What are your handbag habits?

Parent Cafe
1

Thought I would do a spin-off of @conmama handbag discussion.

Do you buy and wear one handbag (or do you call them purses) or do you have a few that you change out?

My sister buys one very expensive purse and uses it until it falls apart. She will spend a lot to get something special. She also stuffs her purse so full but I digress.

Me, I like to buy my purses on sale and switch them out (I am sure that this no surprise to anyone who “knows” me here). I like to switch out from summer to winter and based on what I’m doing. I have a white purse for summer, a crossbody for travel, a black tote and now a leather backpack.

I also like to have an organized purse. I have a pouch to put small items in. A wallet, my phone has a slot on the back for my drivers license with a separate pocket on the purse to store. And a dedicated spot for my keys. I have a cheap handbag organizer for my tote. I hate not being able to find stuff.

What do I always have in your purse?

I always have hand sanitizer, Kleenex, aleve, chapstick, mints or gum. A cleaning cloth for glasses. I do store my sunglasses in the car but if I’m going somewhere, I will put them in my purse. I also have disposable toothbrushes and a phone charger. Other than than the sunglasses, everything else is in a small pencil case.

Many times I will travel with just my phone and keys which is why I have a phone case with a slot for my DL and a credit card. Probably not the safest but many times I don’t want to carry everything. If I travel, I don’t do that but running errands or working out I do.

I also always bring my purse in, I never store it in my car in my attached garage, something my sister always does.

What are your habits, quirks with your handbags?

2

I’m like you, I buy when they are on sale and have many. I have a combination of quality and sizes. I definitely switch out by season, and by color/outfit/occasion. (Reminds me that it’s time to get out my Fall bags).

What’s in my purse: house keys, lipstick, wallet, sunglasses, purse hook, phone, tampon.

Now that we are in a more urban area and I walk everywhere, I find that I use certain bags more than others - two bags that convert to backpacks (one leather, one nylon depending on temp/activity level, and my cross body bags).

Fun thread!

PS. Even my H now has two “man bags” because we walk so much.

3

I buy a nice bag, typically on sale, and carry it daily. Sometimes I pull out a few things to go in a small crossbody bag when I am traveling and don’t want to be burdened with the weight of the larger bag. I may change my large leather bag to a nylon bag like a Longchamp for summer, but other than that not much for changing the bag to match outfits, etc.

4

Beside a small bag for travel I’m minimal in bags. MAYBE one for cold months and one for warmer months but I’ll carry the same bag for months. No way am I going to take the time to switch out purses for occasions.

I’m a backpack girl. I buy a purse that can be worn 2 ways (must be both) on my back AND crossbody. I look for some pockets - like at least one on the outside of the bag for easy to grab stuff like my work badge. Like a pocket for my reading glasses, a must.

I would never pay more than $100 for a purse - and I’d have to adore it to pay that much. I’m not a department store person so I would likely buy at TJ Maxx or a Fossil outlet or something like that.

I am an extremely casual person 99.9% of the time so no need for fancy bags or multiple bags.

5

I have a smallish Baggallini. I put it in bigger bags when I need more stuff - my architectural supplies are in a shoulder bag I love that was made to hold laptops. Otherwise I have canvas backs if I am reading real books or newspapers. The strap can be worn cross-body but I rarely do. I have some artsy bags that I sometimes use for when I am dressed up, but more often, even then I’ll just stick with the Baggallini. It’s black and inoffensive.

The bag (which I sometimes call a purse)
always has:
A teeny tiny vaseline and/or lip gloss
A mechanical pencil
A Pigma micron pen
A ballpoint (which is often missing)
Small wallet (made out of Tyvek)
Change
A few bandaids
A few ibuprofin
A charging stick
Packet of kleenex
Cleaning cloth for glasses (currently missing)

It sometimes has:
Checkbook (usually I just keep it in the architecture bag since the main place I write checks is the building departments)
Kindle (mostly only when I’m going into the City)
Umbrella (you can just squeeze one in)
Phone (only if I don’t have pockets that day)
Keys (only if I don’t have pockets that day)
A fancier lip gloss with a mirror and multiple color choices
Bujo journal

The architectural bag has laser measure, tape measure, a scale for measuring plans, a face mask, more pencils and pens, a graph paper notebook. When appropriate plans for current projects.

