It is Friday.
We are fighting the frump with Fussy. Today the Nirvana is talking purses. My purse.
I have not always been a purse participator. I didn’t carry one until diaper transportation was a necessity. At first, I used a diaper bag with my wallet thrown in. Now I use a purse with the diapers thrown in. I have learned that life is too short and the diaper years too long to be toting a bag decorated with duckies and rainbows in various shades of blue.
To qualify for a position as my purse, you must have the following qualifications:
1. Must be able to stand upright when set on the floor or table.
2. Must have outside compartments that can carry a sippy cup, water bottle, keys, phone and camera.
3. Must have straps that can be slung over shoulder easily and comfortably. These straps must absolutely not slip off my shoulder when carrying child or bending over to pick something off the ground.
4. Must be closed on the top so if inverted the contents are not scattered.
5. Must be able to accommodate a file, manila folder and the calendar that hangs on my kitchen wall.
6. Must be neutral in color and attractive.
7. Must be a reasonable price.
Let’s do an annual review on my current purse. It is vintage Target couture 2006. It retails for $19.99.
It stands on its own. It is neutral in color. It is reasonably attractive. It is large enough to hold essential gear. It has a zipper on the top so contents are secure. It’s straps are comfortable and stay in place as I move.
I love the side pockets on this purse. They can accommodate a baby bottle, water bottle or sippy cup. They also can carry my phone and camera tightly.
I use a clip for my keys that is easily attached to the strap. I know this is not exactly frump-free, but cut me some slack here. I need quick and easy access. With the keys in this position I can lock/unlock the car while walking away/to the car while carrying a child and yelling at the other two to stay out of traffic.
This purse has met all qualifications. This purse has been a loyal worker. This purse is 2 years old and needs to train a replacement. I have been searching for a replacement, but have not found many qualified candidates.
Now let’s explore my E.H.S.F.I.P.C.C. (Elaborate Holly System For Interior Purse Clutter Control). EHSFIPCC is a compartment system that allows for groups of items to be added and subtracted from the purse with minimal thought on my rushing mommy brain. Not all compartments get the pleasure of traveling on each outing. It is a privilege, not a right to be in my purse. Here are the hopeful travelers:
Listed clockwise from the 12 o’clock position:
1. Orange super wallet. See below for details.
2. Large paper compartment. It carries coupons, directions, papers picked up on a trip, papers needed for a trip. It can hold an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper without folding or crumpling. I go through it often to discard out of date coupons, receipts, etc. that tend to accumulate.
3. Diapees & Wipees. This is one of my very favorite things in the whole world. They come in pretty fabrics and hold 2-4 diapers and a travel wipe container. When the boys were a bit younger, I had one set aside for each boy. The older boy’s contained a change of underwear and an extra pair of shorts. They were all different fabrics so I could easily grab the ones I needed for a particular outing. I also want to add that I have given up the notion that everything related to the boy’s diapers needs to be blue and child-like. I have chosen Diapees & Wipees that I like. I have several pretty pink ones *gasp, she has 3 boys!* because I like pink and I am the one that has to lug it around.
4. Tech compartment. This has my ipod and ear phones, portable video games or any other item I may be toting for myself or others.
5. Hand-washing center. This compartment has hand sanitizer and lotion.
6. Ziploc bag central. It is my belief that you can not have too many Ziploc bags in your purse. I use them for diaper disposal when out. I use them to create new purse compartments on the go. I use them to carry wet anything.
I love my wallet. It is so compact and orange. It replaced a wallet nearly twice it’s size. It is also a Target find (currently on sale for $4.99). The many sections in the fan create oodles of organized space for credit cards, all those store-specific buying cards, gift cards, library cards, etc.
Here are a few items that escaped the EHSFIPCC sorting process and made their way to the bottom of my purse. Non-conformers. They will suffer the consequences of their actions…
We are fighting the frump with Fussy. Today the Nirvana is talking purses. My purse.
I have not always been a purse participator. I didn’t carry one until diaper transportation was a necessity. At first, I used a diaper bag with my wallet thrown in. Now I use a purse with the diapers thrown in. I have learned that life is too short and the diaper years too long to be toting a bag decorated with duckies and rainbows in various shades of blue.
To qualify for a position as my purse, you must have the following qualifications:
1. Must be able to stand upright when set on the floor or table.
2. Must have outside compartments that can carry a sippy cup, water bottle, keys, phone and camera.
3. Must have straps that can be slung over shoulder easily and comfortably. These straps must absolutely not slip off my shoulder when carrying child or bending over to pick something off the ground.
