The following is a guest post about how to organize any bag with pouches from regular contributor, Kristin at The Gold Project.
Over the years, I have developed a system for any bag that I carry. It doesn’t matter if it is a small handbag or a tote for work. They all get organized the same way. Usually, I will carry one bag at a time too. During the week, I normally carry a work tote and that is all. Carrying two bags in one day is a bit much for me. If I have to run an errand after work, then I just grab my wristlet out of my work bag and go. So, in order to switch from one bag to another, I needed a way to keep everything simple and easy to transfer.
Everything in my bag gets placed in a pouch. I have tweaked my pouch system over the years to fit my needs and I finally have a system that has been working for over a year now.
My pouches are organized by type and right now I have three in my bag; a pencil pouch, financial pouch, and traveling pharmacy. I am going to share the contents of each one with you.
How I Organize My Bag with Pouches
Pencil Pouch
After trying several different pencil pouch options, I decided to try this Homecube from Amazon (affiliate link). It cost roughly $8.95 and I love it. I was wanting something that was small, but could open to lay flat. I was using the Orla Kiely small cosmetic pouches and I didn’t like the fact that I could not see in the bag, which meant I was just cramming more and more things in it.
With this Homecube, I don’t continuously add the same pen to it because I can see everything fully.
Side note: I always carry several of my favorite pens: Sharpie fine point marker and Papermate Ink Joy gel pens.
Financial Pouch
My financial pouch is the one that contains everything I need to keep my checkbook in order. I use the large Orla Kiely pouch from Target that comes in the 3-piece purse set. It fits the May Design notebooks perfectly.
Inside of the pouch I carry my checkbook register notebook, my blog notebook (where I keep track of my expenses), a highlighter, and a calculator. The calculator is an old Vera Bradley one. I really wish I could get another one, but they have discontinued them.
Traveling Pharmacy
Last, but definitely not least is my traveling pharmacy. Everything from hair ties to ibuprofen is contained inside of this pouch. I guess you could call it my little emergency kit for my bag. I could have fit a lot more in it, but I didn’t want it to be super heavy and add more weight to my bag. So, I decided to carry only the things that I reach for the most in a given day. I do have a larger emergency kit in my car that carries other necessities.
What type of pouches do you carry in your bag? Is there a specific pouch that you absolutely love? Please share any details with us.
My name is Kristin and I am a middle school career education teacher by day and a mommy/wife/blogger by night. I am married to my high school sweetheart and we have two loving children. We recently made a life-changing move to Arkansas, so our new house is always under construction. I get excitement out of finding new creative, functional, and cute ways to organize things! I also enjoy writing and documenting life as it happens. So, I put these loves together and created The Gold Project. With the help of my husband, I am attempting to turn our house into a home. So, check out this special place of mine and take this journey with me!
Related posts you may also like:
Organized Traveling Pharmacy for Kids
My Organized Traveling Pharmacy
An Easy Way to Organize Your Purses in Your Closet
- Please note that affiliate links are included in this post to make it easier for you to find what is being referenced. A small commission is made should you purchase product using these links, but this is at no extra cost to you. As always, any and all opinions are genuinely my own – or the author, in the case of posts by my guest contributors. Thank you!
Sandra says
This post really made huge inpact on me, thamk you. Right now I have a bag full of everything & I know how much it means to have a organized bag, so thank you!
Kristin @ The Gold Project says
Yay!!! That makes me so happy. So glad I could help. 🙂
Becky L says
I have a purse organizer that I can move from one purse to another. It holds pens on one side and a spot where I stock my lipstick. One division that is plastic both sides so I keep liquids there i.e. eye drops, nose spray. Other division Tylenol. A zipper section I keep extra money and a few other things. It keeps me sane. I bought it at The Container Store a few years ago. I don’t regret it. With my camera bag I use smaller pouches that work. I like your ideas too!
Kristin @ The Gold Project says
I have almost bought one of those several times, but I never know which one to get. What brand is yours?
Marcia (OrganisingQueen) says
I have a make-up bag within a pouch that I move from bag to bag.