6

I only carry shoulder bags and will switch bags occasionally but usually carry each one for months at a time. I’m pretty selective about bags. Size is extremely important, most bags on offer are way too big. But it has to be big enough to fit two pairs of glasses, a wallet, a small bag with lip balm and an inhaler, my phone, a pen and a measuring tape. There has to be a place for me to hook the carabiner that holds my keys, either inside or outside.

I just bought a vintage (or used, depending on your point of view) Etienne Aigner bag at a flea market. Its proportions are quite pleasing. It’s got some wear but so do I.

7

I’m like @mathmom in that I have a small core bag that I nest inside a larger one as needed. Small bag has:

  • wallet
  • pen
  • small pad of paper
  • tiny mag light
  • lighter (you never know)
  • pen knife (you never know)
  • cleaning cloth for glasses (hot pink so I can't miss it!)
  • small tube of lip gloss
  • tiny little notebook (cut up & stapled index card parts) that DS2 made me when he was a kid

Larger bag will hold the small bag plus:

  • planner when needed; I can't work off my phone and need a physical one, 6" x 7" x 2"
  • tiny folding umbrella
  • book if I'll be cooling my heels somewhere
  • small needlework project ditto

Every single wallet and bag that I own has a copy of anaphylaxis symptom and treatment cards that I printed out and laminated. We have food allergies in the family.

My small bags are either a blush pink or black depending on season, large bags are a black or off-white hobo. All bags have shoulder or cross-body option. I’m not comfortable with a backpack because I’m possessive and have to see my stuff. :smile:

8

Have any of you ever weighed your bags to see how heavy they are? :slight_smile:

9

Handbag habit: none! Almost never use them. Put my wallet and phone in back pockets, keys and lip stuff in front pockets, and done! But I live in a rural area, and it must be said my car is outfitted so I could survive a siege!

This means that when I dress up and don’t have enough pockets, and therefore carry a purse (probably bought 25 years ago) I tend to forget it and leave it at the venue . . .

I probably shouldn’t have even posted on this thread :slight_smile: but I thought maybe there should be an outlier or two.

10

@doschicos Never weighed them, too scared to! Kidding aside, I usually only take my heavier version when I’ve got less walking.

@cinnamon1212 Kind of rural here, too, what’s-in-my-car includes shovels and blankets year round!

I have a footnote to my handbag habits: Belt bag for dog walking. Includes two different types of treats, waste bags, and EMT Gel.

11

At the start of my professional studies, my bag was about 30 lb. :slight_smile: Books and all! Thank goodness for MSFT Surface and Kindle app and $3 kindle textbooks that came with the purchase of the paper ones. The weight went down to significantly less than 10 lb!

I carry a PIP (or BIB) - “purse in purse” meaning a tote that has a wallet on a chain in it in addition to any work reading materials and my laptop (whenever I need it). If I need to take off for lunch or a daytime meeting, I can take the wallet on chain out and just carry that. The tote has both an umbrella and a case with Bernadette-like sunglasses, 'cause realism. :slight_smile: You never know if it is going to be raining or sunny. A few pens and some business cards and a hairbrush. That’s pretty much it.

12

I just have one bag and I try hard not to have to carry it buy wearing clothes with pockets for my phone, keys, and a little cash, so I can just go.

It is always a small to medium purse in a darker, neutral color. I only change it out when the purse is worn out or shabby looking.

I haven’t weighed it but don’t think it is overly heavy.

In my purse is:


[QUOTE=""]

wallet
notebook with attached pen
brush with pony tail things wrapped around handle
keys
finger nail clippers
small tube of hand lotion
packet of tissue

[/QUOTE]

13

I like to switch out a main bag each season. I don’t have a lot of purses right now, but I don’t mind switching if going out at night to something smaller if I have to leave it on, or just want to match my outfit better. But I rarely switch for daytime.

