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I’ve been on a downsizing kick lately, and my bag was next on the list. I dumped everything out expecting to whittle it down to the usual suspects — but landed on just seven things I actually reach for every single day. Here’s what made the cut, and why.
There’s something about turning 50 that makes you stop tolerating things you don’t actually need. It’s not minimalism as a trend — it’s finally knowing the difference between what you’ve been carrying out of habit and what you actually reach for. Once I saw that difference laid out on my kitchen counter, going back to the old bag wasn’t an option.
The Phone (Yes, a Samsung)
Yes, a Samsung — I know. I’m a Mac loyalist through and through everywhere else, but the Galaxy Ultra, S Pen included, won me over about 12 years ago when I started taking content seriously and needed real storage. This one holds 512GB — enough for a few thousand videos at once. Making calls is honestly the least of what it’s for.
The Multi-Stick That Does Both
Who needs two products when one will do? My Tarte Multi-Stick pulls double duty as lip color and blush, and a single stick lasts me 3-4 months — practically unheard of. It’s a little bulky for how light it is, but that’s a small price for one less thing to carry. My shade is Tutu. No, I’m not a ballerina, it just stuck.
The Wallet That’s Basically a Briefcase
Ranked third only because I had to put something there — honestly this might be the most essential thing in my bag, especially with what everything costs these days. My leather credit card case keeps me organized without adding bulk, and it’s got just enough extra room for notes and odds and ends that it functions like a tiny briefcase inside my purse.
The Jimmy Choo’s I Nearly Cried Over
I’m something of a glasses connoisseur — I own more pairs than I’ll admit to — but these oversized Jimmy Choos are the ones I actually reach for. Lightweight on and off, endless compliments, and I nearly cried the day I thought I’d lost them. I’m farsighted, so some days they’re purely function — behind the wheel, they’re non-negotiable. Other days I just wear them because they look good.
Not The Exact Pair I Have But Similar – Grab Them At The Link Below!
The Pradas That Make Me Feel Like Jean Harlow
Another splurge, and worth every cent. My Prada sunglasses are the closest I get to feeling like Jean Harlow or Audrey Hepburn walking down the street — genuinely, I get more stares wearing these than almost anything else I own. The lenses are pitch black, dark enough to actually shield from the sun, with just enough extra cool built in.
The Notebook (A Writer’s Right Arm)
For a writer, this is non-negotiable — thoughts and half-formed lines show up out of nowhere and vanish just as fast if you don’t catch them. My notebook is the thing that catches them. I bought mine before they released the color version and the pocketbook size, so consider this my open letter to Santa.
The Pen (Because the S Pen Isn’t the Same)
My phone comes with its own stylus, but nothing replaces an actual pen — there’s a flair to real ink on paper that a screen just can’t fake. As a writer, this is non-negotiable too.
The Claw Clip That Goes With Me Everywhere
Not on the original list, but it should’ve been — this lives on my wrist and sometimes ends up in my hair. Old habits die hard, and this one’s stuck around forever.
The Real Seven (Eight, Nine…)
That’s the real seven — eight if you count the pen, nine if the claw clip counts too, but who’s counting when everything here actually earns its spot every single day.
Up next: I’m turning this into a roundup of women 50+ and what’s actually in their bags — if that’s you, message me.
To turn up how you show up – rewind it back with this post.
