15 Things Every Girl Needs In Her Handbag/Purse

My bag is more than just a fashion accessory; it keeps my essentials conveniently in one place. When it comes to my everyday handbag/purse I have a few essentials that I always have with me. I look to try and keep my items compact and multi-use. The last thing I want is to struggle with a 15-pound bag.

The 15 things every girl needs in her handbag/purse are:

1. Wallet, Phone, And Keys Will Always Be In Your Bag
2. Travel pack of tissues
3. Mini Vaseline
4. Hand sanitizer
5. Hair Elastic And Hair Clips
6. Breath Mints Or Sugar-Free Gum
7. Makeup Bag
8. Medications
9. A Spare Pad Or Tampon
10. Safety Items
11. Headphones
12. A Planner Or Notebook And A Pen
13. Business Cards
14. A Form Of Entertainment
15. Portable Phone Battery Charger

Let’s take a closer look at the essentials that every girl needs in her bag.

How To Decide What Is Essential To Always Keep In Your Bag

When I sat down to curate this list of handbag essentials I realized that there are some universal essentials that every girl needs in her bag and a few others that will change depending on where you are in your life.

When I was in college, my laptop, phone, wallet, keys, chargers, and college ID were always with me. When I joined the working world, my college ID gave way to my work ID badge, commuter card, and a book to read on the train.

At the various times I owned a dog I’d always have dog treats and a collapsible water bowl in my bag.

The trouble with adding “just in case” items that never actually come in handy is that you can end up with a bag that is so heavy you can hardly carry it.

I like to go through my bag twice a year, when the seasons change, and clear out whatever I don’t need for the coming summer/winter season as well as anything I don’t need at all.

If you have a long commute, then pack a book or a kindle. If you have a cold you’ll need an endless supply of tissues at the ready.

Before you start packing, decide on what you really need so you don’t end up with a bag full of clutter. It’s sometimes difficult to prioritize when you’re unsure of plans. Therefore, to help you, I’ve compiled a list of what to keep in your purse/handbag.

I have split the list into two sections with the first section being the list of 10 essentials that you will always need. This is the list that I look at when I choose the minimum size for an everyday handbag. The second part is a list of 5 items that you ought to have but may change depending on your life circumstances.

1. Wallet, Phone, And Keys Will Always Be In Your Bag

I have grouped these three items together as they are crucial for modern-day life for every girl.

Your wallet should fit snugly into your purse so you can easily grab it when needed. Your wallet should contain your ID or driver’s license, credit cards, and cash. I always have my wallet in the zip-up compartment of my bag that is closest to my body so that it feels more secure and further from prying fingers.

I keep my phone and keys in one of the smaller compartments of my bag so that I can easily get at them and they don’t get lost under a pile of clutter. When I replace my phone case I will make sure that my phone in its new case can still fit into the compartment of my bag. Over time my phone cases always get a bit scratched up from other items in my bag, like my keys for instance. But better that than a scratched phone.

If you have an older phone it might be wise to invest in a portable phone charger so that your phone never runs out of juice on the road.

2. Travel Pack Of Tissues

There was a time when I used to put a few tissues in my bag from the box of tissues I kept on my vanity table. I used to fold them in such a way that the outer tissue could keep the inner tissues clean. Within a few hours, that plan would come undone and I’d have tissues scattered all over my bag. It wasn’t the best idea but it was better than not having any tissues at all – especially in spring with all the pollen allergies.

These days I always have a travel pack of tissues. It is small and compact and doesn’t get in the way of anything else I need. I’ll have 2 or three packs of tissues if I have a cold or during allergy season.

3. Mini Vaseline

I carry Vaseline as it is multi-functional. Vaseline can act as lip balm, blister prevention if a shoe starts rubbing, makeup remover, and a moisturizer all in one small container that will fit into any bag.

4. Hand Sanitizer

I have always carried a small travel-sized hand sanitizer with me, even before it became fashionable to do so.

Just think about all of the germs you may come into contact within a day. Although hand sanitizers will never replace a thorough hand wash, they combat the germs we face daily in public transit, bathrooms, and your phone’s screen. It’s great to have when you can’t get to a sink right away.

If you happen to pick up a cut or scratch, you can use your hand sanitizer to clean the wound before putting on a band-aid.

5. Hair Elastic And Hair Clips

Always have a few hair elastics with you and the same goes for bobby pins or hair clips. You never know when you might be caught out in some bad weather or have an opportunity to get in an extra gym session. Having the opportunity to tie your hair back will make life much easier.

If you have shorter hair then bobby pins and clips will keep your hair neat.

Even when my hair is shorter I still keep some toweling hair elastics in my bag. Many restrooms have air dryers for drying your hands after washing them. What often happens is some water will trickle down my wrists into the sleeves of my blouse. Putting a toweling hair elastic around each wrist before washing my hands solved that problem.

5. Carry A Healthy Snack And Small Water Bottle

Keeping yourself hydrated is vital when you are running errands all day. Having water with you will help you keep going.

