13 Things You Need to Have in Your Purse (but Probably Don’t)
Are you prepared for anything life might throw your way? Keeping calm in emergency situations depends greatly on your preparation to deal with them. We all know that a woman’s purse is her arsenal of tools that help her take on the world, but there are things you need in your purse that probably aren’t in there.
There are many items that might be in a typical woman’s purse right now, from makeup to pacifiers, but it’s probably missing some of the essentials that will make her invincible!
First, let’s make sure your purse is organized. Many handy purse organizers can be moved from purse to purse so that you can stay organized but change purses quickly. The list below of 13 Things You Need to Have in Your Purse contains not only emergency tools, but also items to make you more productive and allow you to use your time more effectively.
13 Things You Need in Your Purse
1. Allergy medicine. Allergic reactions – to foods, animals, materials, or anything else – almost always come on unexpectedly and when you are not at home. I have used the Benadryl in my purse on multiple occasions, not only for myself, but for my children also.
2. Swiss army knife (or other multipurpose tool). There is a pink multipurpose tool in my purse which has been used to extract a broken key from a lock, among other things. The multitude of tools packed onto this gadget, such as tweezers, knife, bottle opener, and more, come in handy all the time.
3. Address labels. Never fill out this repetitive information by hand if you don’t have to! Save the time and energy by carrying your pre-printed address labels (remember the ones that come unsolicited in the mail?) in your purse. Whenever you need to fill in mailing info (movie store, drawings/giveaways, registrations, etc.) just peel and stick an adhesive address label.
4. Extra contact lens. You never know when a contact will pop out or tear (as a contacts wearer for 28 years, trust me – it’s never at a good time). How will you drive home or work the rest of the day with one eye closed?! Keep an extra brand new contact in the blister pack in your purse, just in case.
5. Spare car key and house key. Locking your keys in the house or car is a huge inconvenience, and can be expensive if you have to hire a locksmith. Do yourself a favor and keep an extra set in your purse that is not attached to your keychain. Chances are good that even if you lock your keys in the car, you’ll still have your purse on your shoulder.
6. Pen and paper. You never know when you’ll need to write something down (think directions, address, phone number, insurance information). Don’t count on your phone – what if you need to leave a note somewhere?
7. Cell phone with important numbers in the contacts section. Accident, flat tire, lost… with a multitude of possible circumstances, it’s not practical to be away from home without either your cell phone with important phone numbers. Among the essentials are your emergency contact, roadside assistance, your kids’ schools, daycare, babysitter, boss, etc.
8. Lighter or matches. Anything can happen, and you never know when you’ll need to make fire. If you’re not a caveman and don’t carry around flint and tinder, then you’ll need to have matches or a lighter to make a quick fire. Uses: Burn off a leech, create smoke signal, scare away angry bees, etc.
9. Emergency snacks. Stranded? Hungry? Having food in your purse will protect your finances and health by keeping you from hitting a drive-thru. Having food if you are ever really stranded away from businesses/people will keep you from going hungry. Lastly, having snacks in your purse can prevent a serious toddler melt-down in public for a hungry little one!
10. Tissues. Nose bleeds, runny noses, crying child, liquid spills, oily skin – tissues come in handy all the time.
11. Kindle, tablet, e-reader, book, magazine, or blog posts. How often do you spend time waiting- time that is wasted because you just sit or stand there thinking about the fact that you’re waiting?! Or you kill time on facebook or instagram because you have nothing better to do while you wait. You could be doing something productive with that wait-time. Bring along a book or magazine that you haven’t had time to read.
I used to print out blog posts from my feed reader in the morning and take them in my purse to read throughout the day while I was waiting. Now I bring work with me in a folder so that I can look through it if I have a few minutes.
The time you spend waiting at school to drop off/ pick up your kids, in the bank drive-thru, at the doctor’s office, at the pharmacy, and in line at the post office could be spent reading or listening to an audiobook!
12. To do list. You’re constantly thinking and usually remember things you need to do while you’re away from home. Sound familiar? Keep your to do list with you (if you use a paper one), so you can add items to it when you think of them. Or if you use a digital version like me (I use Todoist), you can easily start your GTD weekly review during downtime.
13. Safety pins. Buttons fall off, zippers break, seams come apart, hems fall down. Having a spare safety pin in your purse can save you from a wardrobe malfunction when you need it the most!
