5 Things in My Purse That Might Surprise You

Hi guys! Welcome to my blog today. I really love today’s post because I think the 5 things in my purse that I’m about to show you are not necessarily things people might think to carry in their purse. But that I swear by them all! So hopefully one of the tips you learn today gives you a new idea and makes your life a little bit easier in some way.

I think these tips could be helpful for anyone, but especially busy moms and dads! Because let’s face it, before, getting kids out of the house was as simple as getting dressed and walking out the door. Now it could be anywhere from a 30 to 90 minute process depending on how your kids behave that day. So, I find having a little arsenal in my purse helps me feel more prepared when I’m out and about. But these tips aren’t just for parents! Keep reading and you’ll see why. Let’s get into it.

Nourish Your Body: Well Yes! Sipping Soup

Because I’m always busy and running around with a million things to do, I feel like I often don’t have the time to think about what I’m eating. And a lot of times that can result in poor food choices. So, I have made it a priority for a long time now, to have nutritious and easy snack/food options available to me that I can quickly grab and run out the door. Don’t grab a bag of chips. Don’t grab a candy bar. Instead, grab something that’s actually nutritious so you can actually have the energy to accomplish everything in your day.

YES WELL SOUP 5 Things in My Purse

My go-to right now are Campbell’s Well Yes! Sipping Soups. That is 100% the honest truth. I first discovered them when I was walking down the soup aisle at the grocery store and I glanced over and saw this incredibly bright and beautiful display of soups. I think it caught my eye because, well, vegetables are bright and vibrant, so the beautiful, bright colors on the soup containers instantly made me think of all those good veggies. Their whole motto is “Live Bright.” Starting with the bright, beautiful cups that are packed full of veggies – so much so that each flavor has at least 20% of your daily veggies! Then when I got closer and started reading some of the flavors, I was blown away! Here are a few of my favorites just to give you an idea. Harvest Carrot and Ginger, Cauliflower and Roasted Potato, and Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato. And you guys know that I’m vegetarian, so I just about squealed right there in the store when I saw them. I couldn’t wait to try all of these soups bursting with yummy, nutritious veggies!

So when I got home, the first soup I tried was the Harvest Carrot and Ginger and I was floored by how good it was! And it’s vegan! My husband Kevin is vegan so he was beyond excited about that. It’s hardest for me to keep the vegan options stocked in our pantry because he can’t get enough of them too! Anyway, I think you get the point that the flavors are insanely good. But here’s why this is relevant:  they are so easy for on-the-go which makes my life, especially as a busy mom, so much easier! I definitely think they’re best if you drink them hot. So if you’re able to throw them in the microwave for a minute before you head out the door you totally should! But I’ve drank a few of the flavors room temperature and thought they were awesome!

So I just keep one in my purse pretty much at all times when I’m out and about and don’t have time to eat, but need to nourish my body so I can actually function and get everything done that I need to. Soup isn’t necessarily a snack that you would think to keep in your purse… until now!!! Trust me, get these and thank me later! And if you have them please comment below and tell me your favorite flavor just in case I’ve missed one. I also have the Sweet Corn and Roasted Poblano, Broccoli and Sweet Potato and Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato. All of them are great!

Wipes -But NOT for the Reason You Think

This might seem like an obvious choice to put in your purse, especially when you’re a parent. And yes, I have wipes in my purse so that I can wipe down my children’s hands. And surfaces, and especially for traveling and going on an airplane! But that’s not necessarily the reason I think everyone should have them in their purse. And obviously that’s not very surprising to anybody. The reason it might be something that surprises you, is because I actually keep them in my purse to wipe my camera lens.

5 Things in My Purse phone wipe

I can’t even tell you how many times I get questions from you guys asking about my photos and how I edit them and how they look. And I will say the very first step to having a good photo for Instagram or your photo album or whatever you need it for, is wiping your camera lens. Any blogger or photographer or content creator will tell you that. It’s something that is so simple but that people often overlook.

The other day I was at work and one of the girls was talking about how her camera on her phone wasn’t good. She had a pretty new iPhone so I couldn’t really understand why. So I took a look at her phone and instantly saw how dirty her lens was. She didn’t even realize it! So I grabbed a wipe from in my purse, wiped it down for her and instantly her pictures looked 10 times better! And this is what I mean about this wipes not just being for parents. Everybody needs to stay nourished and mostly everyone wants to take a good photo! Whether it’s of yourself, your loved ones, your kids, or your fur babies! OK, onto the next tip!

 

A Marker That I Destroyed – Ha!

OK, I’m immediately backtracking here. I know I just said this isn’t just for parents. But this tip is just for parents. Unless you have a boyfriend or husband that is easily amused. Ha! This is something that some of you might find weird but I have found it to be a lifesaver in so many situations. I noticed that Riley just really loves putting things together and then taking them apart. Most kids do. But especially when it has to do with a cap. Whether it’s putting the cap back on the milk carton, putting the cap back on his squeeze pouches, or putting the cap back on a marker. He loves to do it over and over again.

