AIBU to ask what you would put in a small bag for 2 early 20s DDs.

[LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood]

I know I am being unreasonable to ask is here really. But hey ho. Lots of good ideas abound. I want to buy a largish pencil case or make up bag for my 2 DDs and fill it with essential items. A bag that is small enough for them to keep in their back packs. They are aged 23 and 20 and are lovely young women but are always running out of basic things. One is on the PGCE. One is a university.

This is meant to be a fun but useful extra Christmas present that will save them time and money and be appealing. I have in mind already: small pack of paracetamol, tissues, wet wipes, tampons, pen, safety pins, mini deodorant, mini toothpaste and travel toothbrush, chewing gum, £10, couple of £1 coins, portable charger, plasters. Any better./different ideas?

Just to reiterate.. this is not a major present. Just a fun thing for them to open that will be useful rather than tat.

Thanks all.

Invisibobble

Lovely gift idea!

If you need some practical suggestions I have a mini first aid kit I carry with me with the following:

Tablets - paracetamol, ibuprofen, and buscopan
Poo Pourri - as I have IBS and feel more comfortable having it with me when I'm out even though I've only used it once or twice while out and about in about ten years
A mini scissor/tweezers/nail file kit - the scissors are particularly useful when out
Plasters - I only buy Elastoplast now as they stay on better than cheaper alternatives. They're very affordable in Savers
A compact mirror
Earplugs - you never know when you might stay somewhere really noisy or be on a long noisy train/bus journey and have forgotten headphones
A few bobby pins
Carmex lip balm
Glasses wipes
Anti bac hand gel and wipes
Multi purpose balm for dry skin
A mini deodorant

This sounds like a lot but it all fits in a little pouch and I throw it in whatever handbag I'm using its been a lifesaver many times for me and for others.

As for the bag mine is a little first aid pouch which is roughly 2x3x4 inches with a middle zip section. M&S have some nice fabric pouches and Oliver Bonas usually have nice ones with initials on them.

Other things could include:

A lipstick/balm
Perfume samples
Pressure point roller
Rescue remedy spray or sweets
Herbal teabags (Pukka teabags come in handy paper packets)
Token for shopping trolley
Mini torch
A nice pen
Claw clips for their hair
Nail varnish remover pads
Mini sunscreen (Lidl have a really small bottle of factor 50)
Sanitary towel tin
Fold up toothbrush
Toilet seat covers (if they're fussed about that kind of thing!)
Mini dry shampoo
A powerbank
A keyring - I had a dog collar disc engraved which says 'if found please call [mobile number]' and it lives on my keys. It was only a few pounds on eBay - my whole family requested them!

I got a bit carried away as this sounds like a really sweet gift! Good luck, really hope they enjoy whatever you put together for them!

My own mini bag contains:
Tweezerman tweezers
Nail scissors
2 x Compeed plasters
Anadin Extra
Fold out knife, fork, spoon penknife type thing
L'Occitane handcream
Weleda lip balm
Rescue Remedy tabs
L'Occitane free sachets moisturiser & body lotion

Lovely idea. Could make a main present if you bought high-end products.

Contents vary by season. For summer use, I’d add a fold up rain jacket or festival poncho: lighter than umbrella and you can also sit on it.

For winter, thin beany hat, hand warmers and a couple of lemsip sachets.

Mini claw clips are v handy for bad hair days and take up v little room.

Muji do tons of see-through zip pouches. Flying Tiger great for contents.

Store gift cards (with a fiver on) for main supermarkets or fave coffee shop could be handy if they’re regularly skint. If they live in London, then Oyster card with £10 on it.

Some Pukka or Clipper herbal tea sachets could be nice too, if they drink it.

