Does your purse seem to be a "catch all"???

**TheRootedNomad** · 05-01-2011, 08:37 AM

Do you find that your purse always catches everything or are you good at keeping it neat and tidy and pared down? On the same line do you clean it out often to keep it pared down?

I root through and straighten mine up at least once a week or I can't find anything in it and I don't even carry a "BIG" purse. The ones I carry are generally about 10 to 12 inches long, 6 to 8 ish high and about 3ish wide. Still I find myself ALWAYS amazed at what I manage to accumulate in there. I cleaned mine out this past Monday after work and here it is Sunday morning, not even a week later and I've managed to accumulate the following:

Foundation
Eye liner
Mascara
Hair pick
chap stick
Flonase nasal spray
Tweezers
Nail polish
Mirror
3 Scruchies
Temporary partial mouthpiece in baggie
4 packets generic equal
tp role holder tube w/$200
knee high
flash drive
7 pens
JCPenny Flyer w/$10 coupon
Gum
2 packs of instant oatmeal
A baggie with a couple of tampons and panty liners
2 Rx bottles (1 with Excedrin in it)
checkbook
Target pharmacy coupon book
An envelope
My husband’s grandmother’s wedding band
14 receipts
3 stray business cards
a tightly rolled and rubberbanded clean excersize shirt
bank statement
the electric bill
a pencil
4 lighters
an empty cigerette pack
a half full cigerette pack
403b account correction statement
1 binder clip with a stack of plastic loyalty cards
1 binder clip with gift cards
$3.92 in change
$31 cash
License holder license, insurance, and debit card
a bouncy ball
a tape measure
a screwdriver
a baggie with peanuts
my calender/appt. book
a small tube of caulk

For those of you who manage not to throw everything in there, HOW? I don't function well with clutter but this seems to be one of the areas that no matter how hard I try (like the shelf/table/drawer everyone in the house pitches stuff on/in no matter how many times you empty) I can't seem to keep from collecting stuff.

**NikoSan999** · 05-01-2011, 08:48 AM

OH !!! Does this one hit home or what! I'm not even going to go thru my purse to make a list. It would take up the rest of the page and alot is a repeat of your plus. I put it on an electronic scale and it hits close to 10 pounds.
If we go anywhere I end up carrying everyones crap too on top of mine. Here, stick this in your purse.
No makeup in there either. And not really not alot in there I don't use or don't need. Only things that I could comfortably take out are papers and they don't weigh much but there's a ton in there right now from various places that need to find a home or filing place.
I tried the smaller purse several times and it just got so crowded I couldn't find anything and didn't help. I've always carried a "hobo" type bag and it works cause it's not apt to change.

**Debbie-cat** · 05-01-2011, 08:57 AM

Wow! That's alot of stuff in your purse!

some things gave me a chuckle.

I try not to use it as a dumping place although there is quite a few things in there....wallet, knife, compact, lighter, little note pad, cell phone, loose change and my mini bible. That's it. Usually I just carry my wallet and don't even take my purse.

**cab54** · 05-01-2011, 08:58 AM

Wow, TRN, that's worse than mine, even. LOL!

How about dental floss, I didn't see that. Wet wipes? I have those. Mini-lint-roller? I have that. Advil & aspirin. At least 2 (ahem) Immodium. Just in case. Purell. Nail file. almonds and a Glucerna bar for dh's low blood sugars.

I have your mascara, chapstick, and tweezers covered.

I missed the memo about tossing oatmeal in there.....

**jas** · 05-01-2011, 09:00 AM

It colletcts things but not like your list. Wowza! Maybe because I don't really go out and about that much anymore. When the kids were younger it held a lot more stuff. Had to be prepared for everything.

**imagine** · 05-01-2011, 09:22 AM

Just cleaned mine out this moment after reading this post.

What permanently lives in my purse
1)wallet
2)Coupon folder
3)Allergy bag (has emergency Benadryl and Epi pen)
4)other baggie( small lotion, hand sanitizer and spray neosprin)
5)a few tampons/pad
What needed to be cleaned out
1)A pinch clip ( help Friday's shopping trips coupons together)
2)Last Friday's shopping list
3)A advertisement for the local kid's consignment sale which is Thursday
4)Dental appointment card and Dental coverage insurance info book ( Buddy had a dentist appointment Friday)
5)And a flyer for Emergency preparedness the red cross was passing out at the store.

