2020 resolution - shopping my own bag and wallet collection. Any one else?

[Bag peace]

It is sunflower yellow.

Thank you! The circle bag is in the same shade. I'm trying to decide how silly a purchase this would be (a round bag in yellow = children's drawing of the sun lol).

I just impulse bought my first yellow bag.

Love, love, love!

@papertiger So much wisdom in your last couple of posts! Thank you. Hope you're coping with the Tier 4 restrictions! My brother says London is unrecognizable these days with all the empty streets. I've not been home in a couple of years and dread to think what I'll be returning to when this is all over.

@whateve Reading the California covid news made me think of you. I hope you and your DH are doing well. It can't be easy being in this environment right now with him being high-risk. I really hope they get things under control soon, and in the meantime, please do whatever you can to keep your spirits up.

Sending everyone virtual hugs in case you're feeling the weight of this very unique holiday season. Just hang tight, put one foot in front of the other, and let's all keep our fingers crossed for a better year ahead.

 

[Bag peace]

I received a Xmas parcel from my siblings and another from my best friend. They bought me bags!
I've sent them all another email thanking them for the lovely gesture but begging them to stop gifting me bags as I'm drowning in them!

I need to do a proper count but my collection, that I'm meant to be downsizing, may have just reached 36 bags.
And I have a bag in the donation pile that I may put back into my closet because I've been missing it since I put it aside to donate. I think it's not time to release it just yet. So, 37?

As the year is coming to a close, I find I've still not processed all the people I've lost to covid, cancer and suicide in 2020. How does one grieve for so many all at once? I feel like there's a bear sitting on my chest all the time. I'm thinking it may be wise to find a therapist who specializes in this sort of thing.

On a lighter note, I'm gearing up for 2021 and setting myself up for a successful year (success being healthy and happy, above all else).
In my early 20s I bought far too many clothes because I discovered sample sales and warehouse clearance sales. I ended up with some amazing clothes and designer jeans for as little as $20, but found I accidentally bought far more than I could use.
For the last 6-7 years, I've been creating capsule wardrobes twice a year out of what I already own, consisting of ~30-42 pieces including shoes and accessories. Thankfully my size doesn't really change and my taste has always been tailored clothing in block colours, so everything I bought still works as well now as the day I snapped them up.
I'm going to spend the next few days going through my storage tub and creating my winter and spring capsules. It's always a relaxing process to go through. Shopping my own closet, quite literally. I think I have enough clothes now to last another year and then I'll be shopping a-proper from a store again; that'll be a weird experience when the time comes because it's been so long!

I'm also going to gather up my bags, condition them, and see what I can do to downsize. I'd like to get my collection down to 16 bags in due course. I'm not in a hurry but I do want to get started on it. The problem is that I adore every bag I own right now. Today I used the Brio vintage bag with the beer belly that I posted a while ago, and that thing had me grinning from ear to ear. It's such a charming bag and I didn't know I'd love using it so much.
I'm at a point where all my bags make me feel this way but I can't justify the number I own. I think I'll pull my least favourite bags to use over the next few months, then try to release them all in one go. One last season with them before I let someone else enjoy them.

For next year, I'd like to allow myself one more bag (probably in yellow or orange because I don't have either) but I may decide not to add any at all seeing as the total number I own is so much higher than I'd like it to be. Time will tell because my brain doesn't always kick in when I'm eyeing my next pretty!

Edit: Did a quick count. 38 bags!

 

[whateve]

Thank you! The circle bag is in the same shade. I'm trying to decide how silly a purchase this would be (a round bag in yellow = children's drawing of the sun lol).


Love, love, love!

@papertiger So much wisdom in your last couple of posts! Thank you. Hope you're coping with the Tier 4 restrictions! My brother says London is unrecognizable these days with all the empty streets. I've not been home in a couple of years and dread to think what I'll be returning to when this is all over.

@whateve Reading the California covid news made me think of you. I hope you and your DH are doing well. It can't be easy being in this environment right now with him being high-risk. I really hope they get things under control soon, and in the meantime, please do whatever you can to keep your spirits up.

Sending everyone virtual hugs in case you're feeling the weight of this very unique holiday season. Just hang tight, put one foot in front of the other, and let's all keep our fingers crossed for a better year ahead.

