#Microblog Monday 245: Carry-all
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Beyond the fact that I cannot stop snickering about the term “lady backpack,” I need to scream that I HAVE A LADY BACKPACK, which means that I am finally — FINALLY — fashionable. It will only last for a hot second, but I need to grab it while I can.
I hadn’t been using my lady backpack (lady backpack!) because I realized that I was schlepping around half of our house with me every time I went out, and I didn’t need most of it*. I didn’t need all of my notebooks; I just needed one. I didn’t need a laptop or iPad for a trip to the grocery store… ever. Even with my glasses anxiety, I could make do with one pair of backup glasses when I was under one mile from our home. I was like a goldfish, the stuff I was carrying growing to the size of my bag.
So I switched this fall to a small purse that fits just a handful of items. Wallet, extra glasses, a box of cinnamon mints, one notebook. I don’t miss carrying all of those things that I brought with me under the heading of “what if.” What if I need an entire first aid kit while I’m out purchasing groceries? What if?
But now I’m switching back. Not because I need that other stuff but because I want to be fashionable for once in my life.
How big is your purse? And how much stuff do you carry that you never use?
* Just to give you a sense of how much shit I brought with me that I didn’t need: I once discovered that sonic screwdriver I made out of toilet parts at the bottom of my purse and realized I had carried it with me for months — MONTHS — without knowing it was deep down in my lady backpack.
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14 comments
Oh boy. I’m ridiculous. If I am traveling I use a small drawstring backback so I don’t have to schlep my purse around. I have tried to go to a smaller purse, but it’s not practical so I have a medium size. I have 2 wallets (one is for my basic needs, the other is overstuffed with emergency credit cards/store-specific credit cards, library cards for the different counties, club cards, business cards, just lots of stuff that I need organized and handy but that I do not need on every trip out.) I have my coupon holder that goes with me to grocery stores. Multiple tubes a Carmex, a pen or two, back up phone chargers, hand sanitizer, small pads of paper (from hotels or the free ones that come in the mail from organizations looking for donations), sometimes gum, and often LEGO’s and toy cars. Also sunglasses. That’s it. The second wallet only goes with me when I think I will need something in it. I used to carry a brush and a nail file, but that became a bit excessive and was never necessary.
What’s a lady backpack? I was just having a conversation with my hubby this morning about how I need to switch to an easy summer purse, that is just big enough to fit a wallet, my phone, lens cleaning wipes and a couple of pens. we’ll see if I find one.
No purse. Wallet, keys, phone, telescoping reading glasses (in a case) go in pockets. Any pants/skirts/shorts I wear must have 4 pockets.
I do carry a backpack, which goes back and forth with me from home to work. It’s only enduring responsibility is to carry my chromebook and/or laptop, though I sometimes also use it to cart food and/or a beverage and/or a raincoat.
Oh ack and woe is me! Its, not It’s. Argh.
Ha, I love that you are switching back to be fashionable! I’ve been evolving how I carry everything. I have a bigger purse than I used to, but also switch back and forth between it and my work bag. I don’t want to carry 2 big bags so I have a bigger wallet/wristlet that keeps all the money/ccs and lip balm along with a small zip up for the rest of the stuff. If i switch those two things between the two bags, I’ll have like 90% of what I need covered. (Somehow things always disappear from where I think they’re supposed to be. Eh)
My purse is a lot smaller than most of my friends and those carried by most women I see. The only things I consistently keep in it are my wallet, lip gloss, breath mints, pens, feminine hygiene products and Advil. . . but somehow a bunch of my sons’ items end up in there all the time. Everything from loose change to foam dinosaurs and plastic toys from Happy Meals to Pokemon cards.
I’m afraid to look in there and see what I’m carrying, TBH.
My purse is fairly big, but not huge. I find it’s a fine line between having something big enough for all my stuff — but not TOO big, because then I’d be tempted to add more, & my purse is heavy enough as it is…! I like purses with a lot of compartments & side pockets.
