Organizer Purses

About Organizer Purses

Organizer purses are simply purses, handbags, or totes that have built in dividers, pockets, sections, or compartments to keep your purse neat and organized. This cuts down on time wasted digging or fumbling for your license, credit cards, keys, cell phone, or other necessities. Instead, you're ready to grab and go.

Using an organizer handbag doesn't mean being restricted to matronly styles of bland designs. There are dozens of creative designs, colors, sizes and materials -- everything from fun and flirty discount bags to sleek and streamlined designer purses.

Features

Despite the many styles and variations, many of the basic features are similar. The goal of organizer purses is to make toting your things easier and more functional, and both traditional and contemporary styles are based on dividing and containing to create organization.

Common features you may want to look for include:

• At least one open and one zippered or closed compartment
• Easy to open and access contents of purse
• A built-in wallet or slots for credit cards, cash, etc.
• Clear slot for license or ID
• Built-in change purse or holder
• Cell phone pocket or pouch
• Slot or pouch for PDA or planner
• Place for checkbook
• Attached bag or zippered or snap pouch for cosmetics
• Hidden or zippered pocket for feminine products
• Pen slots
• Compartment for checkbook
• Key clip or compartment for keys
• Slip pocket for frequently used items
• Built in case for eyeglasses or sunglasses
• Elastic loop for water bottle or hairbrush
• Small elastic loops or pockets for breath mints, gum, or lip balm,
• Stiff-sided slot for receipts and paper
• Adjustable straps

Styles

Organizer purses are available in many styles, colors, and materials. Embroidered clutches, mini denim backpacks, nylon messenger bags, croc-style cargo satchels, and Italian leather hobos are created as organizer handbags.

Structured styles are popular, but organizing features have become available in less structured bags. Unstructured, shapeless, and soft sided bags are more difficult to find as organizers since their more structured counterparts are easier to divide and compartmentalize.

Choosing Your Purse

Choosing organizer purses, like any accessory or clothing item, is an adventure in finding that delicate balance between fashion and function, your needs and your personal style. Choosing your purse also depends on what kind of organizational style you have.

• Are you a perfectionist? You may want to look for highly structured, streamlined, medium-size bags with lots of slots and zippered pockets to keep everything in place

• Are you a packer? Do you pack lots of extra items in your purse 'just in case'? Look for large bags or totes with various sized compartments to hold extra items like hand sanitizer, extra credit cards, pad of paper, bandages, and address book so these things aren't crammed into a small space and jumbled together.

• Are you a dumper? Do you try to keep organized but have a tendency to just throw things in your purse? Look for medium-sized bags with open slots, open, snap, or elasticized pockets, and elastic loops so you can easily slip items into your purse without too much effort and still be organized.

• Are you a declutterer? Do you constantly throw things out of your purse and carry only the minimum you need? Look for small or mini bags or travel clutches with attached wallets and coin purses to keep your items neat and easy to reach.

Purse Organizers

If you have a favorite purse or if you switch purses often, a transferable purse organizer might be the best option for you. There are several different styles, the most popular being a connected assortment of expandable pockets and slots that is rolled and placed in the purse.

Two-sided leather or nylon purse organizers, mesh pocket organizers, and organizer inserts are also popular and are available in different shapes to fit your purse. Another alternative is to use small cosmetic bags to keep various items in your purse grouped together.

More Handbag Organizing Resources

• Purse Brite is a lighted organizer advertised on TV.
• Pursket is a handbag organizer.
• Chameleon is an organizer insert.
• Joey Junior offers Purse Mate.
• Find organizer handbags and more at eBags.