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As a mother of four children, I have a tendency to carry a lot of extra ‘just in case’ items around with me. All these little items add up to a lot of weight in my purse being carried on one shoulder. This constant weight on the shoulder can strain and pull on the muscles causing pain and inflammation on the shoulder. Neck muscles, back, and on down the body will be effected by the weight over time. Solution? Ditch the purse weight.
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As I said – I am guilty for keeping a purse that weighs five pounds. Okay, not exactly five pounds. It’s exactly 3.97 pounds with 1.61 of those pounds being my wallet. Wait, what?!
That’s a lot for just a wallet and a medium purse. And while that may not sound like a lot of weight, it is for one shoulder. My purse isn’t that large really, but it can hold a lot (as seen in the image below). I’m the sort of mom that keeps one of everything in my purse in case I need it later, but do I really need it all? Not really.
A few years ago my husband gave me a gorgeous Marilyn Monroe purse. Unlike my Hokies purse, it’s small. Really small. I can only keep my phone, a few cards such as ID and debit, and my must-have oils for pain. Adorable as the purse may be, it’s too small. And the strap is short. If I don’t carry it in my hand and put it on my shoulder, it sits snug up in my arm pit. No thanks. That’s too close for comfort.
Ditch the Purse Weight
The continuous strain of a heavy purse can pull on your shoulder muscles and strain the rest of the body. And the heavier the purse, the more damage you are causing. I know what you are asking – how do I ditch the purse weight? And for me personally, what if a smaller purse is too small? Solution: try something lighter, but with enough room. Try a handmade crossbody purse by Mrs. Sew and Sew by Joyce.
Who is Mrs. Sew and Sew by Joyce?
Joyce makes handbags and coin purses for ladies (young ones, too) with various colors and patterns in various sizes. She has a love of fabric that rooted when she was younger, and has led to making many items such as men’s suits, wedding dresses, various clothes, pillows, purse, and other items. Etsy is a way for Joyce to express her creative talent and share her designs with others. Read more about her here.
About the purses
- These lightweight fabric handbags are available in small (7×9″), large (9×11″) and coordinating coin pouches (4×5″).
- Children’s bags are also available and are the same dimensions as the small handbag, only they have a shorter strap.
- Joyce (shop owner) hand-crafts each bag with attention to detail, triple stitching the bags in all stress areas to ensure durability.
- Each bag comes with a unique hand beaded zipper pull.
- Both small and large bags have one large zippered compartment with an additional back pocket(s) for easy to access storage for your phone and/or sunglasses.
- Bags are made with quality fabrics and fully lined with a complimentary print.
The Purse I Reviewed
My thoughts and conclusion
The black and white larger crossbody purse with polka dots was given to me for the review (as seen in the images above). I love how lightweight the purse is, and the length of the strap. It wasn’t quite long enough to go across my body (thanks to my large chest), but on my shoulder was good, too. My daughter fell in love once seeing the purse and was eager to use when I was done reviewing it. It goes across her body just fine and it doesn’t look too mature for her. It’s quite perfect for her age as well as mine.
The outer pocket makes it easy for me to quickly retrieve my cell phone, and the inner pocket is large enough for my wristlet, lip balm, and other real essentials. I emphasize real because I only carry the items that I need, and not my entire family. Receiving this purse has certainly made me re-evaluate the items that are necessary and not the lots of ‘just in case’ items. It eliminates that weight and eases the strain on my shoulder.
Here is the weight of the purse with wallet after I organized and kept the me-only essentials (what a big difference!):
My Rating
I give this purse 4 out of 5 stars for his durability, lightweight fabric, and beautiful design.