I've started favoring a slim pencil case over extra capacity

[nika]

My pencil case priorities have shifted. I used to think more room was always useful, but a bulky case is less appealing when I only carry a few pens day to day. I'd rather have one that's easy to slip into my bag than space for supplies that mostly stay at home.

[colourcodedish]

Highlighters are where I can accidentally turn a slim case into a rainbow stash. I stick to two colors for whatever I'm working on, so the color key still works without hauling the whole set.

[passportpages]

With a Passport TN in the bag, I pay attention to how the case sits beside it, not just how slim it looks empty. One that lies flat can pack more easily than a smaller case that gets awkwardly shaped once loaded.

[actuallyusingit]

Try a week with just your usual few pens in the current case before replacing it. That should show whether the bulk is the case itself or the extra bits you've been carrying out of habit.