"What's in Your Bag?... I Share What I Carry in My Handbag #pmedia #UbyKotex #ad

Disclosure:  This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and U by Kotex but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #UbyKotex  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV.

What's in Your Bag?

One of my guilty pleasures is to gather up a few gossip/celebrity magazines, make a hot cup of tea and relax on the couch with my feet up, once the girls go to bed.  I love flipping through the pages looking at the new clothing and hair styles and trends of the stars.  I will not lie, I also enjoy reading the different articles about who is dating who, who broke up with who, who is expecting a baby, etc.  But, one section I always enjoy is the "What's in Your Bag?" feature, where they will spotlight a celebrity, usually a woman, and let us see what she carries in her bag.  

There is something about seeing other women, who are considered celebrities carrying around the same things as I do, in their handbags or diaper bags.  I can't help but laugh when I see celebrity moms toting around toys and snacks for their kids, as this is what I find myself doing. So much for a handbag with essentials for me.  Now, I am packing to keep my girls entertained and happy. :-)

Even though I am not a celebrity, nor are any of my friends, we had a little fun the other day when meeting up for a play date with our kids.  For some reason, we had got to talking about gossip magazines and the features we enjoy most.  Like me, my girlfriends, too, loved the "What's in Your Bag" feature.  So, we thought, why not dump out our bags and do a little show and tell of sorts.  We found that we carried similar products like monthly essentials from U by Kotex, which come in unique packaging so you don't have to worry about people know you are toting around tampons or pads in your bag.  

I love the protection these pads and tampons offer, and I never feel unprepared when my period comes, as I always make a point to carry U by Kotex feminine products with me.  I have also saved a few friends and strangers when their period came unexpected and they were prepared.  

So, while the kids were playing, we took turns dumping out our handbags and diaper bags to show what we carry around on a daily basis.  Before becoming a mom, I used to love buy and switch up my handbags all the time.  With the changing of the seasons, I would swap out my handbags, and loved keeping up new handbag designers and styles.  Then, i had kids, and like most moms, I traded in the pretty handbag for a oversized and oftentimes clunky diaper bag to carry around the girls' and my must haves.  I have been counting down the days until the girls finally started potty training and got older, so that I could say goodbye to the diaper bag and go back to using a handbag.

A few weeks ago, I finally was able to make the switch back to a handbag and love it. 

Bye Bye Diaper Bag...

Hello Stylish Handbag...

Even though I had to opt for a larger handbag to both my and the girls' essentials, it feels good to wear a handbag instead of a diaper bag.  I also found it funny how my husband never liked to carry around the diaper bag, but will not mind holding my handbag in public. Go figure! :-)


So, "What's in my handbag?"  Here is the big reveal... :-)

I am so glad I have a large handbag, as it provided enough room to hold all this stuff. As you can see in the photos above, I carry around fruit snacks and other on-the-go snacks for the girls, as well as a few snacks for me... well candy for me (I love candy from the 80's and 90's like Spree's, Now and Later's and Atomic Fire Balls).  I also carry around travel size deodorant and roll on perfume as I have found myself always running around gathering up the girls, prepping the diaper bag, sippy cups and snack cups, and then have to do one last diaper change before leaving the house.  It is always like a task in and of itself to get ready to leave the house when you kids.  No more grabbing your bag and going.  And, because I am always running around in different directions, I forget to put on deodorant and perfume.  So, I found having deodorant and perfume in my bag, so that I can pull out if I need it.

Because my girls are still in diapers, I carry around a supply of diapers, wipes, diaper cream. And, to keep the girls entertained while trying to diaper change in public or distract them at a restaurant or waiting in line, I have an arsenal of toys and coloring books to grab their attention and keep them entertained. My personal favorite is the duck beak whistle we got by taking a Duck Boats tour in Boston last year.  I can always get a smile and laugh out of the girls when they hear me blow the duck caller.  I have little My Little Pony and Littlest Pet shop figures in my bag, that either I have put in there, or the girls sneak in.  

Even though I don't like to wear them, I can't go anywhere without my glasses.  Being near-sighted, I need glasses to drive, especially at night time or in unfamiliar locations.  My girls are not used to me wearing them, so when I do put them on, they think I am trying to be goofy and ask me to take them off.  

Since making the switch from my old diaper bag to this new handbag, I forgot to put my little brag book of photos in my handbag, so that when I run into family and friends I can show them photos of the girls.  Right now, I just have two wallet sized photos of the girls from a few years back.  I can't help but feel a little sad when I see the photos, as they have grown up so much in such a short period of time.  Times like these I wish I could slow down time and enjoy them a little bit longer.  Then, I hear them fighting from the backseat in the car, or wrestling around in the living room, and I snap back to reality. :-)

I don't know about you, but I have a few trinkets and mementos that have personal meaning to me, that I like to carry around.  For one, I have an old beaded change purse that my great aunt gave me as a child, which I have filled with a photo ring of the girls my husband gave me last year.  It is too big to wear, and I am afraid to put it on and lose it, so I carry it in this change purse.  In addition, I am have a handmade pendant that says "Time" on one side and "Strength" on the other.  I was given this by a fellow cancer patient and now survivor while I was undergoing treatment back in 2008.  She gave me this near the end of my treatment when I was in pretty bad shape, to remind me that we are all living on borrowed time, but to remain strong.  She, like so many others knew that I would get through it, and here I am 5 1/2 years later in remission and with two girls. :-)  Another keepsake I have is a "Robin" beaded key chain that my husband gave me when we first started dating.  I used to always misplace my keys, or get them mixed up with my roommates back in college, so he got me this flashy key chain to help my keys stand out. :-)

I also have other odds and ends like tissues, band aids,  lip balm, a mini sewing kit (learned from my mom to always have a sewing kit handy to fix hems, loose buttons, etc), and Goody hair elastics to pull back my hair when working out, out with the girls and need to keep my hair off my face, etc.  Right now, you can get 3 bonus Goody hair elastics with U by Kotex Sleek tampons or Cleanwear pads in select Walmart stores, while supplies last. 

The Goody elastics will be attached to the box. I can always count on Walmart to have my handbag essentials for both the girls and I, and love their everyday low prices. Don't you? :-)

Well, now that I have shared what is in my handbag? What is in yours? Do you find yourself carrying around similar items? Has your handbag (if you are lucky enough to carry one around in place of a diaper bag) become a storage bag for your child's toys and treats like my has? Can't wait for your reveal. :-)


Disclosure:  This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and U by Kotex but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #UbyKotex  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV.