I have a bit of an addiction. Or at least that is what I have called it. It isn't "clinically" an addiction and it typically doesn't cause much of an issue, unless we calculate the amount of dollars that have been needlessly spent. It's not drugs, drinks or food. It's not necessarily even unhealthy (some addictions are not so bad... if I could just be addicted to healthy food.....) Anyway, this addiction is one that I've run up against before and continually butted heads with in my quest to downsize. I've proven that I can live with far fewer items that what is in my space. In fact, I'll be doing another closet purge this fall because the summer has shown that I wear less than 20 different pieces of clothing continually. I do a detox/clutter release about every three months.
There are two realms where I get pretty hung up on the purging. Again, if I HAD to evaluate what to keep and what to let go of, say in the event that our ideal camper unit comes along sooner than we expect, I win the lottery next month and decide to hit the road.... I could totally let go of most everything currently in my possession. I'll keep the kids and the dogs, but the rest can go.
Books and purses/tote bags are my favorites. I continually seek out "the perfect bag, feeling confident that I will eventually happen on the Shangri La of totes. So far, I've come up short. I'm fully aware of my propensity to collect bags and there have been times, I bypassed what would normally have been great finds. I also purged a few bags that I was later kicking myself over as their style and vibe would have been perfect. For the record I NEVER regret giving away or selling anything items that leaves my space. There is no guilt whatsoever. Most of what leaves has a way of returning, albeit in a slightly different and most of the time improved form.
Early in the summer there was an event and I felt that I needed a larger purse. The cross-body bag that I had been using wasn't going to work. I used it twice and it didn't work for what I needed it to. It's in perfect shape and for sale.
I had about 15 minutes to find the right bag and it was too far to go back to a different store. I spotted the olive green color, which I am really loving right now! It was large enough to fit a planner, wallet, sunglasses and a water bottle and even a pullover sweater when we walk into freezing cold store or eating establishment. I wasn't sure if I would use it past the event, but none of my other bags were close and this was my best option.
Now, nearly three months later, I am still using the same bag. I have since purchased this felt tote, of the same color (CRAZYYYY). I like the "bucket style" with handles. It's just a bit too "fall-ish" to be using right now. (The little fox charm belongs to Pryce, she'll add it to her backpack when school starts!)
Then, just the other day, we were walking through a museum and I found this little treasure. She was priced at $6. I hesitated at first because pink isn't a base color for me. Then I noticed it could be turned inside out and.... I LOVE the other pattern and colors. I swooped it up. I often find the neatest bags in unexpected places. What's really cool is this one can be folded up and carried inside the olive bag. I tend to only want something small and light when I am running errands or grabbing groceries. I will take the big bag with me, but will use a lighter bag when I'm on the move. Weird? ....maybe!
When I got home and realized that this is the fourth bag I have purchased... since April. Whoops. Total bag binge. I really needed to look at this pattern. I know women (and some men) who have carried the same bag for years. YEARS. I am not sure that this would even be possible for me! It is an intriguing idea but one that I can only imagine at this point.
In looking closely at the comfort and joy that bags give me, I discerned that a big is like a tiny home for me. It houses the items that are important and necessary and allows me to be completely mobile. (Maybe I am way more like a turtle that I ever thought I was?!)
I do have a habit of changing out bags, depending on the activities and the traveling that I am doing. I have a purple Keen bag that is designated as my traveling bag because of the pockets and foldability. I put it in a backpack when we travel by plane.
If I am not traveling by plane, then I tend to always bring reading material It is not uncommon for me to read three or four books at a time. I usually always have something to journal with. I will read when I am waiting in line or stuck in road construction or even during downtime of kids' sporting events. I usually have some sort of work/tasks list to do as well. I will pull out my planner and see what else is on the agenda, make notes, delete tasks, etc. My mind is ALWAYS going. At times I have to remind myself to shut my mind off and choose to be still and pay attention to the present moment. Sometimes it is a real challenge! My mind goes in multiple directions and is already seeing patterns, cycles, possibilities, and working through strategies, well in advance. I've come to see this as a talent. (I'll share more about quirky talents in another post!)
