Death by Chanel, or the dangers of heavy bags

[ambidextrous]

I sometimes have to lug around my laptop (6 pounds by itself, without the cables, mouse, protective bag) in a bag which weighs at least 1 pound without anything in. additionally as a girl I need my makeup bag, wallet, cell, pen, ipod, chewing gums, tissue... you name it. too much weight lol. and now that I'm moving and my bf's place is in walking distance I carry stuff around to save car rides, which is a 15 pounds messenger bag and two shopping or handbags with whatever I can still carry... so far, no serious problems except muscle pain lol but I'm still young, might get all the real problems if I don't buy that Asus eeePC

now the issue is: I DO need everything I lug around, I'd never take the laptop with me for fun, damn uni papers

 

[PrincessImp.]

I cheat a little by leaving things in my car, e.g laptop. Thing is, I also use my handbag as a shopping bag so it just grows and grows as I am walking on the street.
Inherently it's already packed with a wallet, keys, nintendo ds, blackberry, waterbottle, makeup bag, cardigan, misc stuff.
On top of that I try to stuff my shopping into it if possible, my best record was 3 pairs of shoes and a top from Zara in a Bal work!

 

[annelein]

I love small bags - not only are they cute and elegant, but they have an inherent control system for keeping crap-carried-around to a minimum.

Two of my frequent-use bags measure appr.:

20 cm x 12 cm x 8 cm
25 cm x 9 cm x 6 cm

in these both, I fit the necessities:

• wallet
• mobile (sometimes two if travelling)
• make up pouch (YSL touche eclat and compact powder to fix skin, eyeliner to fix up eyes in case of party, 3 lipglosses and a lip pen for retouches)
• house key, bike key
• swipe cards for office and client offices
• Compeed ("band-aids" for sore feet)
• paper back novel

It goes without saying that the bags are packed to the brim - it is actually a good thing since stuff is organised and stays in place. I have some larger bags too (designer doth not come in baby-size most of the time) and despite compartment systems etc I always have to dig and scramble in the "big" compartment among all things floating around in order to find what i need.

If I need a cardigan or so, I carry in the hand (or "tie" it on the bag). If I bring the laptop I use a laptop bag which holds full office supplies as well; laptop bag + little handbag = better than mixing work and pleasure.

 

[ambidextrous]

I used a pochette only today LOL with wallet, tissues, cellphone, eyeshadow (with mirror), mini lipgloss and contact lense container, thats it

 

[baRose]

I have:
-makeup bag
-cell/PDA
-Wallet
-keys
-Tissues
-pens
-notepads (small)
-laptop (most days)
-water
-food (sometimes lunch and dinner)
-small hand lotion
-supplements

If I’m going to be out for 15 hours a day (some days of the week), there is only so much I can leave at home. Leaving things in the car isnt always an option especially if I’m on public transit. I’m not going to eat out every day for lunch everyday either (I try to limit it to one day a week). Blame it on the pace of modern life!

I wish I can just have a clutch.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ I agree, without a car it is different. I keep several magazines in my car so I always have something to read.

 

[salomelovesjohn]

Ugh, I've had to sell bags because my little bit of pain from my bags turned into a serious neck pain. I still haven't seen the doctor, but I've seriously lightened up to a Prada tote and sometimes other lighter bags. My neck is so much better now, but now I'm worried I did some serious damage after reading those articles. I won't even try on heavy bags and I'm eyeing some coated canvas Chanels or Gucci canvas bags this season.

 

[baRose]

^^
I decided to use all larger bags for lighter items like clothes for an overnight trip, or as a clothing shopping bag.

 

[Melisande]

My upper back is always in pain and I have trouble breathing from running around Tokyo lugging 15 pounds. I see a chiropractor weekly. And that's with the Longchamps Pliage; I gave up leather bags ages ago...

I am so lost...are backpacks my only resort now? Is it possible to look elegant for work with a backpack...?!

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Melisande, seems like it should be possible to reduce the 15 lbs? What've you got in there?

 

[tigerrouge]

I prefer a small bag, it forces me to edit. I almost suspect the list of things I tote around expands to fill the size of the bag I've got - in all my time of using smaller bags, I've never needed a novel or food supplies, so I've not missed their absence.

Things like sewing kits or minor first-aid items, I have one set at home, and another set in work, and if I had a car, I'd keep a third set there.

I don't carry my laptop in any expensive bag because I'd be afraid its large size and weight would slowly destroy a bag's structure until you end up with a sad and saggy beast where once was beauty.

