As a certified stylista, you must be used to hearing the words, ‘Fabulous bag!’ everywhere you go. Louise Brooks once said, “A well-dressed woman, even though her purse is painfully empty, can conquer the world.” On the contrary, we sure are conquering the world (Girl Power!), but our handbags are usually anything but empty.
Despite our best intentions, handbags can quickly become a dumping ground for unnecessary items such as old receipts, crumpled-up tissue, three different shades of lipsticks, you name it! Purse handbag organization and organizer.
Raise your hand if you have ever spent what seems like a lifetime looking for your house keys. Raise two hands if you have had to dump out the contents of your bag to find your headphones (which always ends up tangled around your eyeliner). If you raised a hand (or two), we created this article just for you.
Meet Mo, your decluttering guru
That’s where I come in. Hi Style Ravens, I am Mo, a Professional Organizer who is very much a global nomad. I currently live in Ghana with my husband and two beautiful daughters. When I am not decluttering a closet or pantry, you’ll find me listening to NPR podcasts in my spare time. I’ll be sharing organization and interior styling tips to help elevate your home and workplace. Trust me, with me on your case, and you’ll never have a cluttered space again. Now, let’s get back to business.
Less is More
First off, bag to basics: Let’s make a case for lightening your load. Lugging around heavy purses, as cute and luxe as they are, can take a toll on your body––contributing to muscle ache in the neck and shoulders. In addition, too many items rolling around in a bag can stretch out the material and bring about early wear and tear. Finally, an overstuffed handbag can actually cause anxiety from having to dig around to find your debit card in the checkout line. Purse handbag organization and organizer.
…but things don’t have to be this way. I’ll show you how you can neatly arrange your chic handbag and cut out unnecessary clutter.
Here are 5 no-stress steps to get rid of handbag clutter…
#1. Take it all out
As always, the first thing you need to do when organizing is to declutter. Take everything out of all the compartments in your handbag and lay them out on a flat surface. Turn the purse inside out (over a trash can) to empty the pesky little odds and ends you find in the bottom. You can wipe down stains if you notice any, but follow the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions.
#2. Separate items by category
Everyone has their style of organizing, so how you sort your items is entirely up to you. The easiest way is to group similar items. Your different groupings can include makeup, feminine products, electronics, miscellaneous, and trash piles.
#3. Trash, then curate
The next step is to trash the trash pile (you’re probably never going to use those four-month-old coupons, anyway). Now, go through the remaining piles and edit, taking out things that you do not need to carry with you everywhere. These, you can leave at home. Purse handbag organization and organizer.
#4. Compartmentalize
To stay organized, compartmentalize, compartmentalize, compartmentalize! Arrange the remaining items into your handbag’s pockets or in different pouches and containers (the cuter, the better). If you do not wish to splurge on a handbag organizer, you can go ahead and use what you already own to put your things in order.
Here’s how to organize items by type in your handbag…
Paper: Consider storing your non-essential paper goods and cards in a mini file holder. Take this a step further by organizing them alphabetically, by category (clothing, beauty, or grocery) or by type (coupon, receipt, loyalty card, gift receipt). Doing this will ensure you find exactly what you need when you need it.
Added bonus: Your besties will think you are the most organized person they know. Make sure to go through the folder frequently to get rid of expired cards and receipts. Also, consider switching your loyalty cards to app form to avoid you having to carry them everywhere. Purse handbag organization and organizer.
Business Cards: To keep your load light, store only the necessary business cards in a cardholder and leave the rest at home. You can also do this for other non-essential cards you need to carry around – store them in a hard case (a mint tin works), so they remain undamaged. A good idea is to scan and upload business cards as soon as you receive them and get rid of the paper version.
Loose Change: Get that coin, girl, but store them in your wallet or a coin purse. If the coins are beginning to get heavy, take a few, and leave the rest at home or in your car.
IDs and Debit Cards: For your essential and frequently used cards such as IDs, licenses, and debit cards, consider organizing these in a wallet so you can find them quickly every single time. You can choose a clear, easy-to-view, sectioned wallet, so anytime you need to pull out a card, you can see everything at a glance.
Quick tip: Make copies of your IDs and keep these at home in case your purse gets lost or stolen. Purse handbag organization and organizer.
Makeup: Store your makeup and hair accessories in separate pouches and only carry the essentials. Keeping all of your makeup in one place will keep the inside of your purse stain-free and, of course, make things easier to find.
Cords: All tangled up? Put those headphones and chargers in a sturdy case or pouch. Wrap a hair tie or elastic band around the cords to keep them from getting in knots, and you are good to go.
Miscellaneous Items: You will likely have miscellaneous items that need to be in your purse (think hand lotion, little notebooks, etc.). Consider putting these items in a compartmentalized pouch with a zipper instead of letting them roll around in your handbag.
Quick tip: Make little switches that make your life easier, such as decanting your lotions and fragrances into travel-sized bottles.
Frequently Used Items: Last but not least, frequently used items such as your sunglasses, keys, cellphone, and hand sanitizer can occupy designated and easy to reach spots in the interior or exterior pockets of your purse so that you won’t have to wonder where the heck you put them ever again.
If you plan on making a quick trip to the store or just taking a walk, place your wallet, phones, and keys in a small wrist pouch. This way, you won’t have to take your entire purse along, and you can have your hands free to do other things.
#5. Maintenance – keep up the good work!
Now that your bag contents are organized, you can keep it that way! To avoid the mess accumulating, put things in their designated pockets or pouches as soon as you are done with them and clear out all the junk at the end of the day when you get home.
Routinely clear your purse as you prep for the week ahead to keep not only your things but also your mind in order.
Finally, please resist the temptation to pick up store samples (you can do it!). Those little packets end up at the bottom of your bag, creating a mess and ruining your hard work.
Now that you are a pro purse organizer go ahead and practice these tips every time you switch a bag. Go ahead, strut around with that purse that looks fabulous – both inside and out. Purse handbag organization and organizer.
So what do you think? Be sure to share in the comment section below.
Cover Photo: Ge Yonk / Pexels
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