Alright, I declare myself beaten. I’ve tried up and down through the years to organize the cavernous space that is my daily handbag and have failed repeatedly. The thing is, if you were to read tips online, everyone will point you to the bag organizer or purse organizer. I’ve tried a few in my time and I can safely say, they don’t work for me.
Through the years, I’ve done the wraparound bag organiser, the plastic box organiser, and the bag-in-a-bag organiser. Each time, I start out all raring to go, certain that THIS will be IT! This will be the magic item that keeps the inside of my bag from being the black hole through which all my small items get sucked into.
Every single time, I barely last 2 weeks before I remove it, toss it into the far corners of my cupboard and vow never to want to see it again. I lasted the longest with the Rootote bag-in-a-bag organizer as it was handy but then it got too small and my wallet couldn’t fit. These days, you can get these bag organizer things anywhere. Muji does some good, not very pricey ones and I’ve seen cheap ones at places like Guardian or Watson’s too.
But what I really want to know is this: Do any of you actually find these things useful and have you been using one for longer than 6 months?
I try. Heaven knows, I try!
My problem is that I start out with very good intentions. I pack up the organiser with my wallet, my pouches, my keys etc, place it into my bag and marvel at how organized everything looks, and how quickly I can switch my bag contents.
The problem starts when I’m out and e.g. at a checkout counter. I pull out my wallet to make a payment and then, stuff it back into the bag quickly, so I can collect my groceries and not hold up the queue. At this point, the wallet ends up outside of the organiser, but I think “Oh, it’s ok. I’ll put it back later” I never do.
Then, I stop off to buy something else, and it’s a small item so I don’t need a plastic bag. So I stuff it into my bag together with the receipt. I pull out my car keys and by this time, there isn’t much in the organiser so it starts to flop over inside my bag and loses all semblance of comparmentalization.
Basically, what I found is that it only took me a couple of days to make a mess of everything simply because I’d end up not putting items back into the organizer, for the simple reason that it is actually too slow and too much hassle to do so! I’d still lose my keys or can’t find a pen (because it’s slipped down UNDER the organizer) and let’s not even talk about trying to find my mobile phone in there. For me therefore, using a bag organizer is like putting a black hole into a black hole.
These days, what I do is have a separate pouch for separate items. I stopped using bag organizers (they make my bag too heavy) and I try not to carry too much crap around with me (which I always fail of course). One of these days, I’ll show you what REALLY goes into my bag; not one of the carefully curated photos that you see on most blogs, but a proper, honest to goodness “What’s REALLY in my bag” post. I promise you, it won’t be a pretty sight! LOL! 😀
Do you use a bag or purse organizer? Do you find it useful or does it just cause more disorganization?
I’ve used a few in my time. I find the bag-in-a-bag ones the most useful in terms of design. However, I also find that they can be impractical if they are too small, or narrow. Ultimately though, I find that the best bag organization is to go through it every few days and take out or toss what you don’t need. Keeping things in separate pouches also help. But I could never again do a bag organizer. I just find it too impractical for my needs. How about you?
Paris B
HI,Paris.It’s the first time i see the organizer)) but i don’t think it can be helpfull for me too.After ending with numerous of new,unused bags,now i am more attentive with choosing bags.I look that it’s not too small so that i can fit into all my stuff and not too big coz i don’t want to be lost in it )).and i look that it has enough pockets,for phone additionel one of course.Also i fit make up only those that need touch ups trough daily in a small make up bag.Despite this my bag turns into mess and i need to re-organize it at the end of the day xexe))
Hi Sevinj, picking a right bag will definitely make life a lot easier, as is not carrying a lot of small items in there that need organizing 🙂 Practically though, by the time we’re done with the day, most of us would have to reorganize anyway hehe…
I have one bag organizer and my sister in law bought it for me. I thought it was too small, so I do prefer using separate pouches. That said, I still have it in one of my smaller bags, and I don’t really have that issue of stuffing extra stuff in my bag. LOL!
I guess it does control how much you can put in, and I’ve found it more useful in a smaller, more structured bag. In larger ones, it just flops about and goes missing… along with everything else! haha
Honestly, purse organizers doesn’t really work at all for me. One trick I’ve picked up is buying bags with a lot of compartments, inside and out. That way, all my stuff has a place, within the bag itself. As for cosmetics, I stuff em all in a make up pouch, and that goes in neatly. And I try not to switch handbags too much, and I got one classic, stylish bag that fits all occasions! The bag you use matters ladies! =D
The problem with bags with a lot of compartments that I’ve found, is that I stuff too much rubbish in to them LOL! I used to have a bag with lots of little pockets all over the place and each time I clear it out, I’d have bits of paper and receipts and stuff in every little pocket. Drove me nuts hehe… That said, finding the right bag is a good tip to have!
Ah not practical for me too… i have a few bags organiser and now its left someone inside the cupboard… collecting dusts.. hmm… i felt that bags with more compartments are much more useful and dont take up as much space as bag organiser.
Yeah, they take up a lot of space, and actually weigh quite a bit. I was a little surprised. Funny. I thought these things were popular, but so few people actually find them useful LOL!
