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

[WeeOrcadian]

DH thinks I'm being overly cautious with this, I don't. So I thought I'd get the opinion of the hive mind.

I'm very forgetful and often get stressed if I haven't got something I need - even basics, like lip balm. It makes me feel even more unorganised than I already am.

It's a pencil case, so isn't huge, but it contains lots of essentials and some not essential items.

I have suspected ND (currently undergoing investigation) and I saw someone online had made one. Boom. Brilliant idea.

I tend to take it with me to work, just in case, hence the name of it!

Thoughts?

In your case it makes sense as you say your forgetful, but me personally, I can't stand carrying lots of stuff around, especially stuff that I 'might' need. And I hate the thought of things not getting used an languishing for years until they get manky and unusable (plasters, tablets, lip balms etc).

I had to do a course for work once and one of the things they recommended was always having a "grab bag" packed and kept somewhere near your documents / wallet. So eg. Change of clothes, pjs, toothbrush / toothpaste, deodorant, book, money, phone charger / power bank, spares of any medications and an empty water bottle, snacks etc. Then if there was ever a family emergency, hospital emergency, flood, blackout, gas leak or anything that needed you to leave your house, you could just grab that one bag and go.

Isn't this just normal handbag contents? They sell the mini bags you can transfer from handbag to handbag in lots of places, can you explain why you think it's unusual?

I have a mini medi kit in one of those pouches you get with earphones that has a couple of each type of medication I might need, and also a mini makeup pouch. These generally go everywhere with me. Other essentials include phone, Kindle, inhaler, lip balm, eye drops, tissues and small card wallet.

I dont understand how anyone goes out with less than a pencil case sized bag of bits and bobs.
The only thing ND about it is thinking it might be unusual.

I didn't know it had a name, but isn't this just the shit you've got in your bag?

I have one. It's my 'bag in a bag'. Some miniature items like toothbrush, paste, underwear, cream, deodorant, hand San, sanpro, hair shit, charging cable, spare meds, paracetamol/ibuprofen.

But I also have a 'grab bag' in the house, in my defense we've had to call 999 a few times and I'm now prepared. All relevant info, chargers, changes of clothes and underwear, pj's, snacks/drinks, hygine items, entertainment...basically an emergency overnight bag for the family.

I have a really nice pouch with lots of little compartments and cable-organising sections. In it I have tampons, paracetamol, ibuprofen, lip balm, hand sanitiser, tiny perfume, tissues, phone charger, cable for charging my bike lights, bank cards (usually just use my phone to pay), glasses cloth, pen, multi tool, little sewing kit and several other useful bits. It’s about the size of an average make up bag.

I just throw it between handbags and backpacks, it’s really useful, particularly inside bags that don’t have many compartments.

Most of my bags have tissues/lip salve/paracetamol/hair tie/pen in & I add keys / phone & am gtg!

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.

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.

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

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.

I think it's a brilliant idea

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.

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

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!)

Good idea. What else u got in it?

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

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.

A lot of women do this, me included.

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

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 😁

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

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.