Welcome to Mission #2 of our 52 Organizing Missions.
If you completed last week’s Get Organized Mission Fill a-Hu-u-uge-Trash-Bag you’re probably feeling pretty fabulous right now.
If not – what are you waiting for!
This week we’re getting organized on a smaller scale.
We’re about to streamline the receptacle you take with you into the world each day – purse, tote, handbag, wallet, briefcase, capacious carpetbag, whatever.
Remember – you only have to spend 30 minutes to complete the basic mission. If you want to go further check out the Extended Organizing Mission Options below.
Ready?
Get Organized Mission #2: Detox Your Briefcase/Tote/Bag
Step 1: Empty
Empty everything out of your bag (I’ll use this generic term for simplicity). Dust out any lingering detritus over a sink so your bag is lovely and clean.
Step 2: Wallet
If you have a separate pocketbook/wallet, start there.
- Remove old business cards, receipts, paper scraps, tissues, post-its, random hairclips, etc.
- Remove other items that don’t deserve the real estate – eg loyalty cards for stores you rarely visit, coffee cards you never remember to use, etc.
- Place the regularly used credit cards, store cards and ID in convenient locations in your wallet.
- Check any photos of loved ones are current and in good condition.
Step 3: Keys
Next, streamline your keys.
- Use a neat, functional keyring or case.
- Remove any keys you don’t need. If you don’t remember what they’re for, put them on a separate ‘Mystery’ keyring for later investigation.
- If you’re always fumbling with keys, consider putting them on the ring in the order you use them – eg, car, garage, mailbox, top lock, bottom lock.
Step 4: Make-Up Purse
Next, let’s tackle your make-up purse, make-up compartment in your bag, or for guys, any toiletries you carry with you.
- Remove items you don’t use regularly enough to justify their real estate.
- Discard anything old, in poor condition or funky smelling.
- Consider streamlining your daily essentials. Could you limit yourself to, say, a neutral lipstick or lipgloss, small tube of SPF hand cream, small blush with built-in mirror and brush, small mascara and small fragrance bottle?
- If you streamline the contents, consider downsizing your make-up purse too.
Step 5: Organize
Finally, return the streamlined items to your bag. Make use of compartments to help keep the contents organized.
Dos & Don’ts
- Don’t keep floating tissues, unneeded receipts, ancient mints and gum, loose coins, random pens, paper scraps, indecipherable notes.
- Do keep your streamlined wallet, keys and make-up purse, cell phone, iPod, attractive notebook, nice-to-use pen, small tissue pack or handkerchief, and diary/PDA (the target of a future organizing mission).
Extended Organizing Mission Options
Want to go beyond this 30-minute organizing mission?
- If your bag or briefcase lacks compartments, is in poor condition or out-of-touch with your current likes and lifestyle, take yourself shopping and invest in a better performer.
- If other household members want to participate let them get their backpack/briefcase/tote and join you.
- If you have other bags and briefcases you don’t love, take this opportunity to discard them. If they’re lovely, donate; if not, ditch.
Ready, Set, Go!
Remember – move quickly, act fast, don’t overthink.
Before You Go – Please Check In
You’re now accountable to your organizing mission-mates! Once you’ve completed this week’s Get Organized Mission please add a comment to let us know you’ve done your assignment and you’re keeping your commitment.
(Click ‘Comment’ at the very top of this post or scroll down to the bottom. Depending on how you’re viewing this post, one of those options will be available for you.)
And see you back here next week!
Update
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Image by ume-y
done – that wasn’t too hard – why did it take me so long?
Done! Just in time for a quick trip up the coast. Detoxed my brief bag and backpack, then while on holiday I treated myself to a lovely new handbag and wallet — just the right size to hold a tiny folding umbrella, cloth grocery bag, itty-bitty notebook, a tin of mints and the wallet. The extra tote bags, brief bags, hand bags, computer bags, backpacks and all are on their way to the thrift store tomorrow. YAY, ME!!! 😉
Done ! But this was quite easy because I do it every year when we go on holiday – most of the cards etc don’t work overseas, so I can really get down to a minimum, then some never make it back.
I was putting this one off because I have a massive bag that has so much stuff in it that it gives me back pain if I have to carry it around to much – but I had somehow justified everything in there – until I was carrying my lunch to work and a yoghurt leaked in my handbag. It makes you assess everything when you have to clean everything before putting it back!
I was also disappointed that I wasn’t using many of my beautiful handbags cos it was too much of a drama to transfer everything over.
I bit the bullet and completed this mission and now have a perfectly sized makeup purse, a cleaned out wallet, only 1 pen (!!!) and can easily transfer between bags. and I’m not using my handbag as a carry all – If i need to carry things into the office then I use a small enviro bag. and I detoxed my keys – I would never have thought to do this but what a difference!
Done! Easy, because I remove clutter from my bag periodically. The most challenging bit was my wallet and not carrying around loyalty cards for places i never go (but /might/ one day!)
I actually had just done this a couple of days ago. I did my purse, my wallet, tote bag for work, diaper bag, and bag I take to parades when we take all the kids.
Today I detoxed my purse–remembered to use a disinfectant wipe on the outside also, as our purses can collect lots of germs. Also detoxed my keys.
Great assignment.
I actually have bags upon bags that need to be emptied and consolidated. This is a much needed task.
Finished the first huge bag class. Will do the bag one tomorrow. Will be interesting to see how much stuff I do discard as I’ve been pretty good the past 6 months or so of getting my keys and bags together. Got rid of a 4 or 5 bags recently – didn’t hurt as much as I thought it would and gives me WAY more room in my closet.
This might be an original statement – but – I am done – that was easy – etc. I do like having something to help focus my tasks.
I do this everytime I come home home from a shopping spree. File receipts straight away and then throw out the rubbish. Any coins I have in my purse go into a bowl. Once a month I bag up the moneyand deposit it into my daughters account.
This was so easy, and made such a difference! thought i’d have nothing to ged rid of but I actually was carrying several loyalty cards i don’t even use and hundreds of random notes on pieces of paper. Got rid of them and feel so much lighter!
Have started this one already but need to detox keys and cards. Will keep you posted
All done! About a month or so ago I made a promise to myself to do this weekly. I haven’t always managed it but it wasn’t in such a bad state. I have a hand bag organiser which is brilliant for moving everything from bag to bag but often gets overlooked so it has had a thorough clean.
Done!! yippeeeee
This was relatively straight forward as I’d pruned through before going on vacation. However streamlining my key chain was inspired. In all honesty I’ve been carrying a couple of keys on there for 20 years and I no longer have any idea what they are for! I’ve substituted one of those dinky ultralights to help with dark evenings.
Done. No comments. It feels good progressing to getting organized step by step. Looking forward to the third mission. Thanks.
did this right away (the basic mission and diaper bag)…wow – a lot to get rid of!
I did this tonight. I actually like to do this every Sunday night after shopping on Saturday and Goofing on Sunday. But I went farther and did my purse, wallet, and knitting bag. Done and done
I lucked out on this one. Bought a new bag last week and had done a thorough cleanout prior to “moving in”. But I did get rid of some old bags that I never use! Looking forward to Mission #3.