Organizing ladies' handbags

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Have you seen those scenes in movies where a woman empties her handbag for everything to find one item that had gotten lost somewhere in the clutter? Kinda embarrassing, don't you think? If your handbag is like that, and you can't find stuff, it's time to make some changes!

I like having small outside pockets for stuff, but those will only hold so much (cell phone, keys, maybe sun glasses). So where do I put all those other small things I need to keep with me?

Over time I've miniaturized more and more, and as I did that I needed to make sure I could FIND them!

I have a nice pencil case that I put all the small stuff in, while other women prefer small make up kit bags. Doesn't really matter what you use, as long as it works for you. But one or two small bags/cases are essential. It doesn't hurt if they look nice and are comfortable to the touch, though!

In mine I keep a small perfume bottle, a sample size container of hand cream (see photo below), an MP3 player (separate outside pocket) and anything else I regularly use.

I've found after years of trial and error, that the Coconut Body Butter from Bodyshop makes for a nice hand cream. It's not liquid, so I can use a sample container from Bodyshop, but still contains enough moisture to moisturize the hands even during winter. I've also tried their other body butters, but prefer the coconut flavor, they're ALL different...

The containers

The photo above shows the sample container from Bodyshop on the right (with Coconut body butter in it). I bought the other two containers here in Norway through someone who sells them in bulk. They're mainly used for making samples of cosmetics sold at home parties.

Update: Bodyshop has a new size of sample container. It's smaller, so do better in pockets, but would need refilling more often. Green cap.

They can be used for holding a variety of things, not just cosmetics. I keep ear plugs in one to keep them from getting grungy. You can put water soluble vitamin-C or head ache pills in them - the containers are smaller than those the pills come in. My favorite rouge shattered, and instead of throwing it away, I put it in a small container. Works perfectly. If you have ideas of other things that can be miniaturized like this, please let me know!

This miniaturization idea works equally well for your toiletry kit on trips (ear plugs, vitamins etc), so keep that in mind when you look for sample containers and dream up uses for them.

Other types of containers you can use are film cans (but they're not suitable for cosmetics due to the type of plastic used, and I'd be careful with what I used them for), and the containers vitamin-C come in.

Links:

• Wholesale source of cosmetic jars
• Organizing handbag
• Travel Bag With Refillable Bottles