I thought this would be a fun little post to put together because I love that feeling when I get a new purse and have to move everything from my old one to my new one. Do y’all know what I’m talking about? It’s like this giddy, opening presents on Christmas morning type of feeling. But even if I don’t get a new purse and I’m just swapping things out, the feeling stays the same. Why is that? I honestly think it’s because I love organizing things (see proof here and here) and my purse is no different.

I told y’all in Stories recently that I’m trying really hard lately to not let my purse become a black hole of receipts, bobby pins and loose change. So, I decided to put some thought into how I can organize my purse in a way that serves me better. Because who doesn’t want that?! This is what I came up with!

Aim for purses with structure

This is definitely a personal preference, but I think it’s SO much easier to organize a purse that holds its shape versus one that collapses in on itself when you set it down. It’s not a must for keeping your purse organized, but I think it helps me extend the life of my organization efforts. Plus it honestly feels a little more chic to me. I love a good handbag so it helps to show them off a bit more when they’re structured. Just my opinion and something to consider when buying your next purse slash organizing. Or if you don’t love structured bags, I recommend getting one that can stand up on its own! I also think purse organizers (like this one) are great. I actually just ordered one for myself!

Categorize everything you keep in your purse

When you’re starting out the purse organization process, first take everything out and separate all your things into categories. Start big and then get more specific. For example, create two piles – essential and not essential. Whatever you put in your not essential pile either gets tossed or finds a new home outside of your purse.

Next, get more specific with it! Create a pile for hair/makeup/skincare items like bobby pins, ponytail holders, lip balm, lipstick, facial sunscreen, concealer – anything that would fall into the beauty category. Then move onto electronics like portable charger, spare cords, headphones, etc. And finally, a pile for coupons/receipts/small important papers. You also probably have a pack of gum and or mints, a pair of sunglasses and keys which can be in their own piles as well.

So you should be left with your wallet (which you should clean out while you’re at it) and your essential categorized piles at this point. Now it’s time for step three!

Small bags inside of your purse

This has been my biggest breakthrough for optimal purse organization. It might seem a little overboard, but I promise y’all, it’s the most effective way to keep everything in its place. Before you start packing away your categories into smaller bags, think about what you use the most.

What items would feel hard to reach if they were stored away in another bag? My list includes my wallet, sunglasses, phone, gum and keys. These are all things I’m pulling out constantly, so they’re the items that are going to live openly in the pockets of my purse.

Everything else gets its own assigned, smaller bag within my purse. You can use something like these clear zipper pouches for each category and color code them. Or I like using a hard sunglasses case for my cords and chargers. The point is, keeping everything separate and in its corresponding bag will help you always know where things are and stay organized!

Get a really good wallet with lots of compartmentalization

And speaking of wallets, take advantage of all the space and features they have to offer. Organize all your cards, member IDs and driver’s license in a way that makes sense. Like putting them in order according to which ones you use most or alphabetically, by color – whatever makes it the most functional for you. Oh, and all the loose change? Make sure your wallet has a compartment for it!

Clean it out regularly

I’d love to tell you to give it a quick sweep at the end of each day, but let’s be real, who’s actually going to do that? Nope. If you have the discipline to commit to that, more power to you. For me, I think making it part of my Sunday routine every week sounds more realistic. I think this is the trick to keeping anything organized, really. You just have to check in on it, do some light maintenance and BOOM! You’ve got yourself an organized life (or at least an organized purse in this case)!

Do you struggle to keep your purse organized? I hope these tips help! Let me know if y’all use them and if you find them helpful!

Also, linking out to some cute tote bags that I have my eye on right here…