I carry a small purse. Never more than about 8" x 10" x 2" in size. On a strap that I can wear diagonally so my hands are free for shopping or carrying my laptop case. It will hold a comb, checkbook (which I only carry as needed), lipgloss, keys (streamlined to just house, garage, and car key on a small ring), a letter to mail, cell phone, ID and a few cards and a bit of cash. It's small so it must be emptied and sorted every few days. I gave up large purses and tote bags.

Why do you carry restaurant menus in your purse?

I'm wondering the same thing. Are you simply curious about what other people choose to manage, or striving to carry less?

Here is a link that might be useful: Teenee Bag

Mine are all small.

I carry a wallet, reading glasses, cell phone and keys.
Why do you feel the need to carry so much, esp menus?

I carry the restaurant menus for the few times that I order out on the way home. My daughter had been in the hospital for over 3 months recently and I'd go everyday from work to the hospital so I got into the habit of having those menus in case I wanted to use them.

I'm curious about what other people choose to manage. For instance, do they take coupons with them only on the days they go shopping? Or do they keep them in the car instead of their purse in case they take an unplanned stop at the supermarket?

I'm having to make calls from work for various things that I have no time to do after work because companies are then closed or the wait on the phone is way too long. So, I usually have some mail with me.

How do working people just take the essential lipstick, keys, credit cards, money and cell phone? Do you never have to plan for stops after work or calls during the day?

For instance, do they take coupons with them only on the days they go shopping?
Yes.

Or do they keep them in the car instead of their purse in case they take an unplanned stop at the supermarket?

Nope, keep them at home (why clutter the car?). I don't have unplanned shopping trips....
Seriously.

Well, I keep uncategorized coupons in the car, like those for Bed, Bath and Beyond, since those don't expire. That has saved me tons of money in the past, as they are always there.

For other things, I make a list and take the coupon with me. I store those in an accordian folder at the garage door, so I can pull them on my way out. They get paperclipped to my 3x5 card list, and yes, actually fit in my teenee bag.

I used to carry take-out menus in my car, for a similar reason that you mention. They were in a folder that fit between the seat and the console. I didn't really use them that much, so I put them back in the house, next to the phone. I usually only have a limited number of things I would order anyway, so don't need the menu much after while. In your situation, I would leave the menus at the hospital, and program the restaurant number into my phone. Your daughter could then tell you what she wanted without your need to carry around menus.

If my trip is unplanned, then I don't figure I really need that coupon and feel absolutely fine about living without it.

Mail would go into a zippered mesh pouch, along with a pen, ink cartridges (I use a fountain pen) and a pad of paper. It's bigger than my purse, so if I really need it, it's big enough to carry like a purse. That same mesh pouch is big enough to also carry a paperback if I need it. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't take it with me, and it could easily live in my car until I chose to deal with it.

My purse is 10" high, 7" wide, and 2" deep, with a zip pocket on the front big enough to hold a checkbook upright. In the main compartment, which zips across the top, I keep a small hairbrush, cell phone, chapstick, keys.

The back compartment zips on 3 sides and will open like a book. It has slots for credit cards, license, appt card. Two pen loops. Bigger slots if I need them. The opposite side has flat pockets for any other type of flat paper. I keep a small notebook for making notes, giving someone my address or e-mail, etc.

There is a zipper pocket on the backside. Hardly ever use it.

I keep my paper money in my checkbook, and carry few if any coins, so empty them out frequently.

I will never go back to carrying a regular purse, too heavy, and too easy to carry a lot of stuff I don't need.

I hear you about making calls at work because they aren't open when you are home. I hope you are able to accomplish this during break times or lunch time.

Are you liking life in Vancouver?

Barbara

i carry only a small organizer type purse with everything built in so i require no wallet separately..i have a separate 3x5 file for coupons so they don't go in my purse i just grab them if i'm going to a grocery store..or need them..i don't carry a brush, just a small wide tooth comb, i don't carry any make up..i keep tissues in the car glove..so i don't carry things like that..and i have no children around any longer..i don't use any credit cards so only have my debit card and a few medical and drivers license etc in my purse..i can fit in the checkbook if i need it and a small amount of cash. a pack of gum..handicap placquard..and a few other small flat things..and that is it.

I have one of those "healthy back" bags. I got is from L.L. Bean. It is "medium" size. There IS a larger size. But this is plenty big for me. It is roomy enough to throw a small paperback inside when I leave the house. Or a large water bottle. I don't keep it full. That would be very heavy.

The thing I like best about this purse is that there are many pockets inside. One for my wallet. One for hand cream and hand sanitizer. One for purse sized tissues. One for a pen and pencil. One is the right size of lipstick. A zipper pocket on the outside where I keep a few tea bags. You get the picture.

I am about to change my system. I have a system I liked in which I had a special coupon-type holder for all my receipts, one for grocery coupons, and another for coupons for various department or clothing stores--and those huge BB&B coupons! I usually carried all that in my purse. One reason was because for awhile I was using 2 different vehicles (at different times) and it was very frustrating to go off and have left something in the other vehicle. Also I really needed to keep good track of my receipts and so I could put it directly in my purse receipt-wallet. Or hated to walk back out to my car from halfway through the grocery store. Plus I also use and old purse-organizer that belonged to my mom, for travel brush, tissue, pen and paper, etc, so I can transfer to another purse.

But right now, I am almost always in the same vehicle. Plus, it's not just the weight--although, I was amazed at what just one or 2 more items like that seemed to add-- but I have found that it really takes a much larger purse than you might think to hold these various items without being "stuffed" and hard to wrangle out--so few purses have the right compartments for my stuff. I don't really like the individual slots for phone or pen.

So I'm considering changing to a glove-compartment system and keep all these coupons/receipts there. Sure, I'll have to traipse back to my vehicle sometimes when I've walked into a store without my coupon, and I'll have to develop a new good habit of filing my receipt as soon as I get back in, but the tradeoff will be that my purse is less stuffed, and less heavy.

I had a Healthy Back bag and did not find it felt less heavy. Plus my stuff tended to slosh around in it since it is not directly upright.

I carry a small bag. Made by Coach, real leather, so it wears like iron. Just enough room for house keys, car keys, credit and insurance cards, drivers license, checkbook, glasses, and spending money.

I have a couple of tiny (6X8 or so?) Coach mini-purses with the wrist strap. I went to these of necessity, because I have some bad pinched nerves in my neck from an injury, that radiate into the shoulders and down the arms. I found that anything with a shoulder strap, even something not too heavy, gave me pain by the end of the day from sitting right on that nerve.

It was tough at first not having a purse for all my "stuff" - took some adjusting. But now I LOVE IT! I can carry my phone, keys, small change purse, chapstick, reading glasses, a few odds and ends, but that's it. If I need to carry any larger papers, etc, I just stick them in a thin briefcase/portfolio type thingy and leave them in the car rather than carrying them around.

I never would have done it if not for necessity, but now I'm sooo glad I did. It's very freeing not lugging around a big bag full of crap all the time. Anything I really need all the time goes with me, and "occasional" needs just get left in the car.

I was carrying a VERY small bag, but with now two kids and all the places we go, I've found myself short on important things WAY too much, so I'm going to a big one.