I get kind of obsessive about the contents and organization of my purse. Most of the things I keep with me are just things I like to have around (mostly for planning purposes) rather than necessities. Here are 20 things (okay, 19 plus the bag itself) that I keep in my bag.
1. Madewell Medium Transport Tote in English Saddle: My brand new Christmas gift from Casey. Technically I not only picked it out but also ordered it for myself because I saw it on a good sale! But Casey wrapped it and that's all that matters. I've been eyeing this bag for a couple of years but never could convince myself to spend the money. (Before this, I carried this Street Level Reversible Tote that I got on sale for $30 for two years.) However, I never change out purses (I carry the same one everywhere until it falls apart) so I figured I'm due a good quality purse. A couple of tips on this one: (1) sign up for their Madewell Insider program for free and get free shipping, free returns, and free monogramming! (2) sign up for their emails and wait for a 20-25% off sale before you buy!
2. Hobo Sable Wristlet in Black: I had been on the hunt for a wallet that was big enough to fit my iPhone 7+ (huge phone with an even huger Lifeproof case on it, haha) that also had a wrist strap. This was no easy task. I finally found this one and put it on my wishlist about a year ago. It's another expensive item, so I didn't buy it until after this past Christmas when I was given some Amazon gift cards that made it much more affordable! It is Hobo brand so I expected great quality, but it's really nice and more spacious than I even realized. So this is perfect for when I don't want to carry around my big tote; I can just hold this or put my arm through the loop. You can see in the picture that it fits all my cards/checkbook, keys, and has a ton of space left.
3. Erin Condren Carry-All Clutch in Prism: Up until this year I've always had an Erin Condren Life Planner, so I've had this clutch for a couple of years. Since I switched planners this year and the Simplified Planner is smaller than the EC Life Planner, I now have enough room in the clutch for my planner and my bullet journal. I like having something to keep the corners of my notebooks from getting bent in my purse.
4. Emily Ley Weekly Simplified Planner in Fancy Floral: New planner for me this year! Not sure how I feel about switching from Erin Condren yet, since I've had one for at least 5-6 years, but I love Emily Ley and wanted to try a different planner this year. This one is smaller than the EC planner and bound instead of coiled. I love that it lays flat when you open it. I chose the weekly edition rather than the daily for this reason. I'll keep you updated on how I like it!
5. Leuchtturm1917 Hardcover Medium Squared Journal in Azure: My go-to bullet journal has been this one for a few years. Its paper is much thicker than Moleskine and now I couldn't go back. I get the squared layout (rather than lines or dots) and love their fun color options.
6. Pilot Precise V5 RT Retractable Roller Ball Pen in Black: This is my favorite pen, hands down. I feel really strongly about this. Some things you should know: (1) You MUST get the V5, not the V7; V5 = really really fine point and V7 = too much ink. (2) Clicky pens > capped pens, and I won't consider any other opinions on this. :) I buy these in bulk on Amazon and hoard them like they're gold.
7. Kate Spade Pencil Pouch (no longer available - here's a similar one): Casey got this for me a few Christmases ago and I have been surprised how much I use it. It's really sturdy and holds a ton of pens.
8. More of my favorite pens (see #6)
9. Zebra Highlighter Mildliner Set: I can't remember specifically where I heard about these, but it was from someone who recommended these for highlighting in the Bible. They are lighter and less neon than normal highlighters and don't bleed through like others do. I use them for my Bible but also in my planner.
10. Paper Mate Flair Felt Tip Pens: The set I have came from Cultivate What Matters (they make the goal-setting Powersheets) but I don't see them available on their website anymore. Doesn't matter; they're just Paper Mate Flair pens that you can get anywhere (mine just have "Cultivate What Matters" stamped on them!). I didn't used to be a felt tip pen fan but these won me over. I just use them when I need some color in my life but they don't hold a candle to my favorite pen (#6).
11. Ultra Fine Point Sharpie: I have just learned the important life lesson that sometimes you really need a Sharpie, so I keep two in my bag at all times. :)
12. Fine Point Sharpie: See #11!
13. Scissors - For the rare occasion when I just really need scissors!
I keep everything below (#14-20) in the inside pocket of my new bag and there's still room to spare.
14. Muji Plastic Card Case with my business cards and Casey's band cards: I just grabbed one of these for a couple of dollars when we were at the Muji store in NYC last time and have loved its simplicity and that it's see-through.
15. Burt's Bees Lip Balm: The only lip balm I'll use. I have a serious chapped lip problem and have one of these in every spot I can think of. (Bag, desk at work, nightstand, bathroom, living room, etc.)
16. Hairspray: I'm growing out my bangs and they won't leave me alone. This is a necessity at this point.
17. Hairbrush: This one is nothing special, and I actually prefer the Wet Brush but mine somehow ended up in Finley's bag so this one will have to do. :)
18. Hair rubber band - No explanation necessary, right?
19. Extra contacts - Because it's either this or glasses and I hate glasses.
20. Dental floss - Can't live without it.
