2024 Resolution: Shopping my own Bag and SLG Collection

[Sparkletastic]

December Activities and Challenges - pick and choose as you please.

I. 2024 Year In Review Reflection
(Thanks @Vintage Leather)

Utilize these thought starters to evaluate your collection, your usage patterns and your lessons learned in 2024.
• What is your most useful purse?
• What is your best purchase of the year?
• We’ve all had a lot of lifestyle changes this year - how has it affected your style?
• What is the one thing we’ve learned this year that you want to take into the next?

II. Setting 2025 Goals
Take this month to consider what you want to do with your handbag collection, wardrobe or even your beautiful life in 2025. Share these thoughts in January when we start the 2026 Shopping Your Closet thread.

III. End of year optional challenges

• Holiday colors: December has many holidays celebrated across the world - red & green, brown & gold, blue & white and more! Pick the holiday that you want to honor and wear / show off your bags in those traditional colors.

• End with a bang: As we come to the last part of the year, wear the last bag you’ve purchased at least 3 times this month.

@Vlad please pin this to the top of our thread.

 

[dcooney4]

Hi everyone & happy new Year ! I would love to participate this year as well. I think this thread might help me to focus on my "bag-goals" which are:

(1) Downsizing my bag collection. Getting rid of the bags that I do not use. I have too many bags that I hardly ever use because I bought them for fantasy occasions that never happen.
(2) Enjoying the bags that I have and rotating them a lot more
(3) Buy a maximum of 3 new bags in 2024 (not included the one I am still waiting for that has been ordered in 2023 ).
My biggest wish for 2024 is a LOEWE Puzzle bag .

Welcome to the thread. Sounds like great goals.

 

[Struck by Designer-Cupid]

Hi everyone, happy new year!!

I’m also happy to join the thread this year, I tried last year but was too late and fell too far behind! I think there’s a lot of chat that goes on in this thread, which is great! I can’t wait

So my bag goals are:

1) also just to rotate my bags a lot more, like many others have said. I have bags that I purchased last year but have never used so they really need to be used! Haha @Sibelle i completely agree that I seem to purchase bags for fantasy occasions too which then never end up getting used. However this year I will make a conscious effort to use them and will plan my outfits more in order to incorporate them into usage. Overall, I want to use every single one of my bags at least 2-3 times this year.

2) there are a couple of bags which I may try and sell, mostly just to free up space.

3) I want to try and store my bags (and shoes!) more effectively and in a more pretty way, so that they look nice, aren’t cluttered, are easy to reach and grab, and are on display. This will probably be the most difficult of my goals since I don’t really have the space for a display cabinet at the moment but I will try and find a way!

4) I don’t want to buy (too many!) new bags this year. There is one main bag on my wish list which is a must, so if it is released and I have funds, I will get it. There are also about three other bags which I’d like to buy but I have to prioritise funds for other things this year eg holidays and general life. I bought way too many bags last year!!!

Thanks for letting me share! Hopefully we can all share tips on how to help each other out with our goals

 

[msd_bags]

Hello ladies! Happy New Year! It's good to be back on this thread.

The covid pandemic helped me slow down and move away from my bag addiction. As in I lost interest in changing bags regularly (and I couldn't find happiness in bags at that time)! But I retained my appreciation for beautiful ones.

Post covid, I started traveling internationally again, in countries where it is much cheaper for me to purchase bags than in my home country. I could not resist the opportunity. In short, I have acquired a few bags since 2022! Mostly from my travels. Plus a few preloved ones from a fellow bag addict I met through a local baking group during the pandemic.

I know I need to clean/clear up my bag closet. The pandemic has changed my habit of bag rotation. And I think I may be ready to stick to a few current bags. But when I see some of my older bags, I am not sure I can let go of them yet. Plus the fact that other than a few brands, resale prices on some of my pieces are really low.