Thanks! We are safe but going stir crazy. We rarely leave the house. DH goes to doctor's appointments about once a month. Other than that, we never enter a building other than our own house. We sometimes go for drives or walks. Tomorrow we are going to force ourselves to go out to a trail for a walk if the weather isn't too bad. Normally we travel several times a year. We really miss that. We've settled into a routine where the highlights of our day are what I make for lunch and what movie we watch in the evening. It sounds like California is going to prioritize vaccinations for many other groups before us, so we will have to wait longer than we had hoped.

We are in one of the worst areas of California. There are no extra beds for covid patients. If someone, even someone high risk, gets covid, they send them home until they are so sick it is too late for treatments to work.

 

[Bag peace]

Thanks! We are safe but going stir crazy. We rarely leave the house. DH goes to doctor's appointments about once a month. Other than that, we never enter a building other than our own house. We sometimes go for drives or walks. Tomorrow we are going to force ourselves to go out to a trail for a walk if the weather isn't too bad. Normally we travel several times a year. We really miss that. We've settled into a routine where the highlights of our day are what I make for lunch and what movie we watch in the evening. It sounds like California is going to prioritize vaccinations for many other groups before us, so we will have to wait longer than we had hoped.

We are in one of the worst areas of California. There are no extra beds for covid patients. If someone, even someone high risk, gets covid, they send them home until they are so sick it is too late for treatments to work.

You're really making the best of an awful situation and I commend you for that. My daily highlights have been my walks as well. I think a trail walk if the weather allows will be really refreshing for you both. Great idea!

I cannot put into words how frustrated I am by the covid situation everywhere I look, but especially in places like yours. It was the same in Brazil earlier in the year- no beds and no way to get more beds. It's deeply upsetting.

The vaccines in Cali being given to others will still reduce community transmission, which will hopefully make the overall picture less grim. And if it's successful with few side effects, then they should be ramping up production and distributing more widely very early next year, so you may not have that much longer to wait.

 

[Katinahat]

My goodness. I had a week away from looking at TPF and came back to 30plus pages of content which I’m reading through now. You all have been busy posting!

I’ve just been getting through life into a winter holiday off work which is welcome as it’s been a hugely stressful time. Not that we’ll be doing anything much. The day my leave started was the same day the govt here announced a full lockdown until 18th January. We are not allowed to travel out of our city. All plans we had are cancelled. It’s all a bit sad and feels much more gloomy than it did in the summer. It’s only light here 8.30am-3.30pm which doesn’t help.

I’m not going to manage the 5 bags in December challenge unless I start carrying them around the house and that’s not a good idea as the puppy would definitely eat a bag given half a chance! A short part of Christmas Day might be spent with my parents who live 5 minutes from my own family. I guess we are lucky to do that. Which bag I take doesn’t seem to matter anymore.

Schools are closed in the New Year until at least the 18th with remote learning from early January which is difficult for my teenagers and leads to massive stress in my Educational Management role. It’s not good going into what should have been a break knowing that is what is coming next.

I’m trying to do as some of you inspirational ladies and see the bright side. I’ve just hit a marker of running 500km this year. Not bad for someone who couldn’t run after a bus and was several stone overweight in March. I’m getting a bit faster as my fitness improves. The weather is due to be a bit drier with sunny spells over the next two weeks and not being at work means I can get out to run and walk the dog in the day time which is greatly mood boosting. I’ve also lost the final few pounds I wanted to shed making it 34 off this year and resting at 120. Perfect time to enjoy a free Christmas goodies!

I’m going to spend the day wrapping presents and walking the puppy.

 

[Bag peace]

A short part of Christmas Day might be spent with my parents who live 5 minutes from my own family. I guess we are lucky to do that.

I'm so glad you have your parents nearby. The lockdowns are ruining people's mental health. I'm sure it will be a special day, even if it is a bit different than usual.

Schools are closed in the New Year until at least the 18th with remote learning from early January which is difficult for my teenagers and leads to massive stress in my Educational Management role. It’s not good going into what should have been a break knowing that is what is coming next.

What a year it has been for both the educators and the students!

I’m trying to do as some of you inspirational ladies and see the bright side. I’ve just hit a marker of running 500km this year. Not bad for someone who couldn’t run after a bus and was several stone overweight in March. I’m getting a bit faster as my fitness improves. The weather is due to be a bit drier with sunny spells over the next two weeks and not being at work means I can get out to run and walk the dog in the day time which is greatly mood boosting. I’ve also lost the final few pounds I wanted to shed making it 34 off this year and resting at 120. Perfect time to enjoy a free Christmas goodies!

