When my kids were little, my handbag was a messy mix of snacks, toys and other essentials for both me and them. I would clean it out but after a couple weeks of running around to activities and events, it would be a mess again and always ended up weighing about 30 lbs. It was a lot of strain on my body, especially my neck and shoulders and it was also hard to find things. Fast forward a few years and I was able to ditch the kid snacks and toys but still found that my purse was a bit of a disaster. I realized I had to streamline my contents of my handbag but also shift my mindset about what I really needed to carry around with me. I also adopted a few organization techniques to keep my purse from getting overloaded with unnecessary items.

My Favorite Handbag Essentials and Organization Tips

Kari Gran Lip Whip Tinted Lip Balm - A little moisture, a little color. The perfect amount of color for everyday.
Follain Small Hand Cream - Small enough to fit in my purse and mighty enough to moisturize my hands when they get dry like on airplanes and in other climate controlled areas. Also has a nice light citrus scent.
Blue Q Small Floral Zipper Pouch - Helps organize the little things in my purse so they are easy to find.
Small Coach Wallet - The perfect sized wallet. More than enough spaces for my cards and cash and that’s it.
Beautycounter Hand Sanitizer - I really try to not use haand sanitizer but it’s good to have on hand just in case. This one smells amazing and also moisturizes.
Poppy and Pout Lip Balm - I love Poppy & Pout’s flavors and their lip balms are made with only the best ingredients.
Madewell Small Leather Crossbody - Small but not too small. This handbag holds everything I need for most of the things I do when I am out and about. I also like to pack it my suitcase when I go on trips.

Downsize - Unless I am traveling or going on some type of day trip, I no longer need a large, oversized handbag. I used to carry one around as a default and then realized how quickly it was filling up with unnecessary stuff and how heavy it became. Now I tailor my purse size and contents based on what I’m doing and quite often I only really need a small bag with some very basic things.

Zip Pouches - I used to keep small items in the pockets of my purse but now I use zipper pouches. They work so much better at keeping small items contained and they are so much easier to find. No more digging around pockets and the bottom of my purse. The key, of course, is to remember to keep them zipped!

Clean Out Frequently - I clean my purse out at least once a week or after a trip, event or activity where I might be collecting or carrying extra stuff. I am always amazed by how much accumulates in such a short period of time.

Only Pack What I Need - If I’m going on a trip or out and about for an extended period of time, I make sure I go through my purse and remove or add based on what I’m doing. If I am just going out to eat, there is no need for me to carry the same things I would need if I was going to work. It really doesn’t take that much effort and it prevents my purse from getting overloaded.