Lovely idea🤗 haven’t RTFT so sorry if duplicating ideas & like others seem to have a bit carried away with ideas sorry for the length🤣🤣 & Thankyou to all though I’m going to steal some of these ideas too🥰
lip balm/blisteze
facial wipes & tissues
pads tampons pants
pen & notepad
smints, butterscotch or similar ‘travel’ sweets (M&S do small boxes)
or love hearts sweetie roll
nail file/buffer & scissor you can get folding ones
solar power bank? Could be a bit too big!
scratch card
mini playing cards (my gran always had a set in her bag!!!🤣)
blister plasters
mini sewing kit (if they are that way inclined🤗)
hair clips or bands folding comb/brush
Fun socks
Ultra lightweight scarf (Longwu Cotton Linen Solid Scarf Wrap Shawls 100cmx190cm. I got these on Amazon really nice & fold up small, lots of colours)
Vit C rehydration tablets
folding shopping bag
one of those multi use ninja cards that are bottle opener, scissors measure etc.

I got these on Amazon for up coming flight, the clear ones, the big one is a good size for a backpack & can see contents easily & smaller ones will hold groups of stuff.
KEYRI 4 Pcs Clear Travel Toiletry Bag Makeup Bags Portable Waterproof Toiletry Holiday Travel Accessories Cosmetic Bag Organizer (Black)

xxx

For the trainee teacher one of those bic pens which has different colours in one pen
White board pen and a glue stick and office scissors

Katie loxton does some lovely bags with printed words that might be just big enough. I bought them for my bridesmaids and filled them with funny wedding essentials

Retractable soft tape measure
Safety pin (saved me a few times lol)
Glasses wipes (good for phone screens too)

This is a lovely idea but I’d urge caution and not get too much. Some of the lists are crazily long!

love your suggestions of a tenner and a few pound coins. Could add a few 50p pieces for charity collections too.

Tissues
Handcream
A pen
Platers and blister plasters
Painkillers
mini deodorant
mini hairbrush
Burts Bees lip balm or a Vaseline tin
couple of perfume samples

Oh and a small tin of mints as someone else said,

In my emergency pouch, I have:

Ibuprofen
Hand sanitizer
£10
A couple of plasters
A Savlon wipe
And this - endlessly useful and much envied when I get it out. Covers all sorts of emergency situations.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Victorinox-Jelly-Swiss-Card-Onyx/dp/B001U5042I/ref=ascdffB001U5042I/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696285193871&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15984124423248892295&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006886&hvtargid=pla-2281435177618&psc=1&mcid=bb14206cdc8539c0b15682141b3a90a1&th=1&psc=1&hvocijid=15984124423248892295-B001U5042I-&hvexpln=74&gadsource=1

I should have read the thread- can see someone else recommended the Swiss Card. Genuinely terrific addition to anyone's bag!

The OP should be proud that she got to the end of page 4 before someone came along all grumpy.

It is a thoughtful gift, that's it. I'm in my 40's and this is the type of thoughtful thing my Mum would do.

Make one the size you need. It's not difficult (unless you don't have a sewing machine!)

This is a lovely idea.
If either wear contacts then are you able to put a pair in.

Also a coffee gift card.

Im saving this for when my kids are older 😚

@LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood this is such a great idea. Can you come back and update us on what you decide, and what bag you find to fit it all in there? Am thinking of following your lead for a few "small but meaningful" presents.

I got a lovely handmade bag for this sort of stuff from a woman on Etsy.Here

In my rucksack I have two layers of essentialness:

Layer one:

1. Lip balm with SPF in, Norwich
2. Radar key (bit specialist!)
3. Tiny perfume (8ml, refillable)
4. Meds
5. Tissues

Layer two:

1. Penknife
2. Miniature suncream
3. Portable charging block
4. Bluetooth headphones
5. Lipstick

I think this is a lovely idea. These are handmade in the uk by a small mum ran business if you're still looking for a bag?

Lots of lovely designs. I have a few in my bag.

elenaoneillillustration.bigcartel.com/product/floral-fox-large-pouch

Those mini hairbrushes you get Boots. I'd skip the tampons, they might use other forms of sanitary protection.

Oh and a pen 🖊️

Oh my. It's threads like these that make me think like I live in another universe

What a lovely idea! I might do this for my DD(20)

I’ve skim read so may have missed, but is no one thinking of the booze?!

A mini multi tool with bottle opener/corkscrew is an essential. I have one attached to my keys and we’ve used it so many times.

Possibly wrong time of year but Primark do sets of 3 bakini bags in the summer and the smaller ones are what I use for my battery pack and phone lead.

Or these little purses from places like ebay. Multi compartments and they expand