Everything you need to know about ‘TOTE’

                       “Behind every successful woman is a fabulous tote which she carries”

WHAT IS A TOTE?

 A tote is a carrying case made for women to stuff in varied items meaning the world to us. Supported by a strap or handle, a tote is an integral part of our lives that completes our look.

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CHOOSING THE CORRECT TOTE BAG

Usually, while selecting a tote bag for yourself, make sure that you select the right size. Larger; totes are for those who don’t have the time to go home and change the outfit for gym and work. Or for women who need to carry their laptops on hand at all times. If that sounds like you, then you need a larger tote bag.

A medium tote bag is for someone who can easily manage from daywear to nightwear. The small tote is usually for women who carry only essentials like keys, cosmetics, and a wallet.

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CLEANING YOUR TOTE:

My tote happens to be trash. No, no! It is not like an actual garbage bin that swings on my shoulders. It is a regular bag that keeps exploding with junk food. After spending my whole life juggling between chocolate wrappers, chips packets, and a coupon for toaster pastries to get you that last piece of mint, I am still trying hard to make my life fit inside a tote. Yes, I am guilty of carrying too much stuff in my bag. But the thing is, as busy women, we need to be prepared for parties, work, and for all life’s surprises and emergencies. We want to look our best and be ready to resolve any issue. But, when we start carrying everything around, we feel a little unorganized and chaotic. So, if ‘excess baggage’ is weighing you down, then it is time for a change. Let us get out our tote and go through these steps to clean your handbag once and for all!

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1. EMPTYING ALL YOUR TRASH

Empty all your tote trash. Remove the contents on a few papers. After, you empty all your trash, group items together-makeup with makeup, pens with pen, and so on. Also, create little groups of all the stuff you carry in your bag.

2. SHAKE IT OUT

So, when your tote gets cleared out, unzip any pockets or compartments. Just hold your handbag over the garbage bin and shake them out thoroughly. You can also turn the lining inside out to shake off any lint and crumbs. Use a soft brush to clean out all residue thoroughly.

3. CLEANING YOUR TOTE

Make sure that you use alcohol-free baby wipes to clean off any spots present on your tote. To eliminate ink stains, make sure that you use an alcohol prep pad that takes them off. Never wash a handbag in the washer unless “machine washable” is written over it.

4. KEEPING WHAT WE USE

  So, once you have cleaned your tote, now is the time to organize your stuff properly. So, here are the items you should keep in your tote:

• Cell phone
• Ear podes
• Hand wipes
•  Pen and a diary
• Sunglasses with case
• Makeup kit that includes: a lip tint, nail filer, lipstick, mascara, powder, and sunscreen.
• Medicines
• Wallet with credit and debit cards. Some cash and Id proofs.
•  Keys
• PUTTING YOUR ITEMS TOGETHER

Now that you have decided to keep your tote with only essentials make sure that it is organized. Like for example:

• Use a small pouch to store your earbuds.
• Secure your keys with a clip onto an internal key chain.
•  Store your makeup in a makeup bag.
• Mints, gums, toothpaste, and other gears need to be placed in small containers.
• Use a diary with a built-in pen holder.
• Remove receipts from your wallet each night.
• You can also create a small section of work essentials in a tiny bag.

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1. TESTING THE WEIGHT

 Make sure that your tote should not weigh more than 10 pounds. So, if you assemble all your necessities, your tote should feel light. Also, if you are not sure how heavy your tote is, step on the scale! Weigh yourself with and without your tote to determine if it is too full. If your tote feels heavy, consider removing other items.

• CLEAN YOUR TOTE ONCE A WEEK

Make sure that you clean your tote once a week. If you do this every week, the process will be very simple and manageable. It just takes about five minutes to reorganize everything in a tote which is mostly cleaning.

Totes are easy to carry and handle too. So, the next time you select a tote for yourself, make sure that your entire life fits inside it.

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