The good thing about liking op shopping is that you can score cheap things, out of season things and generally you don’t have to be subject to the same styles that someone has decided are in fashion in the retail chains. The bad part about second hand shopping is that you might find something you like, but it needs some kind of adjustment.

 

 

Back in July I found a bag I really liked for $12. So I bought it. It was the perfect size for water, notebook and a phone charger for ProBlogger. There was one problem – it was a shoulder bag. I like longer straps for conferences so that I can eat and talk hands free. So I needed to make the straps longer.

 

Handbag Hack – Longer Straps

 

Here’s the front of the handbag, as I purchased it:

 

Here’s the back of the handbag, as purchased:

 

Just inside the bag:

 

How the straps looked before:

 

Now, onto the hacking. The good thing about this bag is that the straps were already somewhat adjustable. I just wanted to make them even ore adjustable. So I took one side out:

 

And then I unbuckled the strap from the diagonally opposite side (sorry it’s slightly blurry, I was doing this and photographing at the same time!):

 

Once I had unbuckled two ends of straps, I put them next to each other on the table, lined up and flat. Then out came the zip tie:

 

All that was left to do was to tighten it, and there you go, longer straps:

 

Voila. Not bad for a very easy handbag hack:

 

What have you updated or hacked recently?

 

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