The Rise of Ten Bag Nation?
Posted by: onebagnation on: August 28, 2008
I had to laugh when I saw this Purse Park advertised in the Solutions catalog. I’m sure Erin at unclutterer.com and all the wonderful simplicity sites and blogs out there would shudder at the thought of buying a special shelving unit just to store purses.
I had no business laughing, really, since just a few short months ago those shelves would not have been large enough to contain my purse collection . . . I do still have more than just one bag (true confessions) but the other one or two are for occasions when my big polka dot bag isn’t appropriate – and I sure do miss it when I have to leave it at home.
This got me to wondering: are ten purses clutter if they’re stored neatly in a Purse Park? Or only if they’re in a heap on your closet floor? Or are ten purses excessive regardless of how you store them? If you love them and use them all the time, are they clutter or treasures?
What do you think?
9 Responses to "The Rise of Ten Bag Nation?"
August 29, 2008 at 4:10 am
My excessive purse pathology comes not from loving purses but from hating them. I get one and and it doesn’t fit my needs. I get another and it doesn’t work either. I have purse strap breaking issues like no one else I know. Just bought another one last night! I hate purses!!!
I definitely do not need a purse park. I need a purse recycling program!
August 29, 2008 at 10:32 am
One person’s clutter is another person’s treasure. I use the rule of thumb that if the items are loved and/or used, *and* taken care of, they are not clutter.
The Purse Park seems to take care of the “taken care of” part of the equation. But it also seems to me that the Purse Park itself could become clutter as its inflexible design may not hold everything.
I believe there are two different types of purse people: single baggers and multiple baggers.
I am a multiple bagger: I own 10 purses: two “winter” in brown and black, 3 summer bags (one strapped purse and two handbags), one small bag for when I only need my cell phone and wallet, a beaded dress purse, a woolen clutch, a small backpack and my travel purse. All are used regularly, all are loved (because I hate wrong purses too), and all are stored and taken care of.
Also, I usually switch purses with the outfit I am wearing, and have a homemade organizer that makes it a snap to transfer between bags. (see my article on my organizer
August 29, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Wow! Things like this just remind me that I am so not a girlie-girl. Every once in awhile I think I’d like to be a girlie-girl, so I buy something like another purse. I think I have 6? And you know what? I use the same one all the time. I simply cannot be bothered moving the contents of my purse from one to the next. That is just way too inconvenient.
August 29, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Mine are in a pile on the floor in the guest closet (collecting dust) so that purse park thingy could come in handy. I, too, don’t change purses often — maybe use two per year. But, even if they’re somewhat worn when I’m done using one, I hate to throw them out or even donate them! I just get attached to them and have a hard time discarding them so they pile up in the closet until I can’t stand it any longer.
I’ve also realized I prefer cloth to leather b/c the leather ones are so heavy even before I put all my miscellaneous stuff in them!
I also own a few leather designer-y ones I’ll always keep, but don’t use often — afraid I’ll ruin them if I use them daily.
I know, I’m weird in this aspect of who I am.
August 29, 2008 at 5:54 pm
I have about ten purses but there’s one that I use on a daily basis. I think that as long as you bought the purses because you truly love them, they fit who you are, and they’re stored neatly, they’re not clutter, no matter how many you have.
August 29, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Hi Ann,
Marelisa’s my kind of gal. Like her, I love purses. I also take care of them. I change them fairly often, and to me they are treasures, not clutter. If I were to find another one that made my heart sing, color it mine. 
September 1, 2008 at 6:04 am
Wow. On the one hand, 10 seems a bit crazy to me. But then I do have two purses…one black, one brown, because I was sick of feeling like my purse didn’t match half the things I wore (my business look is black-based, my casual look is brown-based). And then I have one briefcase (for days when the purse is too small) and numerous sewing bags. But I don’t know if I have 10…
At least it’s a place to store them!
September 2, 2008 at 8:10 pm
@Vered: I agree about the storage but not sure how anyone could find use for 10 bags!
@Laurieann: that was me too! I could never find one to meet my needs, until my “one bag”. (it’s not perfect either)
@Laura: I like your clever organizer, but I’m hopeless with a sewing machine! I’ve actually thought about asking someone to make a custom bag for me, because I have the idea for the design but lack the skill to put it together.
@Panther: I hear you! That’s exactly why I found and finally stuck to one bag.
@Linda: you’re entitled to be weird about your purses! But you might be able to consign them if that appeals to you.
@Marelisa: I feel I just don’t have room for that many bags without creating clutter in my closet.
@Barbara: if something makes your heart sing, it’s definitely not clutter!
@MrsMicah: a black and a brown seem very reasonable to me. I make do with a brown one, but I’ve rarely needed to look “professional” in recent years!
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August 28, 2008 at 7:43 pm
I don’t know! I’m not much into handbags or purses, so to me 10 seems excessive. But I guess it’s a personal choice, and if one loves them, uses them and stores them properly, then it’s probably not clutter and not excessive.