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September is National Preparedness Month, and I couldn’t think of a better topic than improving your ability to be prepared every day.

What is an EDC Purse?

EDC stands for “Every Day Carry.” By creating an every day carry purse you are keeping important items with you at ALL times (or at least most of the time).

You probably already do this without really thinking about it. My guess is you rarely leave your house without your wallet, cell phone, and keys. That is your EDC kit right now.

This post is going to focus on beefing up that list of every day items you carry with you so you can be a little more prepared for an emergency situation.

Most EDC lists on prepping websites are geared towards men, who tend to carry a wide range of supplies in their pockets on a daily basis. These lists are frequently very tactical, and while I’m all for having a pocket knife with me, I struggled to find a list that made sense for me when I started getting more prepared.

This post is designed to help you create an EDC purse quickly and easily.

Depending on your lifestyle, personal style, and comfort level you can create a small EDC purse with just a few essentials or a larger one that holds a variety of preparedness supplies.

The EDC Purse Defined

First, there is no ONE right way to build an EDC purse…

The only real rule is simple. Keep things you think could be useful in an emergency situation with you as often as possible (probably in a purse).

I recommend an EDC purse because most of us already carry one with us when we leave the house.

Before I was a prepper, I carried a really small cross body purse. I didn’t carry much more than my wallet, phone, chapstick, and a few tampons…I WAS NEVER going to carry a purse like my mom had when I was growing up.

You know the kind of purse I’m talking about…one of those giant purses full of everything you could ever need.

My mom always had bandaids, lifesavers, hair ties, and finger nail clippers. She had kleenex, cash, coins, and a variety of knick knacks. She had snacks, super glue, a special pouch for extra pens and pencils, and of course her checkbook.

I never remember asking my mom for anything that she didn’t have tucked away in that purse (I am guessing it was a close relative to the carpet bag that Mary Poppins carried with her!)

But honestly what I remember the most about her purse was how HEAVY it was.

I SWORE I’d never have a purse like that….little did I know that my mom was just a preparedness expert before it was cool.

She took her EDC purse very seriously, and she was ready for almost anything!

Today my purse is closer to what my mom carried than what I carried a year ago…and I’m okay with that because it meets my needs and requirements right now.

Before you build your magic purse ask yourself the following questions:

1. What Am I Preparing For?

You need to know what you are preparing for before you create your list for your EDC purse.

The type of emergency you might experience will depend greatly on where you live, what activities you are involved in, and how much you want to plan for the worst case scenario.

You may be focused on patching up skinned knees on the playground, hunkering down in your vehicle during a winter storm, or thinking about how you would respond to an active shooter event.

All of those emergencies are possible, but some are much more likely than others.

Plan accordingly. There is no right or wrong answer at this stage.

Here are some things I’m getting ready for:

• A power outage at work or in a store

• A minor injury

• Being stuck in my car (think wreck on the highway, snowstorm, dead battery, etc)

• A personal attack or active shooter situation (unlikely, but most dangerous)

Once I had emergencies in mind, it made it easier for me to create a list of what I wanted to carry with me on a daily basis.

Think about what’s possible and most likely in your life. Create your list based on these types of situations.

2. Am I Willing to Carry (all) This Stuff Every Day?

The reality is, much like my mom’s purse, an EDC purse packed for every contingency situation will get HEAVY and BIG fast.

You may not be comfortable carrying around a diaper bag sized purse on a daily basis.

Think about what you actually want to have with you and decide if you literally want to shoulder the weight of those items every day.

After carrying my purse for a few months, I’m realizing it is a little more than what I want to carry every day. I’ll most likely remove some of the times. My current plan is to put them in a smaller kit in my car. That way I’ll have access in most emergencies, but won’t have to carry them in my purse at all times.

Remember you can always change your mind, but for now decide what size purse you want to carry and how much stuff you want to cram inside.

3. Does my EDC List Make Sense for my Lifestyle?

This question is closely related to the question above. The purse you are going to carry, needs to be appropriate for your current lifestyle.

Think about how you spend your time, where you go on a regular basis, and what type of supplies you want to carry with you.

Okay, confession time my friends.

At one point I REALLY wanted to add a tourniquet to my purse for medical emergencies. I have the training to use one, and it just sounded kind of cool (and a little Lara Croft like, which made me feel kinda awesome).

Then I realized in 40+ years, I’ve never once needed a tourniquet, not once.

So as much as my prepper heart wanted to pack a tourniquet in my purse, I decided to leave it out (yes it is in the medical trauma kit in the car…just in case).

Instead I decided to use the space for a water bottle, which was much more practical and useful on a daily basis.

You probably don’t want your purse to turn into a mini-bug-out-bag, so think through what fits in with your daily routine and lifestyle and create your list accordingly.

4. What Should I Pack?

Okay, I know you’re thinking that’s great, but what do I put in my purse?

Here are the items I currently keep in my purse most days:

• Keys

• Wallet (ID/credit cards/concealed carry license)

• Cell Phone

• Sunglasses

• Kleenex

• Hand Sanitizer

• Hand Lotion

• Finger Nail Clippers

• Bic Lighter

• Mini Medical Kit

• Emergency Mylar Blanket

• Water Bottle

• Toilet Paper Coins

• Cash

• Pocket Knife

• Chapstick

• Travel Toothbrush & Toothpaste

• Dental Floss

• Small Journal & Pen

• Mini Flashlight

• Mini Multitool

• Paracord Bracelet

• Small Roll of Duct Tape

• Mini Sewing Kit

• Safety Pins

• Hand Warmers (in Winter)

• Feminine Supplies

• Ibuprofen & Pepto

• Bug Spray/Sunscreen stick

• Gum

• A few CLIFF Bars

• Small bag of trial mix

• Sig Sauer P365 & ammo

(This is the knife, flashlight, and multitool I have)

Now, I need you to hear this and believe it.

Just because it’s on my list doesn’t necessarily mean it needs to be on your list.

Remember there is no ONE way to build an EDC list, it’s very personal. You may decide that your wallet, keys, cell phone, & chapstick are absolutely enough and that’s okay.

Do some extra research on other EDC lists and think about what you use on a regular basis. Then build your list and stock your purse accordingly.

Just remember the idea is to be prepared for the unexpected without going overboard (with a tourniquet).

Purse Recommendations

Much like your actual list of EDC items, your choice in purses will be very personal.

If you are considering carrying a firearm in your purse, I’d recommend a cross body bag. One specifically designed for concealed carrying is a great option for easy weapon access.

I’m also a huge fan of cross body purses because they free up your hands, which can be a safety consideration, and because they are a lot harder to accidentally put down and forget (something I found myself doing at stores from time to time)

Here are some other things to look for in a purse:

1. Sturdy with lots of pockets (pockets and pouches will help you keep your items organized)

2. A travel brand with tear and cut resistant straps (Baggalini and Travelon are two popular brands)

3. One that is consistent with your lifestyle and overall personal style

4. A size you can comfortably carry when loaded

Once you have your purse and your list you’re ready to go.

For the first few weeks after you build your EDC purse, review the contents every week or so. Make sure you know what you have and where you stored it. It sounds silly, but adding extra stuff throws us out of our routines.

Being familiar with your purse contents will help you remember what you have in case of an emergency situation without having to dig!

I’d love to hear what items you’ve added to your every day carry list! Share your ideas below.