My goal for 2024 is to let go of some, and allow better space for my current collection. (Note that my goal is silent on additions. I will try to focus on reduction. But if I will add, I will aim to do so only in relation to my travels.) One thing that I have learned in my years on the thread and through our discussions is that there are no forever bags.

 

[msd_bags]

Over the years, I went from buying bags I thought were pretty but not always functional, to buying higher end bags for a life I did not lead. Last year I got rid of a lot of higher end bags I wasn't using and bought more fun/functional bags. This year I want to continue to keep my bags in the allotted amount of space without squeezing any bags. I still have a bit of room for a couple of bags, but I like to see some open space. I also want to stay in budget. My goals are pretty much the same as last year. If I have some fun buying new things, then some older ones need to go. I also want to build my wardrobe to work better with some of my bags.

I'm glad that you've found bags that really work for you!

 

[dcooney4]

Hi everyone, happy new year!!

I’m also happy to join the thread this year, I tried last year but was too late and fell too far behind! I think there’s a lot of chat that goes on in this thread, which is great! I can’t wait

So my bag goals are:

1) also just to rotate my bags a lot more, like many others have said. I have bags that I purchased last year but have never used so they really need to be used! Haha @Sibelle i completely agree that I seem to purchase bags for fantasy occasions too which then never end up getting used. However this year I will make a conscious effort to use them and will plan my outfits more in order to incorporate them into usage. Overall, I want to use every single one of my bags at least 2-3 times this year.

2) there are a couple of bags which I may try and sell, mostly just to free up space.

3) I want to try and store my bags (and shoes!) more effectively and in a more pretty way, so that they look nice, aren’t cluttered, are easy to reach and grab, and are on display. This will probably be the most difficult of my goals since I don’t really have the space for a display cabinet at the moment but I will try and find a way!

4) I don’t want to buy (too many!) new bags this year. There is one main bag on my wish list which is a must, so if it is released and I have funds, I will get it. There are also about three other bags which I’d like to buy but I have to prioritise funds for other things this year eg holidays and general life. I bought way too many bags last year!!!

Thanks for letting me share! Hopefully we can all share tips on how to help each other out with our goals

Organizing bags is a big job , but well worth it. I found space buy adding cubes on the shelves that were already there. Welcome to the thread.

 

[Purses & Perfumes]

Hello everyone! My goals this year:

Like many others here, my goals for this year are focused on decluttering and using/rotating better.

Clear the Closet of Departing Bags: There are some bags that have been sitting in my closet of departing bags (It's not a separate closet, but just a section within my existing closet.) This is the year I hope to actually get these out of the house. It will free up some much-needed space in my closet!

Using/rotating better: Do a better job of rotating and using existing bags. Whittling down the number of bags will help ensure that everything is used more often instead of once in a while. Other than that, my other goal is to enjoy my handbags and get out and about more frequently, thus giving me the opportunity to use more bags.

 

[whateve]

Hello! I duck in and out of tPF depending on how stressful work and life have gotten. Here are my goals for 2024:

1. Continue the ban I started a few years ago on buying bags at thrift stores.

2. I would like to get more selective with the clothes I buy at thrift stores, also. In the size I am currently wearing, I am finding myself buying clothes if the fit and cut are right, even if the color and/or print range from "just not me" to "hideous." No more. Everything must be right or I will not buy it. My body deserves that at every size.

3. I have started a rudimentary bag usage record. I will keep this record current, and use it to remind myself to carry bags I don't habitually reach for.

I realized I did the same thing with clothes when I was heavier than I wanted to be. As long as it didn't make me look fat, I would buy it. Then I realized I had a lot of ugly clothes!

 

[whateve]

I think I did pretty good in 2023. I want to continue along the same lines. I still have too many bags and purse charms but I don't want to get rid of them just to get down to a certain number, and I still have the problem that most wouldn't sell for enough to be worth it.

