What the Bag You Carry Says about You

Most women carry a purse, a pocketbook, or some other piece of luggage to haul their daily necessities around.  Some men also carry bags.  And students are no stranger to backpacks and book bags galore.  In fact, most people, at one time or another, find reason to carry baggage of some sort (the literal kind – emotional baggage isn’t much use at all).  What you may not know is what your choice of bag says about you as a person.  So if you’re interested to discover what personality traits are lurking in your purse, rucksack, or messenger bag, read on to find the bag that characterized you.

1.     Handbag. If you carry this popular purse that must be held rather than slung over the shoulder, you’re likely the whimsical type.  You’re not a big worrier, that’s for sure (since you clearly don’t trouble yourself with potential pitfalls like purse-snatching or setting your bag down and forgetting it somewhere).  You also don’t need to carry a ton of stuff.  You can breeze out of the house with the bare essentials and never look back.

2.     Shoulder bag. This is a more no-nonsense purse.  There’s no chance of losing it since it is firmly attached to your shoulder.  It’s a mainstay of mothers, who are often toting kids and don’t have a spare hand to carry a purse.  The larger size and many pockets can accommodate the trappings of a multitasking mom (Band-Aids, snacks, and toys, in addition to the regular stuff) and with an adjustable strap, you can make sure everything is within easy reach, even when you have a child on one hip and another by the hand.

3.     Baby bag. Obviously, you have a young child (or children).  Your life, like your bag, is sectioned off into diapers, bottles, and blankets.  It may not be as pretty as the handbags you carried when you were younger, but it befits your station in life and helps to make your busy life more manageable.

4.     Backpack. If you’re not a student, carrying a backpack can mean only one thing: you simply haven’t grown up.  For crying out loud, invest in an adult means of carrying your crap around and stop acting like a teenager!  If you’re into sports, get a duffel bag.  If you’re at an office, carry a briefcase.  And for days at the beach, use a beach bag.  Give the backpack to your kid.

5.     Messenger bag. This is like a cross between a backpack and a briefcase (fancier than the former and roomier than the latter).  It is the preferred baggage for hipsters, college grads, and pretty much anyone transitioning between the messy confusion of adolescence and the organized professionalism of adulthood.

6.     Briefcase. This bag is 100% professional.  If you work in an office setting, you should invest in a good one.  The bag you choose to carry says a lot about your dedication to your job (and your image), so if you want to be taken seriously in the working world, ditch the shoulder bag and go for one that has corporate conformity written all over it.

7.     Tote bag. Have you noticed that people have taken to hauling their gear in those recyclable grocery bags or the canvas numbers they give away at charity events?  Unless you’re a tree-hugging Portland-native, get yourself a real bag and leave the recyclable ones for your groceries.  Those from Portland are exempt because they clearly don’t care that they all look homeless (a strange and disturbing “style” trend).

Shirley Simpson writes for Converting Tech where you can find an assortment of vacuum sealers and poly bags along with other superior flexible packaging solutions.