Share Your Edited Bag Closet Journey......

[dramaprincess713]

I think we all struggle with "moderation" in all things....food, drink, clothes, cars, houses, jewelry, whatever it is. I have been through all of those phases. And we all falter at times. I am WAY older than any of you, so it is easier for me to be moderate. I have been there, done that. As long as you are aware and are trying... good enough. Don't beat yourself up about it.

Moderation, I suspect, is going to be a life-long lesson for me to learn! I was always an excellent student in school - too bad that doesn't help me out here! It seems to be one lesson I just can't quite grasp.

I never think about how old someone might be here. Honestly, not having met anyone in-person and only knowing people by screen names and avatars, I just tend to think of everyone as the same general age. I only brought up mine because I feel like I should know better and be doing better at this point in my life. I love that despite different ages (and backgrounds, likes, and dislikes, etc.) we can all come here to share our love of handbags while also gaining support in our personal handbag journeys. To talk about "my handbag journey" would sound ridiculous to anyone I see in-person in my day-to-day life. It's nice to come here with others who "get it".

 

[southernbelle43]

Moderation, I suspect, is going to be a life-long lesson for me to learn! I was always an excellent student in school - too bad that doesn't help me out here! It seems to be one lesson I just can't quite grasp.

I never think about how old someone might be here. Honestly, not having met anyone in-person and only knowing people by screen names and avatars, I just tend to think of everyone as the same general age. I only brought up mine because I feel like I should know better and be doing better at this point in my life. I love that despite different ages (and backgrounds, likes, and dislikes, etc.) we can all come here to share our love of handbags while also gaining support in our personal handbag journeys. To talk about "my handbag journey" would sound ridiculous to anyone I see in-person in my day-to-day life. It's nice to come here with others who "get it".

Yes it is fun on here which is why this “old” person stays active.

 

[dramaprincess713]

Yes it is fun on here which is why this “old” person stays active.

Lol! Age, and perspective on age, is such a funny thing. I remember just graduating college and truly feeling like 30 was old. I remember being 24, 25, 26 and honestly being worried that I wouldn't be married, or at least engaged, by the time I was 30 because I thought that after 30, there was no hope and I'd be too old. I think back on that and laugh at how silly I was. And how crazy to think that 30 was old! But it's all perspective and hindsight. I'm sure I'll be saying the same thing in 10 years about the things I think right now.

You're the first person I've met who shares my bag preferences (short shoulder carry and open tops while not loving crossbody or middle compartments). It seems we may differ on size preferences, but otherwise we seem to look for similar things in our bags. So, as far as I'm concerned you might as well be the same age as me!

 

[southernbelle43]

Lol! Age, and perspective on age, is such a funny thing. I remember just graduating college and truly feeling like 30 was old. I remember being 24, 25, 26 and honestly being worried that I wouldn't be married, or at least engaged, by the time I was 30 because I thought that after 30, there was no hope and I'd be too old. I think back on that and laugh at how silly I was. And how crazy to think that 30 was old! But it's all perspective and hindsight. I'm sure I'll be saying the same thing in 10 years about the things I think right now.

You're the first person I've met who shares my bag preferences (short shoulder carry and open tops while not loving crossbody or middle compartments). It seems we may differ on size preferences, but otherwise we seem to look for similar things in our bags. So, as far as I'm concerned you might as well be the same age as me!

I like your thinking!

 

[whateve]

Lol! Age, and perspective on age, is such a funny thing. I remember just graduating college and truly feeling like 30 was old. I remember being 24, 25, 26 and honestly being worried that I wouldn't be married, or at least engaged, by the time I was 30 because I thought that after 30, there was no hope and I'd be too old. I think back on that and laugh at how silly I was. And how crazy to think that 30 was old! But it's all perspective and hindsight. I'm sure I'll be saying the same thing in 10 years about the things I think right now.

You're the first person I've met who shares my bag preferences (short shoulder carry and open tops while not loving crossbody or middle compartments). It seems we may differ on size preferences, but otherwise we seem to look for similar things in our bags. So, as far as I'm concerned you might as well be the same age as me!

When I was pregnant at age 30, a coworker who was only about 5 years younger than me called me middle-aged!

