I’ve been sucked into binge watching the phenomenon that is “Marie Kondo’s Tidying Up” on Netflix. If you haven’t seen it, Kondo is a Japanese organizing consultant who travels to different people’s homes to help them organize their belongings. Kondo’s motto is that if the item doesn’t “spark joy”, you donate it. The show really got me thinking about my current closet situation, which happens to be pretty full these days. I own many bags and Kondo would be happy to know that each one sparks joy in its own way, but I have to admit I’m guilty of using the same bags on repeat. I don’t think I am ready to donate or sell anything right now since I really do love everything I have in my collection, but it’s a shame not to use all of the bags in my closet. I should have my collection on a constant rotation, but I’ve been known to get lazy and use the same bag for a week or sometimes two. I try to keep the interior of my handbags organized to make it easier to switch my items over, so I stash my lip glosses, mints, a tide stick, antibacterial wipes, and other small miscellaneous items inside a large pouch. The pouch helps moving over my smaller belongings easier when I do switch bags, but I still think I could do a better job of switching bags more often. I decided to challenge myself to swap my handbag out every single day for one week.
I didn’t think swapping bags daily would be a true challenge, but I was surprised by how hard it was for me. I’m not a morning person and I am usually rushing out the door to get to work on time. Taking the extra time to select a bag, take it out of its dust bag, switch the items over, and then put the old bag back on the shelf took up more time than I realized. I tried switching my bag out at night before bedtime, but ultimately preferred doing it in the morning after I was already dressed in my outfit for the day. This exercise made me more mindful of keeping the inside of my bag clean, because in addition to my trusty pouch, I usually have crumpled up receipts strewn throughout my bag. Luckily I remained diligent in removing clutter in my bag throughout the week—no messy receipts here!
[sc_ic_ad1]Swapping bags sounds like a small task, but just choosing which bag to wear took me some time as I’m quite indecisive. I have a pretty solid mix of premier and contemporary brands in my closet, and I made an effort to use a variety of brands and styles during my one-week challenge. While I don’t think I will switch bags every day for the rest of my life, I do think this exercise will help me to get into the habit of switching bags more often and avoid getting stuck in a rut and using the same bag repeatedly.
Here are the bags I ended up using throughout the week:
Monday
One of my favorite bags I own, I picked the Chloé Faye to brighten up my Monday. Sometimes I need two cups of coffee and an extra boost of confidence on a Monday morning, and I always feel incredibly chic and put together when I wear my Faye, so it was a solid choice for the first day of the week. The Faye doesn’t hold as much as some of my other bags, so it worked that day because I was just heading to and from the office. My bag ended up complimenting my booties perfectly too, which is always a plus in my opinion!
Tuesday
It was a particularly cold and windy day, even by middle of winter standards. I decided to use my Louis Vuitton Damier Azur Neverfull because I love to carry white in winter and I needed a larger bag to store a big scarf, gloves, and a hat. The Damier Azur print really did cheer me up from the winter blues. I consider my Neverfull to be a perfect every day bag. It’s lightweight, matches almost everything I own, and fits perfectly under my shoulder. I own all 3 prints in the Neverfull and love them all for different reasons, but the Damier Azur was perfect that day.
Wednesday
It was a damp day, so I pulled out my trusty, maintenance free Roots Bag. I bought a bag from the Canadian brand on a trip to Banff last year and have been smitten ever since. The leather on this bag can take a true beating, and I tend to use it on days I don’t want to baby my bags. I learned about this brand on the PurseForum prior to my trip, and my Roots bag has quickly become one of my favorites. I don’t see the style I own for sale on their site right now, but they have a ton of cute options available right now.
Thursday
I had watched Midnight in Paris on Wednesday night and was inspired by the Parisian scenery, so I grabbed my Gerard Darel 24 Heures Bag to wear on Thursday morning. I bought my Gerard Darel on a trip to Paris in 2015 from the brand’s boutique in Le Marais. I knew about Gerard Darel from a PurseBlog feature from years prior, but when I touched down in Paris and saw the 24 Heures bag on the arm of every chic French woman in sight, I knew I had to have one. My bag will always remind me of a cherished long weekend with my husband in the City of Love!
Friday
I was wearing an all-black outfit this day, so I really wanted a bag that would stand out against my outfit. I grabbed my trusty Mulberry Bayswater. While the Bayswater is a classic, understated bag, I own it in a fire red color. I typically grab my brightly colored Bayswater when I am trying to make a statement since the color is so eye catching. My Bayswater is a little bit on the heavier side and doesn’t have a crossbody strap, so it was perfect for a work day, where I locked it safely away for the majority of the day and didn’t have to carry it around all over the city.
Saturday
My husband and I had a busy day of chores and boring errands on Saturday, so I wanted to wear a bag that would make me happy. I grabbed one of my all-time favorite bags, my Chanel Medallion Tote. I know some Chanel lovers consider this discontinued bag to be dated, but it’s my only Chanel item and it brings me so much happiness. It made a trip to Whole Foods seem glamorous, and for that reason I’m never getting rid of it!
Sunday
Sunday we met my family for brunch, so I opted for my hands free Rebecca Minkoff Mini Mac. I don’t like to bring big bags to restaurants when I can avoid it, mainly because putting my bag on the floor is a horrendous ordeal for me and I hate having to fuss over where my bag will go during the meal. For that reason, a crossbody is always a safe bet when going out to eat. We ended up popping into a few shops after brunch too, so I was glad to be hands free!
How often do you switch up your bags? I don’t think I will be changing bags daily, but I certainly am going to try to mix my rotation up more often moving forward.
