A Mum's Handbag Essentials When out in the Sun | Mum In The Madhouse

A Mum’s Handbag Essentials When out in the Sun

Spending time out in the sun can make you feel more positive. Whether you’re at home or on holiday, you may want to think about how you can improve your day. Keeping certain items in your handbag could allow you to enjoy the nicer weather that much more, and even protect yourself from some of the risks associated with the sun and its rays. 

Eye protection

The sun can cause a significant amount of damage to your eyes that, over time, could lead to problems with your vision. This can include burning and blurring, as well as the onset of cataracts which may require surgery to rectify. Alongside this, excessively bright weather can also prevent you from seeing clearly, which can pose its own dangers, especially if you plan on driving. The use of a good pair of sunglasses can help to keep your eyes healthy and increase your vision. The tinting in the lenses can prevent a large percentage of the light from reflecting into your eyes, clearing things up. They may also have UVA and UVB filtration, which can stop that burning from occurring in the first place.

Sun lotion

It isn’t just your eyes that you need to think about when spending time in the sun. Your skin, especially that which is exposed, may also be at risk of burning. Again, this can lead to problems in the future, including melanoma, skin cancer, and early signs of ageing. Keeping a travel-sized sun lotion in your bag can allow you to apply and top up that protection on your skin as needed. You may also want to consider keeping some in your children’s school bags so that they can also practise some sun-safe habits. It can be a good idea to look for one that is water repellent, especially if you plan on swimming, as well as having a high enough rating to deal with the level of sunlight forecast on that day.

A bottle of water

While you should drink plenty of water anyway, this can be even more important when out in the sun. However, you may not always be somewhere that has water facilities, or even a shop. You may then want to think about keeping a water bottle within your handbag and filling it each time you go out. Some bottles may also be capable of keeping the contents cool for a period of time, which can be ideal if you cannot stand lukewarm water. Staying hydrated when out in the sun could help you to avoid headaches and migraines, as well as allow you to feel cooler. You may need even more water still if you plan on engaging in exercise and other physical activities throughout the day.

A day out in the sun for work or leisure can be rather enjoyable. That being said, you may also want to think about the ways that you can protect your body from damage caused by sunlight, as well as health problems associated with overheating.

What every Mum should pack in her summer bag

  • Change – For the car parking, ice cream and emergencies.
  • Notebook and pencil – Not just for shopping lists, but also perfect for using to play games with the kids, like tic tac toe or hangman.
  • Medicine – I have a small clear wallet that I put all our medication in and swap it from bag to bag.
  • Portable Charger – Oh yes, something I am never without. Summer often brings time for the kids to play and that means I get some much-needed me time to catch up on my phone, so a charger is always essential for me.