So, What's In Your Handbag?

Before I left for a hospital appointment yesterday morning, I dropped my Kindle in my bag and off I went. A couple of hours later I got home and my shoulder was aching, and it was only then I noticed how heavy my bag was, so I emptied it out on the bed.

Everything from a pashmina for when my office aircon gets too much, to interdental sticks, to four different kinds of pain relievers, to a scrubby spa cloth I'd forgotten I'd bought last week. This is my weekday bag and I carry another bag full of papers to and from work as well but there are no personal items in that. On weekends I either don't carry any or I have use one the size of my wallet there that I stick the bare essentials into.

I know it's a crazy amount of stuff to be lugging around on a daily basis so I've ditched a good bit of stuff - the box of cold and flu relief, the ibuprofen lotion, the notebook, the document cases, and one of the phones belongs to my partner and I had that by accident, so it's a more manageable weight now. Am I the only one who carries so much in my bag?

Ladies, show me what's in your bag so I can have a nosey don't feel alone!

Mars Bar

I don't own a handbag:)

bee06

I have the standard wallet, phone and keys and then have a tin of Vaseline, a tube of 8 hour cream, a tube of hand cream, earphones, tampons, my work badge, 2 pens and tissues. These would all be permanent items.

I also have been carrying around my passport for the last few weeks because I need to photocopy it at work but keep forgetting and a tiny Tupperware container that I brought home from work to refill with chia seeds but forgot about.

Vojera

I have a messenger bag type one and it's badly in need of a clean out. I have about four months' of payslips, a couple of copies of flyers I made for a party I'm having, painkillers, antihistamines, antibiotics for my skin, rennies, some cold and flu tablets that have been in there for months and never opened, a phone charger, two notebook/diaries, neither of which I use, a book I borrowed from a friend and haven't read, a smelly tree for the car which I keep forgetting to take out, some bobbles, my reading glasses, a tesco bag for life, a headwarmer, and two washbags for my sanitary towels (I use the cloth type). Also, my car keys, house/work keys, wallet and phone.

At the weekend I usually wear jeans and all I carry then is my phone and keys in my pockets. I give my wallet to my wife and don't worry about the rest.

I wouldn't mind but I'm always giving out to my wife that her bag is like a black hole, but when I see it all written down there I realise I'm just as bad.

Vojera

Vojera wrote: »

I have a messenger bag type one and it's badly in need of a clean out. I have about four months' of payslips, a couple of copies of flyers I made for a party I'm having, painkillers, antihistamines, antibiotics for my skin, rennies, some cold and flu tablets that have been in there for months and never opened, a phone charger, two notebook/diaries, neither of which I use, a book I borrowed from a friend and haven't read, a smelly tree for the car which I keep forgetting to take out, some bobbles, my reading glasses, a tesco bag for life, a headwarmer, and two washbags for my sanitary towels (I use the cloth type). Also, my car keys, house/work keys, wallet and phone.

At the weekend I usually wear jeans and all I carry then is my phone and keys in my pockets. I give my wallet to my wife and don't worry about the rest.

I wouldn't mind but I'm always giving out to my wife that her bag is like a black hole, but when I see it all written down there I realise I'm just as bad.

I'm definitely not alone! That's a fair bit of stuff too.

Vojera

Candie wrote: »

I'm definitely not alone! That's a fair bit of stuff too.

My shoulder does be killing me as well. I think I've discovered why! :pac:

Parchment

Things i always have with me:
-Purse
-Nuxe lip balm
-Small hairbrush
-Headphones
-Phone
-linen reusable shopping bag folded up really small to negate needing any bags if i buy something.

Thats it. I am very minimal with what i bring about with me - i couldn't imagine carrying lots of things around if they are not needed.

Lucyfur

Phone
Wallet
Keys
Lip balm
4 nappies
Muslin cloth
water wipes
an elephant
A teething mitt
Change of baby clothes

I don't have a handbag of my own at the mo

A nappy bag is a sort of handbag!

sullivlo

Lucyfur wrote: »

Phone
Wallet
Keys
Lip balm
4 nappies
Muslin cloth
water wipes
an elephant
A teething mitt
Change of baby clothes

I don't have a handbag of my own at the mo

A baby elephant?

