Just the Essentials

I saw this amusing little tidbit this morning, on Elle’s blog:

“…According to John Tesh and the People Who Do Studies On Inanities Like Women’s Purse Sizes, a woman’s purse should not weigh more than five pounds. Or she risks back injury.”

 

Well, let’s see…

 

This is my everyday “summer” purse:

 

 

It is simple, washable, and pretty much goes with everything (I don’t go anywhere too fancy).  But, I also have an identical one in black…so I can coordinate with my shoes, or whatever.

 

Although I do have some cute purses, somewhere, I have found that since becoming a mom (and ditching the diaper bag), purses are not so much a fun, or stylish accessory, as they are more of a utilitarian necessity.  The cute ones are just not large enough to contain all of the “stuff” required for a successful outing.

 

This is the contents of my purse, this morning:

From left to right…

• 2 of the books that I am currently reading (Womanly Dominion and Growing Up Christian)
• Journal
• “Pocket” ESV
• Wallet
• Green Zippered Bag (which contains a cleaning cloth for my glasses, an assortment of lipgloss, chapstick, a few band-aids, and a “trial size” packet of Excedrin Migraine…just in case)
• Sunglasses and case
• Brush
• Keys
• Cell Phone
• a Fruit Bar
• iPod Shuffle
• Kleenex
• Gum
• Calculator
• Hand Sanitizer
• 2 Highlighters, 4 pens, 2 pencils
• camera (it isn’t in the picture, because it is taking the picture!)

 

I don’t always carry two books…but I usually do have at least one with me.  If we are out as a family, my husband will occasionally throw his cell phone and keys into the mix as well.  And, this doesn’t include any of Hannah’s toys, or the “treasures” that she picks up along the way (twisty ties from the grocery store, rocks from a trip to the park) that inevitably make their way into my bag.  But, this is still a pretty accurate depiction of what I haul around on a typical day.  I may not have been a boy scout, but I do believe in being prepared!

 

I don’t actually own a scale, but if I had to venture a guess, I would say that John Tesh probably would not approve of my purse either, Elle. ;)  But, I think we may have discovered the source of my back problems! 🙂

  

What about your purse?  Do you come in under or over the 5-pound “limit”?