3 Underrated Yoga Essentials
There are so many yoga accessories out there, but what are some practical yoga essentials that can actually make your life easier?
I thought I’d share some underrated yoga essentials that I’ve purchased that I don’t regret buying!
First off,
Yoga Mat Wall Holder as an organizational hack in small spaces
Yes I am deciding which wallpaper swatch to use :)
I sat on this purchase for months. Months! There were many options, but none fit my style. I kept coming back to this Etsy shop that sold a yoga mat wall holder made of wood.
I finally decided to purchase it. It was more than I had expected to pay, but the pros outweighed the cons.
Initially, I started looking into yoga mat wall holders because I thought they were a great organizational hack for small spaces. I used to store my yoga mats in the closet, but in my new place, there was no room to store them in there.
Not only was it easy to install, looks great, but it is so much easier to use my yoga mats and put them away between use.
When I used to store my yoga mats in the closet, I would roll them up and use yoga mat straps to keep them rolled up. Depending on how thick the yoga mats were, the yoga mat strap didn’t keep the mats tightly rolled in. I’m not sure if it’s because I never found the right yoga mat strap or it was my technique, but it always felt more work to roll it up and try to loop it tight at the ends. Now I roll up my yoga mats and hang them up. They look great displayed on the wall, and I feel so peaceful looking at it.
If you’re looking for organizational hacks in small spaces for your yoga accessories, try a yoga mat wall holder. Even if you have a larger space for your home practice, this could be a creative option to decorate the walls, as well as free up space.
2. Flare Leggings Dupe that people keep asking me if it’s Lululemon or Aritzia
While it’s not a necessity to get flare leggings, if you’re going to get them, at least make sure the price is fair and the quality holds up.
Two years ago, I was looking for flare legging dupes. I love skinny flare pants, and was hoping to find a dupe for when I teach yin yoga or gentler styles of yoga where I would not work up a sweat.
I found them on Amazon and ended up purchasing them in a different colour!
The leggings feel so good against the skin. They are comfortable in warm or cool temperatures. I’ve worn them in the dead of winter or in balmy weather. I love the way they look on me and I have worn them not just to teach yoga, but to the gym, to run errands, to dinner, and of course around the home.
I don’t wear athleisure unless I’m going from the studio right to somewhere else, but I thought this was cute.
And for all that I’ve worn them in, I can barely detect pilling or wear and tear. There is some slight rubbing on the hip, likely from a tote bag rubbing against one leg, but other than that, they’ve held up so well that two years after I purchased them, I still get questions about where they are from!
3. A Waterproof Bag to hold sweaty clothes. Bags in general.
I teach in heated rooms, so having a small waterproof drawstring bag to fit my sweaty yoga clothes is a must. I have no idea where the bag came from, but on the days I don’t have it, I worry about how to bring my clothes back. I usually wrap it in a towel (bulky, awkward) or try to find a garbage bag (wasteful).
Having this small but mighty bag that I can then put inside my big bag is great. I feel like the bag minimizes odour and dampness transferring to the rest of my bag.
And honestly, finding a functional and aestheticallt pleasing yoga bag in general is difficult. I loved carrying my mini red open top L.L. Bean tote that my sister got me (ugh still in love with it), but the small could only fit one change of clothes.
I’m now using this giant and structureless Baggu bag. I picked this up in LA last year:
Me on the way to take a hot yoga class.
I love the colour of this particular shade of blue, as well as the funky design. Due to its lack of structure, you can fit a ton of clothes. This is perfect for those days when I may be teaching 3 classes and don’t have time to go home. I can fit several yoga sets, my water bottle, books, notebook, toner, face cream, and still have room. The fabric is also nylon, so it feels breathable and easy to clean.
Written By: Irene Lo