There was an interview on BBC Breakfast on Saturday with a man called Will Baxter. He travelled round the world and took photos of the contents of people’s handbags. It seems a very odd way to remember such a trip, but each to his own. Combine that with the fact that the man was bloody irritating, and I’ve no idea how he managed to persuade people from all walks of life to display the randomness of their bags in such a public way. He did it, it seems, as a way of “opening a ‘pilgrimage of discovery’ for him to learn more about the human race and what makes it tick”. Bollocks- he did it because he hoped that when he got back he’d get a book deal.
If he’d come across me in the wilds of South America, the beaches of Goa or even downtown Bromley, this is what he would have discovered in my bag- a jolly nice brown leather affair I recently purchased from TKMaxx to replace the one with the straps that kept falling off. Note that there will be no accompanying photo!:
Pack of tissues with pictures of shoes on them.
Lipgloss- Stila Berry- obviously from the last time I went ‘out’ somewhere. I don’t wear make-up every day.
Maglite torch- you have no idea how useful this has proved to be.
Half empty pack of Tic Tacs- the white ones.
Tub of Carmex lip balm.
Emergency flapjack- for when hunger strikes- getting a bit battered round the edges.
Dry Cleaning ticket- note to self: must remember to pick up Dry Cleaning.
1/2 tsp sand-no idea how that got there.
Set of house keys on new heart-shaped fob.
Sainsburys’ receipt.
New Prescription from Boots Opticians.
Application to join Tescos Baby Club.
Notebook with elastic band round to hold in all the random bits I tear out of magazines and newspapers.
Pen that my mum gave me for Christmas
Photocopied list of telephone numbers for DHs office
Business cards.
Make-up bag in funky apple print that I bought at Greenwich Market, containing:
Purple emery board
Hand cream- Nivea Q10
Wet wipes
Another pack of tissues with cowgirls on.
Wallet of assorted plasters- you never know when you might need one.
Pack of paracetamol caplets- easier to swallow that capsules
Half a strip of Orange Strepsils
Mini sewing kit from the LA Peninsula hotel
Mirror, which I never use
Hair bobble
Spray hand sanitiser
Eye drops
Sample pack of face cream from a magazine
Stick of Lavender Cologne- very old lady style but smells soothing and is cool on your temples when you have a headache.
Tan-coloured leather wallet, a stocking gift from DH last Christmas, containing:
Booklet of 1st class stamps, five left
Five European stamps
8 Air mail stickers
Receipts for new glasses, lunch on Saturday with my mum, bus fare, haircut, pet store, M&S refund for a pair of pjs DH didn’t like.
Loyalty cards: Boots, Nectar
Golf Range Card
Next Refund Card- has approx £20 on it. Don’t know if I can still use it…
National Trust Membership Card
Maternity Exemption card
E111 card
Library Card
2 Debit cards
1 Credit Card- pink!
93p in change
£20 note
Driver’s Licence, both parts
Lady’s Card
Another Dry Cleaning ticket that I had forgotten about.
Scratch card for National Lottery- need to collect £2 winnings
Card from nice restaurant we recently went to in Broadstairs.
Oh, and my Blueberry.
I used to have to clean out my mum’s handbag when I was a kid. I also used to clean out the tupperware cupboard, and her sewing box. It’s probably where I got my organisational thing from. I used to love it. I particularly enjoyed ‘doing’ her handbag because it was an eternal source of embarrassment. Now I’m beginning to wonder if it’s just an age thing. When we were sitting in the restaurant having lunch on Saturday, she asked if she could have a plaster. I’m a little bit worried about myself.
Feel free to follow my lead and take up the handbag challenge.
How big is your handbag? Sounds to me like it’s far too big to carry round!!
Mine is very minimal. Purse, mobile and keys. If I put anything else in I can’t find my keys.
Crystal xx
My goodness, your handbag must be huge! All I have in mine is a mini-Filofax (very 80s I know), keys, purse and mobile phone. I sometimes find the odd sweet wrapper which is strange as I don’t eat sweets!
Handbag really not that big…and I did list all the individual items in my wallet…I’m not my mother am i????
I will! and i’m itching to do it as well
without a “tidy up and throw away” too!
Hi Kelly, Sorry to hear your not a big fan of mine or my idea of getting to know random strangers by asking them whats in their handbags. Yes I agree it does seem a little weird but I only asked people that I instinctively got a good vibe of, you know, when you strike up an instant connection with someone that from first impressions you feel like you already know them.
For me when I was travelling, I was so open, optomistic and curious about the other people in this world.
My book covers what I found in people’s handbags from all over the world, lessons from strangers and how they changed me from an ignorant and materialistic person to a more giving and self aware one.
All the best, Will Baxter, 27
http://www.aroundtheworldin80handbags.com
Thanks for visiting Will…as yo can see, people weren’t that impressed with the contents of my bag. And I will certainly be taking a peek at your book….I need to know there is someone out there with more stuff in their bag than me!!