How to Best Organize Your Purse -Do You Dip or Pull?

Your purse or tote goes everywhere you go. It holds the things you need most throughout your day. You reach into it dozens of times without even thinking about it. And yet for most people, it's the one space in their entire life that has absolutely no system whatsoever.

I call it the "bag beast." It starts innocently enough. A lip balm here, a receipt there, a pen that multiplied into four pens, a mystery object at the bottom you genuinely cannot identify. Before long, finding your keys requires a small excavation project and locating your credit card at checkout is a comedy act.

Your purse deserves a system as intentional as any room in your home. I think which one works for you depends entirely on how you actually use your bag. 

So let me ask you: when you need something from your purse, what do you do? Do you dip your hand in and feel around until you find it? Or do you pull things out until you locate what you're looking for?  Your answer tells you everything. 

The "Dip In" Person: You Need a Bag Organizer Insert

If you tend to reach into your bag and feel around for things, you're a “Dip In” person. Your system needs everything in a fixed, predictable place so your hand knows exactly where to go every single time.

The perfect solution is a felt bag organizer insert. It slips inside your bag and gives you dedicated compartments, a spot for your phone, cards, keys, lip balm, pens, water bottle, and more, all in the same place every single day. No more fishing around. Your hand just knows.

A bonus: when you want to switch bags, you simply lift the entire insert out and drop it into the next one. Your whole life transfers in about ten seconds, nothing gets left behind, and everything is still exactly where it lives.

A nylon purse organizer is a wonderful alternative if you prefer something washable and water-resistant.

One tip: measure the inside of your bags before you order since these come in several sizes and the right fit makes all the difference. 

The "Pull Out" Person: You Need Zippered Mesh Pouches

If you tend to pull things out of your bag to find what you need, you're a “Pull Out” person. Your system needs visible, grabbable categories so you can snatch the right pouch and go.

These colorful mesh zipper pouches are made for you. They come in assorted colors and sizes, are see-through mesh so you can spot what's inside at a glance, and each one holds a category of items. Grab whatever you need, without disturbing everything else in your bag.

Here are possible categories; customize to fit your needs:

•     Beauty: lip balm, lipstick, compact, travel perfume
•     Glasses: sunnies & readers
•     Hair: comb, folding brush, barrettes, elastics
•     Stationery: pens, a small notepad, Sharpie, highlighter
•     Cards: loyalty cards & credit cards
•     Cash: a few bills and that random change
•     Receipts: for those things you may be returning
•     Tech: earbuds, charging cable, small portable charger
•     Essentials: band-aids, pain reliever, hand sanitizer, tissues 

When you want to switch bags, you just move the pouches. Done in under a minute, nothing left behind.

Whichever system you choose, these apply to everyone:

• Edit weekly. Empty your bag, toss receipts and wrappers, reset.
• Match the bag to the day. A giant tote for errands, something smaller for evenings out.
• Keep a portable purse hook handy.  I’m a fan of this ring that opens into a hook and closes automatically. It can clip onto your chair for security and takes up almost no space at all. 

Summer Bonus Tip - If you're heading to the beach or on a cruise, a magnetic hat clip is a game changer. It clips your sun hat directly to your bag so your hands are completely free and your hat isn't getting crushed inside. Strong enough to hold even in a good breeze, such a good little find!

Your bag is with you through your whole day. It deserves a system as thoughtful as the person carrying it. Give one of these methods a try, and I promise, the first time you switch bags in under a minute or find what you are looking for in seconds, you'll wonder why you waited this long.  

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