 

[ElainePG]

When I was pregnant at age 30, a coworker who was only about 5 years younger than me called me middle-aged!

I hope she remembered that statement, five years later, when she turned thirty!!!

 

[dramaprincess713]

When I was pregnant at age 30, a coworker who was only about 5 years younger than me called me middle-aged!

Oh my goodness; it really is funny how people perceive age at different stages of life. Middle-aged at 30!

 

[Kylacove]

Don't feel bad about your bags if you use them. I don't think you can set an arbitrary number of the bags you need because we are all different. Work needs vs off time vs dressy vs casual may require different bags. When I use a bag every day it tends to get worn and needs replacing before it gets too shabby. Then I am glad to have a replacement already in my closet. Selling seems so slow now it doesn't make sense to me to sell for pennies on the dollar when I can see myself using it again. Just cutting down on bringing anything new in.

I have officially re-purposed one bag and two have been moved to the closet for departing bags. I haven't thought all that much about those two or really missed them at all, so I think I'm at the point that I feel OK to put them up for sale. One additional is also in the closet for departing bags, but I do think about that one so I'm not ready to sell that one yet, and it might make it back into my regular bag closet. We'll see. I'm also getting ready to put another bag in the closet for departing bags. I also just sold three bags - they had been up for sale for a while and were not included in my bag count, so it's not true reduction in numbers, but I'm glad they are officially out of the house.

While that sounds like progress, and I want to be proud of it, I have also purchased two bags, and my wishlist (which seems to become a "need to have" list) keeps growing. It is at the point in which if, I purchase all I plan to, and get rid of those I realistically feel I can, I'll get at 39 bags. If, I am able to get rid of the few additional on my "maybe, but I'm really not sure I want to" list, I can bring that down to 36 or 37. But, I'm not counting on that because the ones on that "maybe, but I don't really want to" list are really hard to think about getting rid of right now. So, it basically means that I'll likely end up right where I started - a bag count that feels too high for myself.

I am trying to be really thoughtful about this whole process while not beating myself up too much for not getting down to a number I'm more comfortable with or getting my number down fast enough. If I'm being honest with myself, I just really want to get my number down, and I'm kind of mad at myself that I can't seem to do so. I feel silly and selfish and frivolous and materialistic. BUT, I'm trying not to think that way. I'm trying to tell myself that just because I have a really hard time thinking about getting rid of some of my bags now doesn't mean that I'll feel the same way in a 6 months, or a year, or a year and a half from now. With time, maybe I CAN fathom getting rid of some of my "maybe, but I don't want to" bags. And, I'm also trying to tell myself that maybe it's ok to have a collection that hovers around 40. I want that number to be less, but if I truly feel like I can't get rid of anymore, at least I'll have a collection of bags that I truly really love.

 

[Katinahat]

When I was pregnant at age 30, a coworker who was only about 5 years younger than me called me middle-aged!

I hope she remembered that statement, five years later, when she turned thirty!!!

Oh my goodness; it really is funny how people perceive age at different stages of life. Middle-aged at 30!

This time change always kills me. Thank goodness for coffee! Happy Monday all!
View attachment 4686030

Gosh, I remember feeling anxious when I hit 30 - seems totally ridiculous now it’s so long ago! I have friends of all sorts of ages and DH and I have a bit of a gap. I think age is just a state of mind. As I’ve got older I’ve got more more comfortable in who I am and what I want. I see many women older than me to whose confidence and style I really aspire. Plus I have a bigger salary for making purchases now!

 

[Katinahat]

Don't feel bad about your bags if you use them. I don't think you can set an arbitrary number of the bags you need because we are all different. Work needs vs off time vs dressy vs casual may require different bags. When I use a bag every day it tends to get worn and needs replacing before it gets too shabby. Then I am glad to have a replacement already in my closet. Selling seems so slow now it doesn't make sense to me to sell for pennies on the dollar when I can see myself using it again. Just cutting down on bringing anything new in.

Totally my way of thinking! I have bags in what I see as different categories: work, day casual (larger bags or crossbody), holidays or events. Each category needs some variety in colour and style so I’ve got a few choices. That way bags keep looking good and don’t seem to wear out like they did when I was younger! I wore my Fossil crossbody bags to death when I was in my 20s!