:pac:

Stheno

Pencils, laptop , phone charger, make up bag, books, contact lenses, pens and that's pretty much it along with a travel cup

I manage to have a 13 inch wide handbag that contains it all only use it for work. Outside of work I don't use one.

robyntmorton

In mine right now:
A business card
Face powder
Mascara
Bourjois lip gloss
NYC lip crayon
Chanel lipstick
Mints
Tissues
Hand gel
Paracetamol
Hair brush
Umbrella
Sunglasses
Perfume (Armani Code dupe)
Lens cloth
Earphones
Purse
Keys
6 old receipts

Lucyfur

sullivlo wrote: »

A baby elephant?

:pac:

Indeed. A green baby elephant named Furtado, to be exact.

Nellie the Elephant Furtado.

I like it.

B00!

You're not alone, my bag is way too full!
Everyone says my satchel is too heavy, but it's generally what I need for a day out so I can't seem to lighten the load.
.

chuckles30

You're definitely not alone - I keep threatening to cut down, but never get there...here goes:

Keys (2 for my house, 2 for my mothers, 2 car keys, 2 for community centre plus trolley tokens, loyalty cards and key rings)
Phone
Wallet
Earphones
Work locker/laptop lock keys
Lip balm
Glasses cleaning cloth
Small tape measure
4/5 foldable shopping bags (for when I forget the main ones)
Weight Watchers points calculator
Address book (used for tracking my ww points)
Notebook (just in case...I never actually use it!!)
Pens
Tissues
Pantyliners
Nail Clippers
Cold Sore Cream
Band Aids
Assortment of pain killers - paracetemol, ibuprofen, aspirin, rennies

Gods your poor backs must be in bits.

I carry;
Book
Diary
Journal
Phone charger
Keys
Lip gloss
Purse
Mirror
Vaseline

Sometimes it's just book, purse, keys, lip gloss.

miamee

I'm not going to dig around in it now to see but off the top of my head:

driver's licence
earphones
key to my drawers in work
cloth for cleaning my glasses
gift voucher
wallet
keys
phone
packet of tissues
used tissue(s)
multiple lip glosses & one lip crayon yoke
mascara - don't normally carry this, it was given to me last week and I forgot to take it out at home
Vaseline lip balm
pen
nail file
several sanitary towels
multiple receipts and tickets from things.

It's badly in need of a clear out.

LenaClaire

During the work week its:
Laptop
Phone
Wallet
Inhaler
Allergy Meds
Panadol
Migraine Meds
1-2 emergency tampons
Granola bar
2-3 Hard candies
2-3 packs of tissues
Random receipts
Hair ties
pens
Notebook
Comb
lipstick

StripedBoxers

What is in my bad depends on where I am going and what I am doing to be honest.

If I am going into hospital then usually this is what I put in

Mini make up bag which has a hand cream, thermometer, lip balm, hand sanitising gel, sweeteners, two pens.
Phone
Appointment booklet and blood forms
Diary
Purse
Phone charger/earphones
Sanitary products just in case

If I'm going grocery shopping

Phone, earphones, purse.
Sanitary products just in case

If I'm meeting my friends

Mini make up bag which has a hand cream, thermometer, lip balm, hand sanitising gel, sweeteners, two pens.
Phone
Earphones
Purse
Sanitary products just in case

It sounds like a lot but its not actually heavy, I can't carry anything heavy at the moment and generally what I bring with me, if stuff I actually need, when I get home, I take out what I don't need and leave it on the dresser for whenever I need it next.

I was awful before for having everything and anything in it but now I clear it out as soon as I'm home so I don't forget.

Stheno

How any bags do ye have?

StripedBoxers

Stheno wrote: »

How any bags do ye have?

Who me?

I have four, but really only use the one at the moment as it as a long shoulder strap so easy to carry, plus its not too big/small, its just the right size for everything I need.