So one day when I was trying to get him out the door and he was having an absolute fit because I was trying to take a marker away from him, I’ll grabbed the marker and cut the tip off. Then handed it back to him and put him in a stroller and went out for errands without a peep out of him the entire time. He was just so amused taking a cap off the marker and putting it back on. Because I only cut the tip off, he still got a bit of marker all over his hands. But it was washable so I didn’t really care. But the next time we went out I had a new and improved method!

I took a pair scissors and really tried to dig into the marker to get out the part that produces the color. And when we went out for a second time, I gave him the marker and he stayed squeaky clean and super quiet once again. I swear I’m onto something here. This might be my Shark Tank idea. Ha! Anyway, I always have a marker that is scooped out in the middle of my purse now. It just saves me in situations where I need to keep him occupied when we’re out and about. If you have a young kiddo like Riley, you should totally try it! And when you do, please comment back on this blog post and let me know if it’s been as big of a lifesaver for you as it has been for me. And as always, please check with your pediatrician before giving your toddler something like this to play with and make sure your child is supervised (so they don’t try to eat the marker cap).

 

5 Things in My Purse empty marker

Instant Pick Me Up!

I don’t know about you guys, but I feel like I always need coffee. But when I have two toddlers strapped into the backseat of my car, the absolute last thing I wanna do is get them out to go into a coffee shop to get a cup of coffee. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I will drive 15 minutes out of my way to find a drive-through coffee spot. Ha! But sometimes I don’t have the time to do that. So I always keep one or two packets of instant coffee.

And depending on how big my purses is that I’m carrying at the time, I’ll keep a to-go coffee mug in there as well. But if my purse isn’t big enough, I have a back-up to-go coffee cup in my car at all times. So you might be wondering how I get hot water to put in it? Well, when I’m exhausted and running around on zero fumes I’m not picky. I will drink room temperature instant coffee any day! Anyway, one of my girlfriends does this and after I saw her keep it in her purse, I started doing it and it’s totally saved me in some exhausting situations.

A Substitute for Forgetting to Brush Your Teeth

I always keep a little mini mouthwash in my purse. And I’m kind of embarrassed to admit the reason why. Don’t judge me! But more often than I care to admit, I have left the house forgetting to brush my teeth. I for one, don’t brush my teeth as soon as I wake up in the morning. I don’t know, there’s something about brushing my teeth and then having my morning coffee that just doesn’t work for me. So instead, I wake up and have a morning coffee and then I brush my teeth at some point afterwards. But, there have been quite a few instances where I was in such a big rush that I’ve ran out the door without brushing my teeth.

After this happened quite a few times, I started carrying a toothbrush and toothpaste in my purse so I could brush on the go. However, if I didn’t have water handy it was kind of impossible to brush my teeth. I also tried just having gum in my purse, but something about chewing gum in place of brushing my teeth felt wrong. I don’t know, maybe I’m wrong and chewing gum is actually a good substitute for brushing your teeth now since there’s so many sugar free gums. But for me, I just like having a little mini mouthwash in my bag to use until I get home again and can actually brush my teeth. It’s something I swear by so it’s something I wanted to share!

Now You Tell Me What’s in YOUR bag?!?!

Okay, now that I shared 5 things in my purse that might surprise you, now I want to know the five things in all of your purses that might surprise me! I want to know because I want to learn more things about you guys, and I also want to know so I can steal your ideas and start carrying more things in my purse! So tell me everything! And I hope you guys enjoyed this blog post and it gives you some good ideas for things you can toss in your purse to make your life a little easier.

39 Thoughts

39 thoughts on “5 Things in My Purse That Might Surprise You

  1. hi Ali
    i use the sanitary wipes to clean the grocery store cart handle & the bottom of my purse if it’s been on the floor, in a restaurant. antibacterial gel, too.
    I have an extra vehicle (& house) key in my purse in case I forget the keys in the ignition & the door is locked!
    safe travels.
    great photos!

  2. Love these! I’m definitely trying the soups asap! Love the marker idea too, my one year old would probably love that, are you worried the cap is choking hazard, or maybe Riley’s old enough? See you on home & family! xx

    1. Riley doesn’t really put stuff in his mouth anymore and I ALWAYS make sure I’m right by him when he has it. I feel it’s big enough that he couldn’t choke on it. But check with your doctor ALWAYS! 🙂 And definitely try the soups!!! SO yummy!

  3. Hand sanitizer, tylenol for mama, pen,mini lint roller, and wipes! Then whatever else my daughter needs to occupy her that day lol

  4. The way you say you discovered the soups doesn’t ring true unless you discovered them on that one trip you made to the grocery store after you returned from Indiana I think. In that video you said you hadn’t been in a grocery in literally 2 years because of Kevin and either food delivery or food pickup.

    1. So true! She lost me with the “Oh the bright packaging caught my eye and I just had to try it”. Move on with your day Ali, everyone knows this is a commercial you are getting paid for. .Own it.