 

[dramaprincess713]

Don't feel bad about your bags if you use them. I don't think you can set an arbitrary number of the bags you need because we are all different. Work needs vs off time vs dressy vs casual may require different bags. When I use a bag every day it tends to get worn and needs replacing before it gets too shabby. Then I am glad to have a replacement already in my closet. Selling seems so slow now it doesn't make sense to me to sell for pennies on the dollar when I can see myself using it again. Just cutting down on bringing anything new in.

Totally my way of thinking! I have bags in what I see as different categories: work, day casual (larger bags or crossbody), holidays or events. Each category needs some variety in colour and style so I’ve got a few choices. That way bags keep looking good and don’t seem to wear out like they did when I was younger! I wore my Fossil crossbody bags to death when I was in my 20s!

This is a good point! To be fair, I think I have too many bags in the same category. For example, 12 totes! Only one of which is "designated" as a travel/personal item tote, and the other 11, while varying colors and sizes, all meant for work and everyday. Totes are my most used style of bag, so I'm OK with having a lot of them, but I'd like to get the number down to single digits, at least. It is true, though, that having so many certainly means they don't wear out quickly, and I am really making an effort to rotate my bags more so that I actually AM getting use out of them. I'm thinking about starting to track usage of my bags and see where I end up at the end of the year. Maybe seeing hard data on what I'm reaching for can help me decide if anything might be worth letting go.

 

[Katinahat]

This is a good point! To be fair, I think I have too many bags in the same category. For example, 12 totes! Only one of which is "designated" as a travel/personal item tote, and the other 11, while varying colors and sizes, all meant for work and everyday. Totes are my most used style of bag, so I'm OK with having a lot of them, but I'd like to get the number down to single digits, at least. It is true, though, that having so many certainly means they don't wear out quickly, and I am really making an effort to rotate my bags more so that I actually AM getting use out of them. I'm thinking about starting to track usage of my bags and see where I end up at the end of the year. Maybe seeing hard data on what I'm reaching for can help me decide if anything might be worth letting go.

Yes, bag tracking is definitely a good idea. I got loads of ideas for tracking from the “shopping my own bag collection thread”. I keep a spreadsheet on my phone now which produces a little piechart to show colour. Helps me track usage, categories, cost per wear, colour, style etc etc.

 

[Kylacove]

If you want to cut down on totes, pick a couple of favorites to be your daily drivers. Pack the others away. By the time you wear the 2 out you will probably be ready to change anyway.

 

[dramaprincess713]

Yes, bag tracking is definitely a good idea. I got loads of ideas for tracking from the “shopping my own bag collection thread”. I keep a spreadsheet on my phone now which produces a little piechart to show colour. Helps me track usage, categories, cost per wear, colour, style etc etc.

I’ve been reading through that thread! Lots of really great ideas. I want to figure out how to implement some of them in ways that will work best for me.

If you want to cut down on totes, pick a couple of favorites to be your daily drivers. Pack the others away. By the time you wear the 2 out you will probably be ready to change anyway.

I *think* there are three I can eventually let go, so that will bring me down to 9 (just barely meeting my single digit goal). And, since one of them is travel/personal item tote, it would make it 8 totes for general use. Still a lot, but better. And at that point, I may need to employ your idea!

 

[ElainePG]

This is a good point! To be fair, I think I have too many bags in the same category. For example, 12 totes! Only one of which is "designated" as a travel/personal item tote, and the other 11, while varying colors and sizes, all meant for work and everyday. Totes are my most used style of bag, so I'm OK with having a lot of them, but I'd like to get the number down to single digits, at least. It is true, though, that having so many certainly means they don't wear out quickly, and I am really making an effort to rotate my bags more so that I actually AM getting use out of them. I'm thinking about starting to track usage of my bags and see where I end up at the end of the year. Maybe seeing hard data on what I'm reaching for can help me decide if anything might be worth letting go.

I started tracking my bag use a few years ago, and it was a real eye-opener! It showed me what I was/wasn't carrying, and then that in turn forced me to ask myself WHY I wasn't reaching for certain bags. In most case it wasn't color or style, it always seemed to come down to comfort. Which meant that I released quite a few bags! But I was happy doing so, because, really, who wants to own (or carry!) a bag that hurts???