Pocketbook/purse organization help needed!

[KrisM]

I don't carry much in my pocketbook. I have a long wallet with a section for bills, a pouch for coins, and slots for credit cards. I almost never take it out of the pocketbook and instead just jam things back inside. I never manage to get coins in the coin section. It is stuffed full with receipts, too.

Other than that, I have my cell phone and some crayons and a pen in my pocketbook. Well, and a ton of loose change on the bottom, making it weigh about 15 lbs!

I need something that will help me be more organized about. I don't know what that is though. I never put my credit card back in a slot because they're sideways in the wallet and, like I said, it's so full that I just slide the card in in-between cash or receipts. So, I'm always digging it out when it's time to pay.

Anyone have a brilliant system that I can steal?!

[Clarity]

Your purse sounds like mine. I hope someone has great ideas to offer!

[Pennylane]

I am getting ready to order one of these for my mom:

http://www.onlineorganizing.com/ProductsPage.asp?name=Purseket_Purse_And_Tote_Bag_ Organizer

I would love to know if anyone has one and what they think about it. She has been complaining about the same thing.

Also, if there is a different brand you know of, please post!

Ann

[SnuggleBuggles]

Not brilliant by any stretch but I finally stopped putting my debit card in my wallet (and sometimes my gym card or drivers' license). I keep it in the most accessible interior pocket of my bag. All other cards are kept in my wallet (which is more of a change purse sized things that everything is just stacked into). I learned long ago that I do not keep up with organizational systems so I don't bother anymore. I love that what I need is right there, no digging. Fast and easy to get in and out, always where I want it to be. In that same interior pocket I usually keep my cash, keys and lipstick too.

Everything else is just in my bag. It is not a big bag because it would become a pit otherwise. I clean it out pretty regularly of reciepts.

I think the best organizational systems are the ones that you would naturally do and not ones you have to remember to do/ work for. Where do you like to put things? See if you can make your natural tendencies work. :)

Beth

[m448]

I've always had the same issue and it didn't help when I had kids and combined my purse with a diaper bag. It wasn't pretty. Then I stopped searching for THE perfect diaper bag and decided to just get a cute biggish bag and sew up a purse organizer like those pursekette thingies you see on the infomercial.

So here's what I made. Super simple and I tailored the pockets around what I carried consistently. I can't help you with the wallet issue as mine is still bulging with receipts but I clean it more often:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v34/marielle448/DSC04433.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v34/marielle448/DSC04430.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v34/marielle448/DSC04431.jpg

eta: oops just realized someone posted the link to the pursekettes already LOL

[niccig]

I gave up and bought a bigger wallet with a strap that can be thrown in a diaper bag or carried by itself. I got this one:
http://www.ebags.com/baggallini/wallet_bagg_small_rip_stop_nylon/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=20442

I have cash notes in one zippered compartment
Coins in another zippered compartment
Bandaids in 3rd zippered compartment.
Credit cards/Debit card/Supermarket cards/Driver's license in the slots
Small calendar and lip gloss in center compartment
Check book
Pen in holder
Phone either in center compartment or in front pocket.

I just got back from overseas and my passport is in there too.

Receipts accumulate in one side until it's time to clean it out

The only thing I don't like is that I keep the strap on it all the time, and when it's put in the diaper bag, it gets caught on things. It has stopped me from forgetting to transfer things from one bag to another as it's all together.

[katydid1971]

I have been thinking about getting one of these for my purse but I don't have a review of it to share. The price is good, with the 20% coupon for BBB it's only $8, worth giving it a try at least.
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=13936625&RN=529

[KrisM]

I gave up and bought a bigger wallet with a strap that can be thrown in a diaper bag or carried by itself. I got this one:
http://www.ebags.com/baggallini/wallet_bagg_small_rip_stop_nylon/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=20442

I have cash notes in one zippered compartment
Coins in another zippered compartment
Bandaids in 3rd zippered compartment.
Credit cards/Debit card/Supermarket cards/Driver's license in the slots
Small calendar and lip gloss in center compartment
Check book
Pen in holder
Phone either in center compartment or in front pocket.

I just got back from overseas and my passport is in there too.

Receipts accumulate in one side until it's time to clean it out

The only thing I don't like is that I keep the strap on it all the time, and when it's put in the diaper bag, it gets caught on things. It has stopped me from forgetting to transfer things from one bag to another as it's all together.

I was thinking of something like that. I think the purse organizers won't work, since I don't carry lots of things - I just don't replace things.

I'm thinking of this: http://www.jpourse.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=JOCFLG&Product_Code=1595&Category_Code=, but in a much less expensive version!

[niccig]

I'm sure I had a Nine West handbag many years ago, that has something similar. There has to be something like that around.
My problem is that I change bags depending on what I'm doing that day - work, shopping myself, with DS - so I need something that can hold everything and go from one bag to the next.

[KrisM]

I'm sure I had a Nine West handbag many years ago, that has something similar. There has to be something like that around.
My problem is that I change bags depending on what I'm doing that day - work, shopping myself, with DS - so I need something that can hold everything and go from one bag to the next.

Ah, I never change. I've used the one I have for 3 or so years now. I'm sure I'd just leave it at home if I had to remember to switch it out every day! Mostly, it just lives in my car now.

[maiaann]

I have been thinking about getting one of these for my purse but I don't have a review of it to share. The price is good, with the 20% coupon for BBB it's only $8, worth giving it a try at least.
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=13936625&RN=529

I have this. I can't say it changed my world or anything, but it's not bad. When I take the time to maintain it it works very well. If your handbag is too little then it's worthless because it takes up a mentionable amount of space as it is. The light is nice. My only problem was that even with all the pockets and pouches I still just threw stuff back in my bag - when you're in a rush it takes too much time to put everything back in it's perfect little compartment!

[mnosky1]

I have the single purseket and hate it - at first it seemed great - I could cut down on wallet size and transfer it from purse to diaper bag as needed. It doens't fit well in diaper bag and in pusre the card slots are on the side and if I have to pull out a specific card I can never quite reach it without dumping everything out.
Michelle