Baggage

I have a thing for bags.

And by "thing", I mean "mild addiction".

And by "mild" I mean, "raging out of control".

Okay, I'm a bag-aholic. I'm not proud of it, people. But there it is.

I don't have many "girly" tendencies, but when it comes to bags, I'm like a walking, talking, accessorizing cliche'. I am to bags as Imelda Marcos was to shoes. (Google it. You can thank me later for adding to your historical-cultural education. Now, get offa my lawn.)

Where was I? Oh, yes. My bag-ses. My preciousss bag-ses.

I have a closet full of purses and backpacks and clutches and totes: Black ones and brown ones and red ones and multi-colored ones; Big ones and medium ones and small ones and tiny ones; Summer ones and Fall ones and Winter ones and Spring ones; Beaded ones and sequined ones and fuzzy ones and glow-in-the-dark ones. (But not bedazzled ones. You have the draw the line somewhere.)

And still I buy more.

My favorites are my three (Count 'em: THREE!) different Timbuk2* Messenger Bags, including my carry-it-every-day Eula tote in sexy custom fabric and my sturdy black-and-gray Classic Messenger that I use as a camera bag.

You don't even want to get me started on my two complete sets of luggage, umpteen tote and beach and overnight bags, and my baker's dozen of "this-is-the-last-one-Honey-I-promise" diaper bags. (What? I never said it was easy to be married to me.)

And then there are my shopping bags.

I claim that I have so many reusable shopping bags because I like to be environmentally friendly. But, deep down, I know that I'm really just feeding my bag-ddiction.

At any given time in the storage area of my car you will find:

• 4 big blue totes from Ikea 
• 3 large green totes from Costco 
• 2 little red bags from Target, 
• 1surprisingly roomy Disney "Mickey Tree" tote
• 1 mesh "CSI: Evidence" bag ( I love the looks I get when I whip that one out.)
• 3-5 assorted canvas tote bags

My latest additions to the collection are my new Flip and Tumble bags, which I bought from Amazon. I LOVE them.

Most people who use "green" shopping bags will tell you the number one problem is forgetting to take them into the store with you!

Sure, it's easy to remember them when you're planning a big grocery stock-up trip. But it's harder to have them handy when you're "just running in for one or two things" with a toddler on your right hip, a preschooler tugging at your left hand and your shopping list clenched between your teeth.

But I don't have to "remember" the Flip and Tumble bags at all! They live in my purse! They oh-so-easily roll up like colorful little pill-bugs and fit just nicely in that Timbuk2 tote I mentioned earlier. I carry two or three of them around with me at all times.

When I get to the register, I just pull them out, un-stuff them in seconds and fill them up! At home, I empty them, crumple them back into their built-in stuff sacks and pop them back in my purse. Voila! SO easy.

I find they're usually more than adequate to carry $100+ in purchases. Which might say more about the current buying power of the dollar than the capacity of the bags, I dunno. But, either way, these are the perfect medium-duty "green" bags for me.

I should know, I've tried a lot of bags.

And - heavens help me - I want more.

Checking myself into Bag-Rehab,
Zen


*No, I'm not being compensated in any way by any of these companies. I just happen to really like their products.