    2. I have been 3 times int he last month! Ha! Have to start somewhere. Holidays meal planning forced last minute trips 😉 And I SWEAR I discovered them BEFORE they reached out to work together. Honest truth!!!! I LOVE soup. SO does Molly

  5. Oh man, I feel like I’m constantly looking for new “go to” items to keep in my purse, especially for toddler entertainment. I’m going to do the marker trick because my kid loves to take the caps off the markers, bite the tip off, put the cap on, repeat. I try to keep an empty sippy cup in my bag and since he’s almost two we don’t always need to take a diaper bag everywhere we go so i try to always have a spare diaper in may bag as well.

  6. I always have a mini deodorant (aluminum-free of course), usually a Clif bar or some type of snack, and always wipes (for my baby, for cleaning, or for if any of the family has to go potty in public 😬)

  7. I always have snacks for myself and my toddler. We like Cheez Its, lollipops and Larabars.
    It’s always a lifesaver, especially when my toddler falls asleep in the car and I’m hungry.
    Also, love your top in these photos.

    1. Oh my gosh too funny you said this. I had one of the soups in my bag a week ago or so when Molly fell asleep in the car on the way home from the mall and it SAVED me!!!! I was sooooo hungry! Moms need snacks just like toddlers! Ha!

  8. Check the toothpaste aisle but they have little one time use finger brush things that you totally need for the forgetting to brush your teeth. They are very handy and don’t require water.

  9. I always carry a snack, sippy cup and wipes for my toddler. Coupons in my purse for me. You never know when I am going to run into a store and need them to get money off. This way I always have them on me. Breath mints are also a lifesaver!

    Ignore the bad comments. Write and publish what you want. I have gotten nothing but great ideas from this site and I love coming to it every day!!

    1. Thank you love!!!! Yes I work with brands but only ones I love!!! Try these soups and you will see that everything I am saying is SO TRUE!!! They are so stinking yummy and convenient.

  10. As of late Jackson is obsessed if he gets a perky fingernail and, while hiking in the desert he loves picking up tumbleweeds so my two additions are a big emery board and, a pair or tweezers. After hardly carrying anything but the Henry Bendel tote I made into a diaper bag, I’m happy now that he’s potty trained I can carry more ME stuff!
    Oh and dental floss! Bc when you need it and you don’t have it, life sucks!
    Merry Christmas!

    1. I am soooo bad at remember to floss. My dentist always gets on me about it. I should totally put it in my purse so I do it when I’m in a waiting room or something. Ha! Too gross? 😉

  11. Being a mommy of two littles I always have sanitizer wipes and with my water wipes. I typically carry a smartie candy or two in time of need. I haven’t been too odd with purse stuff so the rest is just the basic stuff.
    BTW- after u paired that NYE gold star top with black pants I saw it differently. Super chic but still not mom body ready for something like that. Very cute though.

    1. I swear by water wipes too!

      And thanks for saying that. They great thing about the pants is that they hide most y belly! My mom belly is still there girl!

  12. I always carry sugar for my coffee, a hair clip, lipgloss, reading glasses and Band-Aids. It’s better to be prepare, than sorry. 😍

  13. Great post! One thing I keep in my purse is metal straws. A lot of places use the paper ones and I just don’t like the sogginess/taste they leave behind. Another is a reusable bag that folds into a little square. Saves so much room in your purse but super handy when you need a bag!

  14. Kleenex, bandaid, ibuprofen and wipes!! I want to be signed up to win some things you are giving away!! Where do I go to get signed up? I actually thought I was, but I don’t believe so!!

  15. I keep hand wipes in my purse for blowing my nose I then can wipe my nose cleanly and toss it and use another wipe for my hands..

    I have prescription meds I take every morning but sometimes run out forgetting and off to work. So I keep a 2 day supply as a back up.

    A small magnetic name badge for when I’m out or in the car I can use a napkin to attach to my shirt so I don’t spill when I eat and drink coffee in car on the way to work at 5:45am. Or in the lunch room at work too. I have been told genius idea many times.

    Baby nail clippers helps me for many things.
    Love your blog hearts 💕

  16. I always keep wipes, snacks for me and my daughter, some activity for her, mini first aid kit, extra car key, kleenex, sanitizer, an extra inhaler (I used to always forget it at home), mini deodorant and chapstick.

  17. Have you heard of color wonder markers? They are markers that only color on a specific brand of paper. You wouldn’t have to worry about Riley coloring all over himself or anything else. Plus you wouldn’t have to remove the color from markers like you normally do!

  18. Blunt school scissors… great for everything from stray bang hairs to hard to open packages! My son thinks all women have sissors in their purses😀

  19. Snacks are always in my purse. Kid Lara bars for Easton, fruit snacks Incase I need to bribe him to do something 😂. For me… Trader Joe’s nut and fruit packs, kind fruit bars etc. Hand sanitizer. Bandaids. Little tissue pack. Eye drops (my eyes get dry after lasik) Headache medicine. Floss. Can you tell I hate not having what I need with me haha!

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