And there you have it

**frugalwarrior2** · 05-01-2011, 10:22 AM

Hah no of course not.
I lie!!!
Mine is reciepts. Paper sticking out like I have OCD and must keep every piece.
meds
now diabetic meds
dental floss
an address book
and a cell phone
calendar
wallet
coin purse
a plastic bag of money for garage sales
candy
eye glasses
hair bands
sunglasses (yes even in winter)
crackers from restaurants
perfume
blistex
coupon envelope
stamp packet
old winning $1 lottery ticket from xmas
business cards-a whole section (couldn't poss. put in phone book/phone)
several lipsticks/mascara/tweezers/nail clippers-never put on makeup!
Small jewelry purchased a G.sales I forgot to give DD
A few small part I took to match at the hardware store for DH.
A past invite
a tape measure
a calculator
a used ck. book pad-no checks left
A bit of emb. thread to match for DD
my lucky silver coin Ds gave for a gift-sometime?

And it's relatively clean today. sigh. I can just imagine a guy looking this.

I think though its a metaphor for women and men. Woman carry burdens w/ them from day to day. Guys drop them in the bedroom (on the dresser) everyday.

**Contrary Housewife** · 05-01-2011, 10:48 AM

I have a very small purse, just large enough to hold my wallet and a few necessities. It's a squeeze to get the checkbook or the car keys into it. I can't stand carrying a purse full of crap.

wallet
pen
lip balm
tiny pill case
keys
ring of loyalty cards
emery board
a few coupons
2 recent receipts
tracfone
matches (don't smoke but I do carry them)
a single clean tissue

There should be a roll of antacids too. DH must have used the last of them.

**FrabjousDay** · 05-01-2011, 11:00 AM

Mine is neat, but I tend to skim any accumulated junk off at the end of the week, and don't always carry it. A lot of times I just pull out my wallet and run.

In my purse...

Cell phone, keys, wallet, business card case, ChicoBag, TicTacs, glasses case. Inside my purse I have a small make-up bag to keep little travel-sized things contained...Kleenex pack, collapsible brush, hand sanitizer, teeny sewing kit, floss, bottle with ibuprofen and allergy meds, compact, one lipstick and gloss.

**benosayi** · 05-01-2011, 11:19 AM

I have my
1 wallet
2 lotion
3 lip gloss
4 grocery envelop
5 pen
6 phone

I only wear a small bag so that I can not carry alot in it.

**fernykins** · 05-01-2011, 11:23 AM

I clean mine out every night. I take all the change out(gets to heavy) I keep this in there at all time
wallet
handicap plaque
1 day supply of meds
my inhalers
pens
I hook my keys to the handle
cell phone
That's about it
ZFern

**LuvMyHubby** · 05-01-2011, 06:32 PM

I do not dare to even look in my purse. Let's just say that if someone ever tried to steal it and it dropped on his/her foot, it is probably quite heavy enough to pin them to the ground and/or break their foot.

I have mostly paper, paper, and more paper along with my wallet, lip balm a couple of cereal bars etc. and am not good about cleaning it out in a timely fashion.

**krbshappy71** · 05-01-2011, 07:56 PM

WOW, rootednomad, that is QUITE the inventory on your purse!

I have been a "small purse" lady since I ditched the baby bag years ago. Mine holds a wallet, pocket-size kleenex, pencil, house key, and currently a small teeth-cleaning kit because I have braces. It is cleaned out of receipts each week.

**zakity** · 05-01-2011, 08:14 PM

My purse is about 4.5 inches by 3 inches. It holds:

license
second form of ID
credit card
a coupon
4 key chain sized store cards
2 hair ties (one tiny, one regular size)
ins card
skating card
2nd credit card
3rd credit card
bank card
pet store card
bimart card
cash
spare car key

A pen, a tube of lip balm, my phone goes in my left pocket and my car keys and my purse goes in my right one.

**mauimagic** · 05-01-2011, 08:36 PM

I thought I had a lot in my purse - but am strong last compared to most of you!! Yet I know that I accumulate odds and ends of papers - from everything so I don't clutter. Oh well, time to clean it out again!!