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Momma Told Me: A bag is only as important as that which it holds.
I've referred to my purse as a virtual 'Felix's magic bag'- Every time I try to downsize with a smaller, slimmer profile, handbag, it inevitably ends up swapped out for something that could garner it's own orbit. Things go in and, despite my best efforts to clean it out once a week, seldom come back out until of the utmost importance. I learned this from Momma, the true MacGuyver of our family. She'd haul a purse to and from the car, while toting a fanny pack full of over-the-counter medications, hand wipes, super glue, safety pins, ChapStick and more. To this day someone can't sniffle or sneeze around her without being offered a Vitamin C lozenge and tissue.
Let's face it, we carry purses for the things we carry inside the purses- all those little things we know we don't quite need right now, but eventually will. (Or at least someone in our family, at the table, or next to us in line will.) My 'bag of tricks' has saved the day on more occasions than I can count. And, as fashionable as modern handbags are, they really are only as useful as that which is carried inside. I like to call these things my Purse Essentials. And they don't have to break your back, or your bank, to keep on hand.
Just an ordinary travel toiletry, or medium sized sift makeup bag can help house all those essentials in an organized, out of the way, place within your purse. Most fashionable handbags severely lack internal organization in the form of pockets. Because of this I try to limit the amount of lose items floating around with zip pouches, purse organizers, and a well compartmentalized wallet. Nobody wants melted lip balm all over the bottom of genuine leather purse, and fewer things are more frustrating then having to pull everything out of your purse in public while hunting for that one item you 'know' is in there!
Our family members have a lot of dietary and sensitivity challenges (such as lactose and acidity intolerance) so I've learned to keep a few emergency doses of their OTC products on hand. But there are also a few OTC products of my own that always come in handy; especially this time of the year. With cold and flu season upon us new Emergen-C Immune+ Chewables offer immune support in the form of a convenient citrus flavored chew-able I can take anywhere, even on the go. Similarly, New
Centrum VitaMints are adult multivitamins with a refreshingly minty
taste you can take/enjoy any time of day with or without food or water. Not only can I get a daily serving of essential vitamins, I can take these after a garlic heavy meal out for a quick breath freshening effect that eliminates the need for a mint!
Of course space saving is key, no matter how large your handbag is, as is accessibility to your most used items. Smartphones, car keys, and sunglasses are among the first items lost in the bottom of the 'magic bag,' at the worst possible times. Sunglasses can be particularly painful to lose to the abyss because lenses are easily scratched and even crushed when forgotten. Try my simple life hack and pick up a badge clip (for student or employee ID cards) from the local dollar store. Clip it onto an outer edge or pocket on your purse and snap the badge holder to your sunglasses when not in use. You can even dress it up a little with some bling for a little extra sass.
I'm often surprised to learn of the things most people don't keep in their purse essentials- They're often the items I'm asked for most! Bandages are an absolute must- but should be stored somewhere dry and clean. I keep a few bandages rolled up in an old film tube with some antiseptic packets, always. I also keep clear nail polish on hand for emergency fashion repairs- though there are about 50 practical uses for clear nail polish, that's another post! Another often forgotten thing to stock is money- Stash an emergency $10 or $20 bill in your purse somewhere you won't see or access it everyday. You'd be surprised how many times a wallet is lost, with a purse still in hand! Lastly, don't forget to keep an OTC painkiller stocked-
Advil tablet vials make a great compact way to keep pain relief on hand. Use Advil tablets for headaches, minor arthritis and other joint pain, muscle aches and pains of the common col.
One thing I, personally, am always asking others to borrow while out and about is hair ties. If I had a dollar for every hair elastic I've owned during my life so far, I'd have a nice down payment on a car. These little snappy, flexible, bands of elastic always go missing when I need them most only to wind up under the passenger's seat of the car, or in the cat's mouth. So, this year, I've adopted the genius life hack of storing my hair elastics on a $.49 cents carabiner clip. Not only can I instantly tell when it's time to replenish my supply, but I can even clip them to my keys or belt loop when the days' tasks call for something physical!
But all these awesome
purse essentials are of absolutely no use if they're not stocked up and on hand when you need them. I get my favorite purse essentials at Walmart, where there are plenty of purse sized versions of my favorite, everyday, products like Advil, Centrum VitaMints, and 100% Natural ChapStick Total Hydration. Be the hero, and be prepared, with a full arsenal of purse essentials for everyday health and life's unexpected challenges.
