Organizing your purse is a good way to start out the New Year. If you are like many women, you end up with things you do not need and are out and about missing the one thing you really need. Getting organized and really thinking about what you should carry is a great way to start tackling the messy handbag. Here are some tips for getting and staying organized.

The first thing you need to do is pull everything out of your handbag and get realistic. What do you need to carry with you? Every person is different, and every person must answer this for herself. I have a 6-month old baby, so I must have a spare diaper, a burp cloth, a pacifier, and wipes on me at all times. Someone with older kids or no kids will not need these things. You may not be able to cope without three shades of lip gloss, while someone else might need to carry their checkbook with them at all times. Do what is right for you; just be sure to be realistic about what you decide you need to keep in your bag.

Once you have decided on the necessities, lay everything out in front of you and re-examine your belongings. Group them together into piles of items that are somewhat related. Put all of your cosmetics in one pile, put everything related to your personal items (like driver’s license, insurance card, credit cards, coins, business cards, checkbook, etc) in another pile. Take some time and make sure you have everything you need and that you do not have extra items that you can do without.

Once you have everything grouped together, you need to find ways to compartmentalize each group. Get a wallet that is the right size to hold all of your personal items like your cards, money, etc. Put all of your cosmetic items in small cosmetic bag that is just big enough to hold everything you want to carry in your bag. The key here is to compartmentalize as much as you can.

Now that you have everything grouped together and organized categorically, it is time to acquire a handbag that is just big enough to carry what you have laid out in front of you. One mistake women make is to carry a giant bag for “just in case” and before you know it, it is filled up with junk you do not need. If your purse is just big enough to accommodate everything you want to carry, everything will stay organized and will stay in place much better. Also look for a bag that is more structured if you want everything to stay in place more securely. Get a purse that has a good amount of pockets if you like that style. A cell phone pocket is a must-have in my opinion.

When you select a bag, you want it to be just big enough to carry your must-haves, but you do want to have a little extra room for items you may need for special occasions, but not so much extra room that you fall into the cycle of carrying too much extra stuff around on a daily basis.