Handbags

[Snoopp]

How do you use your totes?  Do you find things can fall out if you have no zipper top?  What do you put in them?  I see so many cute ones but not sure I would know what to put in them other than the usual purse items and wouldn't they just sink to the bottom of a deep bag and make it hard to locate? 

[silkyk]

Hi snoop, Just head on over to Amazon and search "purse inserts". I found just what I needed there ( love my big totes) maybe you will too.

[Another new name Sue]

I use totes when I have extra things to haul around.  I don't use a tote as a handbag.

For a overnight car trip, the bulky stuff like slippers or shoes go in it.  If I'm going to need to entertain myself somewhere, the ipad, knitting, book, Kindle go in there.  If I'm going to see the grandkids, toys and books go in.  My yoga accessories go in a tote (blocks, strap, not the mat).  In CA often we need to bring our own grocery store bags, so totes are used then.  They are handy if taking food somewhere.  I'm sure there are other things, but I cannot think of them now.  When I traveled outside the U.S., I took totes with my state's name and logo on the side of canvas totes as gifts. 

They are handy in stores so you don't have to take a plastic bag. 

[Another new name Sue]

Silky, glad you have found the purse insert helpful. Many people do like them.  I thought I would love the purse insert, but it just drove me nuts.  Stuff fell under it, and I found myself digging around too much.  Just my 2 cents.

[ChynnaBlue]

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@Another new name Sue wrote:

I use totes when I have extra things to haul around.  I don't use a tote as a handbag.

For a overnight car trip, the bulky stuff like slippers or shoes go in it.  If I'm going to need to entertain myself somewhere, the ipad, knitting, book, Kindle go in there.  If I'm going to see the grandkids, toys and books go in.  My yoga accessories go in a tote (blocks, strap, not the mat).  In CA often we need to bring our own grocery store bags, so totes are used then.  They are handy if taking food somewhere.  I'm sure there are other things, but I cannot think of them now.  When I traveled outside the U.S., I took totes with my state's name and logo on the side of canvas totes as gifts. 

They are handy in stores so you don't have to take a plastic bag. 

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I use it as a hybrid. I only carry a tote when I need something bigger for an occasion. I carry a tote when I go to a festival or all-day event where I want to carry snacks, sunscreen, baby wipes, tissues, a large phone battery pack, a camera, and maybe carry purchases I make at the festival. I also carry a tote if I go to a conference and need to carry handouts, my tablet, snacks, etc.

I buy totes that have pockets inside (and outside, when possible) so that I can compartmentalize my everyday items (wallet, keys, asthma inhaler, and phone) and get to them easily. The other things, like snacks and a camera, I don't mind digging for. If I were going to carry a tote every day, I would want an organizer inside, but usually what I want a tote for is a huge space I can fill with big and little items, and an organizer  takes up too much space for that.

[GCR18]

I try not to buy totes that don't have zippers.  I like everything to be secure.

[Sister Golden Hair]

I love totes

I use make-up bags to hold things so if I do drop it, it will not be a mess.

When we travel, I will have my large bag in the tote and inside the large bag, I have my small crossbody (I use like a wallet).

I like to have a small crossbody for shopping.

I don't want to have to carry a large bag at those times.

I know this may sound crazy but it works great for me.

[willdob3]

I love organizer totes but finding one that is just what I need is almost impossible.

I finally broke down & got a purse organizer that holds a lot of things and can just be switched from one to another. It is much easier to find a tote that is a big empty hole inside. lol... 

I got a very inexpensive reversible tote by Iman & use it for work. While there is room in my life for pricier leather totes, I am too hard on the ones I use for work to risk ruining an expensive one. And the Iman one is great. And gets lots of compliments (even one from my designer labels SIL, who said it looked like hers! I had noticed that. lol). 

Anyway, I keep everything I'd keep in any other purc\se in my tote. Wallet, makeup bag, a few supplements, cell, etc. go into pockets in the organizer that I bought & that goes in the tote. I also add a small umbrella, sometimes a book or Kindle or a folder with documents, etc. I use a medium sized makeup bag to hold my wireless headphones (Samsung Gear Circle), portable charger, and cords and it goes in the tote, too.

And I tote travel mugs with coffee and water to/from work in the tote, too. Keys are hooked onto one handle, sunglasses case gets hooked to the other & hangs on the inside. 

Re: Zippers - I like totes that have some zippered compartments but I want toes to have open areas too - like for holding my travel mugs, larger iten=ms, for reaching in. Valuables would go in the zippered part. I have never had a purse spill and everything fall out. I tend to leave the zippers on the ones that have them unzipped too... 

[Snoopp]

These are great suggestions.  I am eyeballing those totes everytime I am in TJ Maxx (they have tons of them).  I won't feel guilty if I buy one and don't use it all the time. 

[NycVixen]

Most of my totes do not have a zipper. I prefer them that way; I like to easily grab my things inside the bag. Most have a V shape and the top stays 'closed' as my arm presses against it. 

I've never had an issue with anything spilling out; all my totes have enough structure to sit on their own so nothing has a chance to fall out. I just love totes especially when they are lightweight. I use them for school and work. I love the look and the fact that I have enough room for shopping bags etc. It's so annoying when you are using a small bag and go shopping and have to hold multiple bags.