Day 24 Of The Declutter Challenge

Handbags, Workbags and School bags

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If I had a handbag collection like the one above, I would probably want to display it, like a work of art, at all times. In reality, though, Our bags are mostly hidden in the hall cupboard and tucked away on shelves because let’s face it, we can only use one at a time. And the same goes, of course, for school bags, laptop bags, and work bags. In our family, the kids have several bags each, dedicated to each hobby (one for swimming, one for the gym, one for dancing) so that their uniform or specialist gear is always kept where they can grab it at the last minute. Understandably there is a lot of them!

When was the last time you got them all out together and had a purge? Go on, you know you want to! 

First of all weed out the bags that haven’t seen the light of day for over a year. And the ones that have something not quite right with them, but you spent a lot of money on them so have held onto them “just in case”. I have a gorgeous Joules bag that I adore, but the zip on the main compartment is broken. I couldn’t bear to part with it, so it got stashed away in the wardrobe and of course, I haven’t used it since. Get rid of it!

Give each person a limit. Even my husband has a fairly impressive collection of man bags - work satchels, rucksacks, sports bags, and the like. 

Now you need to think about how to store them, preferably so you can see the whole lot at one time, so you will actually use them all.

1.     Get them Hooked

We know—hanging saves space and keeps bags within reach. But narrow hooks can damage the straps or cause creases over time. If you want to hang your bags, opt for wide hooks.

This over the door piece hangs bags vertically and has the wide hooks. It is made by iDesign and is available from Amazon for just £5.99. You could easily have more than one over a door and it means everyone gets to keep their bags in their own room, avoiding a mountain building up downstairs in the hallway.

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2.     Close Clutches 

Instead of nesting your small evening bags inside a larger one (and—let’s be honest—forgetting they exist), “file” them in a letter sorter. The perforated or mesh metal types could snag beads or other detailing on bags, so go for a smooth acrylic model. This also lets you see which bag you’re reaching for.

3.     Hang them up

Group different styles of bags by occasion (e.g., parties, summer weddings, school, office) in a clothes organizer that can be hung from the wardrobe. This way, your bags remain visible and easily accessible.

I bet that once the bags are organised and easily accessible you will use them more often when we get out of the lockdown.

Francis Buchanan