This post is for fun (not that any of my others aren’t for fun, of course). I don’t have very many purses, but I do switch purses from time to time. Sometimes, when men see me with a big purse, they ask, “What on earth could you possibly have in there?” or “What are you lugging around with you? I’m sure that’s filled with stuff you don’t need.” For anyone who is curious about what you might find in a women’s purse, then fear not. Without fail, you will always find the following in each of my purses:
A pen. Specifically, you will probably find my favorite pen, which is currently a purple Pilot G-2 Limited .7 mm pen. Take a look at that beauty. My boyfriend gave one to me as a gift and I was hooked (he has a bunch of them in different colors, too). I gave one to him for his 26th birthday, which was the first birthday we spent together. He likes to tease me about it because it sounds really lame that I gave a pen as a birthday gift. But really, this pen is that amazing! I have two (I picked up the other at a Longs Drugs in Honolulu): one for my journal and one for everything else during the day.
My wallet wristlet (and all its contents). I’m not sure if that’s the proper term, but it’s made by Vera Bradley and has space for all my ID card, credit cards, library card, Starbucks card, Bell card, and all those other cards I use. Sometimes (gasp) I even carry cash in there! It also has a spot for my cell phone, which is always tucked in there.
Chapstick. This one is pretty self explanatory. I have all different kinds of chapstick and I always have at least one to keep my lips looking healthy and shiny.
Lipstick. If I happened to have put on lipstick that day (which is maybe four days out of each week, on average), then I always put whatever lipstick I originally put on in my purse in case I need to re-apply. The funny thing is that I rarely actually reapply my lipstick anyway. I just like having the option if I felt so inclined.
A book. Whatever I happen to be reading at that moment will always find itself in my purse. As a result, I make sure that every purse I buy is big enough to accommodate the average-sized book. If I’m somehow not reading a book at the moment (the horror!), then I select one from my shelf and that book becomes the book I’m currently reading. I absolutely hate the idea of having downtime and not having a book to occupy me, which is why I always have one.
Water. Whether it’s in one of my reusable water bottles or a plastic water bottle (I know, I know; it’s bad for the environment and I need to stop buying 24 packs), I always bring water with me.
A healthy snack. I don’t like the feeling of being really hungry when I’m out and about. If it’s not a meal time and I’m hungry, then I take comfort in knowing that I’m not going to have to make a bad decision (both financial and health) on some peanut M&Ms or something.
Sunblock (summer) or lotion (winter). The sunblock is a newer addition to my purse, but I always have a high SPF sunblock with me in case I spend a lot of time outside and I can feel the sun on my face. Sometimes, I’ll put the sunblock on while I’m on the train to save time. My hands get EXTREMELY dry during the winter months, so I always carry a small container of lotion.
Hand sanitizer. This one is pretty self-explanatory. You never know when there isn’t soap in the bathroom you use (it happened to me yesterday) or when you might be forced into using a portapotty and there’s no hand sanitizer available. In an effort to be as healthy and clean as possible, I always carry a little Bath & Body Works hand sanitizer with me (they smell so good).
A notebook or journal. I’m not talking some big hefty five-subject notebook here. I’m talking about a simple 70-page college ruled notebook or the small notebook I bought at the Louvre in Paris. Sometimes, a thought comes to me and I don’t want it to get away from me, so I write it down. I write anything in my little journals from ways to answer questions on job applications to to-do lists to short poems to reflections on certain aspects of my life. I started carrying a notebook with me since the few times that I had to resort to writing my thoughts into the book I was currently reading (luckily, it wasn’t a library book).
Camera. I will not leave the house without a camera in my purse, whether it’s my Sony point and shoot or my dSLR camera with any of its lenses. I hate the idea of missing a photo opportunity, so I always make sure my purse is well-stocked with this essential electronic.
(Optional) Laptop. This is the only thing on this list that isn’t *always* in my purse, but I do always bring it with me when I plan on doing longer, more formal writing or working on job applications. My biggest purse is fashionable but still big enough to comfortably strap in a laptop.
What’s in your purse? Let me know if you make a post about this and I’ll stop by!
The Ideal Me by 24 