Organizing your Purse

Does this look anything like your purse?

Our purses: Our lifeline to being able to function!! We rely on having what we need when we need it.
Having that bandaide when Alex falls and scrapes his knee at the playground. A tissue when Tim has a runny nose in church, a brush to brush Elise's hair when we are out and a ponytail holder to pull it back.
Our families look at us as being able to solve every problem such as having the gift cards they got from Christmas when they need them and always having a pen and paper to so we can take down a phone number when our husband's are on the phone.
But can you find what you need in your purse when you need it? If you are like most people the answer to that is no. And not a little no...but a big fat....."are you kidding me"..NO!
Here is the content of my purse minus my cell phone (I left by the couch and glasses that I was wearing...so just pretend there are 2 more things laying on the table.

There is a lot of stuff there! But I use almost everything at different times. Being an organizer I hate not being prepared.
Finding the right purse to start with is one of the big keys. I have to say that I am more into function and price than I am into style and name brand. I look for a purse that has several pockets. I like the outside pockets, and several compartments inside to keep things separated.
The pouchee has made keeping my purse organized sooooo much nicer!! I have my main items that I need in there. My checkbooks, glasses, cell phone, money, credit cards, pen, and keys. So I can changes purses easily if I want to or I can just grab that and go if I want to run into a store and not carry my entire purse.
(Thank you Anita Crook for inventing it!!)
I have also just recently discovered the card cubby. It is the hot pink item. I am actually having a giveaway on it right now on my Organize with Sandy Review site. You can win one!! It has all my gift cards and discount cards in it along with my business cards.
The other thing that I also discovered that I really love is the Fumi pursehook. It is the bracelet that looks like a zebra. Love it. I used it for real when I went to a movie the other night and there was no hook on the stall. I had it hooked to the handle of my purse instead of wearing it that night and just took it off and hung my purse on the door. Also having a giveaway right now on my Review site.
(Keep in mind that if I didn't really like these 3 products and plan on continuing to use them after these contests...I wouldn't be mentioning them right now.)
The reason I want you to find a purse with different pockets is so that you can separate your items to make it easier to find when you need them. This is how I have mine organized.
(Left) This is one of the zipper sections (not the main compartment). I have my camera, PDA and spelling directory in this pocket.

The right zipper section I have a little bag that I put all the bandaides etc. in. (not shown)
This is the end pocket where I keep my lipstick, brush, hand lotion and chap stick. It makes it very easy to grab my lipstick at anytime...no hunting around.
In this pocket I have gum and a notepad that has a pad of sticky notes and little colored tabs to mark things in magazines etc.
The main compartment of my purse has my pouchee and the card cubby (left) It is hard to see but I also have 2 pockets inside the purse that I have my little pink multi-tool that I use mainly for the scissors. Also on the strap I keep my new Fumi pursehook and my antibacterial hand gel.
Purse is put back together quickly and with just a little pain (it was very hard for me to just dump everything in the main compartment for my top picture! LOL
Keeping your purse organized will make doing your errand much easier when it comes time to check out at a store. Have fun organizing!!