When I get right down to it, I see that the kind of bag I carry allows me to feel prepared and adapted to the environment I am in. Most of the time I know what that is going to be like but not always. The one time that I went without a bag, it was not really comfortable. This blog post 10 Travel Tips detailed my suggestions for lighter travel. As I've said, if I need to, I can go without a bag. I bring a bag/purse in the car and will often just grab my phone and the wristlet for making a quick grocery run. There are a lot of times, I leave my bag behind, but I like having it along. I have often wondered if a bag has become some sort of security blanket?
So rather than feel guilty about my constant bag buying and then swapping them out. I am asking how this talent could be used as a contribution? I wonder if somehow becoming a bag designer is a possibility? It's very easy for me to see what I would change and improve on any given bag. Some are very good, others only have one or two traits that I like. The perfect bag for me would be one that is expandable, like my backpack. One that has compartments already inside and would make it easy to organize and find things in. I've tried purse organizers and they drive me nuts. I also use smaller bags to keep things like phone chargers/cords and headphones separate from the rest of my things. I want to be able to see in the bag, otherwise I forget what is in there. I've even been known to use ziplock bags for easy reference but they don't hold up. I want a bag that is deep enough, yet not super heavy. I don't sew very well. I have made bags out of t-shirts and duct tape. I could start a Youtube channel and do review videos... you see, ideas are not a problem for me. That's actually another one of my talents~loads of continual ideas. What I am asking for is the equally strong talent of execution, motivation, movement and that "get it done" mode.
I wonder what it would take for me to become a bags/totes/purse tester-outer? Instead of feeling bad about changing out my bags all the time, I could be helping designers and companies make a great product. I feel that having had this addiction/obsession/interest in bags since I was six years old #havebagswilltravel makes me a strong candidate for knowing what it would take to make the perfect bag!
I am choosing to see this addiction as an opportunity for inner reflection. What makes me so attuned to bags/purses? Why are they the things that ALWAYS catch my eye? How can this be turned around, shifted sideways and reshaped to be a contribution, rather than a hinderance? I don't know the answers yet, but I trust they will find me, popping themselves into my awareness, when I least expect them to.
I am curious if there are others like me? Or if this is just one of those strange quirks? (I'm completely comfortable with being strange and quirky :) I just can't help but ask though... if you had ONE bag and one bag alone that you could carry, what would it be? (*Gasp* just the thought of sticking to one choice makes me cringe and chuckle... yes I could do it, I just don't know if I want to.)
Please share your thoughts in the comments below. I am genuinely interested (and excited) to see what comes through. Oh.. and you know, add the link if the bag is one that is still available, I don't think it would hurt for me to check it out!
There are two realms where I get pretty hung up on the purging. Again, if I HAD to evaluate what to keep and what to let go of, say in the event that our ideal camper unit comes along sooner than we expect, I win the lottery next month and decide to hit the road.... I could totally let go of most everything currently in my possession. I'll keep the kids and the dogs, but the rest can go.
Books and purses/tote bags are my favorites. I continually seek out "the perfect bag, feeling confident that I will eventually happen on the Shangri La of totes. So far, I've come up short. I'm fully aware of my propensity to collect bags and there have been times, I bypassed what would normally have been great finds. I also purged a few bags that I was later kicking myself over as their style and vibe would have been perfect. For the record I NEVER regret giving away or selling anything items that leaves my space. There is no guilt whatsoever. Most of what leaves has a way of returning, albeit in a slightly different and most of the time improved form.
Early in the summer there was an event and I felt that I needed a larger purse. The cross-body bag that I had been using wasn't going to work. I used it twice and it didn't work for what I needed it to. It's in perfect shape and for sale.
I had about 15 minutes to find the right bag and it was too far to go back to a different store. I spotted the olive green color, which I am really loving right now! It was large enough to fit a planner, wallet, sunglasses and a water bottle and even a pullover sweater when we walk into freezing cold store or eating establishment. I wasn't sure if I would use it past the event, but none of my other bags were close and this was my best option.
Now, nearly three months later, I am still using the same bag. I have since purchased this felt tote, of the same color (CRAZYYYY). I like the "bucket style" with handles. It's just a bit too "fall-ish" to be using right now. (The little fox charm belongs to Pryce, she'll add it to her backpack when school starts!)
