Organizing a Large Purse on the Cheap - What is Your Purse Personality?

Do you carry a large purse or bag?  Maybe you use it for school and don't want to carry numerous bags, or you have kids, or you want to head to the local coffee shop to do some work without looking like you have packed for a vacation?  What is Your Purse Personality?  Lots of change?  lots of pens? tons of makeup? electronics?  Follow these steps to figure out just what will work for you and get organized.

In a hurry?  Decided on a New Bag Instead?  Check out this page of Large Purses

Either way, it is time to get organized, and this can be done on the cheap.  You maybe even have the things you need at home.  Or shop online, but there are ways to stay organized without getting a new larger purse or bag!

Dollar Store or Dollar Tree - Your New Best Friend!

Before you head to the dollar store, you need to figure out what needs to be stored and how to place "like with like:

Lets Get Started:

Step 1 - Clear the kitchen table and literally pull or dump everything out of your large purse or bag.  Even that loose change that is floating around in the bottom because you didn't want to hold up a line at the store!

Step 2 - Vacuum out your bag, the strangest collection of crumbs and debris seems to form in the bottom and in the pockets, so don't forget to empty them.

Step 3 - Build some Piles - Put your purse aside, and check out the belongings you need to keep with you each day.  Try to put like with like, such as pens, pencils, erasers, glue sticks, makeup, cell phone and accessories, laptop etc in one pile.


Step 4 -  Deep Six Anything Useless - If you have been searching in the deep abyss for anything lately, you should have had an "ahaaa" moment when you found it, such as your earplugs for your cell phone.  So this is the time to get rid of that broken pen, random receipts from the corner store etc.  The less you have to carry the better.  Everything must have a purpose in your large purse!

Step 5 - Purchase Small Makeup Bags at the Dollar Store in Different Colors - Now that you can visually see the things you need to keep, take a look at how many piles you have created and now go shopping at the dollar store or even online, or in your closet and find small lightweight makeup bags that can house each of these piles.  Make sure each one is a different color or pattern so you recognize it quickly.

Step 6 - If you use your wallet all the time, but can't stand having to completely open it for change, then invest in a little change purse just for this purpose.  That way you don't have to expose your credit and debit cards and your life just looking for change in your wallet.  I know with my wallet it has a zippered change section, but you have to open everything out to get to it.  The idea of a separate change purse is appealing.

Step 7 - Put it all back together.  Now you should be able to find everything you need.

If you don't like the idea of cheap makeup bags, you can also invest in a large purse organizer, these are designed to accommodate a lot of smaller items too.

Large Purse Insert Organizer

Were You Thinking of Purchasing a New Larger Purse?

No need, if you can organize the one you have now.   Simply having a place for everything saves you a lot of time digging to the bottom looking for those smaller items.  Once you get into the habit of knowing where your things are, especially if you have put "like with like" then you save yourself some time and the embarrassing moments of literally having to dump most of your stuff out.

This video should give you some visual ideas on organizing a large purse or bag.

Some Purses Come with Lots of Pockets, but Its Best to Create Your Own Space in a Large Purse

You can utilize those little pockets that come with the purse or bag, but I have found it is better to create your own storage systems, because stuff still falls to the bottom of those inner pockets.  If you decide to purchase a extra large purse organizer or insert, then you can simply pull that out to find your smaller things, or simply be able to see them right away when you open the purse.

Are You Inspired Yet to Get that Large Purse Organized?

It really doesn't take that long to do once you get started.  With me, my wallet actually accumulates all those store receipts and points cards to the point that I needed a separate case for my credit cards.

Are Your Credit Cards in Danger or Theft??  Check out RFID Blocking Credit Card Cases

I was watching a show on how some crafty thieves simply get up beside you and can rob your personal information from your credit cards right through your purse.  So I have been checking out these RFID credit card blocking cases.  You can get sleeves too, but I have so many cards that I thought one of these cases would be good.

Yes it means splitting up your wallet a little bit, but I think it is well worth it to have a separate change purse, and then a RFID blocking credit card case.  This way when you make a purchase with cash, you don't need to haul out these cards which tend to come out with your wallet, and then can be kept safe and separate.

Organizing a Large Purse with a Little Change Purse


It all depends on your "purse personality" and lifestyle.  If you use small change a lot, then hauling out your complete wallet may be a bit of overkill, not to mention exposing your credit cards or losing them, so using a little spring loaded style change purse can help keep those nickels and dimes out of the bottom of your purse.

Real Leather Change Purse

Nothing worse than trying to find change for that coffee, the bus fare, or to donate in a hurry.  Having a place for everything may seem strange at first, but you will quickly get used to the idea.

Organizing a Large Purse

Hopefully based on your "purse Personality" you can come up with some ideas to make life easier.  It is great you can carry everything in one bag, but if you can't find it, then it is not a solution!