4. Must be closed on the top so if inverted the contents are not scattered.
5. Must be able to accommodate a file, manila folder and the calendar that hangs on my kitchen wall.
6. Must be neutral in color and attractive.
7. Must be a reasonable price.
Let’s do an annual review on my current purse. It is vintage Target couture 2006. It retails for $19.99.
It stands on its own. It is neutral in color. It is reasonably attractive. It is large enough to hold essential gear. It has a zipper on the top so contents are secure. It’s straps are comfortable and stay in place as I move.
I love the side pockets on this purse. They can accommodate a baby bottle, water bottle or sippy cup. They also can carry my phone and camera tightly.
I use a clip for my keys that is easily attached to the strap. I know this is not exactly frump-free, but cut me some slack here. I need quick and easy access. With the keys in this position I can lock/unlock the car while walking away/to the car while carrying a child and yelling at the other two to stay out of traffic.
This purse has met all qualifications. This purse has been a loyal worker. This purse is 2 years old and needs to train a replacement. I have been searching for a replacement, but have not found many qualified candidates.
Now let’s explore my E.H.S.F.I.P.C.C. (Elaborate Holly System For Interior Purse Clutter Control). EHSFIPCC is a compartment system that allows for groups of items to be added and subtracted from the purse with minimal thought on my rushing mommy brain. Not all compartments get the pleasure of traveling on each outing. It is a privilege, not a right to be in my purse. Here are the hopeful travelers:
Listed clockwise from the 12 o’clock position:
1. Orange super wallet. See below for details.
2. Large paper compartment. It carries coupons, directions, papers picked up on a trip, papers needed for a trip. It can hold an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper without folding or crumpling. I go through it often to discard out of date coupons, receipts, etc. that tend to accumulate.
3. Diapees & Wipees. This is one of my very favorite things in the whole world. They come in pretty fabrics and hold 2-4 diapers and a travel wipe container. When the boys were a bit younger, I had one set aside for each boy. The older boy’s contained a change of underwear and an extra pair of shorts. They were all different fabrics so I could easily grab the ones I needed for a particular outing. I also want to add that I have given up the notion that everything related to the boy’s diapers needs to be blue and child-like. I have chosen Diapees & Wipees that I like. I have several pretty pink ones *gasp, she has 3 boys!* because I like pink and I am the one that has to lug it around.
4. Tech compartment. This has my ipod and ear phones, portable video games or any other item I may be toting for myself or others.
5. Hand-washing center. This compartment has hand sanitizer and lotion.
6. Ziploc bag central. It is my belief that you can not have too many Ziploc bags in your purse. I use them for diaper disposal when out. I use them to create new purse compartments on the go. I use them to carry wet anything.
I love my wallet. It is so compact and orange. It replaced a wallet nearly twice it’s size. It is also a Target find (currently on sale for $4.99). The many sections in the fan create oodles of organized space for credit cards, all those store-specific buying cards, gift cards, library cards, etc.
Here are a few items that escaped the EHSFIPCC sorting process and made their way to the bottom of my purse. Non-conformers. They will suffer the consequences of their actions…
It erased my comment! AHHH. Okay:
Holly is trying to embarass Holly. Holly resents Holly doing that to Holly. Holly, Holly, Holly…why you go and do that to Holly? (reader post, of course).
And, I live for my diapees & wipees. But, WOW are you organized!
I never knew there could be so much thought given to purse organization. No wonder I’m always untangling my iPod headphones from my keys and my gum gets sand all stuck in it even though it’s still wrapped. I’m a complete purse failure.
You’ve inspired me to get some organization skills. Here I go to dump the whole thing out and start over!
You are a girl after my own heart! I also use the container within the container, although not to that extent. I use a small makeup bag to keep track of my 95 lipglosses, and metal business card holder for all those darn punch cards. The paper container is brilliant — gonna have to use that one!
I love how organized your purse is. And it’s nice to see that mine isn’t the only purse with a bunch of junk floating around at the bottom!
You are one organized mama! And I love your purse–I have been lugging around one I got for free for buying make-up at Nordstroms.
I have got to copy your system–it’s genius!!
just checked out your site for the first time and now i feel like an under achiever. i am so impressed..if only i could do that with the diaper bag!
That is the most organized purse I’ve ever seen. Mine is jealous and now hiding all the things that are swimming at the bottom of it. Also? I have that Target purse (tote) in a light tan color and I can vouch for its awesomeness.
love the purse my dear! I have to keep my purse small otherwise it ends up looking like a tornado in a trailer park. I wrote a post about a month or so ago on everything I find in my purse it was a bit freaky.
So freakin organized. I think I might be sick with jealousy. Love the orange wallet too!
Love it all. And I buy most of my purses at Target. My current purse I bought at Kohl’s. The straps allow it to convert to a backpack or a shoulder bag, which I love.