Logitech has done a bit of research into women and their handbag habits.
We all know that a handbag can become a pit of despair that gets everything and anything thrown into it. Well Logitech’s research found that 61% of women admit to carrying more items than they really need in their handbag. 19% of women asked admitted to having broken or damanged a handbag by stuffing it too full.
18-24 year old women were the worst offenders for carrying extra items ‘just in case’ with 62% of women asked admitting to doing so. Part of the problem is our obsession with technology and 87% of women said their phone is their most important item in their handbag with 35% carrying a tablet device as well.
Angela Buttolph, a fashion expert and author of Kate Moss: Style, has compiled some handy tips to make sure you keep your handbag in check and in style.
Here are Angela’s top tips for keeping your handbag organised and looking its best:
Prioritise a space for your smartphone
Always make sure you buy a bag with a high interior pocket or dedicated space for your mobile. It’s the one item you really need to find in a hurry.
Adopt a lighter lining
A lot of bags have dark linings to avoid marks showing. But a bag with a lighter coloured interior makes locating items easier.
Cord wraps
Stray cords from headphones and chargers are a common clutter culprit. A cord wrap seems fussy, but taking those extra seconds to neatly wind away your earphone cable or your charger cord saves valuable time untangling them from the contents of your bag later.
Keys
A dedicated key wallet for your keys will make them much easier to locate in your bag and won’t get tangled up with your other possessions. You can also buy vibrant, colourful ones which will keep with the chic style of your bag. If your key-ring has swelled to epic proportions, remove the ones you don’t need every day to save a bit more space.
Downsize
There are travel-sized versions of everything from stationary to beauty products so there’s no need to carry full-sized anything anymore. This will greatly reduce the bulk and weight of your bag’s contents.
The same principle applies to the technology you carry. A tablet coupled with a keyboard, such as the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Folio, will save you carrying a laptop, and can even double as an e-reader to save you from carrying bulky books. Even tablets themselves can be downsized – for example the iPad mini or the Galaxy Tab III 7-inch can fit into bags that the full-size version can’t. Accessories such as the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Folio for iPad mini can still provide a comfortable typing experience for maximum productivity on the go but is still ultra-thin and light so you aren’t adding bulk to your bag.
Go contactless
Contactless cards, rolling out from banks and in shops across Europe, can save us from fumbling through your purse or for that tiny plastic wallet for your credit or debit card. Find a purse with pockets that work for easy-swipe payments and journeys.
Dress and protect your tech
It’s always best to invest in a protective case for you tablet device to make sure it’s always looking its best. The Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Folio for iPad mini is a great solution as it not only protects your iPad, but the case comes in a variety of colours to match your bag’s style and your personal taste.
Honesty is the best policy
Be honest with yourself about what you use every day; all those just-in-case items can really weigh a bag down. Logitech’s research found that younger women were the worst offenders at putting extra items in their bag “just in case.” Go through your contents and take out anything you won’t need today.
Make use of your home-from-home
Do you ever touch up all your make-up on the go? Or could you do a quick retouch before you leave work and leave a spare make up bag at your desk?
Don’t worry, be ‘appy
Smartphone and tablet apps, such as banking applications or online tools like WeTransfer and DropBox, allow us to streamline our bags even more, so you don’t need to carry extra bulk such as work documents, diaries or card readers with you anymore.
Talking about how important it is to keep your essentials with you at all time, Angela says, “I can’t bear to see a gorgeous bag crammed with clutter. If you’ve spent money on a bag you love (and equally great contents) it’s a crime not to keep it neat and chic, inside and out. With technology allowing us to streamline the contents of our bags, we should be able to stay stylish while still having our essential items on us at all times.”
Logitech’s Country Manager UK and Ireland Rogier Volmer goes on to add, “Modern devices can replace several different products, meaning we can still fit the essentials into our bags without compromising on style.”
Maybe consider these next time you wreck a perfectly decent handbag whilst trying to shove your laptop in it eh ladies?
