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
Started detox today. I decided to ease into things by doing the detox of my purse first. So far, so good!
Ive done this one already my boyfriend bought me a bag yesterday so it was easy
I’ve just found these 52 Get Organised Missions, and I did this one today, but not only did I do my handbag and wallet I am using right now (which I do all the time anyway) I went through my cupboard and got out all my handbags and emptied them all (as they all had different stuff left in them for ‘later use’) and even threw 4 out! Yay
It is done!!!!!!
This didn’t take long to do, but I feel so much better about my organized pur 🙂
@Julie: LOL! I love bonus benefits like that!
I actually enjoyed doing this – found a $20 note – and got rid of so many little bits and pieces. I’m going to make this a regular habit.
I did it! usually do weekly! but i went a little deeper this time- credit cards, keys.
I have cleaned out two handbags that I switch between on a daily basis, I cannot believe that I have filled a plastic shopping bag full of “floating tissues”
old recepits (especially accumulated from christmas shopping), and numerous reward cards for coffee from cafes I do not visit!. Feels good.
Completed…and my head is clearer!
@Shelly: See – there are so MANY benefits to getting organized. 😉
Done! Found some yummy chip crumbs in my work bag!
I have completed the second mission…yeah! It wasn’t a big job for me, as I had been through and cleaned my handbag out not too long ago because I was looking for something that I had misplaced. No need to clean up my key ring, as I only have two keys on there anyway…my car and my house keys!
I am still working on my HUGE trash bag, but have made good progress. I could have easily filled 2 bags, but I sorted…..dumped the recycling can 4x and have a ½ bag of stuff to donate! So I did declutter more than 1 HUGE bag…..but it is still in the house……AND IT WILL BE OUT BY THE TIME I GO TO BED TONIGHT!!!!! AND THAT’S A PROMISE!!!!
Ironically, I cleaned out my purse 2 days ago – and didn’t discover that my Mission #2 was stuck in my email junk mail until this morning…..Yea- I’m not behind!!!
My handbag was a SHOCKER! Full of snot-rags (as we called them at school), screwed up receipts containing chewed chewing gum, millions of pens, hair clips, make up items – YEUCH! Now streamlined with a nice silver make up bag into which the pens & hair clips can nestle with the make up. I shall try not to go back to my sluttish ways. I like the comment someone made above about how they do this every Friday so I might make it part of my Sunday routine…
mission 2 was easy as I have nothing to clear out. I already have a very streamlined handbag (as I swap them regularly and they are all tiny). although, I have put on my to-do list to buy one of those cheap plastic card holders so that I can transfer my cards easily from one handbag to the next.
done and feelin’ good!
It feels good to streamline the purse: my back will thank me! Did the extended mission and found some gently and never used items for the charity bag!
do this regularly anyway so already done!
All done. My bag still seems to have quite a lot in it but at least it is all organized and I can find stuff. I haven’t lost my keys once this week!