Do you baby your bags?

[LovEmAll]

So here's the saying "A Purse on the Floor is Money out the Door"
I will say that I will place my bag on my rug when taking a pic for Instagram so, I'm not sure where the line is drawn on putting it on the floor do you know?

Ha! True...I've done that too. Darn it! I may have to rethink my IG pics [emoji6]. Juuuuuust kidding

 

[MSO13]

I definitely baby mine. I keep the purse in the dust cover until I get to wherever I'm going. If it's a cloudy day, I carry a dry cleaners' bag with me in case it rains. It came in handy several times. I've read that the hardware covers erode the hardware over time, so I don't keep them.

I baby my bags and everything I own. I am just like that and it doesn't keep me from enjoying them.

Hmmmm... baby? It's funny that we say "baby your bags"... Because I can honestly admit I do. Why? Because I have a different sort of relationship with my bags than others may. While I don't put my Birkin in a stroller or a baby seat while driving.... my bags have names, outfits (twillies and charms), and I worry for their safety while we're out (in many different ways). I don't place my bag on the floor (except in my home/other's homes)... I will absolutely place my bag on a chair at a restaurant or share the chair I'm sitting on with my bag, I don't carry liquids in my bag that have any chance of leaking... I have heard horror stories about pens, therefore I am very guarded around shopping/airport counters and pens. This may all sound asinine to you, but it's SECOND NATURE to me. Really.... I totally wear and enjoy ALL OF MY BAGS.... you've all seen me in action... I wear them daily. I don't treat them like glass or a shrine to be worshipped in my closet... They are out and about with me wherever I go... I'm just CAREFUL. No, I have no interest in getting the handles dirty, I guard against food spills, I don't like looking at scratches on hardware but it happens and I'd be upset if I got caught in the rain with no bag to cover my things with (including ME). It's just how I'm built. I am the same way with most of my possessions. I won't fall to pieces if something happens... but I try very hard to keep things from looking worn out too quickly. It will happen, natural wear and tear is fine.... but my babies have an attentive mama who completely enjoys primping them and fussing with their outfits to keep them pretty =) They are babied, for sure. And I enjoy it.

I am for sure careful with my bags. IF summed it up for me, with the exception of twillies. I can never get them to stay perfect so they annoy me, kudos to those who love them because I think they look great. I specifically by leathers that are workhorses (togo, clearance etc.) so that makes it easier to maintain the bags and use them without worry (I save the exotics for my wallet). With that being said there is one thing I am off the charts crazy about, I cannot and will not set my bag on the floor, in overhead bin or anywhere floor germs would transfer to my bag -- Bust out the xanax if this happens!!!! I have visions of disgusting germs getting all over my bag and then I have to touch it I think this stems from my profession but it's the real deal. I ALWAYS have a purse hook and if that won't work then I proceed with all alternative I have devised in my mind.

I created an "emergency stain cleaner kit" that I throw in my make up bag. I have never needed it, but it feels like I'm being a bit more responsible in taking care of my expensive purchase.

I am very careful with my luxury belongings as I want years of enoyment out of them and being careful actually adds to how much I fully enjoy them. I have bags (and jewelry) that were handed down to me and they are in such amazing shape that I appreciate the user (grandmas, mother in law, mother) took such good care of them![emoji2]

Thank you guys for sharing, I respect your decisions to care for your bags anyway you choose and I'm very glad to hear that they give you great joy and are not a cause of stress in any way! And thanks for not reading too much into the thread and taking anything personally, I'm a very curious person and not particularly careful with anything, including myself and I'm frequently accident prone so whenever I have to be careful, I find it stressful. That's why I asked!

 

[maxxout]

I think there's a big difference between babying your bag and putting your bag on the floor. Babying your bag can mean a whole slew of different things one might do to protect it. And I fall into that camp of trying to protect a bag or any nice object that I care about. I don't find it a big problem to consider where your bag might go during dinner, for example. But putting a bag on the floor to me is an entirely different subject.
Everything that exists in the universe ends up on the floor. It's gravity. Any kind of pollution any kind of animal waste any kind of chemical every single thing is on the ground and floor somewhere. And everyone walks on surfaces and transfers those things from the outside to the inside. This is one good reason to take your shoes off when you enter your home. But if you put your bag on any floor no matter what floor it is, it is contaminated. It just is. So you put your bag on a floor and then you go home and put your bag on your kitchen counter and you just transferred that contamination onto your counter. My mantra is anything that is put on the ground or on the floor, stays on the floor. Even suitcases. I don't put suitcases up on the bed in my room or a hotel room to unpack it. I leave it on the floor or the luggage rack to unpack it. I sound like a germaphobe but I'm not. I don't carry around hand sanitizer and I don't clean my hands after I open the door unless I'm going to be eating directly. But to me, seeing a hand bag on the floor seems filthy.
If it's your home and it's carpet and you know you're not walking around on that part I assume that's a different story but my habit is just that I wouldn't put a bag on the floor at any time.

