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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Click here to sign up for 52 Organizing Missions.
Image by ume-y
Done!
Done, this one took awhile. I put it off as long as i could. But, it’s done now and it didn’t really take that long to do.
Done
I don’t think this will last, but I do find that I empty and organize my purse often. This is not one of my problem areas.
My purse is small, so this eliminated the extras.
I purchased a new purse and wallet after Christmas. This mission was perfect timing. My bag is so much lighter now!
Long overdue and perfect timing. Was having surgery so needed to make my purse lighter as I’m not supposed to lift anything. Well did this mission the week before and surgery and amazed what I had on the bottom. Even found money in the process! now, 2 weeks after completing the mission, my puse is so light that it doesn’t always stay on the shoulder. Yay!
This was a great exercise. Have put it on my calendar for the end of each week!
My bag is so much lighter now!
Cleaned out my purse! Didn’t take the whole 30 minutes because I have cleaned it out already not too long ago. One thing I think I do need to do is WASH the purse. It has been everywhere with me and who knows how many germs are on the bottom of it. I may do that tonight while it is fresh in my mind.
Got this one done! I need to do that more often.
I do this about every month or two. Should do it sooner but…This has become a test..I’ll explain Once my purse weighs 10-14lbs,( I carry a large purse all the time) them I clean it out. I drop all my loose change into my purse it migrates to the bottom,I NEVER dig down there to spend, in the time it takes to get to that weight I will have between $80.00 to $130.00 in the bottom of it. Yes I do use expense purses, the straps will hold up I have never broken a strap. My husband thinks its insane…he is in law enforcement..he says if I was every in an accident he would never expect anyone to inventory my purse contents just weigh it. In a little over 3 years I have managed to collect a little over $4000.00 I leave it in change form so I am not tempted to spend until vacation time. The trip I’m saving for just for the 2 of us. (No Kids) A month in Europe.
DONE! (finally) … feels good to have all that junk out of it … I found movie tickets that were 9 months old!
Mission Two done – cleaned and organised my briefcase and labelled the compartments so i remember where to file different papers.
Reorganised my purse and handbag – purchased a borne naked handbag organiser to keep everything in….
Wow, Im surprised. I’m little so I carry little purses, but I still had plenty to chuck. I had lots of appointment reminder cards and receipts, and tons of expired coupons (I hate that…). So out they went and also emptied my wallet which is simply a zip pouch which holds my drivers license, credit cards (down to one now plus atm card), business cards, and money. Plus insurance cards (health and car) and a couple others like AAA. All my coins are going in a container at home like another poster has to lighten the load. I dont reapply make up either so there was none of that stuff. Just a pack of gum. I do plan on getting or making a nicer coupon holder instead of the ziplock bag I carry them in. Now if I can just remember to use them before they expire!! Looking forward to #3.
Done! Had been putting this off for a while. My shoulder should ache less now!
Actually got regular purse and 3 old purses cleaned out in less time than the 30 minutes!
done — this was an easy one.
I love a nice clean purse.
Done!