Welcome to part 2 of my women’s safety series! This post will delve into the things you should consider when you are choosing a new purse or bag. You can even use these suggestions for when you are considering which one you should take on a particular outing.
I want to stress again that men should not ignore this post because it deals mainly with safety tips for women – you have females in your life that you love and I’m sure you want to keep them as safe and secure as possible.
In my first post in this three part series, I go into detail about the type of closures you should look for on a bag or purse. Here are the questions I think you should consider when picking a new one.
How will I be using this bag or purse?
What will I be using all the pockets for?
Closures: are they easy or hard to get open and closed? Will they rip easily?
How will I be holding the bag or purse?
How will I be using this bag or purse? You should assess what you are going to be using it for. You should also consider where you are going – I mean you aren’t going to be taking a tote bag to an upscale restaurant or a bar. If you will be carrying just your important items like your wallet, identification, keys and phone, than just a small purse with a long strap would be best.
If you are going to be using the purse to carry everything but the kitchen sink, then by all means get one that has a gazillion pockets and compartments. Make sure the compartment where you are going to be keeping your important items has a zipper and KEEP IT ZIPPED! Keep items in the other compartments that are not high theft items, like candy, toys, pacifiers, lists, pens and so on and so on. (I don’t think there is much demand on the black market for used binkies.)
If you are considering buying a diaper bag, brief case, or market/beach bag that will be utilized as a purse, make sure you consider a couple of things before you do. You should have at least one compartment with a zipper for important items. Don’t leave your keys or cell phone in an open outside compartment, they could easily get stolen. If you do have important items that you can’t fit in a zippered pocket, remember to bury them near the bottom. Also check to make sure the bag stays on your shoulder easily.
What will I be using all the pockets for? Big purses with multiple pockets are great for organization, but could lead to you losing a lot. I used to have a huge purse, but now I have a small one with one main zippered pocket. It has four small outside pockets. One that was designed for either cigarettes or a cell phone. I don’t smoke and my cell phone is too big to fit in it, so I use it for makeup. I wouldn’t use it for my cell phone anyways because it has a snap closure that is a pain in the butt to close so, yup you guessed it, I wouldn’t close it if I used it on a regular basis. Two pockets are almost the same size as the main pocket; one with a snap and one without. I use these pockets for things that I use on a regular basis, but are not very important. I keep items like pens, gum, and eyeglass cleaner in there. That’s also where I shove most of my receipts. The last of my pockets is a small zippered one where I keep all of my store bonus key tags.
How easy or hard are the closures to get open and closed? Will it rip easily? If the closures are hard to get open or closed, then that’s a deal breaker for me. I won’t buy a purse if I’m going to be aggravated trying get the dang thing closed. I always choose a purse with a zippered main pocket. I zip and unzip it multiple times so I can kind of judge how easy it will be. I have passed on a lot of really cute bags because I couldn’t get it closed easy or it had too many open pockets.
Also look at the material the closures are attached to, to see if it might rip easily. The pockets that you will be using for unimportant items are still important to look at. While it might not be critical if the snap to the pocket you keep kid stuff in rips, you still don’t want it falling out.
How will I be holding the bag or purse? For a purse I highly recommend getting one with a long shoulder strap, I won’t buy a purse without one. I suggest this because you can loop the strap across your body and hold your purse without actually holding it. It’s easier to do things without being encumbered by holding onto your purse. I used to put my purse on the floor or in the cart if I needed to do something and I had difficulty keeping it on my shoulder. That makes it easier for someone to scoop out your important items or snatch your entire purse. If you find a “must have” purse with short straps, check to see if it will stay up on your shoulder. Possibly consider getting a different size or style in the same pattern if it doesn’t.
If you are getting a diaper bag that will not be pulling double duty as a purse, find one that is not going to be awkward to carry and stays on your shoulder. You could also consider using a backpack as a diaper bag. It has multiple pockets and will be easy to carry and you’ll still be able to do things while holding it.
When considering a bag that you will be using as a briefcase or a work bag, think about what you are going to be transporting back and forth to work. If it is items like reading materials, office supplies or your lunch, then a secure closure is not as critical. If you are carrying your laptop or important files, then you should consider closures and a shoulder strap just as I have suggested for a purse. The last thing you want to tell your boss is that someone pinched your laptop because you left your bag open.
I hope these women’s safety tips will be helpful for you, or the ladies in your life, when you are deciding on a bag or a purse. Just remember to consider these questions:
How am I going to be using the bag?
What will I be using all the pockets for?
How easy or hard are the closures to open and close?
How will I be holding the bag or purse?
As always STAY SAFE and remember to be a COMMON SENSE CRUSADER for security!