What are a few things you always keep on hand in your purse?
What Daughter Says: Make sure your purse is ready for whatever life throws at you with everyday purse essentials.
I carry most of the same things with me in my purse. I never leave home without gum!
ReplyDeleteThese are all great items. I would add chocolate. I keep chocolate with me at all times.
ReplyDeleteI wish it wasn't in the mid to high 90s into the Fall here in SoCal, I definitely would, too. Sometimes I have to settle for mint chocolate mints!
DeleteI don't have a purse, but I DO keep Advil and a few other first aid things close at hand at all times. I get terrible headaches.
ReplyDeleteI always have girl stuff in there for an emergency. I SHOULD put medicine in there because more times than not I get a headache while I am out and about.
ReplyDeletelove the sunglass hack! I hate when they fall to the bottom of your purse and get all dusty or scratched! This way they're right at hand. I always carry advil. It's the only thing that can nip a migraine in the bud for me. I also have far too many lip glosses than I'd like to admit to!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I totally understand the huge purse thing. My current purse is actually a black leather diaper bag - it doesn't look like a diaper bag, but it's great big with a million pockets so it's perfect :) We use a carabiner clip for hair ties too - but that sunglass holder idea is GENIUS. Because after going to two million conferences the past few years, I have a few of those clips I could take off of lanyards to use :)
ReplyDeleteI have not seen these Emergen-C shewables before. We use the powder for the kids, do they make the chewables for kids?
ReplyDeleteI have several of those items in my purse as well. I have lower back issues, so the Therma Care gets used a lot.
ReplyDeleteI always keep baby wipes with me, even when my kids are not with me! They ALWAYS come in handy!
ReplyDeleteSome kind of lip balm is a must in my purse. I don't use it regularly, but sometimes I find my lips get very dry and chapped, and it's nice to have it on hand wherever I am.
ReplyDeleteI love the sunglasses idea. I am going to start doing this right away. I always have Advil on me just in case i need it.
ReplyDeleteThese are great purse hacks. I need to get a few of these items to put in my purse.
ReplyDeleteI am so using your sunglasses hack for sure! Great hacks, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI don’t leave home without my purse which has gum, a pain reliever, bandages (my daughter and I are clumsy), hand sanitizer, hair things, and a little bit of candy (should my blood sugar drop). I’m the go to anytime someone needs something but the essentials are a must!
ReplyDeleteI always have a note pad and pen, feminine supplies just in case and chap stick. There is so much more I could add though after reading this.
ReplyDeleteI do like to keep advil with me just in case! I need to pick up some of those chewables too. Of course I always have to have chap stick!
ReplyDeleteI cannot seem to downsize my purse size, I always need to have everything in it for me and the kids! These are great purse must haves.
ReplyDeleteLove all the essentials. Moms with kids like me can't go anywhere, especially without Advil in our purse.
ReplyDeleteYou've got a great bag filled with essentials there! It's amazing the things I find when I clean my bag out - I recently found one of the kids socks. Just one. LOL. A few things I can't do without are Advil, ChapStick, hair ties, tissues and epi-pens.I feel lost without them! {client}
ReplyDeleteThese are all essentials. I have to have that Emergen-C chewables.
ReplyDeleteI have most of those things in my purse! I need to check out those Emergen-C chewables!
ReplyDeleteYou purse needs to be prepared for any emergency! That's why we have it, after all!
ReplyDeleteI always have some piece of tech with me (cell, tablet, Kindle, etc) and when those devices start getting older, the batteries die quicker so I've got a small makeup bag with chargers and a power bank. It's also great to keep ear buds from getting tangled. My other essentials include chocolate, little pill bottles for misc OTCs (Advil, allergy pills), small bottle of body spray, nail clippers and file (for that painful hangnail at work).
ReplyDeleteI keep Advil liquigels or sudafed, etc in a contact lens case. It's slim and fits quite a few tablets in each compartment. Then I just replenish from my big bottles at home. Much cheaper than buying travel sizes.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good collection of purse items!
ReplyDeleteChoosing a clutch purse to compliment an outfit can be a challenge, as there are so many different styles and colors to choose from. shoulder bag for women Womans hand bags stores usually carry many selections of designer purses and clutches.
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