10 Ways to Make Your Purse More Fun
Written by Chelsea Boes
“I wish I had a purse,” my six-year-old sighed one day last fall. “A bag just for me. Full of money and things I love.”
I wrinkled my eyebrows at her, trying to understand. I don’t know about yours, but my purse is not full of things I love. It’s a diggable graveyard of Paw Patrol figurines and broken pretzels. About half the time, I can unearth a Pull-Up for my toddler. Baby wipes on occasion. If I’m lucky, I can reach in and find the thing I’m usually looking for – a pen.
My daughter’s wish stuck in my brain. I tried to imagine a world in which I could describe my purse as “a bag just for me full of money and things I love.” I tried to imagine even having a purse I could reach into without losing my arm.
Having much to learn, I crowdsourced. I asked my friends: “What is the most fun thing you carry in your purse?”
I’ve compiled their answers for the benefit of anyone who carries a leather appendage as unworkable as mine. You have to carry your phone and your wallet, of course—but to amp up the fun, add the following:
Something to do in a pinch. Dice. A novel. A diary. A hacky sack, crossword, or Sudoku pad. Watercolors and a little sketchbook.
A bit of hope. Nothing ministers to the frazzled spirit like the promise of future fun. Add to your purse tickets to a Tourists game, concert, or theme park. Or maybe your “hope” item will instead be a list of goals, or just one long-term goal broken up into small steps.
Something pretty. Aesthetics are motivating. I know this because when I was a little girl I screamed my head off every time I had to take a shower—until my mother bought me matching apple-scented VO5 shampoo and conditioner. Add to your purse a lip-plumper, a lotion that smells good, or a scrunchie.
Something for self-defense. I was truly stunned to learn how many of my friends carry items for self-defense. A whistle, pepper spray, a taser. One enterprising soul claimed she carries a revolver. Do these items count as “fun”? “Not for them,” one friend said, referring to the imaginary assailant she may have to use her taser on.
Something for someone else. Mom friends carry playdough, puzzles, and balloons, and softball eyeblack for their kids. Maybe you want to throw in granola bars or gift cards for the homeless, or blank notes to write to encourage someone you know.
Something a little weird. Among my friends, items listed here included a kazoo, a bag to pick up plant bits in the garden section, a shaker egg for spontaneous percussion, and a purple Camaro matchbox car. What preeminently weird thing has your name all over it?
A memory. One friend carries a childhood photo of her husband for the occasional needed “aww” and for a laugh. Another keeps her grown son’s first driver’s license from the state they used to live in.
Something practical—besides your wallet and phone. Do you tote a tape measure, multi-tool, or a StickAny ball? StickAny is a neat Amazon find that rolls around the bottom of your purse picking up the gunk, like the Roomba of purses. Scrolling reviews, I wonder, “Could StickAny handle my pretzels?” My cold-footed friends keep socks. The festive ones carry a wine key, though they say it often gets confiscated in airports.
Something yummy. Some carry candy. Others stash a teabag. I throw in a whole grapefruit—something to demolish when I’m starving in the Walgreens pharmacy drive-through.
Cash. One responder said carrying cash makes her feel like “I’m getting something for free.” This cash is just for you. Budget for it, then hit the ATM and tuck the bucks in your bag for spontaneous coffee, nail polish, and newspapers. Or maybe you should spend it like my now-seven-year-old would—on the crane game in the grocery store entryway. Just for fun. Because that’s what this is about.
My daughter got her first purse this winter. It holds allowance money, colored pencils, notepads, chapter books, hair bows, and other bits of treasure she finds along the way. On the outside, it’s almost identical to mine — a small, brown leathery backpack. She did this on purpose. And now I try to make mine like hers, on the inside.