Top 10 Essentials You Should Keep in Your Purse

The modern woman is always on the go. It is best to keep all your essentials on your person — i.e. in your purse. Marie Kondo, the worldwide organisation sensation has been one of many important people who have emphasised on impeccable organisation to keep your life and productivity up and going. After all, no woman with muck and clutter in her bag is fully ready to conquer the clean cut battle arenas of the workforce and the world.

One of the first things before going all-in with the list of essentials for your everyday handbag. The prelude, the drumroll and the initial cleaning (or as we like to call it: the factory reset). Time to clean out your bag.

The modern woman is always on the go. It is best to keep all your essentials on your person — i.e. in your purse. Marie Kondo, the worldwide organisation sensation has been one of many important people who have emphasised on impeccable organisation to keep your life and productivity up and going. After all, no woman with muck and clutter in her bag is fully ready to conquer the clean cut battle arenas of the workforce and the world.

One of the first things before going all-in with the list of essentials for your everyday handbag. The prelude, the drumroll and the initial cleaning (or as we like to call it: the factory reset). Time to clean out your bag.

3 Steps for a Factory Reset

1. Take out everything in your handbag — the receipts at the bottom, the loose diner mints (please), coin change, EVERYTHING. Turn it upside down and let it splatter onto your floor for the sheer dramatics of it.
2. Clean the pouch inside your bag with either wet wipes or a damp cloth. Get in all the muck, the inside zip pockets and sometimes even the inner cloth lining of leather.
3. Leave it to dry, and do a quick clean off of the external layers. This shouldn't take a lot of time. If your leather bag has especially gotten grimy inside-out, we recommend How to Clean A Leather Bag: The Complete Guide.

Now that your bag is ready for the next step, there's a good chance that you'll want to shake things up (not) and pile it up with the good old personalised definition of necessities that for some reason may also include all the guitar picks from when you were in a band in High School. Even though we don't recommend giving up on your dream of a spontaneous jam sesh with an eclectic street subway band when said guitar picks are bound to be useful - let's declutter.

10 Things We Recommend to Keep in Your Purse

1. Small Cosmetic Bag or Makeup Bag

The cosmetic bag also doubles for a toiletry bag. This may include your sunscreen, lip balm, moisturizer, face lotion and make up essentials. Even though 'make up essentials' is subjective to every woman and her taste - we mean the basics of mascara, lipsticks, powder, concealer and maybe a CC cream. A toothbrush (and portable toothpaste) and a small pack of breath mints or gum may also make the cut if you are due for a very long day. Nail file, if it's to your disposition.

Your cosmetic bag is your customisable and personalised prerogative to making sure you have it all. We recommend being prepared for a wardrobe malfunction with a set of bobby pins too. A lot of unnecessary clutter loose accessories that usually get lost at the bottom of your bag can be organised with a compact vanity bag.

2. Card Holder and Wallet

You simply cannot go out without your wallet but an addition to this can be a card holder. If your wallet already has a slot for cards, well and good. But that may not always be the case. For the ladies who allow their debit and credit cards to free float in their bag, beware the magnetic hazards of batteries and other metallic items and also the scratches you are potentially making them prone to. Wallets can be called the absolute primary essential in the catalog of handbag contents. Yes, even in the age of Apple Pay.

We recommend our collection of card cases that are bound to be perfect for your organisation needs. At Lodis, we keep your (potential) mess safely tucked away in premium leather wallets and card holders for both men and women.

3. Portable Phone Charger

Phones are our tech companions for everyday errands and well, life. But they do have a tendency to die at the worst possible moment. In a world where we are so very reliant on our phones for maps, contacts and to-do lists - the death of a phone battery can be very problematic during emergencies. A portable phone charger, also known as power banks should always be a part of your emergency kit.

This is especially true if you are a woman with a penchant for travel (or someone with very long commutes). Late nights in the subway or cross city commuting, you never know when you might need your phone.

4. Water Bottle and A Healthy Snack

A woman well equipped for life stays hydrated and makes an effort to keep her blood sugar levels stable. #Hustle culture has gotten way out of hand, and you may feel the need to skip a meal or two while being on the go. May your everyday bag be your messiah at times like this. Always keep a water bottle on you, for better or for worse. Even though it is can be quite heavy to carry (look into collapsible water pouches if this is your qualm), having water at the right time will save you money, time and most importantly - save you from the dreaded dehydration headache.

By healthy snack, we mean an apple or a handful of nuts. Meal bars and protein blocks are also great alternatives. This will come in handy especially on your longer days. Trust us, you'll thank yourself for it.

5. Headphones or Earphones

Pretty self explanatory. In a digitised age of zoom meetings and Team catch-ups, forgetting your earphones (or AirPods) can be disastrous. Especially if you work in a communal office or like to attend online meetings on the go. If wireless, make sure to keep them charged.

6. Hairbrush, Hair ties and Bobby Pins

The contents of your purse are incomplete without an additional cache of hair ties and a sturdy hairbrush. It's a wild, wild world out there, and it is your moral responsibility to not look like the antagonist from the wild, wild west. In order to remain prepared for errant windy streets or spontaneous open top car rides (we like to believe your life is very cinematic, and we are here to prepare you for it), keep a brush always in your purse. For our curly haired beauties out there, this of course translates to either a detangle comb or a general wide teeth comb.

Hair ties snap, and they can leave you in the lurch if you are not careful Always keep a backup stash, and be fiercely protective of it. Just one of them on your wrist is not gonna always cut it.

7. Wet Wipes and a Pack of Tissues

Wet wipes and a pack of tissues makes the list of essentials for various reasons. If you are a woman with a family, or someone whose routine includes running errands with kids, this is a must for you. If you are someone who likes to carry a small purse, and would like to cut down on many of the above listed items still - we recommend this one as a core necessity.

It is always a good idea to have a pack of tissues on you, for whatever reason (you will not know until you need them and not have them. Hint: useful after a spill).

8. Sanitary Napkins or Tampons

An absolute must, hand down one of our core recommended item for women to keep in their purse. Even in the non bleeding stage of your cycle, sanitary napkins or tampons should be stashed away in your bag as an emergency supply. You never know, might save a friend or stranger from the embarrassment of asking.

If your predisposition lies with menstrual cups, make sure to use the recommended packaging before storing it in your bag.

9. Compact Stationary: A Pen and A Notebook

Know how Jane Austen used to carry a portable desk with her wherever she went, well we need not go to those extents. But a pen and a notebook will be a lifesaver when one day, you may suddenly need them. Save yourself the awkwardness of asking the clerk or a stranger for a pen, and carry a personalised favourite pen. .

10. First Aid Kit and a Bottle of Hand Sanitizer

Carry around a bottle of hand sanitizer at all times for germ protection. Especially with C-19 not having vanished completely just yet, the habit of sanitizing your hands before snacking or just after having been in an especially crowded place.

A compact first aid kit will help you out in small mishaps. This may just be a roll of cotton, antiseptic solution, band-aids, gauze bandage and tweezers. Throw in some over-the-counter pain medications and you are set. Always be prepared. For those with allergies, under this section we also recommend always carrying your epipen.

Great organisation requires great handbags. Check out our collection of crossbody bags, tote bags, hobo bags, and more. From tiny purses to roomy bags (in case Marie Kondo is your worst enemy), we've got it all.