Organizing Your Pocketbook – Tips to Lighten the Load

I was recently talking to a client about all of the stuff she had in her pocketbook.  In an effort to minimize the number of bags that she carried around, she overloaded her pocketbook.  In theory this might make sense but in practicality it doesn’t.  As the amount of papers, calendars, glasses, etc. increases so does the weight of the bag.  As it is, it is difficult enough to find a decent size bag that doesn’t weigh a ton when empty.  All you need to do is to add the basic essentials (keys, phone, wallet, etc.) and the bag is already bordering on being too heavy.  In addition, the more loaded down a bag is, the more difficult it is to locate an item.

While the weight of the bag may be more of an issue for those city dwellers  who depend on mass transit and walking to get around, this is one area that affects everyone and can be addressed by the following tips.

1.  Limit the contents of your bag to the real essentials.

2.  Don’t give in to the “I might need it” mindset and leave the less important stuff home.

3.  Most bags come with zipper compartments and pockets for phones at minimum.  Some have pen holders, business card holders and additional pockets.   Assess the contents of your bag before buying a new one and if, need be, get one with additional storage compartments.

4.  Avoid using a wallet that is the size of an evening purse.

5.  Remove papers, receipts and other items that were collected during the day at the end of each day.

6.  Be creative in how you use the various compartments within the bag.

7.  If you are having trouble finding the small stuff that gets lost at the bottom of your bag, check out the various purse organizers that are available.  For example, purse perfector is a great product.

8.  If you need materials for a meeting or errand that you’ll be doing, put them in a second bag so that you are spreading the weight around.

9.  Make re-organizing your bag to streamline the contents into a game….  dump everything out of your bag and as you are sorting the contents keep an eye out for the most outlandish item…one that really doesn’t belong in your pocketbook.

And if all else fails, try my approach.  I keep buying smaller bags so that I’m forced to limit the amount of stuff in my pocketbook.  On the days that it’s needed, I will bring along a second bag.  This not only helps me balance the weight but also keep the contents of each bag more organized.

If you are in need of help clearing the clutter out of purse – or your whole house – please feel free to reach out. You’d be surprised how easy these tasks become with the help of a NYC Professional Organizer.