How many do I need?

I've just checked - I missed out the driving glasses and perfume.

I hate handbags. Life was so simple when I did not need to carry make up bag, a hairbrush, paracetamol, car key, caffeine tablets so I can safely use the car key, identity badge, debit card, wallet with lots of other cards, i.e. driving licence, library card,shop loyalty cards, old organ doner card, photos, cash purse, bunch of tissues, bunch of house keys with little furry animals from grandmonsters, paperback book, loose lipsticks, pen, another pen, old address book I will never change for a new one, mobile phone, pair of gloves, packet of plasters, half bar of dusty chocolate, pack of old mints, old receipts, Filofax which weighs a ton but has my life in it. That's without checking to see if there is anything else. There's no cheque book. Haven't used one for years. Does anybody still use them?

I used to carry a hankie in one pocket and a small purse in the other. Handbags were for old ladies. Like me now. As someone else said I also go to TKMax for a good handbag hunt. The idea of a secondhand handbag makes me shudder. Other people's handbags smell strange and have had other people's dirty hankies in them.

I have several. Change round every so often but there are some I never use - like the red one I bought to go with red sandals (long gone), the small navy bought for daughter's wedding (long ago) and used just the once. I have a beige one (again, matched sandals long gone) which I think I like until I use it but discard within a few days. I bought one that I saw and loved about 2 years ago but managed to nigh on kill that by using every day (had it mended but it's not the same ). Back to reliable navy which I will also kill through overuse and stuffing too full.

You have motivated me to have a sort out and dispose of those that are either good but I never use or those that are totally worn out but I can't bring myself to throw. Well done!

None. One small leather backpack

52 too many? About 40 of them I adore!!!
I could give a reason why I love each one ?
The remaining are cute sparkles that I am keeping for my twin granddaughters to play with. ?

UkeCan61. I'm so interested that you and some other posters can make bags, as I would love to be able to do so! Tell me please, how and where did you learn, or do you clever people just have an aptitude?

That should read underbed storage......flipping autocorrect

I love bags, particularly Kipling ones, just adore the monkeys. I have several of theses. I don't however like the new trend from Kipling of PLASTIC/RUBBER monkeys....yeuk! I am also into the satchel type, remind me of my lovely old school satchel, I have 2 large and 1 small one. I have 2 unserved large storage containers full of bags, plus some overflows. I like to match my bag with my outfit. I have one 'designer' bag which I bought for around $1000 Singapore dollars, in the duty free in Singapore airport. Do you think I have a problem!!!

8 at last count.... I buy a new one at beginning of summer in a nice light colour so it goes with summer cloths, then a dark colour one for the winter months.This summers is from Zara.

I make bags! Totes, clutches, handbags. I keep the 'seconds' for myself and today I made myself a really nice vintage style one. If you are good at sewing, bags are easy to make.
However I usually use a rucksack as I love all the pockets where I can stash things.

I have a bag organiser with lots of pockets, 2 zipped compartments and a central open one. I make my own quilted fabric bags so just move the organiser from one to another., depending on my mood. My bags are always commented on and cost very little. I do have a plain black one for funerals and a cream/tan leather one I won in a WI raffle at a big area meeting.

I have one bag 'on the go' at a time. Always Radley, usually bought at Bicester village ,they usually last a couple of years.Current and last one teal coloured. I'm not bothered about matching although it does go with my best coat ..I have an old black fabric Radley bag I use for holidays when you are allowed one item of hand luggage only (it folds flat into suitcase)One Lilac cross body Kipling bag(monkey removed I really find them creepy) for city breaks .One black bag for funerals Two or three small evening clutches .
That's it .I'm not into shoes either,though I do have about 15 pairs including sandals and boots .
Now if you were to talk about pretty summer tops....last count I had 33, not counting a couple of T shirts

A few years ago, 1 handbag was enough for me.
Then I discovered 'Dune' in Covent Garden.
Oops, not a good discovery financially, and worse still, I have discovered that a shop in my Town now stocks them.
I just love their detail.

This is so funny. Either you ARE a bag lady or you're not. Liz46, ( are you 46 or born 46? if latter same as me, if former I apologise!) reading your post it could be me. I also volunteer in a charity shop and buy far too many bags (and other things too!). At the moment I have a large cardboard box full underneath a large black bin bag full, and that's only the Summer bags. Probably the same amount in the loft (Winter bags!) Plus handbags and cross body bags in the wardrobe. Why do we do it? It's definitely an addiction.

This has made me think.....I also have far too many, and I hate the swopping of contents from one to another, I can never find anything in my bag, so decided to get a small bag so things would be easier to find (car keys), but I still can never lay my hands of what I want without having to almost empty the bag out, so big or small makes no difference, but definitely need lightweight. So, I'm going to cull all mine and keep my lovely orange one for summer and a couple of black ones for whatever and ebay all the rest! Kerching!! and less clutter, win, win.

I have 2 handbags which I interchange . I don`t understand the handbag hoarding either but whatever floats your boat !

Ooh. I love handbags.. Just given some to charity shop so have excuse to buy another.

Lack of space prohibits me from keeping many of them.
Having said that, I still have a few I can't part with.

I currently have around six or seven but rarely use them. Silly really.

When I was helping my Mother move from a house to sheltered housing,she had over 100 handbags!

At our WI we produced a'time capsule' for the year 2000. One of the things we did was ask people to list the contents of our handbags. It was very interesting and, as it is now in the county archives, I think in a hundred years time it will fascinate readers.

Sorry should have been Gagagran!

Gagarin you made me laugh about your friend with the hammer. My family are convinced that I'm like Mary Poppins and have a coat rack in my bag but even I haven't got a hammer!!!

Kipling for me, have 4 of them, claret, navy, pink and turquoise - hmmm obviously I need another in black.... They are light, have loads of pockets and can just go in the washing machine when necessary, oh and the baby loves the monkeys!

The reason we (I) have lots of different bags is because I love colour and wouldn't use a 'black' bag when I'm wearing lovely summery clothes!! (I enjoy making bags too so seem to have one to suit each occasion!!!) I don't possess a 'black bag' though (or brown come to that! Most of my bags are charity shop finds, unless made by moi! I've recently come to the conclusion that my bag doesn't always have to 'match' what I'm wearing ... It seems it's fine to 'mis-match' these days ... Yippee!

I don't know about handbags anonymous! I could do with a shoes anonymous, since being in a wheelchair I've acquired many 'irregular choice' and other multi coloured shoes. My philosophy is "why waste not be able to walk on boring shoes"

Just back from giving an old Radley favourite to the charity shop and then read these posts. I do like different bags for different occasions and used a recent Radley bag for a smart Dinner last night and back to a black shoulder bagfor shopping today as hands free.