I dumped my purse. I pulled a juvenile move and turned the thing, the monstrosity of a purse, smaller than I need, larger than I want, but still fashionable – upside down. Curiosity got a hold of me.
This wasn’t supposed to be the topic of a Monday morning, but it is interesting what we stuff in there, isn’t it? I’ve tried smaller purses. I’ve organized until I stretch the smaller, less cumbersome purses to their seams’ limits. It just doesn’t work for me. There’s many times I’ve stuffed this one so full that I’m certain the next one is to be an overnight bag before I move on to a full blown suitcase.
The things that didn’t fall out, I won’t list…they’re safely occupying a zippered place or two. What fell out doesn’t get immunity:
- Blue and white baby bib
- #3 diaper
- A shimmery, lime green makeup bag, dotted with black hearts and misshapen with its fullness
- Bright neon pink beaded necklace
- 3 pens and 1 pencil
- A worn silver play phone with working buttons that supposed to be in my daughter’s “cottage house” out back
- Large black wallet
- A “Softlips” lip gloss stick from years ago that I recently found and decided I was nostalgic about
- A dime, three pennies and a quarter
- A book of matches, unused – and I don’t smoke, and neither does my husband
- Eucerin travel lotion
- Silver and black Matchbox race car
- A bright rainbow beaded bracelet
- 11 Tootsie Roll Pops (my daughters)
- 1 orange Tootsie Roll Pop wrapper
- A just about used, there’s no reason to have it, and certainly no reason for it to be in my purse tube of super glue
- 2 pink gum wrappers
- A lipstick that went rouge from the overstuffed makeup bag
- Red, black and silver super mini shopping cart with a suped up engine in the basket on wheels
- Plastic sandwich bag – empty
- Lid to a baby bottle
- 2 unopened bags of Kar’s unsalted original trail mix
- Green 4 oz plastic kid’s cup
- A child’s pink rainfall beaded hair scrunchy
- Plastic “organization” bag with two packs of gum
- My cell phone.
After dumping this on my office floor, I found myself staring. In awe. In amazement. In wonder.
“When did this happen? When did my purse become the diaper bag / daughter’s wardrobe / son’s play room / pantry / kitchen and office trash can? How long have I been carrying these items, slung on my shoulder, in the birthday present from my husband, purse. I carry it around as though there are important, must have items in here. I slam it on the passenger’s seat, shove it between my legs on the passenger floor, smoosh it in shopping carts, maneuver it around the house. I find space for it wherever I go, coveting it like a lost treasure.
And when does it stop. Does it stop? When will my bag shrink? When will I stop carrying anything that I think I might need in a crunch? When do I have to stop being prepared? How much worse will it get?”
…The questions that fluttered through my mind while I stared at the contents….then I found what I was looking for and shoved it all back in.
How big is your purse? If you dumped it, what would you find?
Jannie Funster (5)
Michele t. (3)
Secret Mom Thoughts (3)
Accidental Expert (2)
Lisa (2)
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You basically described the contents of my purse over the past four years minus the matchbox car. In its place, is an Ariel charm bracelet!
I don’t think it ever stops. It just gets replaced with adult children needs like tissues, Advil, safety pins and the like. Thanks for a chuckle!
Hilary~ Thanks. I’ll look forward to safety pins vs a green plastic kids cup. Space saver! LOL.
Whew! I hope I passed the quiz. I got a little nervous when I saw that one!
You do carry a lot around in your bad. I must admit that your contents are way more interesting than mine. What do I have? Hmmm…diapers, wipes, disposable placemats, cell phone. Not much else. Super boring, I know.
After careful review of your contents, I would like to think that you will be super prepared in case of a natural disaster!
-Francesca
I think my purse would have similar contents. It will be nice have a normal pocketbook that isn’t full of kid stuff.
I’m with you on this one. My husband just bought me a beautiful, one of a kind, handcrafted, leather purse from Tuscany for Christmas. Contents less than two months later:
Two, yes two, canisters of Albuteral for my son. (In case I don’t see one quick enough)
One pack Trident Bubblegum (with Xylitol) what ever that is.
A semi-crumpled classified staff sheet. Photo copied for my records.
Black leather make-up bag with everything I would need should I be away from home for longer than a year. Including, #721 Clarins Bronzer lip stick.
$5.72 in coins in that same bag.
Receipt from Yale Medical Group from October’s echo-Cardiogram for my son. October??
Scented hand lotion. (A must)
Five plastic spoons which were intended for my office a month ago.
Pair of cheap sunglasses. No case.
Comb (which I love but my sixth grader got during school picture day)
One blank check, signed by my husband (can you say Paris France?) for up and coming dental work.
Bunch of fifties for grocery shopping.
One credit card, health insurance cards, drivers license and SS cards. One picture each of my two sons.
Four Passports. In the unlikely event of a national emergency.
One $10 Euro dollar. In the unlikely event of a national emergency.
One large packet of Iodine tablets and bottle of Cipro in the unlikely event of a national emergency with in a fifty mile radius. (I will never let those go.)
