Overloaders: do you worry you will stretch & disfigure your leather bags?

[ItrainsinLondon]

A weakness of mine is that I never travel light. I usually only need my wallet, sunglasses, notebook, pen, tissues & blotting sheets, a penliner & lipstick of the day to touch up but I almost always carry a makeupbag full of the makeup I use that day (concealer, eyeshadow(s), powder etc) PLUS a brush roll with all the slots filled up for the 'just in case' moments which I know hardly ever happens.

I usually carry a bag big enough to fit all this in, but the downside is that my bag gets pretty heavy. I'm thinking maybe it would prolong the life of my bags if I lugged around fewer things.

Do you guys think carrying so much stuff stretches the leather and wears the bag out quicker? (Probably a stupid question but I'd love to hear if others carry as much stuff as me and worry about their bags. Or do you not worry - heck that's what bags are for, right?).

 

[whateve]

I don't carry so much that I worry about this. I couldn't handle carrying a really heavy bag. Sometimes my bags get overloaded and then I switch to a larger bag, but I don't think I have ever considered that the weight of the items would stretch out the leather. I have only worried that cramming too much into too small of a bag would stretch it out, make it lumpy, or break the zipper.

 

[lacey_stiletto]

I hate the look of an overstuffed bag. My beloved SIL is the worst overstuffer on the planet. It bothered me to see her wreck her satchel ( there wasn't a snowballs chance it would zip closed!) so I gave her a large tote to put all the non-essential essentials in and leave in her car. This met with limited success as she now was able to even MORE supplies .

I have drastically pared down my own must-carry items, both to save weight and to declutter. If I don't use something daily, it doesn't go in my purse. I've managed to get my makeup down to a finishing powder, a chubby lippy and a lipgloss. Everything else I put on in the morn will last all day so why carry it with?

 

[PiojisPink]

Just the idea of carrying a lot of stuff makes my back hurt!! I rarely wear make up besides pressed powder and lip gloss, I carry a small bottle of lotion, sanitizer, wallet, tiny baby wipes, keys, phone and stuff that I might need on that specific day, usually a small sophia fits all I carry with plenty of room left, unless I need the ipad.

 

[katierose]

I carry a lot of stuff, but I don't like the look of overstuffed bags, looks so sloppy.
So I usually carry a larger bag (but not a huge bag) to accommodate it all and leave a little extra room.
True the bags can get heavy, and if I'm going to be walking a lot, then I'll leave some things home and use a smaller bag.

 

[albeli]

I used to carry too much when I used my Maggie. I had a cosmetic case in the center compartment. Now i've downsized to the much easier to deal with small Sophia, with a divide & conquer in it, and only carry what I actually need or have a real chance of needing. So much better, fewer neck cramps.

 

[KatK]

I use to over stuff my purses so I moved up to larger purses, problem solved. Now I see my youngest over stuffs her purses so I moved her up to a larger size, but she still over stuffs if I don't say something.

 

[Lyndsey21]

How full exactly are you filling up your bag? I've always filled bags FULL. Not to where they can't zip up or where you can see shapes of the items inside on the leather, but just full. Like comfortably full. I think bags look best "plump" and filled, so that's what I do, lol. I think as long as you're not cramming stuff in your bags, it'll be ok.

 

[redskynight]

A weakness of mine is that I never travel light. I usually only need my wallet, sunglasses, notebook, pen, tissues & blotting sheets, a penliner & lipstick of the day to touch up but I almost always carry a makeupbag full of the makeup I use that day (concealer, eyeshadow(s), powder etc) PLUS a brush roll with all the slots filled up for the 'just in case' moments which I know hardly ever happens.

You carry a lot of stuff! Forget the bag, think of your poor shoulder!

 

[hobophantom]

That's what big bags are for!

 

[Shoebaglady]

I started slowly removing things from my bag. If I didn't use something within a couple of days, it was removed. Now, I only carry a legacy soft wallet, lv cles with store loyalty cards, pochette with the beauty items I need daily, a mini pochette with meds and iphone accessories, and my keys. It is a lot less than what I used to carry and it is the absolute basics.

I don't worry about stretching the leather on my bags but I do worry about the weight. I have bags of all sizes and if I know I have to carry a lot of extra items, I will use one of my much larger bags that will hold everything I need without compromising the shape/leather of the bag. I don't like the look of a bag that looks like it will explode.

 

[ItrainsinLondon]

Thanks everyone, for your replies.

I never ever overstuff my bag, to the point that it LOOKS overstuffed LOL but I see 'what's in your bag' threads and blog posts and boy people do seem to carry a lot, as do I, and I just wonder if their bags don't get heavy like mine. Mine does get heavy, and I'm not even carrrying iPads or gadgets save my Blackberry (which is often held in my hand anyway). And the result of this carrying a heavy load must take a toll on the bag at some point, and that what I was concerned about (as well as on the shoulder - thanks redskynight I will take your advice hehe)

 

[ItrainsinLondon]

I carry a lot of stuff, but I don't like the look of overstuffed bags, looks so sloppy.
So I usually carry a larger bag (but not a huge bag) to accommodate it all and leave a little extra room.
True the bags can get heavy, and if I'm going to be walking a lot, then I'll leave some things home and use a smaller bag.

Great idea why didn't I think of this LOL. I could always leave some in the car, too!

Thanks Katierose

 

[Bag Fetish]

I wouldnt say I over stuff from day today.. but there are times when a water bottle, my lunch, gloves and a camera end up in there.. Thus my love for glams and abby.

But from day to day, My full size wallet, cosmetic case that carries (lady stuff) adivl, pens, hair ties, you name it.
I have my small legacy cosmetic case that as has my ear buds, wallet charger, travalo, thyroid meds in it..
and that is about it aside from my keys and phone.

 

[ktheartscoach]

I'm one of those who needs a lot of things, but I try to get the smallest version of what I need and eliminate any duplicates. My back and neck are really bad, so this helps alleviate problems. Only one pen, one lipstick and one lipgloss, offload spare change, etc.