Are you firmly attached to your handbag?

Oyster card, keys, purse, comb, small umbrella, phone, tissues, lipsalve, pens.

Just wondering - why do you need a measuring tape Elegran ?

zip pockets (or sip if you prefer, for the hip flask!)

Oh yes, and shopping bags, little hair brush, lipstick if I remember it. I like a bag with a few sip pockets and places to put things but not too many as I get confused where everything is!

Just bought a cross-body one today to take away, so that my hands will be free. I can't go out without glasses, purse, medication etc, suncream, hankies, tissues, wet wipes, pen, notebook, phone, perhaps a camera, keys.

lol pogs- bonne chance ;)

Pittcity they are good if you remember which bag you have used last I had one bought as a present it is now religated to the back shelf in my wardrobe as I found it too fiddley.
I have used my black leather bucket bag for years it is a true faithful and still looks good after years of use,it doesn't however stop me buying other bags all which seem to be oversized.

Has anyone tried one of those organiser things that you move from bag to bag?

I have a friend who never takes a bag to parties, meals out etc. I find it unbelievable.
Apart from all my own stuff - hairbrush, lipstick, tissues, purse, card wallet, mirror, phone, reading glasses, house keys etc, my DH will say 'can you put the satnav and car keys in your bag?'

I have tried squeezing all my junk into smaller bags but basically it doesn't work.

Mine is `dustbin` size, but very satisfying to know everything is at hand.

What I have done to make finding stuff easier, is to make two small cloth bags, one contains medicine type stuff and the other keys and pens.

These are the items that disappear into the abyss of the bag and can now easily be located.

I have cotton bags for Summer and leather for Winter (waterproof!) I use a bigger one if going out with DH and/or DS as I always end up carrying something for them and they are always asking for a tissue, painkiller, plaster etc. Also useful for change of clothes for DGS who is going through a too lazy to ask for the loo stage and carrier bags so I don't have to pay in the shops!!

Will I need sunglasses or a brolly today? Big bag and carry both!!

Do those who only have a couple of things in their tiny handbag only ever travel by car? There can be a lot of things stowed away in the car to be accessed when necessary.

When you take public transport (particularly in an uncertain climate) you need your life support system with you - phone, purse, keys, tissues, of course, but also raincoat and umbrella, scarf gloves and hat, folding shopping bag, comb, lip salve, pen and paper, measuring tape, - hold on a minute, I shall go and look.

No, that is all at the moment, but if I am matching something I could have a tile or a piece of furnishing fabric. If I am visiting a friend I would have some home baking or a little gift. I might have a list from Which of best buys if I am looking for a new item.

Most of the time I wear a backpack with these essentials in it. Very occasionally I just have a small bag with minimal contents. I am highly likely to lay it down and forget to pick it up again.

Like others have said, it depends on the occasion. Mostly I use a rucksack, or if going for a walk, a small over the shoulder bag with only room for purse, key and phone.

I have a leather hand/shoulder bag for town or work. I use a bum bag if on a city, country or dog walk. Neck and shoulder stuff means I've not been able to carry a back pack for years.

Who cares about fashion? Half my life my handbag has been a rucksack. In winter especially it needs to have room for a warm hat and gloves (which have to be taken off when I go inside a heated shop). Also need to carry a small torch in winter as there are no street lights on our lane (this may be because it isn't a street). At the moment it's an embroidered canvas shouler bag that I bought in Lochgilphead last time soop and I met up for a natter. soop said I had to have it because "it is you".

granjura

I will take great delight in telling my sister her 'dustbin' bag I mentioned is now 'very old fashioned'.

I will duck before I tell her though as she is quite likely to tell me she doesn't give a s---. I love her dearly. [ smile]

Recently did a course about women in politics- and one session was on how to dress and the pitfalls- large 'dusbin' handbags are definitely out and considered very old-fashioned now ;)

OH is now a cool continental man-so he has his own 'handbag' - actually bought at the great bag shop on St Mary's Road in Market Harborough- grey/green cloth with tan leather- and he always carries his stuff himself. Great.

It was great; however my time clock is now all over the place [I slept till 3 this afternoon].

Tegan You wonder how men manage without a bag......it's the 'can you just pop my wallet/my camera/the insect repellent/the sunscreen/my fleece into your handbag' question!
I go round in ever-decreasing circles with this one. I have to take a large bag, so that I can accommodate these 'extras'. MrA perceives that I have a large bag, and thinks he can ask me to put even more stuff in it.

This is despite my having bought him a very stylish man-bag some time ago.

Did you have a good holiday?

anno Although I can't stand handbags, I'll happily walk by your side with you and yours..........obviously ready for any eventuality.

I can only use a small shoulder bag. I hate carrying a clutch or a handbag, so fiddly.

It consists of my purse, a mobile, tablets and a hairbrush.

My sister is joined at the hip by her 'dustbin' sized bag, complete with 3 year old sweets, shop receipts that she will never want, brushes, tissues, hair lacquer (she admits she never uses), enough fluff to knit a jumper with etc. etc.

She is always complaining how heavy it is, I just wish she would carry something useful in it like airport bottles filled with Bicardi and a can of Coke.

Went for a big wild walk today + lunch for a friend's BD. Lipsalve in one pocket, 100CHF note in the other with the paracetamol, just in case my knees got too bad as we had to walk back up the hill (didn't use them)- basta!

My whole life is in my handbag: phone, purse with multitude of cards (credit, debit, loyalty, discount, library, memberships...) diary, inhaler, Gaviscon tablets, paracetamol, bus pass, railcard, driving licence, insurance cert, tissues, comb, lipstick(s), pens, pencils, wipes, perfume atomiser. And I take it upstairs at night. I must have missed something.

same as hildajenniJ- I try to avoid one if I can. If I have to have one, I have a small leather rucksack- and when I really do have to be more formal, I have a beautiful soft Gucci bag given to me by a daughter.

The Queen seems to be like those of us who "handbag-ites". She is seldom seen without one!

NO. Most of the time it's just a nuisance. I have several, rarely used. I usually have all I require in my pockets.