Tag Archive | organize under 1 hour

5 Simple Steps to Organizing Your Pocketbook – in under 1 Hour!

THE POCKETBOOK: Gatekkeeper to a Woman’s Life

The other day, a friend of mine asked me for advice on organizing her pocketbook; I gave her some basic tips and she went on her merry way.  Her question, however, stayed with me as I pondered the important role this fashion accessory now plays in a woman’s life. Although it may seem fairly simple, organizing a woman’s pocketbook can be as complex as creating world peace!  After all, the pocketbook is the keeper of the equipment of our daily lives and it serves both in a carrying capacity and as a fashion accessory that is constantly evolving as our lives change.  No wonder it’s as complex as world peace!   

Here are five simple and easy tips to organize your pocketbook quickly and painlessly no matter what role it plays in your life.  And it shouldn’t take more than an hour – how great is that?  

1. PURGE THE OLD TO MAKE WAY FOR THE NEW: I  use a very unique method to do this; it’s called -: dump & discard!  Dump everything out and discard all the old, crushed or no longer usable items you find. 

2. SORT OUT THE MUST HAVES: Keep only what you MUST have to function in a day. Group the like items into categories such as finance (your wallet), medical (medicine you have to take), office (paper/pencil), Cosmetics (pare down to just one lipstick), etc.  Once you have an idea of what you need to store in the pocketbook, you will be able to purchase one that will hold everything you need.

3. CHOOSE A NEW POCKETBOOK WISELY: As with most things, choosing the right tool is essential to organizing your pocketbook quickly.  Find one that will hold all of your sorted must haves and has a good amount of pockets, both inside and out.  (I often take the contents of my pocketbook with me when shopping – then I know exactly which size to buy.)  I always recommend one keeps in mind the need for expansion when purchasing any new tool.  So if you have a lot of everyday items needing to be stored, don’t buy that cute, little clutch that is showcased in the window – buy the larger one with the sturdy strap on the shelf! 

4. CONTAINERIZE: If you have a bag that does not have many pockets, you are not doomed to throw it away.  Purchase inexpensive cosmetic bags to contain the items.  (Look for discounts at your favorite clothing store such as www.burlingtoncoatfactory.)  You can buy clear bags or use different sizes to help you identify contents quickly and easily.

 5. REPACK YOUR BAG: Once you have purged, sorted and containerized, repack your bag with the mindset that everything has a place and there’s a place for everything.  Based upon your personal style, decide where things would most easily be retrieved and store them in that section of the bag.  And don’t store too many items in one pocket!

If you followed the simple, easy steps above, you should now have a neat, organized pocketbook that is sized to meet your everyday needs.  Think of the time and effort you will save every day when you are able to quickly and easily retrieve any of those important items you carry around to live your life.  Happy organizing!