Carolyn J. Braden • 2 Minute Read
Things Smart Women Keep In Their Purse
My purse is probably too heavy but I really do use what I keep in it. While keeping things like my phone and my wallet in my purse are probably all most people need, there are often days that I find myself needing a multitude of other items. Some things I keep in my purse are things that even my husband finds himself needing and I always feel smart and helpful when I’m able to hand him that needed item right from my bag. Read on to learn about things smart women keep in their purse.
According to Smithsonian Magazine, “bags (purses) were often created as luxury items that conveyed a person’s status.” If you want to know more about the history of how purses became the ultimate fashion accessory, check out this fascinating article by Smithsonian Magazine. I always like learning about how things, like purses, even became a thing!
Our dog, Johnny Cash, has to be involved in all my creative work! :)
First Aid Kit
The first item is my BlingSting first aid kit. It’s super lightweight despite the fact that it has every daily first aid item you may need included in it. Safety pins? Check. Bandaids? Check. Qtips? Check. You name a basic first aid item, it has it. It also comes in a cute rose gold carrying case.
It makes a great gift idea for your friends, family members and more. My husband is a little on the accident-prone side, so it will always have a place in my purse. They also make a pepper spray kit which I’ll add when my current one expires.
See the contents of my BlingSting first aid kit in my 1 minute video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:
The contents of my Blingsting first aid kit
I’ve had my Miss Army knife in my first aid kit for a long while too. It even has a compartment for pills, a bottle opener, a needle and thread and more. I cannot find this product for sale anymore, but I did buy my husband a Victorinox SwissCard that is very similar, lightweight and very useful. He uses the tweezers A LOT for his multiple splinters he gets from doing a lot of DIY projects around the house.
I like my Natissy washable daily panty liners
Feminine Products
The next smart items I like to always have in my purse are pads and tampons. If I don’t need them, there always seems to be a random woman that needs one in a public bathroom. I’ve handed over many pads and tampons over the years. You just never know when a simple thing like this can save someone’s day. I store them in my collections of Ipsy bags.
The Natissy panty liners have a non-slip backing that works!
For myself, I keep Natissy reusable panty liners (they come in their own travel case) in my purse too. They are made with organic cotton, completely washable (they even come with their own wash bag too) and they allow me to save money and the environment (so much waste occurs with traditional feminine products).
See my washable daily panty liners in my quick video below!
My favorite Paulo Cohelo books
Books
If I know I am going to be at a doctor’s office or somewhere else for long period of time, I throw a good book or magazine in my bag. There truly is only so much social media scrolling you can do! I love inspiring books and books in which I can learn something.
I re-read classic books like The Alchemist (a fable about following your dream) and the Warrior of Light (written as a manual) often. Paulo Cohelo is a wonderful Brazilian writer with very smart and spiritually connected stories for many ages.
A reader of my website turned me onto his writing many years ago and I’ll always remember her (Carla from Texas) for it because of her kind words she shared with me too.
Our favorite books that help with working with people
My husband is currently reading the classic book How to Win Friends and Influence People and I am reading Jeffrey Gitomer’s Little Red Book of Selling. Both give you sound advice on how to work better with people in business and in daily life matters. Are you dealing with a plumber, electrician or a contractor in some way? These books can help you better navigate the difficult relationships AND the easy ones!
With having to deal with various groups of people after Hurricane Ian hit our house, we were able to calmly deal with firing some people (it was an unfortunate circumstance, but it happens), but also build stronger relationships with those that did a great job helping us.
I am loving The Highly Sensitive Person book
I am also currently reading The Highly Sensitive Person. I bought it after watching a documentary on Amazon Prime with the same name. Alanis Morrissette is in the documentary as herself and after knowing her music and learning about her as an artist, I saw myself a lot in her and knew the book could help me navigate through some of my tendencies as an artist.
So far, it’s been very eye opening and is helping me figure out more about who I am and what makes me tick. It makes me feel not so alone too, which is always a great thing!
I love using Ipsy bags as purse organizers
On top of these items, I also keep many other things like a bag of makeup with my touchup favorites. I always have my It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores pressed powder, oil blotting sheets, my favorite Prime Prometics mascara called Primelash, a brow pencil, some concealer, and Buxom lip gloss (April is my favorite shade). I also always have my favorite faux diamond topped pen, some hand sanitizer, and a Kind bar. We don’t like to be hangry!
A wallet, phone, lipgloss and powder are great things to keep in small purses
I also have ginger candies in case of an upset stomach (I’ve shared these with many people over the years!), a portable tripod (many ask me about this cool tool when they see it!), sunglasses, and a few other items.
Large purses do well with a little organization
These are the main things I have in my daily purse. If I’m changing out purses (maybe from day to night) I made it an easier process by grouping many items and placing them in my collection of Ipsy bags. This keeps my purse organized and makes changing them out much easier too.
What do you keep in your purse? Share your great ideas with others in the comments below!
If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: What You Need to Know About Bogg Bags + Dupes
Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is a regular contributor and editor for Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.