 

[MSO13]

I'm about to peel the plastic off my new B but in the spirit of this thread I'll admit I leave the plastic on the feet till it falls off, I just lost the last piece on my almost 2 year old Kelly!

My DH is super compulsive about keeping certain things pristine like our very high maintenance countertops in our kitchen. I was responsible for a vicious coffee ring and I have not yet been forgiven 5 years later so let's just say it's a good thing DH doesn't think about my bags. I have to strategically cover the spot with an appliance so his eye doesn't start twitching.

I feel like I should also say that this topic came from some people telling others what they shouldn't do with their bags, i.e.: don't put them on the floor ever. It really "scuffs my corners" (the tPF version of ruffling feathers) when anyone tells anyone what to do with their things. I don't think it's safe to call attention to a bag by placing it on a cloth for an entire restaurant to see, others think it's gross that I put mine on the floor but I don't understand why my way can't be right for me if their way is right for them. As this thread has shown, there's plenty of ways to be a happy bag owner.

As for the saying, purse on the floor/money out the door, my version is: if there isn't a hidden seat, it goes by my feet! Besides, all my money is at Hermes

 

[MSO13]

I think there's a big difference between babying your bag and putting your bag on the floor. Babying your bag can mean a whole slew of different things one might do to protect it. And I fall into that camp of trying to protect a bag or any nice object that I care about. I don't find it a big problem to consider where your bag might go during dinner, for example. But putting a bag on the floor to me is an entirely different subject.
Everything that exists in the universe ends up on the floor. It's gravity. Any kind of pollution any kind of animal waste any kind of chemical every single thing is on the ground and floor somewhere. And everyone walks on surfaces and transfers those things from the outside to the inside. This is one good reason to take your shoes off when you enter your home. But if you put your bag on any floor no matter what floor it is, it is contaminated. It just is. So you put your bag on a floor and then you go home and put your bag on your kitchen counter and you just transferred that contamination onto your counter. My mantra is anything that is put on the ground or on the floor, stays on the floor. Even suitcases. I don't put suitcases up on the bed in my room or a hotel room to unpack it. I leave it on the floor or the luggage rack to unpack it. I sound like a germaphobe but I'm not. I don't carry around hand sanitizer and I don't clean my hands after I open the door unless I'm going to be eating directly. But to me, seeing a hand bag on the floor seems filthy.
If it's your home and it's carpet and you know you're not walking around on that part I assume that's a different story but my habit is just that I wouldn't put a bag on the floor at any time.

You're speaking my language with the germ thing but it's just not practical for me to never put anything on the floor. I do wipe my bags down whenever they have visited a surface frequented by feet/shoes because I have a very vivid imagination and I am mildly germaphobic. It's just balanced out by my New Yorker cynicism that everyone wants to steal things and I'm happy to clean things, not replace them. I also don't wear shoes in my house and I literally shudder at suitcase wheels. I never put my bags down on eating/kitchen surfaces at home because I'm very aware of where they go on occasion.

 

[pursecrzy]

I use a purse insert to keep the insides free of purse crud. It also makes changing bags a breeze.

I will carry a water bottle and food in the purse insert. My bags go on the floor but it depends on where I am. If I go to the movies, it's on the seat beside me or on my lap. If I'm really worried about things being spilled on my bag, I carry an inexpensive one. I keep an Envirosac bag in my purse and use it if needed.

 

[maxxout]

You're speaking my language with the germ thing but it's just not practical for me to never put anything on the floor. I do wipe my bags down whenever they have visited a surface frequented by feet/shoes because I have a very vivid imagination and I am mildly germaphobic. It's just balanced out by my New Yorker cynicism that everyone wants to steal things and I'm happy to clean things, not replace them. I also don't wear shoes in my house and I literally shudder at suitcase wheels. I never put my bags down on eating/kitchen surfaces at home because I'm very aware of where they go on occasion.

Yes , I completely agree with you on not letting possessions dictate your life. And it's very cool to be casual about expensive bags .... I love that. I just have a suspicious view about floors. And I will go to great lengths to avoid putting anything on them. Maybe it's because I have a yorkie. They say they are never truly housebroken.

 

[Pmrbfay]

Great thread! I enjoy all the different answers. I kind of agree with not putting my purse on the floor if at all possible (mom was an RN so we are careful about germs at our house [emoji4]). However, I do just put them on the seat/chair next to me and they have all gotten caught in a very light rain. If it's a downpour, I do try to keep them covered, and I do still have the plastic on the plate of my LV Favorite. Thanks for letting me share.

