flight attendants always close overheads when they were not full. They let people put coats and purses and small backpacks in overhead and then close the overhead. Flt attendants are often pretty dumb about this very simple point. They should remind people that since a flt is full, the overhead bins are best used for large carryons and the small carryons on should not go in overheads.

And they shouldn't close the overheads prematurely when they are not full! No one should close an overhead until it is actually full, top to bottom side to side with no significant gaps that could hold purses or jackets or crap. Closing prematurely just slows down the boarding process making people open the overhead bins to confirm, that, yes indeed, some fool closed a bin that still has space.