Sometimes I wonder if I am the only person who feels the need to be completely prepared for any type of emergency at all times. Or, have I finally crossed the line into full-blown-crazyville? I will let you, my darling readers, decide.
But first, I should probably explain myself. There are two specific reasons for my obsessive compulsive behavior.
1. It’s no secret that I’ve spent most of my life overly concerned with the threat of a fire because I’ve already told you that story. But just to refresh your memory, ever since I was a little girl, before I could go to sleep, I would pack up my favorite things and place them neatly inside of a milk crate. And then I slept with that milk crate while cuddling my beloved items. I performed this ritual every single night – just in case – there was ever a fire and we had to run out of the house; I could easily escape with my milk crate and all of my treasured belongings.
And this went on for years.
In fact, it still kind of does.
Except now I don’t keep my favorite things inside of a milk crate.
Nope.
Now I keep everything I cannot live without inside my gigantic purple pocketbook.
Even though I have never been in a house fire, or even near a house fire, I am constantly obsessed with anything that might have the slightest possibility of suddenly exploding or bursting into flames.
Case. In. Point.
The furnace in my house is an extra special type of furnace. Mostly because it comes with some pretty neat bonus features such as: squealing, screeching, and other horrifying sound effects. The type of sound effects that can, and will, wake you up in the middle of the night, thus compounding your overwhelming irrational fears.
Plus, the way my house is designed, if my furnace were to actually spontaneously combust? Both my son and I would be completely trapped with no way out – unless we jumped out of our second story windows. As clearly demonstrated in the diagram below. Which is precisely why I like having my bag packed, and ready to go, at a moments notice, much like a pregnant woman in her third trimester.
2. I live with some pretty Annoying Medical Conditions. And because of those Annoying Medical Conditions, I never know when I might suddenly have an allergic reaction, or a crohn’s attack, or become violently ill, or be rushed to the hospital, or how long I will be stuck there.
And since there is no way I can last longer than 24 hours without my precious belongings and my homemade survival kits, when I leave the house, even for something as simple as going across the street to CVS to pick up my prescriptions, I bring everything I can. And by everything. I really mean everything.
Let’s take a look INSIDE my pocketbook.
Shall we?
*Not shown here: A complete set of pajamas, a pair of socks, and underwear. Because oddly enough, while those items DO fit inside of my pocketbook, they did NOT fit inside of this photo.
* Also, the red folder contains 968 pages of the novel I am currently working on. And even though I have it saved everywhere: online, in word documents, in emails, and on external hard drives, I still have to carry an actual paper copy of it with me.
And I wonder why my back hurts all the time.
So tell me boys and girls.
What’s in your bag?
And, what would you grab in the event of an emergency?
“ever since I was a little girl, before I could go to sleep, I would pack up my favorite things and place them neatly inside of a milk crate. And then I slept with that milk crate while cuddling my beloved items. ”
Meleah….you KILL ME, girl! That was STELLAR!!!!!!
Okay first, I love the diagram of your house (the man cave) HAHHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Second, love the diagram of the stuff in your bag, especially all the stuff you have in that red bag – WOW!
Yes, I carry a leather backpack and have it stuffed with emergency items as well. I also have this ‘thing’ about carrying things in my bag that I think someone else might need in case of an emergency (aspirin, band aids, extra pens, and a paper pad). I also carry some of my natural herbs and vitamins just in case I feel a cold coming on.
GREAT post!!!!!!!
X
I keep everything in my purse and I actually keep my purse in the car (my laptop is not in my purse since I use it all the time). I have forgotten my purse one too many times.
But I really did!
My mom used to say, “Oh yeah, that’s just Meleah & her ?crate stuff’ ” – which by the way was mostly junk!
I’m so happy to know SOMEONE else carry’s things on themselves in case of emergency.
Also, I should probably weigh my purse. I really want know just how heavy it is!
My laptop is with me 24/7 too! It’s like an appendage.
“My mom used to say, “Oh yeah, that’s just Meleah & her ?crate stuff’ ” – which by the way was mostly junk!”
HA! We “Libra’s” were unusual and unique children, weren’t we? My mother use to look at me sometimes and just shake her head 🙂
“I’m so happy to know SOMEONE else carry’s things on themselves in case of emergency.”
Yup…like a boy scout!
X
But you wouldn’t consider yourself a “prepper,” i.e. survivalist? I guess just OCD. hah! I can certainly relate. Now, I have to review the contents of my purse.
I am also deathly afraid of fires. The house next door to us burned down five or six years ago. My husband and I watched the flames destroy the house from our bedroom window, as the family ran for their lives with just the clothes on their backs.
This happened on the coldest day of the year. In my neighborhood, there aren’t any fire plugs. The firefighters had to cut a hole in the lake at the bottom of the hill, pump the water into a truck, drive the truck up the hill and dump it into a makeshift pool at the bottom of our access road. By the time they pumped the water from the hoses, the house had burned to the ground.
