Organize Your Handbag

.: Organizationally-Inclined Handbags

It is amazing how quickly the inside of a beautiful yet simple single-compartment oversized tote can turn into this gaping black hole where belongings are tossed and never found again. The best handbags will have a good balance of style and function--and by function, we mean pockets.

If you’re buying a new purse, some are more organizationally inclined then others. A bag that was literally built for organization (but not for most budgets unfortunately) is the Butler Bag. With little plastic dividers partitioning the interior space, there are compartments for all essentials like phones, writing utensils, water bottles, compact mirrors, a box of mints, and even a slot or two for a magazine or file folder. One of our favorites from the new line is the Cocktail Hybrid ($1,400), a sleek black and white Italian patent leather number that will go with both your work and play wardrobes.

Always a comfy and colorful choice, Vera Bradley’s quilted classics are great weekend bags. The Villager has six slip-in pockets that ring the inside of the bag. Stick some cash in the outer zip pocket so that you can easily access it for those unexpected impulse buys. Keep your iPod in the outer slip pocket so you can easily change the tunes.

A textured-leather Triangle Tote from Banana Republic is a sophisticated style that is perfect for the office. It includes many inner and outer flap and zip pockets (even one that is just for your cell phone) and a handy key fob tab.

Another organizer-friendly option is this Italian-made Buti shopper. A bag with so many great compartments will make it easy for you to find your things. Just assign certain items to specific pockets, and you will always know where they’ll be.

.: Color-Coded Pouches

If the bottom of your bag is commonly cluttered with coins, receipts, perhaps a couple of Band-Aids, and sticks of gum that have fallen out of their packet, it might be time to invest in a collection of small zip pouches.

Having a few pouches in different colors is a great organization method – the red for emergency supplies (nail file, stain remover wipes, etc.), the white for important receipts, the blue for a notepad and pen, the green for loose change -- but it also couldn’t hurt to have labels just in case your memory is shaky. Jane Marvel Zip-top Sandwich Bags come in great girly prints and colors and have little clear windows that can display personalized labels.

See-thru mesh pouches from Walker Bags will keep everything neatly segregated but allow you to see all of your personal items at the same time. We enjoy their Keychain Cases for keeping your gym locker key and membership card together.

Round up your eyeliner sticks, makeup brushes, emery boards, and anything else long and skinny in a fashionable Flower Pop Design Pencil Pouch from The Container Store.

For those with a few extra dollars to throw around, we covet nothing more than Anya Hindmarch’s metallic calfskin Loose Pockets with scalloped edges and a tassel zipper pull. In embossed lettering, each pouch is given a cute little name like “Fun Money,” “Lotions & Potions," “Beauty & the Beast," and “Odds & Sods.” A few whimsical British phrases later, your purse will really be whipped into proper form.