I just bought that cute little MK for travel year around. It would hold scaled down stuff perfectly, but depending on the kind of travel and length, I carry a larger crossbody. Seems I’m always carrying DH’s sunglasses and phone, too. In my day purse I carry:

Wallet
Sunglasses
Small Makeup bag
Comb and travel hairspray
Readers
Phone
Heavy keyfob, house keys, little tape measure and breath mints

I like to have room to stuff other stuff if need be.

14

Phone case wallet and I’m done!

15

I think I’m a minimalist. I used to carry a purse. But like @cinnamon1212, I don’t now. I noticed my adult D’s rarely carry a purse. I was always mad at myself when I had one and we would be somewhere and spontaneously decide to hike. It happens a lot. Purses are very uncomfortable and mess with balance. I would have to take out my cards and arrange them in my pockets and hide my purse in the car. I do use a small backpack when traveling for things like water, jacket, snacks, glasses, meds, etc.

This is my solution. I have all supplies in my car that I could possibly need for survival. I just bought a new pair of jeans for our recent Scandinavian trip that would fit my cards (in a banner material card holder D made for me) in my left front pocket. In that same pocket my passport fit (tightly). The phone is in my jacket zipper or my back pocket. Keys are in the right front pocket. I am quite small. So, my only complaint is that women pockets are not deep enough like guys pockets. They can put a phone in the front. I honestly don’t think I’m going back. This sense of freedom of movement and security gives me a sense of relief.

16

I switch purses seasonally. But I also have tote size bags I use when I’m traveling. The tote I’m using right now is a Born with really nice compartment features. One section easily holds my iPad.

In terms of what’s in my purse daily…

Small wallet
Checks
Lip gloss and lipstick
Some kind of candy to suck on
Small Kleenex
Sunglasses/case

I don’t need a very big bag for all this stuff.

17

I also rarely use a purse these days. I put cards, phone, keys in my pockets. I have a small navy baggallini crossbody that I use occasionally.

18

My key ring has several keys on it (house, car, work keys) - that sounds uncomfortable to carry around in a pocket for anything more than a quick errand!

Other things I have in my backpack purse:
Headphone case w/headphones
Jumpdrive
Small pouch with little round pill box, bandaids, a couple of allergy/cold pills, floss,tiny nail clippers)

19

So interesting what you carry or don’t in your handbag.

I understand not carrying one but I don’t always have pockets so it’s not always practical.

None of my handbags are very heavy, I hate a heavy handbag.

I would also love a Goyard, they aren’t very popular in the US so that is very appealing. But they are so expensive and I don’t even see them on the resale market often. I’d love to pick one up overseas but I think my H might pass out, lol!

I have purse switching down and it only takes me a minute to switch. Besides it helps to clear out all the junk once in awhile

Oops put the Goyard comment in the wrong place, I’ll leave it here.

20

I am a 2 purse per year (or longer) kind of gal. I typically have a black purse for winter and a lighter one (usually some version of beige/off-with, but I’ve actually been carrying a medium gray one for about a year and a half, with no seasonal switching). I’ve used the same Coach black leather bag for many of the last several years. I was buying a new light colored one every spring or summer, but as I mentioned before, the current gray one, also Coach, has been through all seasons at least once. I almost always buy leather bags, and they’ve mostly been Kate Spade or Coach, with a couple of Fossil, MK, and I don’t remember what else. I never buy D&B - they seem to heavy. I do have 1 expandable LongChamps tote, but I don’t use it as a purse.
Normally I feel like I have everything but a rabbit in my bag.
I have a wallet, keys, lip stick, lip gloss, glasses cleaner, probably gum or mints, pictures of my kids, several mechanical pencils, 1 pen, cards for various places (gym, food places, etc.), old receipts, phone, and I don’t know what else.