Never bought into the bag organiser thing myself. Then again, I don’t really carry everything and the kitchen sink also…? But I do do the pouch thing when I travel.
Better you know that pouches work for you now than never, I say.
Am learning to stop lugging the kitchen sink around with me 😛 But there’s still stuff I carry daily like keys that always go missing, as well as things like portable batteries (damn battery sucking smartphones) and a couple of other essentials. Using pouches is useful for me, because I can take pouches in and out as I see fit 🙂
Hello :D,
I feel you! Here’s some of the tips I prac.:
1) Automatically put those items (those tht dn’t need plastic bags) int a special compartment or a special black cotton recycle bag. So that way, I know “aha this is my “new bought items compartment/bag”. Usually whn I remove my water bottle, I will put this “black bag” on the common table. So any family members will “sound me” if I dn’t remove it OR they will take the goodies.
2) I’ve used those Multi user organizers but still not fully utilized. I still keep makeup in transparent bag (easier to see) & stationaries in another bag, IT gadgets in another, thn. stuff to the multi organizer. I got once of those tht is flexible wth zipper & can stretch. The zipper, zip or not also can. Enough cotton material to protect most bottle objects. Bought a maroon one so as it gets darker, I dn’t need to wash it. It’s red wine now 🙂 Ref sample: http://assets.mochithings.com/products/daily_purse_organizer/photos/7756/extra_large_daily_purse_organizer.png
I got it for around RM18/19 only including delivery.
Talking about storage organizers:
I’ve bought 2 sets (buy 1 free 1) for socks/cloths from Guardian, sadly it started to break apart (like just rot away) within 1 year. While another set from Ikea, tht lasted till now (in it’s 4th year). Both cost the same. Bought around the same time.
A colleague gave me a plastic storage container for accessories frm Muji before, dropped it several times (gosh) & it’s still intact! Such good quality.
Excellent points all around Vera! I have to be a little more diligent about putting things away. At this point in time, my dining table can barely be seen under piles of paper and bits and bobs that go on it everyday when I arrive home >.< The pouch you got looks cute! Nice and handy and even fits a tablet! (Although you might want to keep that tablet outside of the pouch or it'd end up outside anyway haha) 😀 p/s Noticed your blog! 😉
I’ve never used one. 🙂 I use plastic paper files (A5 and A4 sizes) to make compartments, like this one
http://m4.uxcell.com/i/13b/ux_a13042500ux0774_ux_g02.jpg
and pouches in different colours, and that works for me.
And (this is very important) if bag lining is dark, pouches are light or colourfull so i can find them easily, and vice versa.
From my experience, the most practical pouches are red, fuchsia and (olive) green ones.
Good point about colours Tina! A bright pouch or a contrasting colour pouch will certainly make it easier to find things in the black hole of any bag 😀
It really depends. In some black hole bags, I find the purse organiser works wonders but I’m gravitating more towards multiple pouches so I don’t have anything loose floating around. The only thing that’s remotely loose: Earphones in its case and travel key card. Everything else sits in pouches and makeup bags. I find this way easier to change bags than the purse organiser.
I think the organizer only works in a structured smallish bag. e.g. Speedy will perform well with an organizer. But the Bayswater doesn’t. I tried. It’s just a floppy mess. Pouches at least work in all situations and I can take them out or put them in as I need them coz I won’t need them ALL at one go.
A bag organizer is too bulky as girls have tons of things to bring along whenever going out. We tend to put more and more things in it since it is well divided.
I’ll prefer a bag-in-bag organizer too. Just separate my things into few smaller pouches in a bigger pouch.
Good point about trying to fill up the organizer! Too true. If it isn’t full there must be something wrong eh? LOL!
I have never owned a bag organiser and I doubt I ever will. I prefer keeping my items in separate pouches as I find it easier to locate them. I carry the same bag to work everyday and only change bags during the weekend. As I do not carry big bags, I would find a bag organiser cumbersome.
Importantly, don’t carry too much crap around haha! I learned it the hard way because I used to carry large heavy bags and it played merry hell with my back and shoulder. These days, I go for smaller bags so I don’t stuff them too much. Sometimes they do still play merry hell but at least I know the kitchen sink can’t fit in there! 😉
When I used to carry just a wallet, a card holder, a lipstick, a phone and a pen holder, they all fitted in my handbags so I had no use for bag organizers. Everything fitted in snugly – could be taken out and put back in to be easily found the next time round. Then the items to be carried increased and my sleek handbags had to give way to the hobos and bigger bags. With bigger/floppy bags came the inevitable “lucky draw” in the bag in search for items. Quite often by the time I found my phone that was ringing, the call would have cut off.
In comes the bag organizer to hold the stuff, which works well with a pen holder and alongside the organizer, a cosmetic pouch and a thick 9″ x 4″ envelope to keep vouchers/coupons. Plus a hook to the car keys which hooks/hangs on the side of the handbag so that they keys do not disappear into the depths of the bag or even the organizer.
