Perfect Mother's Day Pick - The Transfer Bag by JoAnn

July 22, 2009 Featured Article

(re-printed from Leanne Heilman's site: Raveandreview.com)

April 21, 2009

Fashion, meet Organization. Organization, Fashion.

A long, long 10 months ago I became obsessed with bags. Not that I didn’t love a good handbag before, but before I was a mom my needs were pretty simple. Fantastic looking? Check. Big enough for all my mobile gadgets? Check. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but designer bags rarely have more than two pockets, both of which are usually pretty useless for organizing. But, I didn’t care. Organization, schmorganization. Sure, whatever bag I was using got messy quick with all my gadgets, coupons and my secret stash of pilfered bank pens, but I always had two hands to look for my keys when they went missing in the bottom. Fashion has never been about organization, and I just thought that was the price we paid for looks.

I don’t think I even recognized how long I spent looking for keys, loose change and more in the bottom of my handbag each day until it became impossible to find time for lunch, let alone time for purse rummaging. But, when a reader alerted me to the genius little Transfer Bags by JoAnn, I was on a mission. I just didn’t have 5 minutes each day searching my purse contents and I craved that sort of organization. Because a pile of papers and coins in the bottom of a bag isn’t so bad, but when those receipts, money and coupons are coated in crumbs from all things Gerber, that’s when you call in the pros.

The pros have arrived, and they come with a solution for your bag woes – no matter what your bag situation is. The Transfer Bag (solution) by JoAnn (pro) can take any bag and make it and organizer’s dream. Together they can take your coupon-filled, gadget-overflowing, pilfered-pen-hiding and odds-and-ends-crammed handbag and make it so organized you won’t know what you’ll do with all your spare time.*

The Transfer Bag works in two ways: 1) it organizes the bag you currently carry by adding a whole gaggle of pockets and storage solutions so desperately needed and 2) it makes the transfer between handbags, briefcases and diaper bags effortless, which is probably where the curious name of Transfer Bag has its origins. I really, really wish the Accessories by JoAnn website had one of those awesome before and after pictures where they show the pile of stuff that we all carry around in our purses every day all disorganized and messy and then you pan over and see all those same objects all tucked, tidy and ready to transfer so you could see exactly how great these little Transfer Bags are. I would have done one for you, but nobody needs to see how beat up my cell phone is, or the fact that I still carry around and clearly love a big, clunky Palm device.

So, if you love your hobo handbag but hate that it only has one pocket, the Transfer Bag is for you. If you love your hobo bag but you also love your satchel bag and your cute little leather number, well, the Transfer Bag is also for you. Say you’re somewhere in between and change purses once a season. Yep, it’s for you, too. Now what about if you go from briefcase to backpack to eco-friendly tote to gym bag and then back to briefcase throughout the week? Yep, yep, yep. Bottom line: If you carry a bag, it’s for you.

Classic Transfer Dimensions: 9.5” wide x 6” high x 2” deep and is available with handles or without. Big Timer Dimensions: 10 wide x 8” high x 2” deep.

A bit of warning while shopping on the Accessories by JoAnn website– It’s hard to tell whether you are looking at a Big Timer bag vs. the Classic Bag since there is no scale reference, so just make sure you have the right category selected. But, if you did happen to order the wrong one, well, you’ll use that, too!

Random Rave: Transfer Bags also work great as cosmetic and toiletry bags – if you have a spare!

http://www.accessoriesbyjoann.com/

Price: The fabric and faux leather Transfer Bags retail for $36 and up, while the full leather bag will set you back around $150. A smaller Transfer Bag is also available for $30.

Looks: Ranging from neutral colored all the way to striped, spotted and fun.

Overall: I love these little organizers and know you will, too. I just wish I had known about them sooner!

*Chances are that you know exactly what you will do with that spare time and it probably will be arriving on time to that important meeting or having more time to change diapers, but hopefully somewhere in there you can squeeze in something fun, too.