After our recent trip away I realised that a wallet cull was needed. STAT. Having taken out all of the annoying cards that fill our wallets on any given day: reward cards, bakery and cafe loyalty cards I was left with one bank card, and a couple of credit cards and that was it. My Elk wallet looked sad and floppy and all out of shape.
So since I have been back I have tackled the problem head on and spoken to a few people about how they go wallets as well. I am a riveting conversationalist in real life, just join me at gymnastics on a Thursday morning and see! I chatted to my mate Kim last week at Nikki’s book launch about it. She had just invested in a hot green Elk wallet that controversially did not include ANY cards in them (well maybe just her main bank one). She then pulled out two business card holder thingy’s that had all those cards in them – you know the library, shop cards, loyalty cards and the like. INTERESTING.
So when I saw a sale on Nancy Bird wallets at my favourite shop down here I pounced and did the total opposite to Kim, I got one that will fill ALL OF THE THINGS in it.
But you see now I have this really big wallet, nay a COMPENDIUM of cards and assorted things. A real MUM wallet.
A few more conversations with some friends all bought about heated conversation: just what is THE way to do a wallet?
Something small and slimline?
All cards separate?
Go large and embrace the bulk?
Give up and just throw your shit into a bucket?
How long do you stick with a bad wallet that you just know isn’t working for you? My mate Suzee was currently in this hell – she got a new one and it was shit, but she was pretending it was OK. I told her the problem was the ill-fitting card holder sizes. Waaaay too big so they were just floating about in there and she was even showing crazy behaviour with two cards up vertically! Suzee!
What does your wallet look like? I’d love to see a snap (upload a snap in Facebook if you’d like). Is it spilling out with receipts and dockets of Christmas past? What’s the strangest thing you have in yours? (for me it’s a piece of cloth that rested on Mary MacKillop’s grave and a $5 bill from New York. Don’t ask). How often do you change your wallet?
TELL ME EVERYTHING.
I have just bought a leather iPhone case which doubles as a wallet. Feels good, looks good, is practical.
This Tiny URL to the link in Apple store. http://tinyurl.com/mu7hzdv
Link does not seem to connect. On Apple Store it is a TwelveSouth Bookbook case. (bookbook is correct, not a mistake.)
Thanks Jan 🙂
I use a fossil key-per wristlet – holds cards and iPhone plus wrist handle is SO handy but it doesn’t hold change : (
And then you end up like my husband who leaves it EVERYWHERE!!!
My purse (if it won’t fit in your back pocket its a purse I feel) is too full of muck these days, and I have a card holder thingy as well! Then when I go out “out” the bare necessities get put into a coin purse in a smaller handbag, or I ditch the whole concept and rely on my darling to look after a card or two for me in his pocket! When we travel I make like the Queen and don’t even both carrying my purse around – just demand money and keep a credit card on me! The constant in my purse is a copper coin, it used to be U.S penny, and now it’s a 5cent Euro, go figure.
Make like the Queen!
I bought a card sized wallet from Country Road in 2009 in a cherry red patent leather, thinking it was cute and it would be handy for my trip to Canada in 2010. I felt a little naughty spending so much money on it.. but little did I know I’d still have it and use it to this day! In it I keep my two bank cards, medicare, licence, Myer One (silver membership, of course) and one or two coffee cards. That’s it! Delightfully simple. Of course, my notes have to be folded and such, but the simplicity makes it worth the crumples. I think at the bottom of the wallet is a tiny pebble from Central Park that my friend bought back for me. I keep meaning to take it out…
Solid investment Melanie – well done!
I just gave mine a ritual cleansing… detoxed the shizzle out of those random receipts, cards from places I can’t remember and all of the schrapnel is now in the recycled coffee jar where it belongs. It feels much better now, it told me so.
Thanks for being willing to tackle the hard issues Beth!!
As ever Annette, as ever.
I keep my essential or regularly used cards in my wallet email enquiry eg. Drivers licence, medicare, bank cards. The rest of those annoying store cards I can’t seem to say no to go in a separate ‘coin’ purse. There are apps where you can keep electronic copies of all those cards now that I need to look into. Would be good to get rid of them all! I also have the usual array of receipts that don’t get thrown out as regularly as they should.
Good system Julia – I think I’m not far off it myself.
I have a mimco wallet that fits most of my cards, well all the ones I need. It is just perfect for me.
V x
Loive Mimco!
I’m wallet shopping. It’s a process than can take up to two years. I’m currently eyeing off a leather one from Saddleback Leather in the U.S- it’s even got a card blocker for fancy auto-reader theft. I have a separate mini-wallet for my loyalty cards, and track them all in an app, so most of the time I just hand my phone over and the store assistant types my number in from the screen.
Dedicated to the cause Amy – I like your style.
I drilled a hole in the corner of all my reward cards and put them onto a split ring. They are all together in one place. I never have to search for them!