I suspect the OCD bit of me keeps me regimental in returning the items to their proper pockets in the organizer and so this layout works well for me.
Sigh… you see, I’m not very OCD haha… If I were, I think I’d appreciate a bag organizer more. I make a horrible beauty blogger. Everyone seems to have neat tables and neat this and that and I’m just a huge mess most of the time (Except I try not to look like one heh) But you know, that’s the problem I find with a hobo style bag and floppy bags. They tend to be more black holey than a structured bag. So now I go for something a little more structured. Things don’t move around so much and it’s easier to find everything. I have to get a little pouch for receipts and vouchers and stuff. That’s a great idea, to keep things organized!
I am that kind of person…. I will pack up everything in the weekends for my weekday work bag..but then after a while everything starts to come out…but still I am still buying bags all the time .. I guess habit dies hard..hahahaha but still I am not an organised girl that is why things are always deorganised..the most important thing is that at least I remember where I put everything ……
hahaha you sound like me! I’m not very organized either. I mean I try and when I try, it works. But when it’s a mess, I can find my stuff, which I think is more important than making a mess and then not being able to find anything eh? 😛
What’s in my bag/purse post PLZ!!! lol 😉
Haha I’ll try to oblige Jen!
Black hole in a black hole!!!! You got me laughing till I nearly cried!!! 😀
I have never used one, and I don’t need to change bag quickly (although that’s a good tip about using bag organiser) because I tend to stick to the same bag for MONTHS. So imagine the amount of crap I have in there. I tried to carry a small pouch for lipsticks that I really wanna give some love to. And I think you know all too well. The “lipstick of the day” got accumulated in a different compartment. One day I dished out something like 5-6 lipsticks from that compartment!! No wonder my shoulder was screaming at me!!
I prefer to use a bag with different compartments so I organize my “roam free” items in their categories: Compartment 1: pens, USB cable, cloth for lens, battery pack etc; Compartment 2: lip balm, lipstick(s) of the day, small mirror, hand sanitizer, keys, etc; inner zip: mobile phone and purse. And I leave the main compartment for bigger objects. Over times, thanks to sticking to the same bag, I have developed my own system of putting things into their rightful place sort of automatically. It works for me, and I never have to dig in the black hole to find something. :p Obviously, that is if we keep each compartment relatively “clutter free”. When I had a compartment full of lipsticks it took me ages to dig around for my precious little lip balm… arrrghhhh! So that’s failed approach. haha
You know I actually don’t change my bag very often either 😛 I am lazy and when I change, I have to clean up the first bag etcetc so it’s just easier to stick to the same one for a while. Oh and I carry a makeup pouch that only holds lipsticks. At any one time, there are at least 5 in there. That’s about the maximum it holds LOL! I tried to have a compartmentalized bag but you know what? They aren’t very nice are they? They tend to look a bit too utilitarian but then, I’m a bit of a bag lady so I’m particular that way 😉
Hello bag lady! :p I am a practical girl. It’s in my sun sign (if you believe this sort of things, that is)… hahaha
I don’t carry any makeup pouches in my bag. But I do need a rather large ones for stuffing things like… my child’s stuff toy, sweater, earmuff… Life is so much easier when everything can be carried inside ONE bag. :p And oh! You know what? A largish bag also acts as a good cover up for tummy flaps – standing or sitting. Perfect! 😀
Hahaha yes I actually believe in sun signs 😛 well, some traits anyway 🙂 I’m sure you need to carry much more practical things than I do 😀 But I hear ya on bags that can hide flab LOL! Oh the many times I”ve had to employ that secret trick 😀
I use to use it at first, then I feel the extra purse organiser is really heavy I don’t know why. Since now I don’t have so much bag, I seldom use the purse organiser anymore.
Well, considering you’re putting another bag inside your bag, yeah it’s definitely adding weight! Some organizers are very light though but still, I think it’s just a way to make me fill it up and then my bag gets heavy! LOL
I tried too, Paris. Like you I tried so many different types of organisers but ended up getting more disorganised! I’m about to chuck all of them away now.
I have now re-organised myself by using a pouch for my tens of thousands of lipsticks and lip glosses, and 1 transparent pouch for “dan lain-lain lagi”! So throw in the ultra bulging wallet and phone, I basically have 4 main items in the bag. A couple of other things thrown in include a tube of hand cream and car key. Of course, you can guess that I’m not carrying a small handbag 🙁
Haha! Sounds pretty much like my bag 😛 I find the pouch method helps me organize better. I keep my pouches in different textures so I can just root about in the bag and by feel, identify the pouch I want 😀
After trying many different bag organizers, I found One from tintamar that i love it! I bought in Paris and another one in Portugal. I choose red to mach the inside of my tote ! Its not heavy and has 3 sizes….because I dont like to put makeup in my nice night purses I also bought a small one. I dont put anything inside my purse without a organizer because my pen stained my bags before.????
Avoid buying those purse organiser from Groupon that are fairly cheap. I got mine from Cloversac. Its purse organiser is sturdy and well structured, it helps to keep my stuff organise in my tote bag.