Pro Tips on How to Organize Your Purse or Handbag

Whether you have one workhorse bag or a satchel for each season, your purse is one of your most important storage items. Keeping it clean and organized will make every day go a little smoother. Before you begin, make sure you have a clean surface, such as a table or counter, so that you have plenty of space to sort through the items in your purse, and a trash bag for anything that needs to go. You may also want to grab something to clean and sterilize your purse. When you are ready to begin:

• Empty purse of all its contents onto a clean surface.
• Sort all the items by category and make piles. For example, put all pens in one pile, all paper in another, all the lip gloss in another pile, and so forth.
• Once you have every item out of your purse and in a category, start going through your piles.

Below are some helpful tips for categories you may find in your purse:

Paper
▪ Sort paper into more detailed categories (receipts, notes, lists) and put any papers that you need to keep in a stack to be filed later.
▪ Set aside all business cards that you have collected to input into phone contacts or other systems at a later time.
▪ Check coupons for expiration dates—put the current ones with your wallet and toss the rest.
▪ If you have fliers to remind you of an event put the dates in your calendar and/or take a picture of the paper to reference later, then let the flier go.

Wallet
Take some time to go through your wallet and make sure all current credit/bank cards and membership cards are in your wallet. Make sure you have not left any cards in your jacket or pockets. Cut up or shred expired cards and dispose

Makeup and Lipstick
Think through the items you have in this category and make sure that every item you have taking up space is something you use on the go when you are out and about town. Clean any makeup brushes, wipe down mirrors in cosmetic cases, and make note of anything needing to be replaced soon.

This is also a good time to clean and sanitize your phone, sunglasses, and other frequently used items. For all other items, decide how many is enough and remove anything unnecessary. While your purse is empty, wipe it down inside and out, including the handles or strap.

Now that your purse is clean, take time to think about all your items. Do they all have a home in your purse? Are the categories easy to get to? Small bags can be used to hold categories within your purse so that items don’t disappear into the abyss. You can use anything, even plastic Ziplock bags, but if you are looking for something a bit more permanent or stylish, here are some zippered bags that look good and work well. Also, don’t forget those piles of paper you set aside earlier! Keep going strong and finish taking care of the piles now or designate a time to come back to them.

Pro-Tip
Becca, a member of our Abundance Organizing team, has a helpful list of things you may want to have handy in your purse so that you are ready for anything:

• Postage stamps
• Feminine products in a discreet pouch for ease of use when out and about
• A package of wipes for accidents/spills, especially if you have young kiddos
• A few snacks, such as nuts or bars.
• A reusable water bottle to hydrate during the day.
• A pen and paper for notes and lists (or go green and substitute with apps on your phone)
• Face mask
• Hand sanitizer
• Tissues
• Medications in a zipped bag
• Small lint roller
• Nail file or clippers
• Band-aids
• Small tube of sunscreen
• Dental floss picks
• Tide Stick

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