To think that it isn't insane to have a 'just in case' bag?

I’ve enjoyed reading this thread - makes me think I should be more prepared!

I rarely use a handbag so mostly don’t carry this stuff around BUT I have stocked my desk drawer at work with a lot of it - essential make up (concealer, eye liner, lipstick), hairbrush and few bobbles, perfume and deodorant, toothbrush and paste, spare knickers, tights and pop socks and some pain killers. I’ve used pretty much all of it in the office at some stage.

We have a family rucksack that we use for days out with the kids and it always has mini first aid kit, hand san, wipes, tissues, mini cutlery set, colouring pencils and notebook, emergency snacks.

You tube, every day carry. You go from the excellent to the ridiculous..the guy with the mini phone bank to the bloke with the 20 lb bag with 6 ways to start a fire. I always have essentials on me, basic meds, a knife, duck tape, safety pins

@Createausername1970 - I am so intrigued by your random list of emergency items . . can you please tell me what scenario you think you may need all these items

a box of lemon teabags, a pack of tissues, a £2 coin (emergency bus fare) and a black pen

I have something similar, I have 3 little pouches I put in my bags, one has san pro in, another has hand sanitizer, hand cream and lip balm, the third one has plasters, painkillers and allergy meds. I started using them when I switched from using a handbag with pockets/sections I could easily have everything organised in, to using a rucksack and it all just being a jumble at the bottom.

using pencil cases /small pouches like this is pretty common with women who change bags regularly so always have the stuff they need in their bag.

OP calling it your emergency bag is rather dramatic- it’s just a handbag insert.

i would presume an emergency packed bag is more like the bags with 2 changes of clothes, toiletries and cash that some on here are saying they have ready to go.

For those who have bug out bags - is there any point if you don’t have a secret cabin in the woods and plenty of buried staches along the way?

Sounds pretty normal to me.

I have a clear primark washbag thing (smallish).

2 x Spare contact lenses
Nivea lip balm
£10 note
£1 coin (for supermarket trolley)
Bit of paper with DD and DS phone numbers written on them (I know DH but just can't seem to learn DC)
1 x Hair bobble
1 x sheet Paracetamol
1 x Plaster

Takes up no space at all and makes me feel reassured and organised even though I am neither

I've worked somewhere that we were advised to have an emergency bag ready in case we had to drop everything and go into work. Meds, clean underwear, toothbrush and so on. It's not mad at all.

I too have a hospital bag packed for the same reason.

I have one. Sanitary pad, lip balm, hair band, hand sanitiser, plasters, a mirror, spare contact lenses.

I don't know any woman who doesn't carry stuff like that in her bag, either loose or in a small zipped bag. The stuff I'm thinking of is lip balm, tissues, maybe a lipstick, roll on perfume, eye pencil, plasters, cough drop, etc.

Your husband mustn't have rifled through many handbags, bless him.

I have one, but it's just a pack of pickled onion Monster Munch.

That’s basically what a handbag is for! If you think you’re likely to need an emergency travel bag, hospital bag, escape bag… then it’s just sensible for short notice. I don’t think you’re crazy!

I get teased for my gym bag. My gym bag is full of “just in case” items. Extras for lockers, showers, extra weights, plasters, spare balls, spare rackets, spare gloves… I don’t fancy unpacking and repacking the same bag every week for my leisure activities. I’ve played a lot of last minute racket sports because I’ve bumped into a friend down the centre and they persuade me to play for a few extra minutes! Enough to make me think it’s not mad to carry several rackets with me everytime I go to the gym 😁

Same here, mine has hand sanitizer, hand cream, tissues, lip balm, a comb, some plasters (got put in when I was breaking some summer sandals in so really ought to be removed now but I can't be bothered) pain killers, a pen and a mini note book. Easy to move it from bag to bag

A lot of women do this, me included.

I have one......purely because dp is absolutely useless in a crisis......so much so that when I ended up in hospital a few years ago (( huge infection that had burst )) I ended up having to wrap my naked self in a sheet to go to the nurses station and ask for a gown when it turned out he'd shoved a load of knickers and shorts in my bag. None of which fit me.

That was a fun few days stinking of rotten goo and none of my own stuff.

So yes. I have an emergency bag and I suggest everyone else does too.

Depends what's in it, if it's paracetamol and lip balm cool, iodine tablets and lead tabards, not so cool.

Good idea. What else u got in it?

I keep spare nappies, wipes in the car and also a bag of spare warm clothes (mostly because my kids play footy and some games are an hour away and the weather can be totally different!)

In the military similar bags but for operational reasons called go bags, or bug out bags etc the idea is quite popular and well done op

Well, I only have one handbag so no need for the "just in case" bag. I do have a lip balm in every jacket pocket and a few bits and bobs in my car.

I think it's a brilliant idea

Great idea OP. I have similar. I also have a hospital back packed just in case, although I haven't been in hospital since my last baby 19 years ago. DH doesn't understand.

Blimey you are the first person I have ever heard who does this apart from me.

I do it. When i had two dogs both on medication, I also kept a grab and go bag packed in case I needed to take them out of the house in case of emergency. I had spare dog leads, some of their meds, handwipes, a change of socks and underwear and I always kept a warm jumper and a couple of blankets in the car. Now there is just me it would be much easier because I could just check into a hotel but not so easy with dogs. I remember being shocked when the Whaley Bridge Dam collapsed that people were turning up at the shelter with nothing but the clothes they stood up in, saying they hadn't had time to pack stuff. The situation did escalate rapidly granted but the unprecedented rain did start earlier and at that point I'd have been pulling stuff together if I didn't keep a bag ready packed.

I feel a need to know more about exactly what is in this bag, as the only thing mentioned is lip balm and I feel that’s a pretty standard thing to carry around? I always get dry lips so have multiple lip balms, one in my car, one on my desk at work, a couple dotted around at home, and one in my handbag.
Generally in my handbag though I always keep a small hairbrush, compact powder, lip balm, tampons, paracetamol and green tea sachets (in case I go to someone’s house who doesn’t keep it in!). These items are all spares/extras that “live” in there, so when I go out I don’t have to remember to “pack” my bag and remember to include brush, powder etc.
But this is something I’ve never given any thought to, it’s not unique or special, just something I assume most women do.