Messy Purse–Writer’s Workshop

Periodically, I participate in “Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop”. Each week, Mama Kat sends out really cool writer’s prompts. The prompt I chose this week is: What do the contents of your handbag/purse “say” about you?

Hmmm, well I guess if someone looked in my purse, the first thing they would say is “It is sooo messy!’. My purse seems to be a catch-all: Gum wrappers, hair thingys, I pod ear buds, pens, lip gloss, ipod, pack of gum and wallet! With the exception of a few things that go in the side pockets on the inside, everything else just falls to the bottom!

I do clean it out from time to time, but it is not a routine thing. I don’t clean it routinely because I forget about cleaning it out until I need something and can’t find it. At those times, I am usually in a rush and running late (imagine that)!

The contents of my purse loudly shout “Katina is a messy-purse girl”.

When I coined myself as a “messy purse girl”, I googled the term and was surprised to see that I was NOT unique. Actually, a study about women with Adult Attention Deficit Disorder had the term “Messy Purse Girl” in its title.

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) has been a very hot topic in our house. I noticed several signs and symptoms in one of my daughters last year, (constantly talking, UBER emotional, completely unorganized, loosing things,and forgetfulness) , and I requested that she be tested for ADD or (ADHD) Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.

Some studies estimate that as many as 50% to 75% of girls with ADHD are missed. Most girls with ADHD are diagnosed on average five years later than boys—(boys at age 7, girls at age 12). Many parents find that they also have ADD/ADHD after caring for a child with the condition.

Although I have never been diagnosed, my daughter’s symptoms mirrored a lot of my behaviors: constantly running late, needing reminders about appointments, blaming myself for everything that goes wrong, loosing things, forgetfulness, and disorganization (messy purse).

Over time, I have come up with my own coping mechanisms like: setting a timer when I get up in the morning to keep me on task, using a digital calendar to remind me of appointments , being mindful of not over scheduling, and making a list of what needs to be done. I had to learn these mechanisms the hard way. I am so happy my daughter will not have to!

Elizabeth Woodman-Taylor offers an interesting concept: “women can be metaphorically separated into two discrete categories, the “neat purse girls, ” and the “messy purse girls. It serves as a paradigm for society’s concept of the ideal woman, as well as a reminder of the many unwritten cultural expectations associated with being female. One assumes the neat purse girls are organized, responsible, on top of things, intelligent, competent, independent, and capable of meeting the demands of everyday life. Of course, there’s no real correlation between having an organized purse and having an organized life, but this feminine archetype has the uncanny ability to make many women feel inferior.”