Bobbie Thomas TODAY Style Editor

“We’ve all been there — Mr. Important is heading toward your table, and you’re desperate for a piece of gum. Unfortunately, navigating through your pocketbook is an impossible feat. If you’ve ever felt like your handbag was a bottomless pit, it’s time to take control!” Bobbie Thomas, TODAY Style editor and author of The Buzz for “In Touch Weekly,” offers some simple ways to clean up the clutter in your purse:

Essentials
You know what you need to get you through the day. Between your lip gloss, money, keys, breath fresheners, hairbrush, blotting tissues, perfume, hand sanitizer, tampons, pen and paper, pills and Kleenex, you might as well be running a drugstore out of your tote. Now all you need is a bag big enough to hold everything, and a way to find it once it’s inside.

Organizers
Keeping the contents of your purse neat is easier than you may think. And once you’ve found a way to get organized, you can easily switch from bag to bag. The Purse Bright Organizer has more than 10 compartments to store your essentials, and comes with a compact mirror, clip-on purse light and tweezers ($15.95; hsn.com ). Instead of leaving a paper trail at the bottom of your purse, separate to-do lists, receipts, gift certificates, business cards and even magazine tear sheets with the 4-Tier Snap Envelope ($25; shopintuition.com). The matching 4-in-1 stackable pouches can also hold your makeup and more while fitting inside one another ($35).

Abas clutch

Finally, the Valet Wallet Clutch from Abas is a stylish way to store money, credit cards and other valuables. Use it as a wallet by day and then carry it alone as a clutch at night. The snap frame also keeps items secure when you're in a rush and have to quickly stash your ID or cash — it’s the perfect accessory for a grab-and-go gal! Abas Patent Croco Full Frame clutches ($130, ThinkHer.com)

Extras
Now that the fundamentals are taken care of, it’s time to have some fun! Lolly Lu’s Pursepads feature comical sayings such as “I don’t repeat gossip, so listen carefully” and come with a notepad and miniature pen ($10-$20; lollylu.com), while Spiffer's multi-use mani-pedi pens allow you to file your nails while writing your notes ($3-$12; spiffer.com). And you can conceal the non-glamorous items in your bag with creative cases. 

Classic female figures grace the front of these brushed-steel tampon holders ($28; uncommongoods.com), while pill boxes from forgettingthepill.com are pretty and personal. Or, for an innovative answer to your pill-popping confusion, the AM/PM pill organizer has two contoured bays that allow for easy storage and transport ($1.69; lifesolutionsplus.com). 

With all these stylish solutions for organizing your handbag, you’ll be proud to display the contents of your carryall. After all, you may have a lot in your bag, but that doesn’t mean you have a lot of baggage! 

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