Here's What To Store In Your Trendy Altoids Wallet

The arrival of September means end-of-summer barbecues, nostalgic trips to the beach, and the last of the Tomato Girl recipes before they are replaced by pumpkin spice. With a packed pre-college calendar, it’s essential to be ready to go at a moment’s notice.

Enter the Altoids wallet — a pocket-sized accessory taking TikTok by storm. The refashioned mint tin fits only the necessities and is a way to express creativity through out-of-the-box designs. Instead of lugging a bag, the Altoids wallet is an exercise in minimalism — one that fits in the palm of your hand.

Practicality aside, the latest trend doubles as a personality capsule. Break out your old craft materials and carefully select your items to create an Altoids wallet unmistakably your own.

The Design

After water bottles, phone cases, and computers, the next logical place for a sticker is the inside of your Altoid wallet. From kawaii-inspired to artful graphics, showcase your favorite brands and animals by covering the inside with vibrant images.

Give your Eras Tour bracelets a second life as an Altoid wallet add on. Short words, shapes, or initials are best due to limited surface area, but don’t be afraid to experiment with 3D elements. Grab a hot glue gun, and decide on a layout that would make Taylor admire your “Style.”

Whatever your comfort book or the one that makes you warm and fuzzy, it needs a place in your Altoid box. Print out a memorable quote or co-opt an original page, and trim the edges to fit the interior. This TikToker selected an excerpt from Lousia May Alcott’s Little Women, but my personal choice would be a scene from Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis.

Fashion or Food Network, celebrities or HGTV, magazine clippings are an endless source of artful content to add to your Altoid decor. The metal interior is a scrapbook waiting to happen. Select a color scheme and have at it layering patterns, pictures and style.

5. Paint

The MET may not be your calling, but an Altoid box is a worthy canvas. Channel your inner Bob Ross with an aesthetic landscape or play around at paint-and-sip. In the words of America’s on-camera art teacher, “there are no mistakes, just happy accidents,” so let your imagination run wild.  

A wallet is a mobile picture frame, with the additional power of spending. Thankfully, an Altoids tin is the perfect size for a Polaroid. Stage a Clueless-esque photo shoot, and immortalize your friend group with a stunning, retro shot. Extra points if you pen the date and location on the frame.  

Rather than using your selfie cam (and having to covertly check your makeup without making it obvious), attach a mini mirror to your Altoid wallet instead. The multipurpose pouch allows you to pack your beauty station and materials all in one place.

What to Pack

Burt’s Bees, Buddha Butter, or Aquaphor, Altoid box users are against dry lips. The typical chapstick is exactly the length of the metal tin and tucks nicely beside extra change, hair ties, and tiny snacks. Lipstick and lip gloss are alternative lip care products for the more fashionable among us.

Altoid girls obviously need a form of entertainment. No charging required and lighter than a pair of AirPods, classic headphones coil squarely into the corner of an Altoid box. Listen to music, make phone calls, or tune into an insightful podcast with some throwback (but reliable) tech.

Who doesn’t want a token for mind, body, and soul? Find a crystal that speaks to you and slip it in your Altoid box. Pro tip: match your semiprecious stone to your color scheme to tie the look together.

In this heat, you always need a hair tie on hand. When humidity takes over or the need for an impromptu workout strikes a high pony is the only way to go. Avoid weird tan lines on your wrist and keep an extra elastic in the safety of your Altoid container.

We just survived a global pandemic, need I say more? Like lip care, hand hygiene is a top priority in the purse world. The Touchland Power Mist hydrating hand sanitizer is flat enough to fit in a confined space and available in a dozen refreshing scents at Sephora. 

6. Mini Snack

A purse wouldn’t be complete without a snack. GoMarco kids bars, Welch’s Fruit Snacks, and Babybell cheese are excellent space-saving options. You could forgo normal wallet items entirely and replace the Altoids with Mini (Almost) Everything Bagel Sandwich Crackers from Trader Joe's.