This is INCREDIBLE! Congratulations!
I love how running clears the mind but I hate what it does to my knees. I bounce on a mini-trampoline now to remove that stress on my joints and take walks to clear my head. Not quite the same as a long run in the brisk winter air, but it will have to do.

Looking forward to seeing you post more often now that the holidays have officially started.

 

[Katinahat]

I'm so glad you have your parents nearby. The lockdowns are ruining people's mental health. I'm sure it will be a special day, even if it is a bit different than usual.

What a year it has been for both the educators and the students!

This is INCREDIBLE! Congratulations!
I love how running clears the mind but I hate what it does to my knees. I bounce on a mini-trampoline now to remove that stress on my joints and take walks to clear my head. Not quite the same as a long run in the brisk winter air, but it will have to do.

Looking forward to seeing you post more often now that the holidays have officially started.

Thanks so much for your thoughtful reply to my post @jblended!

 

[Katinahat]

The tree is finally up and the cat managed to avoid the puppy long enough to help for a while!

 

[doni]

Well, I can see that the title of this thread is a misnomer. How many of you would say are you truly shopping from your own collection?

I used to sometimes pop into this thread, and wonder the same . But next year I really want to limit my shopping, and I am hoping this thread will be there to support. I see it as just this safe non-judgemental place where you can get out of your head about shopping bags et al without boring your not so equally obsessive friends and relatives.

If things are spilling over and you feel out of control, you probably are.

So true.

My buying an H Evie was a 180 degree turnaround from about 5 years ago. Hated the Huge H (answer, turn it around) and didn't see it as a my daily X-body (bit bigger than I used to wear under my coat). Didn't see it on people with my slightly 'off-kilter' style either. My U-turn was a) knowing H made ghw for the first time, and b) seeing a beautiful, Scandi-urban, booted, all-black-military-esque, girl-around-town carrying a black Evie phw GM. Apart from the Evie, kinda my default uniform if I can't think of what else to wear. I switched the GM phw to a PM ghw for me, turned the bag around and voila! Goes with everything and can't seem to take the thing off.

I find this really dangerous, as I too have never liked the Evie, but each time I read you singing its praises I feel the doubt... I am safe that military-esque Scandi beauties are no danger to me as I may admire them from afar but I cannot relate . But a few weeks ago I saw a sleek & stylish petite Asian girl with a mini-Evie in black and PHW and I found myself thinking, isn’t that the perfect crossbody for walks in the park or around the block?

That is the only bag I need next year, a small practical crossbody in black with silver or no hardware...
(keep my words)

Anyone looking for a yellow bag?

If one of you buy it, I don’t have to think about it anymore....LOL

What a cheerful yellow.
Vintage Trims are such good value.
Also, I love your take on this thread, tempt others to buy a bag so you don’t have to

I received a Xmas parcel from my siblings and another from my best friend. They bought me bags!
I've sent them all another email thanking them for the lovely gesture but begging them to stop gifting me bags as I'm drowning in them!

As the year is coming to a close, I find I've still not processed all the people I've lost to covid, cancer and suicide in 2020. How does one grieve for so many all at once? I feel like there's a bear sitting on my chest all the time. I'm thinking it may be wise to find a therapist who specializes in this sort of thing.

Someone knows you well!
I am really sorry for what an amazingly hard time you had in a year that was already not easy for anyone. I can only wish you all the very best for the year to come!

My goodness. I had a week away from looking at TPF and came back to 30plus pages of content which I’m reading through now. You all have been busy posting!

I know right? I am going to be catching up all week

 

[momasaurus]

I'm also going to gather up my bags, condition them, and see what I can do to downsize. I'd like to get my collection down to 16 bags in due course. I'm not in a hurry but I do want to get started on it. The problem is that I adore every bag I own right now. Today I used the Brio vintage bag with the beer belly that I posted a while ago, and that thing had me grinning from ear to ear. It's such a charming bag and I didn't know I'd love using it so much.
I'm at a point where all my bags make me feel this way but I can't justify the number I own. I think I'll pull my least favourite bags to use over the next few months, then try to release them all in one go. One last season with them before I let someone else enjoy them.

For next year, I'd like to allow myself one more bag (probably in yellow or orange because I don't have either) but I may decide not to add any at all seeing as the total number I own is so much higher than I'd like it to be. Time will tell because my brain doesn't always kick in when I'm eyeing my next pretty!

Edit: Did a quick count. 38 bags!

This is important.

