How to Organize Your Purses and Handbags Inside and Out
Are you sick and tired of searching for things in the bottomless pit of despair that is your purse only to bring up a hand full of old receipts? A purse can be difficult to keep organized because we tend to only pay attention to it as we’re heading out the door, but if you apply the same organizing principles you would to your home, you can create a system that works for how you live your life. Follow these steps for a purse where you can easily find everything you need. Be gone black hole!
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6 Easy Steps to Organize the Contents of Your Purse
1. Declutter
The first step in any organizing project is to get rid of the things you’re no longer using. No point in trying to make space for useless stuff. The same goes for your purse. Empty out the contents of your purse and get rid of anything you’re not using anymore. Don’t forget to empty out your wallet and to go through every pocket or hidden slot. Trash old receipts, file paperwork, put away items you used for a special occasion, like bug spray for a hike, and remove anything you don’t use anymore.
2. Sort Into Categories
Sort everything into piles of like with like for how you use them. For instance, I have eye drops, saline nasal spray, and lotion together for when the air is dry and things like painkillers, lactase for when I eat ice cream, and Pepcid are all together. Include a category for things that need to be easily accessible in outside pockets, such as your phone, keys, sunglasses, and for me, lip balm.
3. Organize Easy Access Items First
Find homes for the stuff that you want to reach in the outside pockets. Things that are more likely to be stolen, like your phone, should be put in the back pocket next to your body. Be careful not to put your keys in with things that can be scratched, such as your phone or sunglasses.
If your bag doesn’t have enough outside pockets, or any for that matter, you can use inside pockets or a keyring with a clip that you can hook to a ring inside of your purse or even one of the rings holding the purse straps.
4. Containerize Categories
“PRO TIP: Use foldable and travel size items to save space, such as a folding hairbrush or travel size lotion bottle.”
One of the keys to making the inside of your purse functional is to containerize all the items by category.
Start with your wallet. I prefer a wallet because it makes things like all your cards visible and easy to access, and if you get a wallet with RFID protection, you won’t get digitally pickpocketed by scanners. But you may be using something else like a change purse or card case. Whatever you’re using, put all of your forms of money together so you’re not the person in the checkout line searching through your purse for your credit card or a nickel for the exact change.
To save space in your wallet, keep your loyalty card collection at home by using the store’s app. Most store apps these days allow you to pull up your membership card to be scanned. You can also scan them into an app like Klarna (included in the free part of their service), which is what I do for most stores. You can scan all types of cards, including your library card.
For other categories, use small, zipped pouches, such as makeup bags. Try to use clear bags in different colors so you can quickly identify which bag you need and don’t forget to label them, so there’s no chance you’ll forget what’s in there. This is especially important for the things you don’t use very often. If you don’t have enough bags lying around, use Ziploc® bags until you can purchase what you need.
If you’re often on the go with something like a fanny pack, consider using the fanny pack as a bag inside your purse, so when you need your fanny pack, it’s all set to go once you transfer the outer pocket easy-access items. I do this with my purse because I take my fanny pack on my walks.
If you have a large handbag that doesn’t have compartments, consider getting an organizer insert or tote organizer, so you only have to look in the one smaller compartment that the item you’re looking for goes in.
Larger items, like an umbrella or water bottle, can live on their own without being containerized because they should be easy to find if everything else is in containers.
5. Keeping It Tidy
One of the key things to keeping a purse or handbag tidy is to get into the habit of removing items that shouldn’t stay in the bag as soon as you get home. A good way to make that as easy as possible is to have a spot in your bag where you consistently place these things. For me, I place small items like receipts and papers in a specific outside pocket and have a space inside for larger items.
Once removed, have a spot to place them. For instance, I have a tray where I keep my recent receipts until I know I won’t need to return anything. However, I’ve stopped doing this for most places because as long as I use my membership/loyalty card, I can just use the store app to bring up my receipt.
I put away other items that belong downstairs and place items for upstairs on the stairs and bring them up the next time I go upstairs. I recommend a bin or basket to contain these upstairs/downstairs types of items, one for upstairs and one for downstairs, but I haven’t gotten around to following my own advice. 😉
If you change purses regularly, have a space in your entryway where you can empty and switch bags. To have your items at the ready, so you can choose which bag to use that day, empty loose items in your purse pockets into a small bin or tray and place the pouches and loose items in the main compartment into a larger tray.
