Repost - Women and our luggage

I need to know something: Why is my handbag so heavy? I come to work with my laptop in its bag that is full to capacity with my diary, files, notebooks etc. I carry a flask (with my herbal tea), a mug, a book or magazine or newspaper depending on the day and my handbag. That's already a lot of stuff to be carrying from the car into the office.

Then the handbag. It used to be trendy to carry cute little bags at some point, but as i have gotten older and become a working woman, i have progressed to serious bags. You know - bigger, leather classy items. I pack each bag with care and carry only the essentials. So why on earth is it so heavy, bulky and sometimes will not close? And i am not alone. I look around me and every lady's bag here is big and bulging.

I have decided to open my bag this morning and figure out why it looks nothing like it did in the picture in the magazine when i bought it- this one is all lumpy and struggling to zip shut. I am hoping that this exercise will reveal what i need to leave home to ensure a lightening of the load (its hell on my shoulder blades) and to let the poor bag revert to its original beauty.

Contents:
1. Cellphone (essential)

2. Wallet/Billfold (hmmm. This is quite bulky and not with money. An investigation reveals that i have some cash, passport pictures, bank cards and aha i have found the culprit. Business cards. Every time i meet anyone and get their card, i shove it into my wallet. So i am freeing the wallet of the business cards which will be promptly moved to my rolodex)

3. Vitamin box - essential. Contains the many vitamins i pop daily to keep my insides healthy.

4. Hand lotion - Victoria's Secret "Decadent Desire" - essential. Nothing like ashy hands. Can't stand that even with men so all admirers take note.

5. Perfume - Carolian Herrera "Chic" - essential. I carry whatever perfume i wear that day around for mid afternoon touch ups.

6. Makeup purse - essential. Even though i hardly wear make up, you never know when i might need to powder my nose or apply some lipgloss. U really never know.

7. Checkbook - essential. You never know when i might need to make a payment even though i have debit cards and cash. Still...you never know

8. Business card holder - essential. This contains MY cards for passng out. Case is nice and silver for maximum posing effect

9. Id Tag - essential. I need this. Better in my bag than around my neck messing with my ensemble.

10. 2 CDs - one blank and Dave Koz (the dance). Don't know why these are in here but i must need them for something or they wouldnt be in here.

11. Chewing gum - essential. Paranoid about less than fresh breath. So lots of minty gum is chewed through out the day.

12. Notebook - essential. For my to-do and to-buy lists. I love lists. I make lists all the time. Sometimes i even list the order of my thoughts. I am a list junkie.

13. Tail Comb - essential for those stray hairs that dont want to play with the rest of the family.

14. 3 pens and 2 pencils - essential. You bring out a pen, someone takes it. if i had only one, i would be penless. And the pencils - well they are disney pencils and are sooooo cute and i might need to write a clandestine message that will need to be erased.

15. Eyeshadow trio - Hmm...why isn't this in the makeup purse. Oh..because that purse is barely closing. Oh now i remember, i read somewhere that a quick makeup fix is to swipe some gold eyeshadow to brighten the eyes and make you look perky even though it might be 8pm. Yup - essential

16. Mints - essential. See notes on chewing gum

17. Handkerchief - essential.

18. Tissues - essential.

19. Feminine product - essential. You never know when D LADY decides to make an early arrival.

20. Some lint and stuff. - Dealing with that right now.

So why on earth is this bag sooooo heavy?