To take my handbag to bed?

[hellcarryingahandbag]

Hi all,
I have always put everything I will need or want in my handbag, and taken it to bed, or the room I’m going to sit in. I am not in good health, so I like to have everything with me. The thing is that I put things in my bag that I want to put in a different room, or that I want to have handy, I don’t go out with the cordless landline in my handbag or anything . My grandmother has always done the same thing, and my mother thinks it’s lunacy. I am never without my handbag, as I feel better knowing everything I need is easily accessible. Are my grandmother and I right or is my mother?

We had a home safety visit from the police as part of them installing some equipment in our house and the officer advised us to never take bags, keys, wallets, etc to bed with us. Basically if someone breaks in you want them to stay downstairs and grab the easily portable stuff like cash and keys so that they can get out again without coming upstairs and hassling you. Burglaries tend to turn very ugly very quickly once they have to start waking up the occupants. He told us some 'lovely' horror stories about it including a couple who were woken by an intruder holding a boiling kettle in one hand and their newborn baby in the other, where are the car keys or I start pouring...

Ours stay downstairs.

I always take my bag up to my bedroom with me. Not because I need anything from it, though it's handy as I often shop online in bed so has my purse with bank cards. Just habit really and something my mum has always done too. She always said she did so because as a teen if she left her bag downstairs her mum would go through it it! Then later she suspected my older sister of doing so too but that's a whole other thread!

I used to do this when I went to stay overnight at my late Dmum's. Apart from my phone,it has my purse with my bank card,credit card and cash in,so I felt safer having it nearby,within my sight. I also had my 4 different types of medication in it,which I have to take first thing in the morning. My Dmum always used to say 'Why are you taking your handbag up with you? It's perfectly safe down here'. I have my suspicion's that she wanted to have a rummage through it when I'd gone up to bed

It's not bonkers.

In the last year of my relationship with my ex, particularly when it became clear what a paranoid nutjob he was, my handbag was never more than a few steps away from me.

@GiveHerHellFromUs I only put my glasses and phone in it before I go to sleep. I put everything in it that I may need or want before changing rooms, so it varies from day to day, but I always have:
A small makeup bag for touch-ups (this is always there)
Earphones
A crossword book and pen
Tissues
Phone charger
Reusable shopper (because if I take it out, I forget to put it back in when I need it)
Sweets
A nail file
Sunglasses
My purse
A mini sewing kit (in case I tear a hole in my clothes)
An inhaler.

But when I’m in the house or visiting my grandparents overnight, I have all that plus whatever I want to take to another room/ whatever I pick up and think I might need later. So it varies really. Phew, that was long!

What of your car gets broken into?!

My car is parked in the garage, which is attached to the house. If they manage to break into the garage, they can easily get in the house.

You could just have pretty baskets in each room with all the stuff you’ll need.

What, like your house keys, bank card etc?

Nope by the front door. If someone breaks in that's what they will be after. It's there for them. Don't want them going through the house. If it's stolen it will be dealt with by the police.

@Gogreen usually it’s a just in case, or random things I’ve just put in so I know where it is.

I have doubles of everything tbh, so bedside table, work drawers and in the ottoman.

My handbag is tiny

@WireBrushAndDettolMaam A decoy handbag downstairs near the door! (With a working spare car key.) Great idea!

My Nan does the same thing, always takes it to bed with her "just in case".

@Hoik that’s really scary!

What, like your house keys, bank card etc?

Bank card I understand but why would you need your house keys while moving around the house?

@steff13 that's crazy! What if someone broke into your car and stole everything?

@TurningLeaves one is amused

In my purse I have my wallet, my various work ids, lipgloss, inhaler, hand lotion, sunglasses. Nothing I'd need in the house really, I have spare inhalers, lotion, and lipgloss all over the place.

@steff13 that's crazy! What if someone broke into your car and stole everything?

They wouldn't have to break into the car; I leave it unlocked, with the keys in it. 🤷

They would have to break into the garage, which has an electric door and is alarmed. Do you all not have attached garages?

@steff13 do you not need your wallet for online shopping?

@steff13 attached garages aren’t as commonplace in the UK as they are in the states.

do you not need your wallet for online shopping?

I know my card numbers off by heart including expiry dates and CVVs I must do too much shopping

No. I have a hidden folder on my phone with images of my cards that's password protected. Also, if I need it, I just go get it. From where I'm sitting right now in the family room, my purse/car are about 100 yards away.

I take my handbag to bed. For me, it's the equivalent of the OFRS (OhFuckRuckSack), so it has my mobile phone, purse with cash and debit card. Husband leaves his wallet downstairs on the hall table. We don't have a car.

I figure that if anything should happen, I can get out my bedroom window onto the roof of the bay window and slither down to the ground. And I'd be able to call the emergency services. But my main concern wouldn't be a break-in, it'd be a fire.

I also take my laptop, but that's so if I wake up and can't get back to sleep, I can always check what's going on on the internet. Oh, I also take my spectacles because, you know, I couldn't tell if any of you are actually BU if I can't frickin' see.