Then, just the other day, we were walking through a museum and I found this little treasure. She was priced at $6. I hesitated at first because pink isn't a base color for me. Then I noticed it could be turned inside out and.... I LOVE the other pattern and colors. I swooped it up. I often find the neatest bags in unexpected places. What's really cool is this one can be folded up and carried inside the olive bag. I tend to only want something small and light when I am running errands or grabbing groceries. I will take the big bag with me, but will use a lighter bag when I'm on the move. Weird? ....maybe!
When I got home and realized that this is the fourth bag I have purchased... since April. Whoops. Total bag binge. I really needed to look at this pattern. I know women (and some men) who have carried the same bag for years. YEARS. I am not sure that this would even be possible for me! It is an intriguing idea but one that I can only imagine at this point.
In looking closely at the comfort and joy that bags give me, I discerned that a big is like a tiny home for me. It houses the items that are important and necessary and allows me to be completely mobile. (Maybe I am way more like a turtle that I ever thought I was?!)
I do have a habit of changing out bags, depending on the activities and the traveling that I am doing. I have a purple Keen bag that is designated as my traveling bag because of the pockets and foldability. I put it in a backpack when we travel by plane.
If I am not traveling by plane, then I tend to always bring reading material It is not uncommon for me to read three or four books at a time. I usually always have something to journal with. I will read when I am waiting in line or stuck in road construction or even during downtime of kids' sporting events. I usually have some sort of work/tasks list to do as well. I will pull out my planner and see what else is on the agenda, make notes, delete tasks, etc. My mind is ALWAYS going. At times I have to remind myself to shut my mind off and choose to be still and pay attention to the present moment. Sometimes it is a real challenge! My mind goes in multiple directions and is already seeing patterns, cycles, possibilities, and working through strategies, well in advance. I've come to see this as a talent. (I'll share more about quirky talents in another post!)
When I get right down to it, I see that the kind of bag I carry allows me to feel prepared and adapted to the environment I am in. Most of the time I know what that is going to be like but not always. The one time that I went without a bag, it was not really comfortable. This blog post 10 Travel Tips detailed my suggestions for lighter travel. As I've said, if I need to, I can go without a bag. I bring a bag/purse in the car and will often just grab my phone and the wristlet for making a quick grocery run. There are a lot of times, I leave my bag behind, but I like having it along. I have often wondered if a bag has become some sort of security blanket?
So rather than feel guilty about my constant bag buying and then swapping them out. I am asking how this talent could be used as a contribution? I wonder if somehow becoming a bag designer is a possibility? It's very easy for me to see what I would change and improve on any given bag. Some are very good, others only have one or two traits that I like. The perfect bag for me would be one that is expandable, like my backpack. One that has compartments already inside and would make it easy to organize and find things in. I've tried purse organizers and they drive me nuts. I also use smaller bags to keep things like phone chargers/cords and headphones separate from the rest of my things. I want to be able to see in the bag, otherwise I forget what is in there. I've even been known to use ziplock bags for easy reference but they don't hold up. I want a bag that is deep enough, yet not super heavy. I don't sew very well. I have made bags out of t-shirts and duct tape. I could start a Youtube channel and do review videos... you see, ideas are not a problem for me. That's actually another one of my talents~loads of continual ideas. What I am asking for is the equally strong talent of execution, motivation, movement and that "get it done" mode.
I wonder what it would take for me to become a bags/totes/purse tester-outer? Instead of feeling bad about changing out my bags all the time, I could be helping designers and companies make a great product. I feel that having had this addiction/obsession/interest in bags since I was six years old #havebagswilltravel makes me a strong candidate for knowing what it would take to make the perfect bag!
I am choosing to see this addiction as an opportunity for inner reflection. What makes me so attuned to bags/purses? Why are they the things that ALWAYS catch my eye? How can this be turned around, shifted sideways and reshaped to be a contribution, rather than a hinderance? I don't know the answers yet, but I trust they will find me, popping themselves into my awareness, when I least expect them to.
I am curious if there are others like me? Or if this is just one of those strange quirks? (I'm completely comfortable with being strange and quirky :) I just can't help but ask though... if you had ONE bag and one bag alone that you could carry, what would it be? (*Gasp* just the thought of sticking to one choice makes me cringe and chuckle... yes I could do it, I just don't know if I want to.)
Please share your thoughts in the comments below. I am genuinely interested (and excited) to see what comes through. Oh.. and you know, add the link if the bag is one that is still available, I don't think it would hurt for me to check it out!
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