Tote This, Not That
What's in your bag, and are you a minimalist or a maximalist when it comes to organizing your purse? Just as there are essentials you definitely want to keep handy and with you at all times, other items only clutter the limited space and shouldn't be in there at all. Have your bag ready as you run through this list, and we'll tell you exactly what should stay out—and what to keep in.
1. Your Entire Makeup Bag
You might feel like you need to bring your entire stash to touch up your makeup when you're out of the house, but lugging around all your cosmetics isn't a good idea. For one, it'll take up too much precious space, and the extra weight will eventually lead to sore shoulders (or elbows).
2. Large Amounts of Cash
Unless you have a very good reason to bring so much cash around in this current digital banking era, you should keep your bills safe at home. Otherwise, you could easily have your bundles stolen, or they could accidentally spill from your bag when you're trying to pull something else out.
3. Old Receipts
If your purse is your all-in-one go-to that you take everywhere with you, you might have collected some receipts over the years that you still haven't quite decluttered. Sure, some of them could hold sentimental value (like the train ticket you kept from a trip overseas), but if you can, toss them to keep your purse organized.
4. Umbrella
Do you live in a city with unpredictable weather? We get it—sometimes, you just want to be prepared. But umbrellas, as portable as some of them are, can be heavy and take up too much space. If you must, carry a backpack instead of a purse to better balance out the weight.
5. Expensive Jewelry
Whether it's gold earrings or a diamond necklace, if you're not going to wear them, keep your expensive jewelry at home. These small, dainty accessories can easily become misplaced or slip out of your pockets, which could cause a lot of trouble (and tears).
6. Your Favorite Bottle of Perfume
Just as you shouldn't bring your expensive accessories with you, don't keep your favorite vial of perfume in your purse. Not only could it go missing or be stolen, it could also leak, which could stain your bag and waste the fragrance.
7. Garbage
Same with old receipts, throw out your garbage when you're finished eating and don't treat your bag like a trash bin. If you must keep it in your purse (say, when there's no bin in sight at the moment), make sure it won't stain or stink up your bag, or you'll have to deal with the aftermath if it happens.
8. Multiple Debit & Credit Cards
Unless you have good reason to, don't keep more than one card on you. If your wallet gets stolen, that means you'll only have to report one missing card and not multiple. Plus, bringing only your primary card with you frees up space in your wallet (and purse) to carry other things.
9. List of Passwords
Another thing you should never keep in your purse? A list of passwords. Sure, you might sometimes have to quickly jot down sensitive numbers, pins, and codes on a piece of paper, but it's better to note them down in your phone instead. Otherwise, you might just lose that paper and risk being hacked.
10. Passport
If you're not traveling, don't bring your passport with you. You might want to keep another piece of government ID with you, such as your driver's license, but a passport is an extremely sensitive document that you definitely don't want to lose or have stolen.
Now that we've run through some of the items you shouldn't keep in your purse, what essentials should you always have handy? Let's jump into that next.
1. Hand Sanitizer or Wet Wipes
The pandemic might have been years ago already, but keeping hand sanitizer or wet wipes with you is still a good habit to have. You don't always have access to a bathroom to wash your hands, so these items do the job when you need to quickly clean off muck and germs. Plus, they're extremely portable!
2. Chapstick
Even if you don't suffer from chronic chapped lips, you should still keep chapstick on hand when you need to re-moisturize, especially in the winter. You'll also want to make sure your balm has SPF in it—your lips need sun protection, too!
3. Lipstick
Speaking of lip balm, you should also keep your favorite tube of lipstick on you for reapplication purposes. If you're already bringing a small cosmetic bag, it can go in there; otherwise, keep it in a small inner pocket to save space (and trouble finding it).
4. Wallet
We know, we know—who wouldn't bring their wallet with them? But we also know some people like to forgo pouches and card organizers entirely, and prefer to just shove cash and essential cards in their bag. To that, we say: Put it in a small wallet. Trust us. You don't want everything to be disorganized and to potentially go missing.
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5. Tissues
Keeping tissues on you means you're always prepared whenever you accidentally spill something, need to wipe down your hands, or unfortunately run out of toilet paper in a public bathroom. You might be scoffing now if you don't already have this essential item in your bag, but again, trust us. You won't know how much you need them until you do.
6. Portable Charger
Are you going on a day trip and will be out of the house for a while? Unless your phone battery can last an entire day on one charge, you'll want to keep a portable charger with you. This way, you won't have to be scared of your battery running low when you need it most.
7. Hair Tie or Scrunchie
Those with short hair can skip this item, but if you're sporting long, luscious locks, bring a hair tie or scrunchie with you. In fact, we recommend having one on your wrist and one in your bag—just in case. They come in especially handy in the summer.
8. Tampons or Pads
Even if you know your cycle like the back of your hand, it's still a good habit to keep a few tampons and sanitary pads on you. After all, you never know if your patterns suddenly change, or if a friend might need to nab one in an emergency.
9. Earphones
Whether it's wired earphones or Bluetooth buds, you'll definitely want to keep a pair on you when you're out and about—even when you'll be driving and not transiting. You never know when they might come in handy, like when you need to take an important call at a busy café.
10. A Small Snack
You might think you don't need to keep a snack on you, but if you'll be out of the house for a while, it's a smart choice to make. Just a small protein or granola bar would do, or even an apple or container of assorted berries. They'll come in handy when you find yourself hungry midday.
