Bulging handbag

It’s the umbrella and sunglasses that bulk out my handbag. I always have one or the other. Often both.

Calendargirl

Rather naughty packing breakfast rolls, croissants etc to eat later.

No wonder some hotels have signs up saying the (generous) breakfast buffet is just that, breakfast.

Not an excuse to get a cheapo lunch later.

Oh it was. We (Dad and I ) used to hide and pretend we weren’t with her, but she argued that she could have eaten them for breakfast or indeed eaten a lot more than she did) You didn’t argue with my Mum.
Dated back to the days of currency restrictions when going abroad.

@Calendargirl - judge not lest ye……etc 🤷‍♀️

I have invested in a travel safe handbag with slashproof straps and material, lockable zips. RFID protection on the whole bag and a strap that can be attached round a chair or table leg. It's quite light and I have miniatures of as much as possible in it. I have also had fun making pouches for the various things I carry in it. So when I open it up, I just see the pouches (all different colours) and my purse, and can easily find everything because I just have to pull out the relevant pouch.

I'll post a picture next time I go upstairs.

I would like to go without a handbag but that's often not possible because trouser pockets are not deep enough to stow my purse safely.

But honestly, how often do you go out with a handbag and come home not having opened it once while out? I know I do that a lot. I keep my phone in my bra (have done since 1997) and often that's all I need.

I used to carry a massive and extremely heavy handbag. It used to regularly contain my secateurs, a couple of scanners, 10mm and 13mm, and lots of other bits and bats that I regularly used at my allotments.

Those days are gone. 99% of the time now I just carry my smartphone, with a debit card and some cash tucked into the case. All the other stuff now lives in the car, still handy enough.

It feels so liberating.

You keep your phone in your bra JackyB ? Gosh - must be odd when it rings?

I checked the date of the aspirin in my little used handbag…..2016! So I don’t use it much then!

You need a bigger handbag

I carry a tissue and my phone so always wear things with pockets, I keep anything else I might need in my car. If I am just going for a walk I wont need anything else.

I have a purse, comb, lip balm, tissues, wipes, and loyalty cards. Water can be bought anywhere if you need it.

Lol. Phone with debit card in wallet part. That's it!

JackyB
Surely that would show through your top. Also, phones are quite heavy ( relatively speaking) so it must pull the bra down.

My phone goes in my jeans pocket - and contains an emergency £20 note, a bank card and my bus pass.

In my bag I have an umbrella (if needed - usually is in Scotland), a pen, a few tissues, a wooly hat (as required). That's it. I leave all cards at home as they are all in my phone anyway. I never use cash any more.

Often I don't bother with the handbag at all.

I use cross body bags too. Just my phone, debit card, bit of cash, a folded bag for shopping when necessary, keys, pen, tissues. If I'm going somewhere a bit dressy also a small mirror, maybe lipstick/lip balm. The bag lies flat against my body under my jacket and I know exactly where everything is so only need to open one zip usually.

I only use a bag if I’m ‘going somewhere’ or when I’m not wearing a jacket. Otherwise, phone, card, inhaler, keys and tissues in pockets.

I changed to a small crossbody bag quite a few years ago. I realised I was weighted down with everyone else's clobber. Large camera for DH who is no David Bailey and took awful photos when he realised I had the camera, painkillers for hangovers that I never take, on holidsay maps of the local vicinity that always seem to need three. Midge deterent and antiseptic cream. All he had was a wallet with cards and then a mobile in a zipped pocket in his coat.
After starting to walk like Quasimodo I just swapped to a small bag one day. Small purse with sections for cards, phone,
hankies ,keys for my car not a big bunch which I was usually handed, lip balm and small comb ,a folded bag. said nothing and when asked for a map or something, quite innocently said I thought he had brought them.
Nothing has ever been said but for holidays a small backpack has been bought and carried by DH.

I also have a small cross body bag with my purse, phone, keys, glasses , sunglasses, lip balm and tissues .
Be aware of putting phones in back pockets in jeans in public spaces , very easy for pickpockets

I carry a big bag - currently a bright pink Radley. It doesn't have loads in it but I can carry small amounts of shopping in it as well.

After years of carrying tote bags in various colours, I changed gradually to cross body bags. A black one and tan one in the winter and cream leather for summer. They contain my phone, lipstick, keys and tissues. So much handier than continually searching through a bigger bag.

My DIL recently bought a Roka bag and it looks very strong, well made and good for travel. They do the bags in some great colours.
rokalondon.com/

I have a small black cross body bag that I bought in our local market years ago!

I carry a small magnifying glass everywhere because, even when I’m wearing my glasses there are loads of things that I can’t read. And I have a small plastic purse containing Zovirax, Imodium paracetamol and caffeine tablets. I only drink decaffeinated tea and coffee so I need the caffeine tablets to give me a quick boost if I’m in danger of nodding off.

My problem was digging around to find what I wanted, a friend suggested putting things in zipped make-up bags, so now I have a spotty blue bag containing all my keys,light blue spotty one for pens,notepad,vouchers,and one plain for my nail clippers etc, purse goes in the middle zipped compartment ,and my phone is separate, incidentally I purchased a gold sparkly cover so I could find it easier as I have a tendency to loose things, in the little side pocket is a days medication in case I forgot to take before I go out, that's in a little tin that came with my grandchildren s happy meal, can't miss it ,catwoman 😁theme,.
So now when I change handbags it's easier

I don’t have moisturiser or snacks in mine, just a small tin of Vaseline, but yes, most of the other bits and bobs. Plus a couple of stainless steel straws, a small set of cutlery, a shoe horn, paracetamol, rennies, an after-bite pen.

Actually I very rarely take it out of the house! I use Apple Pay on my phone, bus pass is in the phone case, photo of my driving licence saved in my phone ‘favourites’, so just phone, keys, tissues, dog waste bags and a nylon shopping bag in my pockets.

Yes, all the items mentioned by OP, plus hearing aids box with spare batteries, small container with immodium and paracetamol tabs, reading glasses, small notebook, pencil, paper tissues, handwash, wet wipes, spare pair of pants. I cram all these into a multi-compartment leather rucksack style bag. Problem is I can never remember which compartment to search when I need something.

I think the clue is in “ might” need.