The family escaped without any injuries. They lost everything.
Wow, what does your purse weigh with all that stuff in it? No wonder you’re in such great shape lugging that around! For some reason, the “gum” really cracked me up, I don’t know why!
I don’t actually use a bag. I have several, but they are all tucked away in wardrobes with a few bits and bobs in them. When I leave the house, I carry my iphone and any money I may need, unless I am going out for a walk, then I carry my camera as well. Aside from a few tissues stuffed in my pocket, for my allergy, that’s it!
I stopped taking a bag with me when I went to discos. Bags were a nuisance. It wasn’t long before I realized I didn’t need what was in it anyway, so I stopped using one. It has freed me up no end 🙂
Wow, I’m quite impressed. You have just about everything you need to survive an extended stay out of the “comfort zone” tucked into your bag. Some skill is involved in organizing and packing all those items. And No, you have not lost your mind, you are just well prepared and practiced. Your display photo is worthy of a QVC segment; “Here we have Meleah’s Magical Mobility Bag. Just 235 left, item 987123, in purple.”
Again…we share a brain. I carry a big black bag that my family thinks is “a bit much” A lot of the same things. makeup, wipes, camera, IPad , charger, Kleenexes, medication for allergies and headaches, checkbook, pens, paper for notes, tons of frequent shopper cards, business cards, always a bunch of loose change at the bottom, brush for hair, brush for lint, sunglasses, reading glasses and prescription glasses for night driving….and more…but you get it, I’m sure.
You are totally like a boy scout! And hell yes we Libra’s make for interesting children AND adults!
Please review the contents of your purse and tell me what’s in there! Also, I am totally going to start saying I am a survivalist, instead of a crazy person.
I can’t even IMAGINE watching that scene.
How horrible for those people!
I think I should put my bag on a scale and actually weigh it!
well i know you carry a lot of stuff in your bag because i saw such a bag last year and that thing needed wheels.
what’s in my bag? my camera, wallet, an extra lens maybe, spare batteries, headphones and my favorite pen. if i had to pack a bag, it would be all my cameras and lenses. can’t replace that crap, can’t afford it now, how could i ever replace it. ha! oh yeah, i would grab my passport. the rest of this crap can burn, baby burn!
Wow, Babs!
That’s impressive!
I cannot leave the house without my stuff.
Totally insane. I know.
Bahahahahahhahah @ QVC!
YES!! OMG!! I love you, Cheryl!
And that is it. We need a DNA test.
I KNOW we are related!
xoxox
” we Libra’s make for interesting children AND adults!”
*wink*
HA! You got that right!
X
When i was a kid i kept things near my bed incase of fires and earthquakes.. that ended after my mom found the stash of egg salad sandwiches i had hid for such an emergency. yes i still keep my purse and shoes by the door.i had gotten over the fear mostly till i saw a man in the 94 northridge earthquake being helped out of his crushed apartment in his underwear.. and it all started again.. yes i sleep in pajamas.. i will not leave the house naked..my dad got me lasik hoping the glasses by the bed thing would help me a bit.. nope..
You sure did see my giant bag in real life.
And this shit DOES need wheels.
And you make a really good point.
Most of these items in my bag ARE irreplaceable, because I couldn’t afford it.
Which is why I have to have them with me ALWAYS!
Damn. I forgot all about my passport. Shit. Maybe I’ll put mine in my bag now!
lolz
xoxoxox
I’ve tried to be a small purse kind of girl and it’s just not me. I like to have stuff with me for just in case. I love to have whatever novel I’m reading tucked in there, along with a notepad and plenty of writing utensils for the brilliant idea that hits when I’m driving or grocery shopping.
As for fires and electrical appliances, I have a fear — rational or otherwise — based on stories of the house fire my dad survived in his childhood and on a string of bad luck with hair dryers, window fans and a popcorn popper. I am terrified of space heaters. We have one but I’ll not sleep a wink if it’s going at night.
Maybe it IS a Libra thing. I didn’t have a getaway crate all the time but one winter a pretty big ice storm hit our city and pulled a large limb down onto our house. Before that limb fell, it dangled over the part of the roof where my bedroom was situated. I was so afraid that limb was going to punch a hole in the roof and all my treasures would be sucked out of that hole into the great beyond that I packed them into a box to keep them safe.
Well, if you really want to know… I think you’re a little crazy, but I don’t think you’ve lost your mind. 🙂
I’m not prepared for a huge emergency, but I am prepared for a make-up smudge, a sweet tooth attack, a sudden urge to blog, a desire to read, etc. Along with my purse and lunch bag, I carry a tote bag with my laptop, a few magazines, some mints, and some blow pops. ‘Cause you’re right… you just never know.
P.S. It cracked me up that your pj’s and undies fit in your bag but not the picture! Too funny! 🙂
OMG.
Didn’t those sandwiches make your bedroom STINK?
Thank you for making me feel way more normal!
xoxox
STFD!!