If I'm going grocery shopping, I'll sometimes use the smaller shoulder bag

dee_mc

I think I have 3 handbags (everyday use), one of which is old and in bits and will never be used again but I bought it the day I first got paid for my first 'real job' so I'm not ready to throw it out 10 years on!
I carry
Purse complete with every loyalty card ever
Keys
Phone and charger and sometimes a power bank
Tablet
Lipstick
Vaseline tin
Ecig and spare battery
Toothpick thingies
Reusable water bottle
Tampons and pads
Passport
Granola type bar or an apple
Spare hair tie
Small hairbrush
Glasses cleaning cloth
Nurofen cold and flu
Antihistamines (hayfever)
8 hour cream
Pack of tissues
Lighter for lighting incense at work
Pen
Lip balm I never use
Painkillers I never use

It's no wonder I have a bad back!

chuckles30

At any given time, I have one 'main' handbag that I use most of the time. When I get fed up of it or it gets worn out, it goes to handbag heaven. I used to keep them to use again, but never actually re-used them, so now just move them on.

I have a small cross-body handbag that I use when I don't want to bring all the 'crap' with me...this takes my phone, a smaller wallet, keys, lip balm, headphones and tissues.

Then I have a selection of occasional/dressy/going out handbags.....you know the ones you bought to go with that dress!!

rainbow kirby

Phone
Charger
Headphones
Purse
2 bags of dried fruit
Bag of cashew nuts
Work ID
House keys
Oyster card
Ella's Kitchen fruit pouch
Baby spoon
Peppermint Aero
Tissues
Tampons
Race number from an event I did at the weekend
Pens
Tube of yellow Metanium
One Pampers Baby-Dry size 4

miamee

chuckles30 wrote: »

At any given time, I have one 'main' handbag that I use most of the time. When I get fed up of it or it gets worn out, it goes to handbag heaven. I used to keep them to use again, but never actually re-used them, so now just move them on.

I have a small cross-body handbag that I use when I don't want to bring all the 'crap' with me...this takes my phone, a smaller wallet, keys, lip balm, headphones and tissues.

Then I have a selection of occasional/dressy/going out handbags.....you know the ones you bought to go with that dress!!

I think I have more of these than the day to day/weekend bags! Moved house a few years ago and due to space most bags stayed in a box, moved again a few months ago and still most bags have stayed in storage - time for a big bag clearout!

ETA: I forgot to add to my list random bits of post that I am supposed to be following up on and 2 bank digipass yokes for confirming changes on your bank account.

Parchment

Interesting! regarding the handbag selection - i have one i use for "work" stuff but as cycle to work pretty much daily i use a pannier as my handbag.

Otherwise i have 5 shoulder bags and two clutch bags. All get used depending on my needs/outfit.

LenaClaire

Stheno wrote: »

How any bags do ye have?

I have one laptop backpack that I carry with a wristlet when travelling.

When I am home I alternate between main bags seasonally and have small cross body bags for holidays when I want to just carry wallet, phone, inhaler.

Bambi985

Wallet, phone, work laptop, earphones, several work notepads, diary, house keys, 5,493,039 pens, a tube of carmex and Chanel mascara, can of diet coke, tooth brush and paste, moroccan oil, scarf.

meeeeh

Phone
Car and other keys, I don't know what half of them are for
Lodgement slips mixed with shop receipts
Sunglasses
Wallet
Make up bag
Personal and business digipass
Tissues and some sanitary stuff
I'm getting better at emptying my bag and currently I use smaller bag. When I carry bigger bag there is more rubbish in it.

Phone
Ipod
Headphones x2
Keys
Big wallet
Tissues
Lip balm
Concealer stick
Deo
Mini hairbrush
Mini perfume
Hair bobbins
Panadol
Anti allergy / cetrine
Pocket mirror
Probably more I've forgotten
It's a small crossover bag. I have a bigger one i used to use day to day and i could fit more in that like my kindle but prefer the smaller one now

Malari

Parchment wrote: »

Interesting! regarding the handbag selection - i have one i use for "work" stuff but as cycle to work pretty much daily i use a pannier as my handbag.

Otherwise i have 5 shoulder bags and two clutch bags. All get used depending on my needs/outfit.

Do you keep everything loose in the pannier? I cycle to work but have a basket, so if I did that everything would bounce out by the time I got in - terrible roads :pac:

I have about 20 handbags I guess, use 3 or 4 regularly during the week interchangeably.

Contents are generally:

Phone
Wallet
Tissues
Vaseline
Sunglasses
Pen
Diary
Plastic shopping bag

Parchment

Malari wrote: »

Do you keep everything loose in the pannier? I cycle to work but have a basket, so if I did that everything would bounce out by the time I got in - terrible roads :pac:

I have about 20 handbags I guess, use 3 or 4 regularly during the week interchangeably.