I did well with clothes and shoes in 2023. Realizing that I had too many, I had a low buy year. One thing that helped was to keep a record of every fashion item I bought, not just purses. I pulled out some of my Uggs that were too hard to put on and listed them. Now my shoe closet isn't so packed. I pulled out every clothing item that still had tags and listed them.

In 2024, I want to continue tracking bag usage and analyze why certain bags weren't carried very much last year. I've been tracking usage since 2019.

 

[Struck by Designer-Cupid]

The covid pandemic helped me slow down and move away from my bag addiction. As in I lost interest in changing bags regularly (and I couldn't find happiness in bags at that time)! But I retained my appreciation for beautiful ones.

One thing that I have learned in my years on the thread and through our discussions is that there are no forever bags.

haha I am the complete opposite, it was Covid that made me a bag addict because my number one passion, travel, was off limits and so I turned to other things to keep me busy. One of these ended up being watching you tube videos of lovely bags, which of course made me want to buy them too! It’s a slippery slope, sadly.

In relation to your comment about there being no forever bags, do you mind me asking why? Is that a personal thing for you, or do you find that most people on this forum / people in general don’t tend to be overly attached to their bags? I ask because there are at least a couple of bags I own which I don’t ever envisage selling, simply because I plan to pass them down to my daughter or sisters one day. I would only pass the bags on to them if I felt that they would really love and treasure them and so to me they kind of feel like they will be forever bags. I don’t know for sure, of course, but I’m very interested to hear your thoughts on what you’ve discovered so far

 

[Struck by Designer-Cupid]

Other than that, my other goal is to enjoy my handbags and get out and about more frequently, thus giving me the opportunity to use more bags.

That is a great idea! I’d like to do that too

 

[Struck by Designer-Cupid]

Organizing bags is a big job , but well worth it. I found space buy adding cubes on the shelves that were already there. Welcome to the thread.

That’s a really good idea, thanks! Do you have any recommendations on good cubes to use?

 

[whateve]

haha I am the complete opposite, it was Covid that made me a bag addict because my number one passion, travel, was off limits and so I turned to other things to keep me busy. One of these ended up being watching you tube videos of lovely bags, which of course made me want to buy them too! It’s a slippery slope, sadly.

In relation to your comment about there being no forever bags, do you mind me asking why? Is that a personal thing for you, or do you find that most people on this forum / people in general don’t tend to be overly attached to their bags? I ask because there are at least a couple of bags I own which I don’t ever envisage selling, simply because I plan to pass them down to my daughter or sisters one day. I would only pass the bags on to them if I felt that they would really love and treasure them and so to me they kind of feel like they will be forever bags. I don’t know for sure, of course, but I’m very interested to hear your thoughts on what you’ve discovered so far

For me there are no forever bags because my tastes keep changing.

 

[Struck by Designer-Cupid]

I did well with clothes and shoes in 2023. Realizing that I had too many, I had a low buy year.

That’s great, I’d love some tips on how to have a low buy year, if you have any. Eg my current thought process is “omg I love this bag / shoes / clothes / jewellery / anything else pretty and I have to have it!” when really id like my thought process to be “I love it but don’t need it so DO NOT BUY IT”

 

[Struck by Designer-Cupid]

For me there are no forever bags because my tastes keep changing.

That makes sense!

 

[whateve]

That’s great, I’d love some tips on how to have a low buy year, if you have any. Eg my current thought process is “omg I love this bag / shoes / clothes / jewellery / anything else pretty and I have to have it!” when really id like my thought process to be “I love it but don’t need it so DO NOT BUY IT”

I think it is kind of like a diet. It's hard in the beginning but then it becomes a habit. I still get tempted but not as much. When looking at something new, I think of what I already own that is similar. With purses, I'm running out of colors I don't already own. One person had a great system. She asked herself that if she got the new item, would it steal "wears" from an item already in her closet? So if you have a bag you normally carry to certain kinds of events and you got another similar bag, would you want or need both of them, or would one of them get neglected?