It’s no joke that most women tote around heavily laden bags seemingly with everything in them aside from the kitchen sink. These dark, bottomless pits, in which one cannot find a thing, usually contain everything from crumpled shopping lists, to ancient tissues, that long-dried out mascara that you never have time to ditch, and other unrelated items. So, here is a list of the 5 essential items every modern women should carry for a well-packed day bag.
1: Get Organized
After you clean out your bag, invest in at least 3 zippered pouches — one for beauty supplies (never forget your small hand cream and hand sanitizer); one for small urgent necessities (think Tampon/Pad and a travel sized bottle of aspirin) as well as first aid (Band-Aids are not just for cuts and scrapes, but will save your heels from painful new shoes and a broken nail till you make it to the salon); and one for business cards, receipts, emergency cash, loose paper and a pen.
2: Face-to-Go
Pack only the essential makeup items that form part of your daily beauty regime and that tend to come off during the day. For example, keep a small bottle of base (or cover stick), lipstick or gloss, and mascara for touching up. You’ll also be covered if you’re headed for a night on the town straight after work. This may sound obvious, but don’t forget to pack a compact with a mirror — besides checking your teeth after that salad you ate for dinner, what about those awkward moments when you are forced to ask a stranger if your hair looks ok?
3. Le Parfum
It’s great to be fresh-faced, but we also want to spend the day smelling good. Pack a roll-on perfume (or mini bottle of your favorite scent), deodorant, and breath mints or gum — nothing worse than sprinting back to the office mid-summer after downing a tuna sandwich and spending the rest of the day checking your armpit odor and breathing into your hand.
4. Safety Pins/Sewing Kit
These are a lifesaver if you pop a seam or a button — which somehow always happens at the most mortifying moments, like a work meeting or first date. Also, a small safety pin can pinch-hit for a necklace clasp if yours suddenly breaks.
5. Hi-Tech Essentials
As a modern woman there are certain things you need to carry. First, always keep a USB flash drive on your keychain — you never know when you need to back up important documents when you’re traveling or giving an out-of-office presentation. Next is a battery case or decent portable cellphone charger that will charge your battery a couple of times over. A good battery case costs more, but saves you digging through your purse amongst loose cables. Lastly, headphones are a must-have item for music lovers who use public transport — well, that and your hand sanitizer!
We hope this list helps you — be it simply to tidy your bag down to the essentials or to save you from a wardrobe malfunction… oh, and don’t forget the kitchen sink!
