I have a thing for bags. Not fancy handbags or clutches or wristlets made by famous designers. Not tote bags particularly. And not even my reusable grocery bags. The best way I can think of to describe the bags I like are mini-messenger bags -- bags with lots of pockets, preferably with zippers to close them, and a nice long shoulder strap so that I can wear it crosswise.
I have a couple of guide bags from Eddie Bauer (although I may have given the smaller one away), the larger of which was dubbed the "spy bag" by a friend of mine because of how much the relatively small bag could hold.
A regular purse doesn't work for me because I don't really carry regular purse things. I don't even carry a wallet. My travel necessities include my journal, at least one book, at least one pen, probably my phone and my iPod, keys if they don't fit in a pocket, and whatever identification and funds I might need to get where I am going. When I had a netbook, it was nice to be able to carry that as well, along with accessories such as a mouse, flash drive and power cord. Now I have a nook hd+, which takes up a bit less space, especially if I don't pack the keyboard. About the only girly things I am likely to have are ChapStick lip balm and some sort of hair restraint. I carry no make-up, comb/brush or hair products. Not being a mom, I don't carry child-related and appropriate items.
Around the last holiday shopping extravaganza, I discovered a company called (*)speck. I discovered them online but have since seen their products in stores. This bag was right up my alley, and I got a great deal on it. There is a slot for the tablet, a pocket for the iPod and headphones and other miscellaneous cords, another pocket for money and identification, and another slot for books and the journal. The strap isn't long enough to wear crosswise, but it fits pretty well all the same.
Today I learned about a company that sells bags and organizers through the party/event plan or model or whatever it is called. It seems like you can buy (or sell if you are a hostess, er, consultant) just about anything this way. There have been Tupperware food storage parties and jewelry parties and cookware parties and candle parties, and of course we can't forget those marvelous mavens of make-up, the Mary Kay ladies selling their way to a pink Cadillac. The company which facilitates the selling of bags is called Thirty-One, and I stopped by a table where the local consultant had samples and catalogs and was not only selling the wares but doing so as part of a fundraiser to benefit the local YMCA.
The company offers many shapes and sizes of duffle bags and tote bags, as well as the sorts of bags which catch my eye, such as the Organizing Shoulder Bag and the Organista Crossbody, but the ones which really intrigued me with the thermal bags. There were lunchbag shaped and cooler sized bags, including a drawstring pouch which would be perfect for knitting projects, but there were also much smaller options which could hold just a few snacks or heat/cold sensitive medications and easily fit inside a larger, non-insulated bag, purse or tote. There is even an organizing pack with dividers set in it to keep camera equipment safe and protected from temperatures outside the comfort zone.
The general web site is http://www.thirtyonegifts.com/Catalog/ and the link to the specific event and consultant I met today is https://www.mythirtyone.com/shop/catalog.aspx.
There are, of course, lots of bags and organizing options out there to be had, but I thought these were neat and a little different than anything else I have seen.
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