Having a healthy snack like almonds is what keeps me from binging on chips or cookies when I get an energy dip during the day. The trouble with almonds is they can make a mess of the inside of your bag, so keep them in a zip-seal bag. Alternatively, you can easily keep a few almond butter packets in your bag instead.

Keep your snack higher in protein to prevent getting a sugar crash later in the day.

6. Breath Mints Or Sugar-Free Gum

Having ready access to breath mints or gum means you will be able to keep your just-brushed feeling after lunch. You never know who you might bump into or you might suddenly end up in an after-lunch meeting.

Just make sure you select sugar-free mints or gum. Besides avoiding a mid-afternoon sugar crash from your breath mints, it will be better for your teeth too.

7. Makeup Bag

We all know that having makeup with us is important to do any touch-ups during the day so that we are prepared for any meetings or impromptu social gatherings.

However, having your makeup together in a small makeup bag means that you won’t need to dig around in your bag for what you need or realize that you miss-placed a lipstick you thought you had with you as has happened to me before.

Fill your makeup bag with your basics for doing touch-ups like eyeliner, lipstick, and lip balm for using throughout the day. If you notice that your eyes tend to look tired then a little nude eyeliner on your lower waterline will brighten your eyes.

That same nude eyeliner can be your emergency-use concealer in case you start getting a pimple during the day. I’ve written a whole article on the various uses for nude eyeliner that shows you why it is always in my everyday handbag. Take a look at it here.

Clear nail polish is useful in case you chip your nail polish and can save your hose from running if you happen to snag them during the day.

8. Medications

The type of medication you carry will obviously vary depending on your personal circumstances.

However, it’s always a good idea to have a few over-the-counter anti-inflammatory tablets or painkillers in your bag in case of an emergency. Also, make sure you have a few band-aids to combat blisters from new shoes or any tumbles. Remember that your hand sanitizer can work as a disinfectant for any cuts or grazes before putting on a band-aid.

9. A Spare Pad Or Tampon

It doesn’t matter whether you are a person who menstruates or not. It is always a good idea for every girl to have an extra pad or tampon in her bag. It’s nice to be the one person who can always say “yes” when someone in the restroom asks if anyone has a pad or tampon.

10. Safety Items

I really hope that it will never be necessary. That said, it is a good idea to have several safety items in your bag.

In order to feel more empowered, you can stash a can of pepper spray (if that is legal where you are), a whistle, or even a personal safety alarm that goes off when you activate it.

Keep your personal safety items in concealed but accessible zipped pockets.

Before stocking up on any safety item, make sure to learn how to use them and check whether your local area has any restrictions on which items you can or can’t carry. For instance, many countries have made the carrying of pepper spray illegal.

In the United Kingdom, the law is very restrictive when dealing with personal safety items as highlighted in the video below from the Black Belt Barrister. There the law states that any item that you carry for the sole purpose of being a defensive weapon is illegal. In this instance having a notebook and pen means your pen can be a defensive weapon, as can chopstick hairpins (unless you have really short hair).

The remaining items on the list are slightly more on the optional side as they will vary based on your personal circumstances.

11. Headphones

If you have a long commute as I did many years ago, headphones are essential for listening to an audiobook, podcast, or just music. They are also useful for preventing unwanted conversations with strangers.

12. A Planner Or Notebook And A Pen

My notebook and pen are essentials for my everyday bag. Thanks to my notebook I can store my ideas in one place. Most of the articles here on Pink Femme started as ideas that I brainstormed in my notebook.

As I mentioned earlier, having a pen in your bag can be a useful defensive weapon when it comes to personal safety.

In a similar way, I found this cute foldable Bluetooth keyboard that I can pair with my phone and actually write blog posts at a café or on the high-speed train to Madrid where my laptop can’t fit on the tiny tray-table.

13. Business Cards

You never know who you might bump into and if that person could become a business contact or even a job opportunity. So, business cards are a much classier option than scribbling a name and number onto a paper napkin.

As an alternative, use your mobile phone to snap a pic of one of your business cards just in case you run out. That way the person you meet can snap a pic of your phone’s screen and get your business card info that way.

14. A Form Of Entertainment

It is useful to have some type of entertainment with you so that you don’t get bored. My entertainment is reading, so if my bag is big enough I’ll pack a book or kindle. If my bag is too small for the book I’m reading, I’ll have at least one podcast and an audiobook loaded onto my phone.

15. Portable Phone Battery Charger

Having your phone die on you is a terrible feeling, so the alternative is to carry a portable phone charger in your bag.

I carry one in my mountain running bag so that my phone can stay charged so that I can listen to music and have access to my maps. I also pack a portable charger when I am on long train or bus journeys so that I have enough power to keep working.

Now You Have A Clear Idea of What To Keep In Your Bag

Now that you know what are the most important things to keep in your bag you will be able to eliminate the clutter and have a far more organized bag.

I’m off to go and download the audiobook Work Energy by Jim Harmer (available on Amazon) onto my phone for the long run I have planned for the weekend.