I just did a post not too long ago about the contents of my purse and trying to pare things down. And there’s a link there to a post I did on the same subject, 9 years ago (!), for comparison. 😉
https://theroadlesstravelledlb.blogspot.com/2019/04/pvd-updatepurse-inventory.html
Would you believe I’ve never had a backpack, even as a student? I did have a “book bag”/canvas tote when I was in high school to haul my stuff to & from home/school, but backpacks didn’t really start becoming a “thing” on campus until I was almost done university. (Of course, we didn’t have laptops or tablets back then to carry around — just textbooks & binders/notebooks and pens!) A few of my coworkers over the years have had “lady backpacks/backpack purses.” Be careful, though… one girl I worked with had her wallet stolen out of hers while she was at the supermarket. She never felt a thing. 🙁
The only time I ever used a backpack was when I was on crutches. I had a bookbag. I didn’t think the backpacks were fashionable enough. They were dull and canvas and just blah. LOL. I carry an unreasonably large purse, because I feel the need to carry *everything* with me. Which, since I work from home is somewhat hilarious, but true. Makeup? check. Medicine? Check. Wallet? check. phone charger? check. Important paperwork? Check. It’s also big enough I can throw in my laptop, kindle, etc…and I have (and more).
I carry a wristlet that can hold my phone and a small wallet that holds the essentials–and a small pk or gum or mints. BUT–I have a “lady backpack” (didn’t know it was actually a thing) that I throw that wristlet in when I’m out for more than just the grocery store–camera, journal, pens, and iPad. Yep. That’s me!
I have 2 wallets too, with similar contents, ha!
I have a work purse I use mom-fri and a slightly smaller one I use on weekends/days off. Work purse is more professional and I keep ID cards for getting in buildings etc. in there only. My kids are still young enough to require a larger purse—often I pick up school papers when I drop my kids off at school, etc. and often random toys end up in there.
I probably really need a larger non-work purse as it’s always stuffed but I always think I can downsize and get away with less stuff but then I want a book to read during kids’ swim lesson etc.
Woohoo to fashion coinciding with practicality for once!
I have a big purse, though the one I’m using now is probably smaller than I’ve had for a while! I like a bag that can be slung over my shoulder, and all too often it is really heavy. Yes, I have the medical kit equivalent and the makeup bag equivalent in there, as well as a heavy wallet (I collect our big coins to pay for parking and it weighs everything down) and a water bottle and sunglasses, and always always more tissues than I will need BUT you NEVER know! I used to carry a diary/notebook all the time, but my iPad did away with that, and it’s gone too now because I can do everything on my phone when I’m out and about. My back, neck, and shoulders are thankful for modern technology!
I use a big bag when I travel because then I have to also fit in anti-bacterial gel, camera and lenses, documents, and sunscreen! But I always get one that I can wear across my body, keeping my arms free and balancing things out a bit. I am not a backpack wearer – certainly not for international travel. I’m too conscious of security after spending so much time overseas. So I’m not sure I could ever shake that and use one here at home.
This is always an issue for me. I just as soon put my keys, wallet etc in a small pocketbook but the case for my glasses is humongous so I end up taking a chance and shoving my glasses without the case in places that I know I shouldn’t. My problem isn’t so much carrying extra stuff as not cleaning the damn thing out frequently enough and ending up with millions of random receipts, business cards etc that I have no business carrying around day after day.
I do have a lady backpack (lady backpack!) that I got in Italy a loooooong time ago. I love love love the look of it.
But I just can’t use it as my every day back. I need to have my stuff at my side at all times, not at my back.
I almost always use my handbag, then as a cross-body bag to help share the weight a little more evenly.
Maybe I need to dig my lady backpack (lady backpack!) out of the trunk it’s in and give it another go. I could be IN.
I have a purse and a messenger bag – I’ve never been a fan of the backpack. My purse is small (bigger than I prefer, but I love the look of it). I only use my messenger bag when I need to carry extra stuff like water bottles or books or snacks.