A Month of Less: Purse/Diaper Bag

Okay, so my purse is usually a disaster.  I don't clean it out on a regular basis, so it keeps collecting things.  Receipts, garbage, toys, papers, etc.  As a result, it gets really heavy.  I've read articles about how much a woman's purse often weighs, and it can cause back/neck/shoulder pain.  So it's a good place to simplify and de-clutter.

I  have this cute little purse that I got last summer in Quebec (my sister Jenn has almost the exact same one!).  It isn't as big as other purses that I've had, so I physically can't collect all the junk I used to. I'm so happy to be done with diaper bags, but that also means that I need to carry things to occupy kids in my purse now instead of the bag.

 

 I dumped it out and found all this junk.  In case you can't see, there's 5 rolls of lifesavers (what good Dutch person would be caught without church candies?!), 16 crayons, 6 notepads (!!) 2 packs of keenex, 2 flashlights, 2 coupon organizers, some gloves, my First Aid kit, plus that plastic bag there that is full of random garbage.  Yikes.

I grabbed a few Ziploc bags to organize similar items.  I put the candies into one bag, and left a few rolls in the cupboard.  I did one bag for two little notebooks and a few crayons.  I did a last bag for hand cream and other toiletries. I used to do a lot with coupons, so I had two organizers.  Lately I haven't used as many, so I put them all into one.   I re-stocked my little First Aid kid with more Bandaids.  And that's it. That's all for my little purse.

Before putting everything back, I shook it out outside, then grabbed an anti-bacterial wipe and cleaned off the whole thing, especially the bottom.  Have you read about all the bacteria that is found on a woman's purse?  I also wiped off my wallet, along with the 4 cards that I use the most (and realized that two of them I hadn't even signed yet...oops!)

Then I slipped everything back in.  So clean.  So simple with those little bags.  So light!

  Now all the zippers can close!  Whooo hoo!!

 

Now it's your turn!  Go empty out that purse or diaper bag.  Simplify!  You'll appreciate it every time you open your purse!

 

Note: I did this one last week to get a head start on the challenge.  I've been using the Ziploc bags now for a week, and I LOVE it!  I can find anything I need, and everything stays organized!!