I’m usually an avid fan of larger, oversized handbags and if I’m being completely honest, that’s where my heart is (when it comes to bags). I love the way they can make you look smaller and in general and I find them to be sophisticated and practical. I’m the sort of person who is constantly chopping and changing between bags and although one of the perks of having a big bag is that you can throw your entire life into it, recently my style preferences have thrown a spanner in the works and I’ve taken a liking to small, dainty bags. That being said, when you want to swap your large Mary Poppins bag into a bag only big enough for the bare necessities, there are a few things that you need to do beforehand. Sometimes this means downsizing my bag and along with that, the contents in it. This is often easier said than done, since I’m a self-professed over packer and I like to have options! I’ve found a few tips and tricks to help reducing the contents of my bag.
START WITH THE BAG
This is the one of the most important things when it comes to downsizing your bag. There are so many variations of small bags to suit different preferences, whether you want lots of compartments or no structure at all. My favourite places to get trendy pieces on the high street are Zara and Kurt Geiger as they have beautiful bags, which are great quality at an affordable price. However for a more luxury bag, my favourites are Mulberry and Saint Laurent. My current go to bags at the moment are the Louis Vuitton Toiletry Pouch and my Mulberry Darley Small Grain Clutch, both of which are small bags however can hold a fair amount of my necessities as well as a few extras!
DITCH THE PURSE / WALLET
Ditching my purse is something that I done ages ago. Always carrying a huge purse can sometimes be annoying and irritable and I’ve been completely converted to cardholders and card purses. Cardholders are a great way to house your most used and important cards. If you are someone who likes to carry cash and coins, a card purse is a good option for you as there’s a little section to put your cash in. At the moment, I’m using my Chanel cardholder in conjunction with my Louis Vuitton key pouch for any lose change. However, I personally don’t carry more than about £10 with me in case I lose my purse/cardholder, which also means that I tend to carry around notes or change.
GET RID OF ANY CRAP
Getting rid of any rubbish, for most people can be very therapeutic. I don’t tend to keep lots of rubbish in my bag, as I change my bags throughout the week and I don’t like the idea of putting my hand in a bag with crap floating around the bottom. Therefore if you are someone who has a tendency of filling your bag with empty chocolate wrappers, old receipts and tissues etc. a small bag is probably a good idea because quite frankly, there’s no room for unwanted rubbish.
DISTINGUISH THE NECESSITIES
As much as we would all like to carry a laptop and our kitchen sink, for the most part, it’s just not necessary – after all, none of us are Mary Poppins. I often have to remove my cosmetics pouch when using a small bag, despite how much I love it, as there is just not enough room for it! I know this can be a pain, but on the plus side your bag will be a hell of a lot lighter! So just be honest with yourself and be realistic with what you’re actually going to need throughout the day. For most of us, that includes, phone, purse and keys. I personally can’t go anywhere without any of these things or I’ll literally feel lost without them! How do you downsize your bag?
Do you have any other tips?
