A woman’s purse: the black hole into which many items go missing, yet capable of holding so many helpful things...and useless crap. While it’s up to the owner to decide which items are which, it can be amusing to see what we end up tossing in there absentmindedly, like gum wrappers and receipts. However, some things have practical uses, so we stash them there for a reason. Here are a few items that you might not expect to see if you were to raid our purses, but that many women are used to carrying.
1. Band-Aids
You never know when you’re gonna get a scratch or cut, and rather than getting everyone worked up about our slight injury, we prefer to keep a few of these tucked away in an inner pocket for moments of need.
2. Compact comb or brush
Many of us are very protective of our hair and like to remain relatively well-groomed on our days out. At some point, we find ourselves needing a comb-through, and whether the culprit is the wind or a roughly removed hat, we’re glad to have it within reach. Plus, supplying our own to whip out is the more sanitary option than alternatively asking to borrow someone else’s. That’s just gross...gross and awkward.
3. Nail clipper
If you’ve ever gone a whole day with a chipped or ripped nail that catches on everything, then you’ll understand why it’s completely justified to have this item on hand. Again, it takes up little to no room and is one of those things that we always seem to need when we don’t have one.
4. Movie tickets
There’s something sentimental about keeping movie tickets, especially for a particularly good movie that you saw on a successful date or with your best friend. Guys, if your girl is saving movie tickets from your nights out, expect to see some sort of collage or scrapbook of them when she has gathered enough.
5. Hair ties
There usually ends up being at least one in every pocket. Before heading out the door, we do the usual check for anything important that we might have forgotten, and hair ties are high on that list. They’re too light and too good at hiding, so scrambling to check our purses as we dash out the door is not an option. We grab another on the way out, just in case. It ends up in the purse with the others, where it’s only logical to assume some sort of family reunion takes place.
6. Tampons and pads
Men are often confused as to why we carry these around at all times of the month, not just the days when we expect the red river to be flowing. While we usually do plan pretty well for our periods, we simply end up wearing what we need. Therefore, the tampons or pads that we carry in our purses are more likely for friends—or strangers—who ask for them in their time of need. There’s no shame here—we’ve all been there. Well, we women, anyway.
7. Lip balm
This is another item which rarely resides alone. It’s necessary to have multiple flavors and formulas with us, because chapped lips are another thing we don’t want to go a whole day suffering through. There are some lip balms for shimmer, some for medicated healing, others with some tint that can substitute as lipstick, not to mention all of the delicious scents that there are to choose from. So why choose? We’ll take one of each!
8. USB drive
This isn’t something that gets used on a regular basis, but I’ve found that a purse is the best place to store your files or pictures, whatever is on the flash drive. If we consciously keep it in our purse, then we know right where it is, and it’ll be on the go with us. If we need it, it’s there. If not, it’s securely tucked away in our possession.
9. Coupons
I’ve seen these stored in a couple of different ways, either tucked alongside cash in a wallet or slipped into a front or side pocket for easy access when shopping. Accessibility is key for coupons. If we have to search to find it at the checkout counter, it’s not worth the 50 cents that it would have saved.
10. Mini tape measure
Lastly, a tool that is actually more useful than expected. For example, we could use it to check whether something will fit in our car, saving the hassle of making the purchase and then realizing we can’t get the darn thing home. Plus, it’s always impressive when a woman is being assisted at a store and whips out her tool to make some measurements. It’s good to balance out the lotions and beauty products that are stuffed in there with some practical tools to remind ourselves that we are tough and resourceful.
To my female audience, if any of the items on this list aren’t in your handbag, I would suggest adding them to the mix. To my male audience, now you hopefully understand why we carry what we do. And no, sir, we will not hold your wallet. Your pockets are eight inches deep.