Once everything is removed, you need a place to put the purse. See the next section for ideas.
Storing or Displaying Your Purses and Handbags
How and where to organize your purses and handbags depends on how you use them and where you have space. But first, don’t forget to declutter purses and handbags you no longer use.
One Daily Purse vs. Many
If you use just one purse regularly and a few for special occasions or activities, you should keep your daily purse by your entryway so it’s easy to grab and go. You can store the special ones more out of the way so you don’t take up prime real estate.
If you change your purses regularly, or even daily depending on your outfit, you’ll want them all together to choose from, whether that be in your entryway or bedroom. Whichever one you choose, you can fill it with the contents from the trays you set up in your entryway.
Sitting vs. Hanging Purses
If your bags will be sitting, help them keep their shape by stuffing them with acid-free paper, purse pillows (also called handbag shapers), or an old t-shirt or towel. Also, keep them standing with things like shelf dividers or have them stand next to a bin.
If you hang your bags, do it in a way so they don’t fold over on themselves so they keep their shape. You can stuff them or make sure they’re tucked snugly between things. If you use just one daily purse, you can hang it with your items in it. Just be sure the hook is secured to a stud or a door.
Hidden vs. Displayed
People who hate visual noise like me prefer to have their items hidden, conversely, others like things where they can see them.
That said, my daily purse is out on a hook to make it convenient (this is what I use). Only my special occasion ones are stored away (I hang them on hangers in an extra closet). The more steps you create for accessing and storing your bag, the less likely you’ll keep up with regular tidying when you get home.
Another difference with purses is they tend to be beautiful and can be works of art that you may want to display. I certainly wouldn’t consider a row of gorgeous high-end handbags visual noise. As an added bonus, in a home where space is at a premium, using your purses as art can free up much-needed storage space.
On the other hand, sun can bleach the color of your bags. If you still want to display them but keep them protected from the sun, you can display them in your closet. Just be sure to use no-UV LED bulbs. If you’re not using the bag often, you’ll also want to protect it from dust. If you’re displaying seldom-used bags, you can place them in purse display cases, clear purse bags, or a display/curio cabinet. If you’re storing them away, you can use covered bins, drawers, or purse dust covers, which are included when you purchase some bags, usually the higher end ones. Dust covers also protect bags from being scratched by the metal on other bags.
Ideas for Displaying Your Purses
Hung on hooks in the entryway or mudroom, or displayed in your closet by hanging on hooks behind the closet door.
Lined up on a shelf on the wall anywhere in your house, from your entryway or living room to your bedroom or closet. If you are lining them up with their sides out, you can use shelf dividers, a clutch organizer, or a paper file folder sorter to keep them neat and standing. And don’t forget to stuff them.
Displayed in purse display cases that you line up and can stack to make even better use of vertical space.
Hung on a purse hook attached to a shelf.
Organized in a display/curio cabinet.
Ideas for Storing Your Purses
Hung from a purse hook on your closet rod.
Filed away in a closet rod hanging handbag organizer or, for smaller bags like clutches, wallets, or change purses, an over-door accessory organizer.
Stored in bins or drawers. Line them up vertically so you can see what you have. Fill in extra space in bins or use drawer dividers so they don’t fall down and keep their shape.
Useful Purse and Handbag Organizing Products
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Organizing Products for the Contents of Your Purse
Organizing Products for Storing or Displaying Your Purses
Action Steps
Start with just organizing the contents of your purse. Schedule time in your calendar to work on it.
Once finished, purchase any products you need to keep the contents of your purse organized as well as products you need to store or display all your purses.
Implement or install the products when they arrive.
Be consistent with tidying your purse when you get home and keep going even if you miss a day. Don’t let that derail you. Tidy up next time.
After you give it time to see if your systems work, make tweaks if needed until you find the ones that work. For example, maybe you wanted to keep things away in an entryway closet but find you’re just not putting it away and leaving it on the kitchen island instead. Then you can try something out and easier in the entryway like hooks, or maybe you need to find a place at the kitchen island if that’s where it’s convenient for you.
If you need help with strategizing or sourcing products, I’m always here to help.