Genius!!
That’s a ripper idea!!!!
Hi Kerrie, I did the same with my cards but used a single hole punch to make the holes and have them on a split ring (purchased from news agencies).
There is an app. I don’t know the name of it sorry. Where you can add all your store cards and then when a shop wants your store card you open up the details on the app. Great way to minimise all the cards you only use once in a blue moon.
PASSBOOK
Thanks Mandy 🙂
Stocard is another one 🙂
A Great App for Australian residents is Stocard. You just go in and search for your store card – and they have heaps – then scan the barcode of your card and it stores it for you. if it doesn’t have a barcode you can just type the number. You can also add a card that they don’t already have prelisted. Then when you open the App a list of your store cards appear for easy access.
Perfect – thanks Lisa 🙂
I downloaded this app and loaded my cards into it within minutes of reading this – it’s awesome, thank you so much!!! I didn’t realise that it would generate the barcodes of cards not currently loaded in their system until later last night, so I can add some more today. What a fantastic, useful app, that I would never have know about… Thanks again!!
Great to know Rosie…will get onto it.
Ok, confession: I am a bag/wallet junkie. I have just bought second hand off ebay a Nancybird wallet as I can not afford brand new at the moment. I love it because it has room for cards and money and coins and my phone if needs be. And it’s soft. Oh my word. SO SOFT. I’ve been coveting Elk wallets too, but again, the price tag is a tad too steep at this current time. B.Sirius also do amazing bags and wallets.
SO soft!
I have that exact NB wallet and it’s the best as it fits all the cards I own into it. It solved all my wallet dilemmas! X
Snap Tully!
I’m currently using a Kikki-K travel wallet. I used it for our trip to Thailand in Feb and haven’t changed back to a normal sized wallet yet! It holds cards, coins and notes plus I use the compartments for loyalty cards, receipts, a secret fifty for a sneaky lunch out with the girls and I can fit my iPhone and earphones in it for when I duck out without my handbag. It’s due for a good clean out, pretty sure I still have Thai coins lurking in there!
Interesting! I used a Kikki K passport thingy when we were away and it was great.
Nancybird is my all time favourite. I have a big ass one, just like you. xx
I have always admire from afar so was very excited to get my hands on one Jody!
I hate my current wallet.
Well we need to fix that!
Nancy Bird for me too! I have a big wallet that zips around 3 sides. Holds cards, money, coins, so much stuff and yes the leather is so beautiful and soft. It matches my NB Elsey bag that I got for my birthday from my gang of friends. I loved that bag until my little handbag perfume bottle broke and stained it all over the front! I cried.
I would cry too – it’s a dead set tragedy to see anything happen to that beautiful leather!
I got all my loyalty cards together, popped in alphabetical order (of course), punched a hole in each corner and put on a key ring. this sits in my handbag for all the stores loyalty programs. my purse has never loved me more
Respect!
Well I’m biased as I work for Nancybird but that Bedford wallet is just beautiful! Glad you love it Beth. New range out in a few weeks 😉
Ooooh..will keep an eye out x
I have just today bought a Country Road wallet – I’ve been using a card carrier for everything (including cash!), which I then chuck in a little zip up Dan300 bag, which keeps my coins together. I throw my keys in there sometimes too, but it just wasn’t working for me, I wanted a grown up wallet!! I have quite a few loyalty cards, memberships etc, but I’m going to try and cull them… Or use Passbook, now I’ve read about it here!!!
Definitely worth looking at Rosie!
Ah the wallet sag – I was lusting after a nancybird too, finally got one for my b’day alas it was too small so I took it back & got a bag! Then my auntie picked one up at her warehouse sale for like $30, now I’m yet to move my crap from old wallet to new Nancy!
New Nancy!
I was very sad to read about the pie incident Beth.
I am currently running a new purple leather number with zips on the side and clips in the middle. I was unconvinced on purchase, but now I have a safe place for my phone and my key when I’m dashing around the place without a bag. Phew!
So was I was Amanda, so was I. That’s what you get for being a piglet.
After being on what seemed like an eternal “perfect purse hunt” I invested in an Oroton leather purse about 4 years ago and stopped the hunt. Soft brown leather that is ageing beautifully, a zip coin section big enough to hold a decent amount of coin until find a donation tin / pay for my lunch in 50c pieces, handy card slots and long enough to fit notes in without having to fold them ( a pet hate as a former bank johnny)
Will you only use 50c pieces to pay for your lunch? I hope so. I love it!
I’ve got a Michael Kors black zip wallet. I LOVE IT!!!!!! It fits all the things! http://www.michaelkors.com/p/MICHAEL-Michael-Kors-MICHAEL-Michael-Kors-Jet-Set-Continental-Wallet-WALLETS-WRISTLETS/prod10410013_cat34702__/?index=40&cmCat=cat000000cat144cat34702&isEditorial=false
LOVE it.