How to Organize Your Purse

Women often depend heavily on what they have stored in their purse. However, there is sometimes a fine line between having everything you need in your purse and having so many things that the purse becomes heavy and uncomfortable to carry. It is also pointless to have everything in your purse if it is so disorganized that you can’t find anything. With a little pre-planning, you will be able to clean and organize your purse so that you have everything you need in its proper place, without carrying things you don’t need on a daily basis.

Weigh Your Purse, then Dump It
Weigh your purse before you clean it out, so that you can weight it again after the cleaning is complete to see how much progress you made. It is often recommended that a purse weigh no more than three pounds to avoid back and neck strain while carrying it. After you’ve weighed it, dump the entire purse out onto a clean surface. Once your purse is empty, take a look at it. If there are any tears in the lining or any repairs that need to be made, do these before you start to put anything back in your purse. This is also a good opportunity to wipe your purse clean and dust out the inside. Once your purse is clean and in good repair, you are ready to start organizing the contents.

Handling Paper in Your Purse
Paper is often a big problem in purses. It is easy to stuff receipts, notes and other small pieces of paper into your purse, only to leave them there for weeks. As you clean your purse, remove any paper that doesn’t need to be in your purse. Then, find a designated location in your purse for depositing papers such as receipts in the future. This could be as simple as a small coupon organizer or zip bag, but it will go a long way towards keeping your purse organized.

Dealing with Toiletry Items
If you carry cosmetics, lotions, perfume, contact solution or other toiletries in your purse, get a small waterproof zip bag for all of these items. Not only will this make it much easier for you to find these items and keep your purse neat and tidy, but it will also protect the rest of the contents of your purse if one of the bottles breaks or opens accidentally.

Organizing Money and Credit Cards
Money and credit cards need to be organized so that you can find and use them easily. A good wallet is often an asset for this purpose. Choose one that has enough pockets for all of your credit and other personal identification cards. Keep paper money in the appropriate compartment, along with a manageable amount of change. Too much change in a purse only weighs it down, so be sure to remove excess change on a regular basis.

Keeping the Essentials Handy
Along with your car keys, you also want to make sure to always keep your cell phone, PDA, day planner, and any other constantly accessed items close at hand. A purse that has compartments for these items is often the best choice.