Maybe it REALLY is a Libra thing!
I thought it was HILARIOUS that my pajamas didn’t fit in the picture, but they DO fit in my purse too!
I used to carry TWO bags.
One for my computer. And the other one like a regular purse.
But then I found this GIANT bag, big enough to hold ALL my stuff!
Thanks for stopping by & commenting!
xoxox
Wallet. Passport. Chapstick. Inhaler. Epi Pen, Keys. Smokes. Lighter. Brush. iPod. iPhone. Book.
OK I am DYING. *Not shown here: A complete set of pajamas, a
pair of socks, and underwear. Because oddly enough, while those items DO
fit inside of my pocketbook, they did NOT fit inside of this photo.” REALLY!??!?!?! THEY FIT?!?!?!
I actually have underwear tucked in mine, off and on. I don’t see a Purell dispenser. I keep on hanging on the outside of my bag. We call it “the mom dispenser.” The kids come to me… “I need the mom dispenser.” I could NOT live without my Purell!
You travel light!!
Thanks for playing along with me, Leslie!
xoxox
I’m DEAD serious about the pajamas!
And isn’t it just too funny they don’t fit in the picture but they DO fit in my bag?!
Oh yes. I have hand sanitizer too. It’s in the red/makeup bag!
Thank you for NOT calling me crazy, Katherine!
And I love the “Mom Dispenser!”
In the purse: wallet, keys, sanitary pads, lens cloth, pens, chapstick, lock deicer, checkbook register, Nexus 7. Oh, and a telescoping back scratcher that is the awesome. I don’t need to carry more, because at work I have a locker, which contains a mini milk crate of medical and beauty interventions.
Whoa, you can actually fit all that into your bag? I.AM.IMPRESSED!
Good grief. I’m not sure whether to congratulate you or run away quickly. I salute your organisation, Mia!
Thanks for playing along with me, Kim!
xoxo
I sure can!
Also, my giant bag has all these special compartments and pockets so everything has it’s own spot.
Which means I can find anything I need in two seconds flat!
HA!
Big time..but I was a kid..ha
lolz
Meleah, you are too funny! Your story reminded me of my dad. A number of years ago, we had to place both my mom and dad in a nursing home. He was so sure that his stuff would be stolen, that he stuffed everything possible into the pillowcase. Needless to say, it was so full, there was no way he could sleep – couldn’t even lie down! poor dear. Both of my parents have passed on now…but I’m sure my dad knows where all of his stuff is – why do you think clouds are so puffy?!
Awwwwwww! Pat!
I love that story about your dad and the pillow case.
And I can promise you, when I am in a nursing home, I will be hiding all my stuff too!
Oh, Meleah!! Your bag looks just like mine – which is also pretty much the same colour purple and multi-pocketed – and contains pretty much the same, too! I have two purses (housekeeping and personal) in mine, but yes, phone, camera, earphones, medications in case of allergic reaction, baby wipes, tissues, lipstick, glasses, hairbrush, sunglasses, notebook, pen, Kindle, etc etc. I don’t smoke, so no ciggies, and I don’t actually carry a change of clothes in my handbag normally, but I do when I fly!!
YES!!! Thank you!
I feel so much MORE normal now!
Oh my god, Meleah, I hope that pocketbook comes with wheels! Your poor back… I used to carry around EVERYTHING, just like you, but eventually I realized I never really use all that stuff, so in recent years I’ve switched from a huge bag to a tiny tiny little one where I carry my phone, my wallet, my lip balm and my keys. Crazy, I know. 😉
You’re smart to have downsized.
I am just such a nervous wreck all the time, I NEED to have my irreplaceable items with me.
AT ALL TIMES.
Besides, I could never afford to get another Macbook Pro, or my camera, or even an iPhone!
🙂
But maybe I should invest in a new bag with wheels!
Um. What’s a checkbook? Hahahaha! What’s money, for that matter? I’m feeling your pain thinking about lugging around all that stuff. But you’ve proven to me that people like the character in my book exist. She’s always prepared too. So she’s in good company. My bag? You’d cringe. It’s tiny. Cards in one of those cell phone slots mine won’t fit into because of the rubber cover. Cash in another (no change). Tiny bag for lip gloss, compact, eye drops. Pen. Keys. Readers. My sun glass case won’t even fit in it so I have to wear them or leave them in the car. Way more boring than yours.
I have a big purse, but I find that the bigger the purse, the more sh*t I put in it. I recently switched to a smaller purse when traveling to Arizona. I haven’t switched back and I found that I haven’t missed all the excess baggage. But in the event of an emergency, I’ll be asking you if you’ve got something in YOUR purse to help me out!
my bag is nice and clean and tidy.
Because I cleaned it out on the weekend. You DO NOT want to know what I found in there… needless to say it had been a while between cleanings. No underwear though. I should totally do that.
Boy, I’m glad I’m a guy. I have pockets. And my wife wonders why my pants are always falling down.