As seen in the Dayton Daily News on August 4, 2012
If you’re digging around in your purse at the check-out line and the people behind you are glaring at you because you’re holding them up, it’s time to organize your purse. Notice I said organize your purse, not just clean in out.
Think of your purse as a mini home. You can create different ‘rooms’ which will now allow you to follow the rule; a place for everything and everything in its place. The style of purse that works best has a large zippered pocket down the center that creates two open pockets on either side. Most purses like this also have a few smaller built-in pockets. This creates the various ‘rooms’ that an organized purse needs.
The zippered pocket should be used for those items that are most valuable. Your wallet, cash, credit cards and checkbook will be safest in this pocket and easy to find when you need them.
Choose one of the side pockets and designate it as your health and beauty section. Your make-up, comb, medication, hand lotion, tissues and glasses are the types of items found in this section. You can use a separate zippered pouch to divide your make-up from the rest of the items.
The other side pocket becomes your office away from home. Pens, cell phone, receipts, coupons, paperwork, and your to-do list will now be at your fingertips when you need them. Use a binder clip to round up loose receipts as you receive them. An envelope or coupon organizer will keep your coupons in order.
Any of your ‘rooms’ can have ‘closets’ by using smaller zippered pouches for those items that need to be separated from the rest. Brightly colored pouches work best so you can find them easily. Too many times women have a black purse, black wallet and black accessories such as a comb or brush which automatically creates a black hole making it hard to find things.
Your keys can be found quickly if you put them on a carabiner clip and attach them to the strap of your purse. Having keys on a carabiner clip also makes it easy to clip them to a diaper bag or the belt loop on your pants should you decide not to take your purse with you.
Once your purse is organized, start a few simple habits to keep it that way. After checking out at the register, take a moment to put your change or your credit card away in its proper place. Clip the receipt with your other receipts making it easier to find should you need to return something. When you collect too many receipts transfer them to their proper files at home.
Now that your purse it organized, be patient and try not to glare at the lady ahead of you digging around in her purse and holding up the line. She doesn’t know her purse is a mini home that can be organized.