Taming handbag chaos.

Apparently, I am fascinated with the contents of people’s everyday bags.  I wrote an earlier article about a website called EDC (Every Day Carry) which examined what essentials people thought important enough to have with them at all times. Since we’re being very slow to come out of quarantine, especially in some states,  daily life is still pretty stagnant and sheltered except for the improved weather and occasional visits by no more than two trusted friends, outside and far apart.  I am still on the lookout for amusing, distracting rabbit holes to lose myself in for a little while.  Other people’s pocketbooks and daily carry is one of them.  See if you agree.

Here is what one magazine thinks every ‘modern woman’ should carry in her purse:

Safety pins

Band-Aids

Extra earring backs

blotting papers

USB flash drive

Business card holder

Healthy snack

Portable cell phone charger

Hairbrush

Pen and pencil

Notebook

Daily planner

Tissues

Lip moisturizer

Wallet

Credit card case

Keys

Phone

Sunglasses

No wonder my back hurts all the time.  My bag is SO heavy but I really need everything in it! Here is the USDA recommendation:  “Although the USDA recommends a handbag’s ideal weight is just 2.2 pounds, many women carry purses that weigh in at five pounds or more, with the average being somewhere around 5.2 pounds.”.

Here is a composite list of what many men carry every day.  Most men do not want to be bothered carrying a ‘man bag’, but they should because the amount of stuff they try and cram into their pockets is ridiculous. Some men, like my husband, do not carry anything, and if he has something he doesn’t want in his pocket, guess who he gives it to?  Some things on this list had my husband in fits of laughter, like a stain remover pen, for example.  It made many lists I reviewed, so I’m thinking my husband is out of date.

Stain remover pen

Breath Mints

Mini Lint Roller

Face Wipes

Hand Sanitizer

Pain Medicine

Nivea Creme tin

Hairspray – travel size

Chapstick

Protein Bar

Wallet

Keys

Phone

If a man commutes to his work (remember when people did that?) he should also carry:

Umbrella

Headphones

Laptop

A Lightning or micro USB to USB cable

Reusable water bottle

Portable battery pack

A pocket journal

A packet of pocket tissues

An e-reader

A USB flash drive

I think the truth is somewhere in the middle.  If a man carries a briefcase, backpack or a man bag, he can fit as many items as he wishes to carry. Women, on the other hand, tend to accumulate things they don’t really need and then neglect to clean them out.  If other women’s partners are like mine,  we end up carrying items for them.

Here is a hilarious list from Ranker.com about what’s REALLY in a woman’s purse.  Sadly, it rings too true to me:

Stretched out hair ties

Wallet

One earring

Keys

Phone

Loose Change

Chapstick

Credit and Health Insurance cards

Business cards

Make up

Lotion

Old receipts

Sunglasses

Head phones

Hand Sanitizer

Crumpled grocery lists

Pens

Aspirin

Mints

Coupons

Medicine

Gift Cards

Band Aids

Candy

Comb

Sharpie

Bobby Pins

Old movie stub

Stamps

Metro card

Snack

Ginny and I would both add ‘projects’ to get fixed or somehow seen to, like the photo that needs to be enlarged, or the belt with a broken buckle, and a small notebook we write good ideas in but rarely remember to check.

What’s in your purse or man bag?

Here are some fun and interesting articles on this topic:

“What the Contents of your Purse/Handbag Say About you”

“What’s in Your Purse?”

“How to Organize your Purse”

“Photos of the Fascinating Things Women Keep in Their Bags”

See our earlier article:

What’s Your EDC (Every Day Carry)?

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