Prepping for a collab is one of my favorite parts of the steps of brand collaboration. I’m very Type-A, and organization is my jam! I’m someone who prepares for any situation (ask my hubby! ha!). So the night before I shoot content for a collab, I always back my “collab bag.”

What is a collab bag? I’m glad you asked! Think of a Collab bag as the Marry Poppins bag of collabs. It has everything you could possibly need or want to assist you while you’re on-location shooting.

Blog post: Steps of a Brand Collaboration

Here’s a list of what I pack in my collab bag.

Electronics:

When I started my influencer journey, I did what most people do – I used what I had. I shot all of my content with my iPhone for my first year and a half of blogging. Then, as I grew in this space, I decided I was ready to up my photography game. So with that, I invested in a camera. Don’t worry if you’re not ready to do this just yet. I would always encourage you to use what you have until you’re ready to upgrade. Once I took the leap and invested in a DSLR camera, I wanted to make sure I had EVERYTHING I needed to make the process of shooting photos for my collab successful. So I invested in SD cards with a ton of storage and spare batteries.

Here are a few electronics you might want to consider packing in your collab bag:

• Camera
• Spare camera batteries – I usually bring 2-3
• Camera charger
• Extra SD card
• Phone
• Phone charger (battery pack)

Reference Materials:

I always pack a physical copy of the contract, creative brief, mood board, itinerary, and deliverables chart. I pack physical copies to quickly and easily refer to the documents as I am shooting content. Of course, you don’t have to print them if you don’t want to. I print a copy because I’m very old school and like to physically cross something off the list. Bonus – It helps to save the battery on your phone if you’re using it to shoot content.

Here are a few reference materials to add to your collab bag:

• Copy of the Creative Brief
• Copy of the Contract
• Moodboard
• List of shots you’d like to take
• Copy of the Itinerary
• Copy of Deliverables Chart

Beauty Necessities:

When it comes to packing your collab bag, I encourage you to pack any extra makeup or hair styling tools you need for touchups during the day. For example, I know without a doubt that I’m going to need to reapply makeup or brush through my hair at some point.

Here are a few items you can toss in your bag for touchups while you shoot content:

• Makeup for touchups
• Body Wipes/Hand Wipes
• Perfume
• Deodorant
• Blotting Paper
• Hair Tools

Clothing Necessities:

When you’re shooting content, it’s so important to make sure your outfit is well thought out and organized. Your clothes should be free of wrinkles, put together and appropriate for the occasion. I wanted to add so many clothing necessities to this list, but I believe these five do a nice job covering your bases.

Consider including these items in your collab bag:

• Lint Roller
• Steamer
• Spare outfits – for extra photos
• Accessories
• Safety Pins

Misc:

There are several things you can include in your collab bag. Each time I prep to shoot content, I always toss a few miscellaneous items in my bag to assist me through the day.

Here are a few miscellaneous items to add:

• Water bottle
• Hand Sanitizer
• Notebook + Pen
• Cash – tips for waiters
• Mints
• Thank you cards

PRO TIP: Pick the right bag

There are a ton of options out there when it comes to finding a reuseable tote. I wanted something that I could zip to close, was washing machine friendly, contained a lot of storage, and was a fun yet professional color.

I’ve been using my Athleta tote for about a year now, and I LOVE IT! It holds everything I need and has a ton of pockets for storing the necessities. This bag is definitely on the pricy side, but it was SO worth it.

Even though I bought the bag specifically to use on location for collabs, it has turned into my go-to travel bag! It has a slot in the bag that allows you to slide it over the handle of your luggage for travel ease. So essentially, I HIGHLY recommend getting this bag. To purchase click here.

The contents of your collab bag will vary from person to person. Hopefully, this post provided you with a few ideas about what you can start to include in yours!

Please feel free to share this post on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, etc.!

Thanks loves!

xo
Connor