How to Organize Your Purse
Are you constantly losing items in your abyss of a purse? Check out these quick tips to get your handbag under control in no time!
Amanda Thomas
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How to Organize Your Purse
Pop Quiz: What surprising things have you found at the bottom of your purse? Share your story with us on Facebook or in Comments below!
I have a friend (who shall remain nameless) who constantly digs through her purse muttering “Where are my keys” or “I know it’s in here somewhere!”
Does this describe you? Does the interior of your purse resemble a war zone? If so, follow my smart, easy tips for how to organize your purse and your daily fishing expeditions will vanish!;
Step #1: Choose the Right Purse
Consider purchasing a purse that has some organization built right into it. I know fashion is important for us women, but if you are constantly purchasing the “giant suitcase” purse that resembles Mary Poppins’ magical satchel, you will definitely be losing stuff in the depths of your bag. There are plenty of cute, stylish purses that offer multiple compartments for storage, credit cards, keys, cell phones, and more.
Step #2: Dump the Stuff Out
Next, dump everything out of your current purse. Empty it on the table or kitchen counter so you’ve got some room to work. You need to divide all the contents into piles. Your piles might include:
- Makeup
- Personal items like gum, dental floss, pain reliever, etc.
- Credit cards
- Store loyalty cards
- Feminine products
- Keys
- Cell phone, iPod, headphones, ear buds
- Pens, pencils
- Cash (bills and coins)
- Sunglasses
You may have a host of other things, but just put like items together.
Step #3: Organize
Now, take a look at the purse you want everything to go back in to. Are there various separate storage areas? Decide what should go where. I like to keep the things I use the most – my wallet, store loyalty cards, keys, sunglasses, and lip balm – in the easiest places to get at. Your list of “get to quickly” items might be different, but you get the idea. Load those items into your purse first. So, what’s left? Here are some storage solutions for a number of the things listed above. Try one or all of them!
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Store your ear buds in a small zippered pouch. I wrap the cord around my fingers until it’s all wrapped up in a circle, then tuck them in a small zippered pouch. I never struggle with tangled cords anymore. When I’m ready to listen to music or talk hands free, I have quick access to my ear buds.
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Stow your makeup in a small, zippered makeup bag so it’s easy to grab when you need a quick touch-up. This also keeps lip gloss or mascara from bursting open and getting all over the interior of your purse.
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Keep a minimal amount of coins either in a small coin purse or if you’ve got a wallet with a coin area, toss your coins in there. Remember to keep a minimal amount of coin in your purse. Coins add a lot of weight to your bag and who needs that?
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Got lots of store and restaurant loyalty cards? If you’ve got a smartphone, there are various apps that allow you to store cards right on your phone. You just snap a pic and it’s stored for you. If you don’t have a smartphone, try punching a hole in the same corner of each card (like the top left). Then organize the cards in alphabetical order and finally, load them all on a carabiner key ring. Now you’ve got easy access to all your cards and since they are in alphabetical order, it’s easy to quickly find the one you want. I even store punch cards (you know, 9 punches and the 10th coffee is free) on my ring of cards.
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Store your pain reliever and other medications in a small daily vitamin storage box. Mark each reservoir with a sharpie, indicating what’s stored where. If possible, stow this in a zipped area of your purse along with gum, dental floss, and other personal hygiene items. This method of storage will eliminate finding little ibuprofens and other mystery pills from floating around the interior of your purse.
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I like to use a purse that has a pocket on the outside so I have an easy place to stash my keys. If you don’t have a handbag with a designated key pocket, why not use a key ring with a hook on it? This makes it possible to hang your keys on the interior of your purse so when it’s time to grab them, it’s an easy find.
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If you’ve got a bunch of credit or debit cards, consider using a wallet that has plenty of slots for those cards. The cards you use the most should be stored in your wallet. Lesser used cards can be tucked away in their own zippered pouch. You may even forget you have them with you….which can be a good thing. Out of sight, out of mind = no spending!
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Do you have gift cards stored here, there, and everywhere? I often have numerous cards that I’ve received as gifts tucked into my wallet and various other places in my purse. Try wrangling all those gift cards into one small card holder and store in alphabetical order. As I was tackling this bit of organization, I actually found a Visa gift card for $25 that I forgot I had. Sometimes it really does pay to get organized!
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Store your sunglasses or eyeglasses in a hard case made for glasses. Keep this in the same area of your purse all the time. Train yourself to get in the habit of putting your glasses in this case every time you take them off. This will eliminate the search for your glasses and prolong their lifespan as well.
Got lots of store and restaurant loyalty cards? If you’ve got a smartphone, there are various apps that allow you to store cards right on your phone. You just snap a pic and it’s stored for you. If you don’t have a smartphone, try punching a hole in the same corner of each card (like the top left). Then organize the cards in alphabetical order and finally, load them all on a carabiner key ring. Now you’ve got easy access to all your cards and since they are in alphabetical order, it’s easy to quickly find the one you want. I even store punch cards (you know, 9 punches and the 10th coffee is free) on my ring of cards.
Step #4: Maintain
Once your purse is completely organized, you need to keep it that way. Try to eliminate old habits of just tossing stuff in there. Store receipts in your wallet – every time. Done with your ear buds? Put them away in their dedicated slot – every time. Try to develop purse habits that will keep things organized and easy to find. A little trick I use to make sure that my purse doesn’t become a toxic waste zone is to switch purses about once a week. That way, even if I do have a few stray things accumulate, it forces me to clean out the junk when I switch to the new purse.
Imagine life without having to hunt for your keys or dig for that receipt? How much time will an organized purse save you? Implement a few of these tips and you’ll start to see the difference in lots of little ways throughout your day. Check out Get-It-Done Guy’s episode on other awesome ways that small changes can make a big time difference in your day.
Until next time, I’m the Domestic CEO, helping you love your home.
Ear buds and woman with purse images courtesy of Shutterstock.
Pop Quiz: What surprising things have you found at the bottom of your purse? Share your story with us on Facebook or in Comments below!