Almost every woman has asked a man to hold her bag for her at one time or another, only to hear in response, "What in the world do you have in here?" That's always a surprise, of course, because it never seems that weighty to her. It only holds the necessities, after all. After the cell phone, car keys and wallet, there might also be makeup, a day planner, and e-reader. If she has children, there might be diapers, sippy cups, and emergency snacks. There's mail to be dropped at the box, a coupon organizer, sunglasses, and some pens. That's not to mention the hand lotion, mirror, and emergency travel umbrella. Is it necessary to have so much stuff? It might not be, but it often feels like it.
The problem with lugging so much stuff, though, is that the burden grows over time and so, too, does the knee pain, along with the sore neck, arm, and shoulder. She may not notice at first, but as the bag gets heavier, a woman's body will start to lean into the weight, throwing off her gait and causing all sorts of issues. The problem is, a big bag demands to be filled. The best way to carry less stuff is to purchase a smaller bag. This forces you to lighten your load by making a plan for what goes inside, deciding if each item is worth the time and space to carry.
Big purses are a real burden. They don't just drag you down all day, but leave lingering pain even after you set them down. It's tempting to buy larger and larger bags to bring along all the necessities, but what you really need to do is evaluate what's really necessary. Choose a smaller bag instead. Since space is limited, you can stuff less inside, lightening your load and the stress on your body.