Bags of delight

My two replacement bags arrived yesterday and I’m over the moon with how perfect they are.

I previously described my bag-related de-cluttering (forgetting to mention how easy it was and how little discomfort I felt at getting rid of so many possessions…is this growth?) and how I was selling them all to make way for two replacements.

TheFrankFlyer took over eBay responsibilities and helpfully and patiently listed all the bags surplus to requirements, and is busy dispatching them to the buyers.

And while I got the notification that the bags had arrived, I was at work and fully focussed on something very important. It wasn’t until I got back to the apartment that I saw the package waiting for me and once upstairs, got stuck into some gleeful unwrapping. Well, slightly gleeful. Remember, these were online purchases and I’d never seen either bag in the flesh. Suitably was based on guesstimates. And I quickly saw the weak link in my plan – what if, after selling off all my bags, the replacements just didn’t fit the bill?

Images of going to work carrying my iPad in a Tesco bag popped into my mind…

Well, I needn’t have worried. The Bellroy Tokyo Tote Compact and Classic Backpack Compact are a dream. They are indeed smaller, more compact and built for the ‘smaller frame’. Which I have. I no longer look like I’m a child carrying an adult’s bag! And despite the smaller size, both can contain everything I need on a day out or a trip to the office.

More than this, the cupboard in the hall where all the bags live is now navigable and no longer resembles a artefact from a puzzle room. Each bag we own is recognisable and nicely laid out for easy access. No more hallway bag explosions and luggage to the face.

On a slightly related note, I had several experiences this week that made me smile. A bunch of my favourite retailers emailed this week to announce new ranges, sales or special re-opening offers. I managed to read each, then delete without clicking on a single link. Sure, there were some lovely things on offer, but the bottom line sounded like a foghorn in my mine: “I don’t need it”.

“Need or want?” has been my go-to mantra for the last couple of weeks, and it has served me well.