Every mom is different. We have different parenting styles, different priorities, different habits, and different kids with different needs. Because of our (and our kids’) lifestyles and activities, every mom also has very different things stashed in her purse. I know moms with small, neat purses with the few necessary items (keys, phone, chapstick, wallet) are neatly in designated pockets. And I know moms who basically carry duffel bags full of snacks, wipes, changes of clothes, toys, and who knows what else, all thrown in randomly. I definitely lean more towards the latter.
My purse is not even really a purse. It’s a small Stitch backpack that my sister got at Disney and gifted to my daughter. I started using it when T and I were hiking a lot and needed a bag that was easy to carry. It just sort of evolved into my everyday purse. It doesn’t have pockets, so everything is just loose in the bottom. On a good day, I reach in and find my keys easily. On others, I empty my cartoon bag of randomness on the grocery conveyor while searching for them.
But my purse is mine, and the things in it represent me. Some of the more random things in my purse are:
A homemade first aid kit: I found these little snap containers at Dollar Tree and made a purse first aid kit. It holds bandaids, chapstick, alcohol wipes, and a pack of fruit snacks. I have always been clumsy and accident-prone, and my child definitely takes after me in that respect, so we refill the bandaids fairly regularly.
Wireless headphones: I initially bought these to use while jogging on the treadmill, but admittedly I haven’t been doing nearly as much jogging in the past year. Now they are used primarily for listening to audiobooks while walking. I love this set because they are not only affordable but also loop over the ear so they’re less likely to fall out.
Various hand sanitizers: Not only do I have a six-year-old of my own, but I also work with a gaggle of three-year-olds every day. Even before our lives became consumed with talks of viruses and quarantine and pandemics, I always kept hand sanitizer readily available. I prefer using the spray kind and the foaming kind when available, but any hand sanitizer is better than none (and two is better than one)!
Tape measure: Every month, a workout buddy and I do each other’s body measurements. Because I frequently forgot to bring my tape measure in the past, I started just keeping one in my purse. It’s been interesting the other times it has come in handy though! For instance, you never know when your kindergartener is going to want to know how tall something is. Like our dog, or a flower at the park, or a banana. There have also been a surprising number of times that others around me needed to measure something and were trying to eyeball it or use various methods to guesstimate, but I was able to come to the rescue!
BioFreeze Roll-On: Y’all, this thing is a lifesaver. If you have joint or muscle pain, perhaps from picking up your gaggle of three-year-olds or swinging around your six-year-old, or maybe from the times you’ve managed to escape to the gym, a BioFreeze Roll-on will become your new best friend. For one, it provides a cooling sensation that both feels and smells good, but using the roll-on gives you a little mini massage while you administer it! And since the roll-on is small, it fits in your purse, so you can take it with you anywhere!
So what does the stuff in my purse say about me? I grabbed 5 random items from my purse when I started writing this, without really thinking about what they were. But now, as I consider them, I realize they all provide ways of caring for myself or those I spend time with. The first aid kit helps clean up life’s little booboos; the headphones give me a way to escape and provide some self-care; the hand sanitizer protects us from some of the ickiness life has in store; the tape measure helps me keep track of my progress, and the BioFreeze gives a little relief.
I try to maintain a semi-active lifestyle while working and taking care of my kiddo and our home. My purse helps me do that.
What’s in your purse, and what do those things say about you?
