of Art’s gift shop has creative finds — for you and your kids — such as an on-the-go watercolor palette or sketchbooks. Fans of fiber art might head to Wild Hand in Mount Airy to browse mini embroidery kits and knitting tools. Less crafty types might go for crosswords or games (love the Philly Game Shop in Bella Vista for this), or just a good old-fashioned novel to tote around — you know, like we did in the old days.
No Screens, No Fuss
“My bag is full of tools for small moments: reading, drawing, fixing something.” Dorit Avganim, University City, carries a book (right now, Identify Clouds by Susan E. Clark), a watercolor sketchbook with pencils and a waterbrush pen, and French pins and combs.
“I started carrying an analog bag after I saw a friend who carried one and, consequently, always had something to do on the train.” Courtney DuChene, Fishtown, packs two balls of cotton-merino yarn with a crochet hook and two books (currently Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips and Savage Appetites by Rachel Monroe).
“Now that my kids are eight and five and screens are a part of life, it’s more of a deliberate thing because I never let the kids have them in any kind of idle, bored, or ‘waiting’ scenario.” Carrie Whitcraft, Wayne, totes keychain-making kits, a Rubik’s cube, Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty, and coloring books and drawing pads with markers, crayons, and pencils.
Published as “Digital Detox” in the June 2026 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
