Everyday carry : do you go light or are you a pack rat?

[partyetiquette]

Lighthearted but out with a friend today. She arrives with a tiny crossbody phone case type bag. I arrive with my giant tote the size of a beach bag. I've always wanted to be a small handbag type but I like stuff.
Going round Tescos and I suddenly need to brush my teeth? No probs! Got my travel toothpaste and foldable toothbrush with me! My book (in case I get somewhere early and want to read) book boring? No worries, I've got a magazine as well. And my diary, and my notebook, oh and a scarf in case I get cold. And a mini stapler (never know when you need to staple something small while out and about)
Are you a pack rat or do you have a tiny handbag?
If you are a reformed pack rat- how did you do it? I'm sure my shoulders would thank me!

I have a phone bag for when it's just me.

With DC I have a mum bag which is a larger cross body one that fits a bottle of water, 2 snacks, plasters, safety pins etc.

Purse, phone keys. Have been known to do a city break with two pairs of knickers, a credit card and a toothbrush (before children) I hate luggage.

Small crossbody bag.
Keys
Phone
DL
Vape
Lip balm

Keys, phone, maybe a lip gloss. Pockets in winter, small cross body bag in summer.

What is DL?

Driving Licence maybe

On me, minimalist. Often phone (with cards and emergency bank note) and keys.

My car... it is a vessel of wonders!
To be fair my record traffic jam has been 8 hours, and I'm a distance runner so it is useful to have a stash of energy bars, water. There's normally spare running layers and emergency clothes changes in there which have come in handy for random reasons. It's about as well stocked as my bathroom.

I’m back to having a small baby again now but before kids/when my older child didn’t need nappies etc anymore, just keys and phone! I’m finding it so annoying having to carry a bag again.

My bags and purses have got progressively smaller these last few years. I work from home so don’t need a bag of stuff with me and usually just use a Uniqlo cross body bag to carry my phone, tissues, pen, lip balm and sunglasses.

Please go on YouTube and laugh as the men (always men) who do every day carry videos, which have included and I shit you not:
25 meters of para cord
3 knives
2 guns ( American obvs)
4 ways to make fire plus flint and steel, ferro rod, and bow drill
Water purification tools
A cook stove
An axe
Two power banks
Several usb tumb sticks
A walkie talkie
Gold, silver coins plus £1000s in notes
A saw
Fishing line and hooks
A tourniquet (Americans are obsessed by them)
Duck tape
Cable ties
Tin foil square
3 tourches
Strangely no one seems to carry immodium, paracetamol or anti acids. There are no plasters, wet wipes or even hand sanitiser. No tissues. No nail files or small scissors. Some do carry safety pins and a sowing kit but not super glue.

But ever single one will carry a note book and pen...I cannot remember the last time I had to write a note outside of my house...oh and the notebook must be waterproof and the pen a tactical pen which will also smash windows.

If it is just me I rarely carry a bag. Phone, car key, lip balm, sunglasses on head .

With kids, more. 'Emergency' pouch (suntan lotion, tissues, basic medicine, lip balm, hair bands, pen, post its, plasters etc. Small wetbag with change of pants and shorts for youngest with wipes and a couple of nappy bags. Water bottle, perhaps a cereal bar each. Small toy.

Depends what I'm doing when I'm leaving the house but usually as little as possible. Phone and keys if possible but I'll carry a backpack if I need to carry water bottle and things when walking for some distance. I find shoulder bags or even a cross body bag fussy and lopsided. If I'm driving anywhere the car is full of all the random bits like umbrella, paracetamol, mints, hairbrush, tissues, lip balm etc so no need to carry it about when outside of the car.

And yes, I spend a lot of time in my huge car, sometimes alone but often with kids...waiting for other kids to finish training.

Always: bottles of water, box of cereal bars, couple of small blankets, first aid kit, shopping bags, jumper and change of clothes for youngest. Dry Robe. Wipes. Notebook and pen.

Winter: hats and gloves, bigger blanket. Ratchet straps and tow rope.

Summer: picnic blanket, basic beach toys (bucket and spade, ball, shrimping nets, kite), magnet fishing line, litter picker, sun tan lotion, basic swimming kit.

I very often just have a phone. I don’t even have keys as my house has password entry and I can drive my car from my phone app!

if I do have a bag it rarely has more than a pen, lipsalve, tissues and sometimes a kindle. My work bag adds a laptop charging cords fountain pens and ink cartridges.

I don’t even carry a water bottle as I hate the extra weight.

All you light packers , what do you do if you have a headache and no tablets with you, or you have to wait somewhere without a book?

Disabled.

pack rat but the bag hangs on my wheelchair.

medication: codeine naproxen paracetamol ibuprofen inhaler
perfume
deodirant
radar key
cards that explain my disability
expandable shopping bag
sunglasses
phone
keys
water in this weather.

Good question! I’m not a huge tablet taker, but if I’m in a lot of pain, I’ll just buy some. I’m also not a huge book reader (at this stage of my life! Old me would be horrified) so I’d just do life admin/answer messages on my phone - that being said I have a few books/audiobooks on my phone too.

My DD is a light packer.

she does crosswords on her phone in situations where I would read a book.

Big bag person here but with very little in it!
phone keys pencil wallet tissues medication if at work diary and second phone

I have loads of nice bags but very rarely use one. If I go out, I take my phone and that’s it!

I have a computer bag for work.

Usually no bag at all. Only wear leggings with a phone pocket. My phone has all my cards on digitally.

I have a key box next to the front door because mostly I also CBA to carry keys.

Do take a tiny bag if I'm out with DC though, as inevitably there'll be snacks and water bottles and a raincoat. But the smallest bag i can get away with.

Once travelled coast to coast USA hand luggage only.

I need a bag big enough for a small water bottle as I don't like to be without a drink. Other than that I usually don't carry much besides keys, money, phone, tampons

Toothbrush is a good idea but I would never feel the need to travel about with books and magazines.

I have a tiny bag, I think it's actually a bum bag but it has a cross body strap so that's how I use it. It is a tardis. You can't buy it now but I believe it is 2lt capacity, from Decathlon.

I fit in it: my purse, phone, keys, hand sanitizer, antiseptic wipes x 2, plasters x 2, tampons x 2, small world dinosaurs X2, hot wheel cars x2, mini pack of 4 crayons, mini swiss army knife, and 2 yoyo bears.
If I remove the dinosaurs I can fit in a nappy, a couple of wet wipes and a nappy bag, too!

I used to be a full handbag person, like others I used to get annoyed with my husband “ can you just put this in your bag!”
When I visit London I used to keep my phone in my pocket to easily jump on and off buses, pay for things etc until one day I caught a pickpocket with his hand in my pocket ! I then bought a phone size cross body bag which I wear under my coat so easily accessible to me. I now use it all the time, phone , my car key is one of those flat ones so fits in it, and a couple of pound coins just in case. House keys stay in the car. Quite liberating !

No handbag for me and barely any stuff, just keys and phone in my pocket