 

[Rhl2987]

I use inserts for most of my H bags. I'll be honest... I baby my new bags more than the ones I have that are preloved (but I never put my bags on the floor except at home, where I know it's a bit cleaner than out of the house). The new bags don't have their plastic removed until right when I'm out and using them, and I always leave the plastic on the feet. I don't want to get corner scuffs on my new bags, although I know it will happen eventually, and I hope to keep my bags from ever becoming too slouchy. I rotate my bags to keep them from getting too tired. My Mom tends to use one bag until it is absolutely done, and then she'll move on to the next in her very full closet of bags. To each their own. It is lovely to see bags that are very appreciated and used by their owners. Really, I appreciate all bags that I see here on this forum as they are all very loved!

 

[Dluvch]

Me too!!

Me three

 

[honhon]

last week at my local high end boucherie, i saw a woman carrying her orange phw birkin. what made my eyes stop on her was the way she was carrying the bag.
she was carrying a shopping basket with her right hand and crook of her left arm hung THE birkin. THE birkin? the way she carried. it was literally floating. it wasn't touching any part of her body except at the dangling handles. her left arm was extended outward and at her elbow was a suspended birkin. at the cashier i saw her again. it was still floating. the carefully polished hardwares were reflecting the store lights all the time because the bag had not anchor and it was constantly turning left and right. her birkin attracted a lot of attention. maybe she wanted that. i don't know, but it was definitely not victoria bechham

 

[Israeli_Flava]

last week at my local high end boucherie, i saw a woman carrying her orange phw birkin. what made my eyes stop on her was the way she was carrying the bag.
she was carrying a shopping basket with her right hand and crook of her left arm hung THE birkin. THE birkin? the way she carried. it was literally floating. it wasn't touching any part of her body except at the dangling handles. her left arm was extended outward and at her elbow was a suspended birkin. at the cashier i saw her again. it was still floating. the carefully polished hardwares were reflecting the store lights all the time because the bag had not anchor and it was constantly turning left and right. her birkin attracted a lot of attention. maybe she wanted that. i don't know, but it was definitely not victoria bechham

Laughing hysterically envisioning this ridiculous spectacle HAHAHHAHAHAH

 

[MSO13]

last week at my local high end boucherie, i saw a woman carrying her orange phw birkin. what made my eyes stop on her was the way she was carrying the bag.
she was carrying a shopping basket with her right hand and crook of her left arm hung THE birkin. THE birkin? the way she carried. it was literally floating. it wasn't touching any part of her body except at the dangling handles. her left arm was extended outward and at her elbow was a suspended birkin. at the cashier i saw her again. it was still floating. the carefully polished hardwares were reflecting the store lights all the time because the bag had not anchor and it was constantly turning left and right. her birkin attracted a lot of attention. maybe she wanted that. i don't know, but it was definitely not victoria bechham

all I can think of is the exercise I did this morning, holding weights with my arms bent and keeping my elbows up and away from my body. She's either in good shape or there's literally nothing in her bag!

And I picture the bag swinging left and right like a bombshell in a 50's movie with the boom bah bah boom music playing! Sounds like a real look at me sort of moment. My DH always notices when women carry their bags like that, not in a good way!

 

[eternallove4bag]

MrsOwen great thread! It's always great to hear everyone's differing view points... We are all so different that there is no universal right or wrong answer... The right or wrong exists according to each individual. I would say I am careful about my bags but I am not going to lose sleep over them if there is a scratch on the hardware. Yes, sure I will wince for a second but then add that scratch up to the bag's existing 'character'.

I use twillies on and off and never because it's supposed to protect the handles. I go through my phases of bags with twillies and bags with no twillies. I don't use any bag charms because I like the look of my bags without them. Who knows in the future this might change and I might start liking bag charms? All I know is I have learnt never to say never otherwise I would have to end up eating my words [emoji28]... And I promise you they don't taste that good [emoji57]

I use bag inserts because I am OCD when it comes to organization. It never occurred to me that it's to protect the inside of my bags [emoji15]... I just like being able to have everything neatly organized so that I am not fishing into my bag not being able to get to my things.

I rip off the plastics off of the hardware of my bags and bracelets as soon as I get them, just like a bandaid... The more you think about it the more you stress[emoji12]
Bottom line you live once. Do what makes you happy and keeps you sane. Who is it to say it's right or wrong? You and you alone have that right. Enjoy every second of what you have. And oh yeah if taking my B to the grocery store is what makes me happy I am so doing it, stares be darned [emoji41]... I have my days when I want to go incognito and then days where I have my 'I don't care' attitude out in full display .... My bags and accessories for the day reflect my mood completely [emoji12]

 

[lucywife]

I think I'm in the middle of the road with bagbabying. I use inserts and I never ever put my bags on the floor, that's just something I won't do under any circumstances, I had the most unpleasant experience when I was, I think, in my mid-teens and it scarred me for life
The adornments - twillys, charms, etc. not really my style, although I have some charms somewhere. The plastics, I keep the bottoms as long as they stay on, but will take it off of the body. I store my bags standing on the cloth and filled with tissue paper.