Three super Tampons. Because my periods are now ridiculously heavy. And unpredicted.
All of this and I just cleaned out my purse last week, promising to keep it more organized than my other real nice purses that my husband has bestowed upon me…I guess I’ll just keep trying.
The purse – our little bit of home-away-from-home. Since Canada gave up paper one and two dollar bills, the loonies (our name for the dollar coins) and toonies (the two dollar coins) my purse is heavy! It’s helped me cut down on what I carry ’cause my shoulder was getting sore. I have the usual assortment of wallet, tissues, lip balms, mints, tissues, small date-book, pens (3) and pencils (2), car keys, scrumpled up receipts…and now I’m happy because I cleaned out all the junk answering this – lol!
Three Baby B Chicks~ LOL. I do wonder if anyone breaks a sweat answering that question. Now I know. As for the contents of your purse, it will soon change, mine used to look like that. I think I’m only going to be good for a natural family disaster. Especially looking at the contents of Michele T.’s purse!
Michele T.~ Okay, you’re seriously more prepared that I am. And at least you cleaned yours out. I just stuffed everything but the empty wrappers back in mine. The thought…it really would keep me more prepared for family emergencies – times when I need to entertain the kids on a whim, and if I thought I needed it at one time, I was probably thinking clearly. LOL.
Talon~ What I noticed was the pens and pencils. Why do we feel the necessity to carry so many writing utensils around?!?!?!
I am happy to announce that I have returned to the Itty-bitty purse committe!
Not trying to gloat, but with my boys, 13 (March 12th!) and 16, I am NO LONGER carrying luggage everyday.
And, yet, I bought one of those bags As Seen On TV (can’t remember the name) just in case. They still hand things for me “to carry.” *Sigh* Old habits die hard.
Great post, Mia!
Judith~ Itty-bitty purse committee… didn’t know there was one of those. I wonder if I could even go to itty-bitty if I had that option. I’m sure I’d find “something” to put in there, plus I really, really like the big bags. I have no idea why. Maybe it’s part of the old habits die hard as with you….HAPPY BIRTHDAY. 13 is your youngest! You have come so far. Always remember that!
Totally fascinating, fun post! Honestly, my bag is basically my own; we still carry around a knapsack with diapers and kid stuff, too scared to dig deep into that thing!
You are most definitely a mom.
I have an empty sandwich bag in there too.
I never bother with the small purses anymore . I always start off small and end up with a beach bag lol.
I no longer have the diapers but I exactly know the feeling of a stuffed purse unloaded and my wonderment at all that could possibly be in there.
Didn’t you have any lint and /or crumbs at the botom?? Am I the only one?
I’ve got lint along with my Passport(one never knows when one needs to quickly flee!), Starbucks card, biz cards, comb (never been a brush kind of gal), family pic, and daily to-do list!
Ellen~ I did that at one point and then decided that “that” bag could remain in the car (since we’re always in it) and I would just take necessities with me in my purse. The two bag carrying along with 3 kids just wasn’t working for me. But it certainly would make me feel more independent!
Vered~ LOL. What’s up with the sandwich bags in our bags anyway!
Debbie~ Beach Bag…hmmm…..summer is coming, I could justify that one!
Jannie~ The crumbs are reserved for the car, it’s horrid! I’m sure there was lint, but when I dumped it, the little lint buggers probably just fell out and blended into the carpet. HEY! Fast link cleaning! I’m going to do that more often!
Liz~ Ahh…the owner of the smaller purse I see. I wonder if you have international lint in your purse next to that “I’m gonna flee at any moment” passport.
I’m in awe……. I don’t know that I have that much stuff in my CLOSET.
I gave up on purses.
Long time ago.
I’m too tall. They never hang in the right place. I always had some girlfriend (Amy from OK comes to mind) that looked perfect with a purse. She was short and perky and cute…and she carried what looked somewhat like an antique-doctor-bag type purse…and everything matched. Wallet matched. Lipstick case matched. Credit card case matched. Checkbook matched.
I was nauseated.
I don’t carry a purse. If I can help it.
I own one….a black Etienne Aigner. It sits, usually, on the phone table near the entry, or on the sofa table near the large glass hurricane.
Contents: 4 lip glosses. 1 travel dental floss. 1 pen. tweezers. 1 pack of gum, missing 1 stick. My college ID card (I graduated in 2000).
Granted, we’re trying to have a baby, so I know the era of a diaper bag or other mobile storage contraption is coming. I know I’m going to start getting the collection of things that get me from point A to point B in a day….is coming. I’ll just resist as long as I can, and go with what I have.
Ferragamo wallet. More recepits than cash in the pocket. 2 credit cards. ID that I only show on demand cuz I hate the picture. Hubby’s business card because I never remember his phone number at work.
I am in awe of your variety.
MrsMoto~ I don’t have really cute purses. I think it’s probably a good thing considering my kids drag it around the house. I say drag because (obviously) it’s too heavy with all that stuff in it. As for yours, I know it’s going to change soon.