Express Yourself: What's in your Wallet or Purse?

The challenge for this week was simple yet daunting:

"What do you carry around in your purse or wallet? (Pics would be fun to see!)"

Lately I have been noticing a lot of shoulder pain on the right, or bag carrying side of my body.  So I have be contemplating switching back to a backpack for awhile, to even the weight load a bit.

So readers, I did it. I dumped out the purse, and then the wallet. And I took pictures.  Advance warning to the more organized among us, you may find these photos distressing or disturbing. 

 

Not seen in this picture are 3 items that are almost always in my purse when I go out...My cell phone, camera, and Nook.

As I picked through the pile thus produced I noticed a few things of interest:

Two writing journals.  The bigger one is almost full.  The little leather bound one intimidates me; I tend to think what I'm writing isn't important enough for such a lovely little book.

 

Pocket calendar, without which I would never survive.

This is also where I put store coupons.

 My daughter gave me this little bag for Christmas one year. I keep all my pocket change and must haves in it, then when I go out without the purse I only need the little bag.

My nephew made me this card  holder out of duct tape. cool huh?

Some random photos my mom had found of the kittens I had in my first apartment. My mom gave them to me two months ago. The reason they are still in my purse is because I haven't found the photo album yet from that time. If I take them out of my purse before I find the album they will go missing.

One of my daughter's earrings. I have no clue how it wound up in my purse.

 

8 school photos, 10 store affinity cards and 1 house key.

This is my wallet, front and back. Actually it would be outside and inside if the wallet could be closed. It does not close.

 

 

 

A small sample of the business cards, photos, obituaries, ticket stubs and other mementos that keep the wallet from closing. I found two Borders gift cards. Yes I know Borders is closed, (and there's no money on them anyway) but they were gifts from my godmother. In several cases the items are, you guessed, waiting to go in an album.

 

Witness one extreme case:

In 2002 the Olympic torch relay passed through our town, and I took the kids, who were 6 and 2 at the time. I have two of these in my wallet, one for each child. I have never figured out what to do with them, but I know if I take them out of the wallet I will never be able to find them when I am ready.

So that's what's in my wallet, and my purse. What's in yours? And if you'd like to know what other bloggers keep in their purses click here.