 

[Melisande]

^ Melisande, seems like it should be possible to reduce the 15 lbs? What've you got in there?

Thanks ta-ta, I've been trying and on a good day I can reduce it to 5 lbs . But the back still hurts. The trouble is I neither work nor sleep in one place ...nomadic.

My minimum luggage contains:

notebook
A4 size file
small planner
small cosmetics case
pencase
wallet
phone
book
meds
water
keys
tissues&wipes
mints

That plus anything from my MacBook, extra books for work, clothes, lingerie, things I buy along the way and things to take to and from people, food, to the occasional pair of shoes, or God forbid, all of the above... like today.

Maybe luggage on wheels...

 

[ambreit]

wow, sounds like i'm not alone when it comes to lugging "stuff" around. i carry (every day

agenda (pm size)
tylenol
kleenex
cell phone
bandaids
childrens tylenol
pens
reading glasses
notepad
keys
motion sickness items (wrist bands, pills)
glasses case with another pair of glasses (backup)
kids antihistamine cream
germ x
granola bars
bottle of pop/water
various items of clothing (sweatshirts, fleece vests, cardis, etc.)


i think that's about it. my arms hurt just typing that nonsense.

 

[PrincessImp.]

I have started to carry medium-sized bags or giant clutches now and I find that it helps to edit out all the clutter. I agree with the members here who say that carrying a smaller bag helps as it certainly seems to work for me. I still love my big bags though, so hopefully I gain enough discipline not to overload them again when I go back to one.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Something on wheels does sound like a good idea, Melisande ... I am so envious of the 'new' wheeled luggage ... I bought mine before wheels were common, and being a homebody, it's practically good as new so I haven't been able to justify buying new

 

[chanelnumber5]

My problem is my school bag, most days I carry in it:
- Filofax
- One or two textbooks (some days three)
- A4 paper for note taking
- Pens, highlighters etc
- Hair brush
- Small make up bag (in which I also keep things like plasters)
- Wallet
- Ipod
- Mobile phone
- Compact umbrella
- Bottle of water
- A extra small notebook
- Keys
Plus, anything else I need on that particular day. I also carry my notes I need in a ring binder, as I can never fit it in my bag.

Needless to say that I have totally screwed up my shoulders (or should I say shoulder - I haven't used a backpack for years). It doesn't help that I love huge leather bags that weigh nearly as much as the contents and have really narrow shoulders - which is also really annoying, as it means my bag never stays on my shoulder

 

[ponytrot]

i think Jane Birkin has said in interviews that carrying her namesake Birkin Bag has caused her tendonitis in her elbow...

 

[Melisande]

Oh wow, Im certainly not alone...
I forgot to mention glasses, sunglasses and small umbrella as well.
Having a small bag did no good, things were always falling out. I lost some precious jewelry that way. That's when I switched.

I always did wonder how Jane Birkin got away with that thing...


ta-ta, what kind of "new wheeled luggage" do you mean?? Sounds promising...

 

[Trista]

I'm a big bag fan too...although mine isn't the same kind of bag. I use the VS Everyday tote, you know the $15 one...and I would say on the average day it weighs a good 7-10 pounds. However, in the bag, I have:

Wallet
Cell phone
Makeup kits (I carry two makeup kits, an 8x6 mesh pouch for my eye and face stuff, and then a small 4x3 for my lip stuff), plus the UD Deluxe shadow box, the MAC gem palette, and then one of a few different MAC lip palettes (I change my lip colour as soon as it wears off...)
Mini umbrella
Sunglasses/case
Hand cream
Lotion
2 bottles of perfume
Hand sanitizer
iPod Nano
Mirror
House key
Hair elastice
Extra pair of shoes
If it's hot out, I also tote around a full-size bottle of Lemongrass Sage body spray.

I second the narrow shoulders problem, mine are so narrow I can't use some machines at the gym (but narrow shoulders ARE hot). Needless to say, purses do not stay on me. Small purses are useless to me because I cannot and WILL NOT edit my makeup that is carried, unless somebody paid me $100.

 

[peachescream]

for me, it's that having a bigger bag gives a temptation to fill it with more stuff. Some of the time i can be out of the door with just a wallet, keys and phone, but when i choose to take a bag it is always a bigger bag (YSL large downtown) and then i want to put more stuff into it, like notebooks, sunglasses, camera, make up, shoes, book, magazine etc.