 

[momasaurus]

Thanks! We are safe but going stir crazy. We rarely leave the house. DH goes to doctor's appointments about once a month. Other than that, we never enter a building other than our own house. We sometimes go for drives or walks. Tomorrow we are going to force ourselves to go out to a trail for a walk if the weather isn't too bad. Normally we travel several times a year. We really miss that. We've settled into a routine where the highlights of our day are what I make for lunch and what movie we watch in the evening. It sounds like California is going to prioritize vaccinations for many other groups before us, so we will have to wait longer than we had hoped.

We are in one of the worst areas of California. There are no extra beds for covid patients. If someone, even someone high risk, gets covid, they send them home until they are so sick it is too late for treatments to work.

Hoping you can stay safe. You are coping with such stiff restrictions! I admire that. My brother is in SoCal, and my daughter up north. So scary.

 

[momasaurus]

My goodness. I had a week away from looking at TPF and came back to 30plus pages of content which I’m reading through now. You all have been busy posting!

I’ve just been getting through life into a winter holiday off work which is welcome as it’s been a hugely stressful time. Not that we’ll be doing anything much. The day my leave started was the same day the govt here announced a full lockdown until 18th January. We are not allowed to travel out of our city. All plans we had are cancelled. It’s all a bit sad and feels much more gloomy than it did in the summer. It’s only light here 8.30am-3.30pm which doesn’t help.

I’m not going to manage the 5 bags in December challenge unless I start carrying them around the house and that’s not a good idea as the puppy would definitely eat a bag given half a chance! A short part of Christmas Day might be spent with my parents who live 5 minutes from my own family. I guess we are lucky to do that. Which bag I take doesn’t seem to matter anymore.

Schools are closed in the New Year until at least the 18th with remote learning from early January which is difficult for my teenagers and leads to massive stress in my Educational Management role. It’s not good going into what should have been a break knowing that is what is coming next.

I’m trying to do as some of you inspirational ladies and see the bright side. I’ve just hit a marker of running 500km this year. Not bad for someone who couldn’t run after a bus and was several stone overweight in March. I’m getting a bit faster as my fitness improves. The weather is due to be a bit drier with sunny spells over the next two weeks and not being at work means I can get out to run and walk the dog in the day time which is greatly mood boosting. I’ve also lost the final few pounds I wanted to shed making it 34 off this year and resting at 120. Perfect time to enjoy a free Christmas goodies!

I’m going to spend the day wrapping presents and walking the puppy.

Congrats on your weight loss and on maintaining a running program! Those are great achievements. I think a lot of people have been imagining 2021 would be magically better, home free, hooray, the wicked witch is dead, back to normal, etc. But I think we are in for more of the same and it's making this moment particularly depressing and even desperate.

I can't imagine trying to parent teenagers right now, with the hopeless mess of education. I tip my hat to you again for that! I was just listening to a radio program about teacher burnout and how aides as young as 20 and even school bus drivers are helping out in non-instructional school situations.

 

[momasaurus]

The tree is finally up and the cat managed to avoid the puppy long enough to help for a while! View attachment 4934770View attachment 4934771

Lovely corner of your house! And oooooo kitty! So much mischief in that face.

 

[momasaurus]

I used to sometimes pop into this thread, and wonder the same . But next year I really want to limit my shopping, and I am hoping this thread will be there to support. I see it as just this safe non-judgemental place where you can get out of your head about shopping bags et al without boring your not so equally obsessive friends and relatives.



So true.



I find this really dangerous, as I too have never liked the Evie, but each time I read you singing its praises I feel the doubt... I am safe that military-esque Scandi beauties are no danger to me as I may admire them from afar but I cannot relate . But a few weeks ago I saw a sleek & stylish petite Asian girl with a mini-Evie in black and PHW and I found myself thinking, isn’t that the perfect crossbody for walks in the park or around the block?

That is the only bag I need next year, a small practical crossbody in black with silver or no hardware...
(keep my words)



What a cheerful yellow.
Vintage Trims are such good value.
Also, I love your take on this thread, tempt others to buy a bag so you don’t have to



Someone knows you well!
I am really sorry for what an amazingly hard time you had in a year that was already not easy for anyone. I can only wish you all the very best for the year to come!



I know right? I am going to be catching up all week

Yessss! This is such a good place to mull things over (sell this? buy that?) and I appreciate different people having knowledge of brands I don't know.
Also, like you, I love PHW, especially with black. I think I need more info on the smaller Evie. Dimensions? action photos?

 

[SouthernPurseGal]

I love my studio xm but I'm afraid I struggle with handheld only. Am I the only one? I hate not having my hands free in a pinch.