I wrote a post with pics which is probably easier to explain.
http://www.marciafrancois.com/blog/2017/06/22/whats-in-my-handbag/
Kristin @ The Gold Project says
Now, that is an amazing idea. 🙂
Megan Whited says
Where did you find the holder for your floss picks?
Kristin @ The Gold Project says
I got it from the travel toiletries section at Wal-Mart. 🙂 I think it came in a set of 2: purple and blue.
Seana Turner says
I like using pouches too, and they aren’t only for adults. I tell parents that their kids need a pencil case and a “personal” case in the backpack. It is so helpful to have an easily identifiable little bag to hold the phone and house key and a brush. Otherwise, it all falls to the bottom and gets mixed in the remnants of an old snack!
Kristin @ The Gold Project says
Yes! You are so right. My daughter is in 3rd grade and she carries a little pouch in her backpack with essentials. 🙂
Katy says
This is a great idea. Now I need to go shopping! Thanks for the idea! Stay blessed. Also, my parents were born and raised in Arkansas. It’s a wonderful State, but really hot in July!!
Kristin @ The Gold Project says
Thank you so much. You are so right. It is still extremely hot now. It might be fall, but in Arkansas the weather says summer. 🙁
Terri Cendejas says
I use a soft, open-ended vera bradley eyeglass case for my pen & pencil pouch! It can stand up in my work tote and I can see the ends of each of my pens/markers to grab just the one I need! I also have a wristlet/wallet, a pouch for makeup/personal items, and another one for coupons/gift cards/loyalty cards. Love having no junk in my bag and being able to go right to what I need!
Kristin @ The Gold Project says
What an awesome idea. I never thought about using a VB eye glass case as a pencil pouch.
Donna McBroom-Theriot says
I loved this post! I do the exact same thing. I still remember my sister looking into my bag one day while we were shopping and she started laughing. She said she have known. My bag was completely organized while hers was chaos. She wanted to run around the store showing everyone! I chuckle every time I think of that day. Pouches are so handy when switching from one bag to another.
Kristin @ The Gold Project says
Thank you so much. That reminds me of a time when my husband was needing something out of my bag and I told him it was in the floral pouch. Well, at that time I had several in my bag. He got a little frustrated and pulled out every one of them, but the one I meant. LOL!!!
Gail Nott says
I have similar pouches. I have one each for toiletries and one for my pens and markers. I also have a little pouch for my electronics, including a battery pack, my charger, a screen cleaning cloth, my headset, and a flash drive.
Margaret says
Pouches are IT. I have 3 in my work bag; a thrifted hardshell eyeglass case that stays in the bag because what’s in it is only needed at work (a dedicated pair of reading glasses, a pen, & earplugs–I have a dementia patient who screams non-stop when receiving care), a thrifted glucometer case with the phone support system (charger, charging brick & cable, earbuds), & most important, a 4×8 zipper case that’s–almost–literally a life-support system. It contains an old tobacco tin full of cough drops, another with personal care items (nail clippers, flossers in their own box, bandaids, alcohol wipes, a tiny pocket knife), a metal screw-top jar with migraine meds, a comb in a case, spare pens in a bag, my asthma inhaler, & an Epi-Pen. That pouch goes almost anywhere I go, & is easy to transfer from the work bag to the dog-training bag, to the music bag ,to the fanny pack for day hiking, to the church bag…
It does not fit in my purse, but since I keep an Epi-Pen & an inhaler in there, & since I only use the purse for shopping or appointments, that works well for me.
Before I started using that pouch I was constantly shifting stuff back & forth, & frequently forgetting something important.
Kristin @ The Gold Project says
You have it all together too. Pouches are definitely IT. 😉
Pumpkinqueen says
Nice ideas! I kind of organize the same but my financial is actually a very small leather bag w/ a cross strap that stays inside the bag until I want to do the grab and go thing. If I didn’t have a strap, I would leave my wallet someplace…so this works for me!
Kristin @ The Gold Project says
What an awesome idea. 🙂
Sally says
I use an Ipsy bag for small granola bars, Arbonne fizz sticks and fit chews! It’s the perfect size! I also use them for pharmacy type things (nail clippers, hair ties, Advil) and another for any make-up I need to bring with me.