Contents are generally:

Phone
Wallet
Tissues
Vaseline
Sunglasses
Pen
Diary
Plastic shopping bag

My pannier has a zipped pocket on the inside of the closing - so i keep phone/purse/keys in that. In the main section i throw in my clothes for work (i change when i get there) and my lunch bag.

I take my pannier off when i get to work and take it with me so its essentially a really ugly handbag for the day!

Neyite

I don't know how many handbags I have
In my defence, they've all been given to me either as gifts or someone I know doing a clear out and offered them to me.

Mine is surprisingly sparse at the moment as I had a recent clear out but always in mine is
Keys
Wallet
phone
headphones
sunglasses
reading glasses
paperwork - bills to be paid or stuff to be followed up on
pen
lip balm

Before I had a smart phone I had a diary /organiser /notebook, and my kindle.

SarahMollie

I've recently had an ephiany. I've bought a smaller handbag and I now love it.

I bought it in Arnotts, (Longchamp - figured it was important to buy something nice so I would want to use it!) so its beautiful leather. Its about 15cmx12cmx4cm with a long strap. It limits me to carrying only the essentials (keys, phone, cards, bit of lippy and a compact umbrella. I can wear it cross body and just go about my business.

I'd highly recommend!

RhubarbCrumble

I have a lot of bags and change them regularly and because of that, only the same five things ever go in:

Purse
Phone
Keys
Make up bag
Pen

I'm shocked at the amount of stuff that some of you are carrying around on a daily basis. Your poor shoulders must be in bits

Dial Hard

Phone
Wallet
Keys (3 in total)
Sunglasses
Power bank
Lip balm
Lip gloss
Lip liner

That's it. I stopped carrying my "day" make up bag with me because the only thing I ever touch up during the day is my lip gloss.

In terms of how many bags I own, I couldn't tell you off the top of my head - maybe 15 actual handbags and then another 5 or so clutches/evening bags.

notsoyoungwan

For everyday/work use I carry wallet, my personal phone, work phone, a few pens, hairbrush, and a small zip bag that holds tampons and pain relief. I also carry an epipen after a severe anaphylactic reaction last year. For weekends, subtract the work phone and the content is pretty much the same.

I am unashamedly a handbag person. I'd estimate that I own around 50. Some are high end designer, others are TK Maxx €19.99 specials. Usually I change my bag with my outfit, though obviously some bags are more neutral and will go with loads of outfits, but I probably wouldn't carry the same bag for more than 5 consecutive days.

notsoyoungwan

notsoyoungwan wrote: »

For everyday/work use I carry wallet, my personal phone, work phone, a few pens, hairbrush, and a small zip bag that holds tampons and pain relief. For weekends, subtract the work phone and the content is pretty much the same.

I am unashamedly a handbag person. I'd estimate that I own around 50. Some are high end designer, others are TK Maxx €19.99 specials. Usually I change my bag with my outfit, though obviously some bags are more neutral and will go with loads of outfits, but I probably wouldn't carry the same bag for more than 5 consecutive days.

I'm not particularly into fashion or whatever, but I do love a nice bag. I'd say I've got about 25 and it's one of the few things I'll really spend on. Most of my bags would be leather, most would be mid to high end. I don't regret a single one.

I'd rarely go a week without changing bags, but at weekends I either carry a much smaller one or none at all. During the week, I tend to carry my world in my bag.

cailin8

None, just a coat with 3 zipped pockets, fits phone wallet, keys, tissues. I've got so used to not having to remember a bag unless on a night out. Then I need a bag.

Bambi985

I've got the total sum of about four handbags, two of which I use almost on a rotating panel, the other two I'll knock out for special events or if I just want a change.

Not a bag person at all, they are strictly for the function of logging around all of my crap!

I'd spend most of my disposable income on shoes and skincare though so I guess we all have our weaknesses!

Sunny Dayz

Oh gosh I don't think I even want to look!
I've gotten lazy over the past year or two and don't bother changing my handbag day to day or week to week. I treated myself to a Michael Kors bag a year and a half ago so I tend to just use that all week long.


