What’s In Your Wallet?

I’m not going to talk about which credit card company you should use as the commercial does. I’m going to ask you what you really have in your wallet or purse or every day carry bag. These often get filled with clutter that you end up carrying around with you every day.

If you only carry a wallet, especially a minimalist wallet, there’s not much room for clutter but this exercise can still apply. Consider what is absolutely necessary to carry with you every day (photo i.d., maybe a credit card, maybe a little cash). For so many who use electronic payment methods on a phone or watch, even carrying a credit card is often no longer necessary. Check for random old business cards or extra credit cards you don’t need every day. Other items that end up in wallets like store rewards cards and photos of the grandkids can often be uploaded to your phone.

Now let’s take a look at purses, backpacks, and other every day carry bags. So much more ends up filling these totes. Old receipts, multiple pens, makeup, hand sanitizer, snacks, first aid kit, kids toys, tissues… you get the idea!

Often the bigger the bag, the more we fill it with, whether we truly need it or not. Take first aid kits for example. I agree these are important, I carry different ones in different bags depending on where I’m going. It might be anything from a mini first aid kit to a trauma kit with tourniquet. What most people need every day is really just a couple of band aids. The idea to consider here is whether a large bag is needed for every day running around. I know that large designer purse looks fabulous and will make your coworker green with envy, but is it trapping clutter more than it needs to?

Your challenge today is to address the clutter in your daily carry bag. Obviously clearing out trash is a plus. Clearing out unnecessary credit cards decreases your chance of loss leading to identity fraud (that’s a whole other blog topic for another day). For those with large purses or bags, lightening the weight can also take strain off your shoulder and back. But the biggest benefit to clearing the clutter is to clear that space and make it easier to find what you need when you need it which also clears stress from your life.