Organizers Say You Can Toss These 10 Items From Your Handbag
Clear out the clutter to make your purse easier to navigate.
Your handbag can easily become a cluttered mess if you’re not careful. Between family outings, commuting to work, and all the errands you have to run, unnecessary items are bound to take over your purse. Just think about the amount of old receipts, snack wrappers, or excessive beauty products that get buried at the bottom of your bag.
Ready to get your go-to purse in order? April is a great month to declutter it once and for all. To help you out, we tapped professional organizers Laura Kinsella, Jennifer Johnson, and Nikki Boyd to find out the top items to toss from your handbag ASAP.
"Keeping it in order means you can find what you need without the scramble, so you stay efficient, present, and polished wherever your day takes you," Kinsella says.
Paper Clutter
From crumpled receipts to random mail you never got around to opening, your bag is likely filled with paper clutter. Kinsella, the founder of Urban Organyze, has a tip for tackling it: "If you don’t need it for a return or expense tracking, toss it. Make it a habit to throw them out when you pass a trash can, or bring them home to shred if they contain sensitive information," she says.
RELATED: 10 Paper Items Professional Organizers Want You to Toss Right Now
Expired or Unused Products
"Old lip balms, dried-out pens, or sample-size items you never reach for tend to linger," says Johnson, founder of The Orderly Space. "If it’s not actively serving you, it’s just taking up space."
Snack Wrappers and Food Packaging
Chances are, food wrappers are hiding in your bag somewhere. "Resist the urge to toss opened wrappers into your bag at all, as crumbs are the silent enemy of a clean purse," Kinsella says. "They settle into the lining, attract debris, and over time can damage the interior."
She suggests keeping a small resealable bag in your purse for those times when you're not near a trash can. "It contains the mess, saves the other half of your protein bar for later, and protects your bag in the process," she says.
Pens You Don't Need
Take stock of the pens in your bag. "Instead of letting your handbag become a stationery store, select one beautiful pen that coordinates with your bag and toss the rest," says Boyd of At Home with Nikki.
Expired Medications
Isn't it frustrating trying to find medication in a disorganized bag only to discover that it's expired? Kinsella recommends putting all of your medications in a pouch to keep better track.
"Store any medication in a small dedicated pouch so you can locate it quickly and check periodically that nothing has expired. It makes refilling easy and means you’re prepared when you need it most," she says.
Items That No Longer Match Your Routine
"As your lifestyle shifts, whether it’s work, travel, or weekends, your purse should reflect that," Johnson says. "Edit based on how you’re actually using it now."
Keys You Never Use
Take the time to ditch unused keys that are taking up space in your bag. "Remove any keys that no longer serve your current life—old homes, cars, or unknown keys," Boyd says. "Extra keys add unnecessary weight and clutter."
Loose Change
Loose change always manages to accumulate in a handbag, creating unnecessary weight. "Instead of letting it weigh you down, consolidate the coins in your wallet or small change purse, and keep a coin jar at home where they can accumulate until you’re ready to take them to a coin counter," Kinsella says.
Too Many ‘Just in Case’ Items
This is a tough one, but there's no reason to keep extras of an item in your bag, Johnson says. "It’s easy to overpack your purse with backups, but multiples of the same item can weigh you down. Choose a few multi-functional essentials instead."
RELATED: 20 Things Professional Organizers Say You Don't Need Multiples of in Your Home
Random Takeout Utensils
Do you really need all of that cutlery in your bag? If you rarely reach for them, it's time to let them go. "If you want to keep an extra set for a work lunch, move them out of your bag and into a desk drawer or somewhere they will get used, and toss any salt and pepper packets that you know will wreak havoc inside your bag," Kinsella advises.
Monique Valeris is the home design director for Good Housekeeping, where she oversees the brand's home decorating coverage across print and digital. Prior to joining GH in 2020, she was the digital editor at Elle Decor. In her current role, she explores everything from design trends and home tours to lifestyle product recommendations, including writing her monthly column, "What's in My Cart."
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