Phone
2 sets of keys, one set personal, one set for work
Wallet,
small umbrella,
glasses case (son's)
Tissues
Neurofen
Coldsore cream
small bottle of perfume (Lacoste Pour Femme)
Various paperwork
Few pens
Vaseline
A small torch (mainly for winter walking home from work when it's dark)
Tampons and pads
Various lipsticks

misstearheus

Not really a dressing-up person myself either. I'd easily live without a Handbag. But I do love them. Handbags and Jewellery are my thing! Not expensive ones just regular. Have loads of going-out Handbags, and I do mix them up and give them all a night out now and again! All's that go in them is Plasters, ST's, Phone, Wallet or small Purse, and Lipstick.

In my Every-day bigger Handbag, I never empty it really, but off the top of my head; -
Plasters,
ST's,
A Sheet of Paracetamol,
A Sheet of Nurofen+,
2/3 rounds of Anti-biotics,
Erhm 2 Golf-Tees?!? I've decided to leave them in there, I dunno they might bring me luck?! Some lad at Pub at home one evening drunkenly stashed them in there, why I don't know, but they've stayed.
A Concealer stick,
Lipgloss,
A Vaseline Nasal Inhaler thingy,
A Toothpick,
1/2 Biros,
2 Lidl small Bounty Bars,
1/2 Rolls of Silvermints,
Bottle of Perfume,
Tin of Vaseline,
Tube of Teetha.
Empty Tin of NaturesCourt Period-Salve, - that needs to be binned.
Couple of Tissues.
Phone always.
Wallet always.
Keys very rarely. Generally pocket them than bag them.
Memory Stick mostly.
Phone Charger mostly.
Earphones occasionally.
Couple of Necklaces and Bracelets an odd time.
Tube of Heat Rub now and again.
Tube of Coldsore Cream an odd time.


I don't even go anywhere!! Handbag gets brought in car but rarely gets carried around! But like I might as well leave it at home! It's literally just ever-cautious "in case of!" 9 times outta 10 if I'm going shopping I'll just end up taking some money out of my Wallet and stick it in my Jacket-pocket!

amtc

Phone
Wallet
Coin Purse
Passport (was away yesterday)
Keys
Receipts
Painkillers
Small bottle of holy water (a la my mum)
Spare Tights
Pen
Mints

And about 80 handbags....

dee_mc

amtc, do you use all/most of your bags?
I used to have a collection (maybe 20 bags) when I was younger and would use a different one pretty much every day and change to a small one for going out during college, but I just couldn't be bothered anymore! I used to be like that with shoes too though!

wuffly

Wallet
keys
deodorant
kindle
filofax
2 phones (work & private)
Passport (just had my visa renewed, need to take it out and put away)
lipgloss - that i never use
2 pads
loose business cards- mixed
Coffee loyalty card
Glasses - need to put them in case before they get wrecked.
Card wallet for my car park & office access

I don't know how have many bags I have. I've been slowly getting rid of ones I don't use and haven't bought a new one in ages. I have a few good ones that i rotate through, over a few years, currently using a 7/8yr old Orla Kiely crossbody, love the strap for the key!!

amtc

I use most of them. Some are occasion wear. Some are summer ones more casual. I have one of those handbag inserts for transfers. Very handy.

A separate question...why doesn't someone invent a handbag with a light in it...like a fridge?

robyntmorton

Because when the batteries go you'll be rooting around in the dark corners of the handbag for the spare ones you know are in there somewhere!

Glitter

Gift voucher for Hickey's
Small hand mirror
Folded up carrier bag
Small umbrella
Three sets of keys (home, work and bestie's spare set)
Sunglasses and sunglasses case
Wallet
Change purse (this makes me sound like I'm about 105 but it's actually like a teeny-tiny hard case mini handbag, my wife gave it to me and I love it!)
A couple of bills
Several biros
Travel hairbrush
Cigarette case & lighter (if I'm going to have a revolting habit, I might at least be stylish about it)
Two lipsticks (a Rimmel red one that I call my "day red" and a cheapo pinky-nude one from Penney's that smells like sweets and is surprisingly nice on)
NYX black eyeliner pencil
And hair pins

I only buy one big day handbag every couple of years (mid range leather, nothing madly high end) but I have countless small evening or going out handbags - cheap ones, expensive ones, gifts, charity shop finds, you name it.

annascott

Purse
Phone
iPad
Makeup bag
Umbrella
Tissues
It
Tictacs
Small bottle of water
Pens
Notebook