Purses come in all shapes, colors and sizes, but you can never judge a purse by it’s cover – er, outside! If it’s going to go everywhere with you, it may as well serve you as a storage spot for useful tools. The above list of 13 useful items that probably aren’t in your purse right now should get you started in your purse contents-makeover. Print out this list and get your purse up to speed today!
We originally published “13 Things You Need to Have in Your Purse (but Probably Don’t)” on Home Ever After on February 5th, 2010. Disclaimer: HomeEverAfter.com contains affiliate links and readers may assume that HomeEverAfter.com receives compensation when affiliate links are used.
23 Comments
Ginny
Great list. I actually have most of these in my purse. I always carry a big purse, lol.
I keep safety pins in my girls dance bag, but I really should add to my purse. I don’t have a swiss army knife, but I do carry little scissors & a little pocket knife. I need to get the swiss army knife. I actually got kicked out of a court because I forgot to take out my little scissors, totally embarrassing, lol.
Home Ever After
@Ginny: Good for you! It’s funny you say that, because I failed the metal detector at the court house once. I completely forgot about my (pink) swiss army knife in my purse, and the guard said sternly, “Ma’am, are you trying to bring a pocket knife in here?”!! Oops!
Barbi
Johanna B
I carry several of these items in my purse. Am never caught anywhere without something to read. Being caught somewhere and having to wait while not having something to read is my greatest fear. True! I have a Swiss Army knife in my car but not in my purse. After reading your list I think I’ll move it. Thanks.
Shynea @ Penny Pinching Diva
This is actually a really good list. I have some of these things in my diaper bag right now. (I don’t get the chance to carry just a purse to often, because I have two under two. My diaper bag works as my purse sometimes.) I never thought about printing off blog posts to read throughout the day. I am definitely going to have to do that.
Sleepy AVON Lady
Great List, it always pays to be prepared! Thanks for the great advice!
Lana
Always a good idea to have an aspirin on hand too. You may not have a heart attack but when I am out I encounter the elderly everywhere. I always keep OTC pain relievers too for headaches etc.
Kristie
Great list! One other thing that I always carry is a flashlight. It’s a little LED one that is compact and super bright. I’ve had one in my purse ever since a friend was stuck in an airport during that huge east coast blackout a few years ago and told us that there were no lights at all in the bathrooms… It’s also useful if you drop something in a dark parking lot or get stranded at night.
allison
hahah i have all of these things and more!! i have cell, ipod, tide-2-go, bobby pins, flip video camera, regular camera, 5 dollars, germ X, deo, mascara, sunglasses, a notepad, , pencil, 2 card and die games, and my phone charger! haha i have a huge purse!!!!
ditzymudgirl
The only thing I would add is sunscreen!
ID Card Supply
I would think quick cash and something for personal identity such as an ID card for emergency as the top items in this category list. Your list would be perfect if you add these 🙂
Danelle Ice - Home Ever After
@ID Card: Those aren’t on the list because everyone has those 2 things in their purse! This list is of the things you probably DON’T have in your purse!
Danelle
priscila
i don’t have pain killers nor asprin in my purse but i do have it in my weekend bag along with tooth brush, extra headphones, ipod, spare handwipes, camera, usual girly stuff, extra thin sweater, body wash in a small bottle hand sanitizer, but i think i should move the pin killers to my purse, especially exedrin cause sometimes i get migraines.
and tylenal incase i get tension headaches.
oh and a portable brailler to label stuff too i also keep in the bag
Glory
Consolidate #s: 6, 7, 11, and 12 = iPhone! 🙂
C. Garland
These are all great ideas but what about a mini first aid kid?? Bandaid, alcohol swabs, neosporin?? This is one thing I never leave without…
Cassi
Lotion, ladies… ESPECIALLY in winter 🙂
Daniel
It kills me to see some of the useless stuff women keep in their purses. From a man’s perspective:1.) high quality multi-tool $50; 2.) Iphone with a tiny clip-on microphone for recording conversations; 3.) Utility knife 4.) small permanent marker; 5)First aid kit including a suture kit; 6.) glasses repair kit; 7) (optional) mace or taser gun; 8) stamps
Steve
It might not be a good idea to have spare keys AND your address printed on labels just in case your bag got stolen.
sarah
what about an ace bandeg.you never know when you might need it
momof4
Having just come from the doctor about back pain, I can say forget some of that stuff!! You are damaging your body and heading for real pain.
nicole
good things never would of thought of it.
lacie
nice i have nothing in my purse that you listed
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Marcy Kennedy (@MommyKennedy)
I carry the address labels all the time. They are great to use! Fabulous list!