Help me downsize what I carry!

KathyN115

KathyN115

O.G.
Aug 15, 2009
300
468
#1
Hi Ladies! I really need some advice and encouragement. Due to ongoing medical issues I really need to decrease the weight of my handbag. I didn’t think I carried a lot but have shoulder and back arthritis which is making it more difficult. I mostly use a crossbody with top handle as shoulder bags cause pain in my shoulder. I have a lot of LV canvas because I find it lighter than leather, but have a few smaller Epi bags as well as Longchamp nylon bags.

Currently I carry:

Cardholder or small wallet with cards/cash. Took out as many as I could and never carry coins (too heavy)
Keys in key pouch. Car, door, and one remote.
Sunglasses in soft pouch
Sm pack of tissues
Baggie with masks and small hand sanitizer
Phone
Catch all with all my misc. items like meds, chapstick, one lippie, pen, nail file, blotting papers, extra small hand sanitizer, extra mask, hair ties, small comb, Shout wipe, one hand wipe, bandaids, mini hand cream, mini floss, and my AirPods.
I had more stuff in my catch all like a small spare battery, a gold chain for the Pochette, multiple bandaids and wipes and a few other things but already took them out.

Any ideas? I am thinking of taking out the AirPods bc I usually use them at home and just putting in a reg set of earbuds but ☹️.

Hit me with all your small bag ideas! Thank you!❤️❤️
 
#5
Me too, I leave everything in my car :smile:
I have 3 discus prolapses in my spine and I really need to carry light, so I only carry small crossbody bags with phone, lipstick, cardholder, mask, tiny pack of tissues, hand sanitizer tissues from the pharmacy (they weigh less), sometimes sunglasses in soft case.
 
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#6
I have gone from using a Neverfull to a YSL Blogger bag! My lifestyle has somewhat changed as I now no longer go to the office (I work from home) and my main reason to leave the house is the school run. My first downsizing consisted of moving as many cards as I can to my Apple wallet and no more carrying coins. I then downsized my phone to an iPhone mini 12. Lastly I removed all keys except my house key, car fob and my parents’ house key and put them in the smallest cles I could find which is the LV one. I could squash a mask in if I needed to. I actually love carrying the smaller bags and have also got a super mini Marmont. I have just received a YSL mini Lou camera bag which feels giant compared to my blogger bag lol.

I found my catchall was actually full of things that I thought I needed but got by very easily without.

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#10
LHLarsen said:
Can you consolidate your cles and your cardholder? Put the keys on the chain and the minimum that you need for cards and cash? Also, eliminate the extra hand sanitizer.
Click to expand...
Yes I will ditch the extra hand sanitizer. I also put my keys in my catchall and took out the cles. Only have a fob and two keys. Getting there slowly, every little bit helps. I am so impressed with you all that carry such small bags!
 
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#11
We carry almost the same stuff except for the sunglasses and car keys. For my wallet i only carry key pouch and attach my house key in it. What i notice is actually my phone is making my bag heavier, especially when i use a thick case. So i tend to just carry my phone in my hand or put it in the pocket of my pants.
Try to bring 1 pack of travel wet tissue only. Where i live, we have hand sanitizer everywhere so i just bring a travel size hand sanitizer.
 
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#12
cielopark said:
We carry almost the same stuff except for the sunglasses and car keys. For my wallet i only carry key pouch and attach my house key in it. What i notice is actually my phone is making my bag heavier, especially when i use a thick case. So i tend to just carry my phone in my hand or put it in the pocket of my pants.
Try to bring 1 pack of travel wet tissue only. Where i live, we have hand sanitizer everywhere so i just bring a travel size hand sanitizer.
Click to expand...

Yes the phone is the heaviest thing by far. I actually got out the kitchen scale and was weighing things trying to decide what to leave in the bag. That’s why the AirPods are gone. I carry about 10 cards, a few are only store cards, but every time I take them out I end up at that store . My bag was definitely lighter today. I tried to put my stuff into my PA but not happening. I also have a case on my phone with a loop to make it easier to hold as I sometimes drop it but that actually takes up a good amount of space and may change to a thinner one. Thanks!
 
#13
I have the same problem as you and recently asked about the lightest bags. I have reduced what I carry to very similar to yours. I do not need keys as I always travel with my husband and sometimes do not even take cards. I do though always include a small hairbrush! I am thinking of removing my catch all mini pochette and putting the things in loose or in a small cloth bag. Like you I do need sunglasses and I have ditched the case for a light cloth one. Let us know how you get on.
 
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#14
I'd say if you dont need the spare battery thats what I would take out. Depending on the size it can put some weight on your bag. I stopped carrying my samsung one as I can definitely tell the weight difference when I wear my PSM crossbody.
 
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#15
I think you can eliminate 1 mask and 1 hand sanitizer - you are carrying duplicates. You could eliminate either chapstick or lippy. You don't need to carry hand cream - use it at home or keep some in the car. You probably don't need the comb - run your hands/fingers through your hair, and you probably don't need band aides. I really struggle with keeping things to a minimum as well- the struggle is real! :smile:
 
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