Clean out that Purse! (Or briefcase, or wallet...)

Your purse is like your sidekick. And what superhero would want a sidekick that’s bogged down and messed up? Superheroes, it’s time to clean out your bags! (Men can also use these tips for wallet clean-up, especially tips one and four.)

1. Take everything out of your purse and wallet. Separate items into these categories: A. things you use daily, B. things you use several times a week, C. things you use less than once a week, and D. things you hardly ever use. Be honest with yourself, and consider not carrying items in categories C and D. Your purse doesn’t have to look like a drug store. Unless you live in Antarctica, you’re probably going to be able to get something within a reasonable amount of time, either from a store or from another person.

2. When shopping for organization items, don’t get stuck in the “accessories” section. If you can’t find what you need with the purses, wander over to the makeup, office supplies, electronics, or men’s sections of the store. Makeup bags make great catch-alls for small items, and they come in a variety of colors and sizes. Pencil cases, notebook pouches, and plastic envelopes are great for storage. You may find slimmer wallets and card-cases in men’s accessories, and camera and phone pouches may be just what you need to store gadgets or little whatnots.

3. Be smart about switching from purse to purse. If you like to change purses to go with your outfit, try to keep your necessary items together. Pursebrite and Purseket offer easy-to-access pocket systems that can be moved between purses. Makeup bags may also be a good size, and plastic envelopes and notebook pouches are great to hold papers and coupons. Give your purse a break, though: if all of your items can’t fit into a smaller purse, go back to step two and re-evaluate.

4. Schedule a time to clean out your purse. It would be great if you could find a few minutes each day to purge your purse. If not, scheduling twenty minutes a week to clean out your purse will save a lot of time and aggravation throughout the week. It always felt good to me to clean out my purse on Friday afternoon, to transition from the workweek to the weekend. Sunday night may feel good to you, or maybe before an important weekly meeting or activity.

copyright Sara Long 2009