Does your handbag (or beach bag or gym bag) resemble Mary Poppins’ bottomless bag filled with stuff yet you can’t ever find anything you need quickly? If so, I’ll let you in on a little secret that guarantees an organized bag all the time: Pouches. Yes, simply segmenting all your stuff helps you get your hands on whatever you need fast—and eliminates the clutter, because if it’s not in a pouch, it may not need to be in there. I have one pouch for makeup and other beauty items (actually it’s an old Dior clutch that I was thrilled to find a new use for), one for keys, business cards, headphones and the like, and one for miscellaneous items like tissues, hand wipes (have a 7-year-old), Lara Bars, etc. Beyond these pouches, I have my wallet and that’s about it.
These pouches are about both form and function, and I strongly believe they should be fun—which is why I love Emma Lomax London’s array of cheeky accessories. Available in clear, glossy and canvas in different shapes and sizes, each pouch features cute embroidered designs ranging from lipsticks and eyelashes to lobsters, duckies, sneakers and more. The clear pouch with an airplane is so apropos for travel (natch) while the silver with the Buddha is a nice reminder of how Zen your bag now is. Beyond being a great organizational gift for yourself, they’re awesome for hostesses, camp care packages, and (dare I go there) back-to-school.
Another upside of the pouch approach… If your bag spills the world won’t see anything you don’t want seen, so what are you waiting for?
