How to Store Purses

♦First, never keep a purse that has a torn liner or broken snap closure or zipper, unless you plan to have it repaired within a specific timeframe. If you just let it sit in your space because you would like to have it repaired some day, then you need to trash it. It's no longer functional and will waste space in that spot for the next 10 years. And before you get it fixed, some new purse purchases will come along.

♦Then consider ways to organize and store purses. You can hang purses by their handles or straps on the back of a bedroom or closet door using an over-the-door hanger or rack with hooks.

♦You also can use individual screw-hooks. An over-the-door hanger will hold all purses at the same level whereas if you screw in individual hooks, you can utilize more of the back-of-the-door by hanging purses high and low. You also can mix and match the two options. Don't use plastic adhesive hooks. The weight of the purses and the motion of opening and closing the door among others reasons will cause some of these hooks to fall eventually.

♦When storing purses by hanging them by their straps, be sure they're mostly empty. Extra weight just adds more wear and tear to the strap. Plus you don't want to search purses to find where you left an important item like your credit card.

♦Hang purses with different length straps next to each other when using an Over The Door Multi-Hook Rack. (This one pictured is from Organize-Everything.) You'll be able to fit more if you have a purse with a long strap next to a purse with a short strap and so forth and they won't bump into each other. Or you can fit two purses on the same hook if they have different length straps or handles. You also could put your hooks and racks on a wall.

♦Hanging your purse on open hooks or racks does mean they're susceptible to dust. If you prefer to keep your purses dust-free and organized, consider the handbag organizer pictured at the top of this page by Carol Wright. It has about eight vinyl pockets to slide purses in. And then the whole vinyl purse organizer hangs from your closet rod by a hanger. Get two if you have lots of purses. If you're detail-oriented, you also could organize your purses by color in the slots, from dark to light colors.

♦Note that catch-all bins, boxes and trunks are NOT good places to store purses. If you can't organize your purses in a way and place that you can see them all at a glance, then you need to donate some of them. You won't use purses that you can't easily access. And they will get damaged when they're all shoved in a pile.

How to Organize & Store Purses