Photo Credit: Nicol Jones
I’ve never been a shoe girl.
Oh, I’ve collected a few pairs of tennis shoes in several colors, a basic black dress pump and a few slides. But when I hit the mall for some retail therapy, shoes are not what I’m after. There’s only one accessory I collect in excess, although in my mind I can justify every purchase.
This girl’s true weakness is handbags.
Yes, I love purses! The bigger the better. But for whatever reason, it seems I never have one in the right size when I need it. With two younger children, I’m hauling a small suitcase of their items “just in case.” So the bag itself is my treat.
Varied sizes, colors, configurations – these bags need inner pockets, cell phone holders and a place to stash snacks. Some I have are too roomy, and everything just collects in a big mess at the bottom. Some are too tight, and the five baseballs my son likes to pack don’t fit. All of them are pretty, to dress up my lackluster wardrobe.
I’m also a thrift shopper. If I can’t get a deal, I can easily walk away. So my go-to bag stop is typically from T.J. Maxx because…hunting to find higher end, name-brand bags at discounted prices makes for less guilt, right?
One of my favorite brands – baggallini® – is in abundant supply at a price point between $20-35. You’ll never see me with a Coach® bag or anything retailing north of $50. It’s not because I don’t like them, but I easily get tired of a bag in 6-12 months.
Now that my son is in preschool, I’ve decided to purchase a reasonably-sized, cute handbag for everyday use. I realized I was either taking a weekender or a wallet when going out with friends, which is just ridiculous.
The best part is I FINALLY figured out how to organize my purse so I can find what I need.
Here’s how I did it:
Pouches are the key!
I use pouches for everything in my purse. Each is a different color and holds a category of items. These pouches are economical, come in many sizes and fun patterns, and make it really easy to change to another purse quickly.
Sure, it’s super cute to have a matchy set. But let’s be real – that’s a disaster when your kid is bleeding and you need a Band-Aid® before he goes tearing through Target to find something to wipe his knee.
Photo Credit: Nicol Jones
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My purse consists of a wallet and several pouch “kits:”
- My Wallet – complete with credit cards, cash and coupons. Vera Bradley has the BEST large wallet (the Turnlock) with lots of card slots and sections for keeping everything organized. The Vera Bradley Turnlock Wallet. <–affiliate
- First Aid Kit – a small pouch with bandaids, Neosporin®, gauze, scissors, sanitizing wipes.
Photo Credit: Nicol Jones
- Makeup bag – this pouch has all of mommy’s stuff, plus hair ties for my daughter.
Photo Credit: Nicol Jones
- EpiPen® bag – these bags are the cutest, and a must-have if you have a kid with allergies. They are made well and insulated to protect your medications. Cute Epi Pen case on Etsy
Photo Credit: Nicol Jones
- Gift card holder – I keep my gift cards in a separate pouch, while my coupons are incorporated into my wallet. I’m now in the habit of checking this pouch first to see if I have a gift card to spend at a store before I use my credit card – that’s handy!
Photo Credit: Nicol Jones
Now that my purse is this organized, I have room to slip in a:
- sleeve of wet wipes,
- package of tissues,
- granola bars for the kiddos.
Photo Credit: Nicol Jones
Also, here’s a cool new gadget I’ve found: the Bagnet®.
It’s a magnet that clips your purse to any metal surface. It’s particularly helpful in a public restroom, which almost always has a broken bag hook. The Bagnet
Photo Credit: Nicol Jones
My cell phone goes in the outer pocket, and I’m ready to go. Remember to stash things in the same part of your bag so you can find them easily. Best of all, if I have to switch out bags, I can do it so quickly.
Photo Credit: Nicol Jones
So now you know the secrets of my favorite accessory! Although, what bag would be complete without an avocado coin purse?
photo from n. jones
Nicol Jones
Nicol is an expert in visual communications and social media strategies for a variety of clients. Her experience in web and publication design – along with skills in project organization, customer service and event management – are why many point to her as an invaluable resource to launch their projects and events.
An avid gardener and food aficionado, Nicol is a busy mom and an excellent cook, too!