Keep your information safe and your wallet slim with some of these tips.

Your wallet is arguably the most important thing you carry in your purse. It holds all of your important credit cards, identification cards, money, and other vital resources that should not get lost! But it’s easy for them to get messy with everything stuck where it was most convenient at the time. While we may put things back in a hurry as we’re finishing up after our most recent purchase to put our wallets back in our bags where they are safe, letting this go on for too long can cause us to lose track of important bits like receipts or debit cards. It’s important to keep all of these things in check so here are some ways to keep your purse organized.

First thing is first. How does your wallet hold up? Does it have a lot of pockets? Does it have enough slots for all of your credit cards, debit cards, membership cards and ID? How big is the paper money pocket? Does it have an area where you can keep change? Does it get too bulky too fast? All of these things are worth considering when looking to organize your wallet. One that gets messy too easily, does not have enough space for money, paper or metal, cards or receipts, is already putting you at a disadvantage. A lack of organizational tools can easily swallow receipts, mix up your cards, and cause you to lose track of your money. Find a wallet that keeps everything in place and does so slimly. While a fat one can be a little easier to find in a big handbag, it only makes finding anything inside them all the harder. You don’t want to hold up a line because you’re fishing around for your mastercard or looking for those three pennies you just know you have.

Second, you have to be willing to clean out your purse about once a week. Take inventory of what receipts you have tucked in there in case you need to return something you purchased recently, need to make an exchange, or simply need to keep track of your expenses. Once you have assessed your week’s purchases, either shred your receipts or file them. This way, they are no longer bulking up your bag and hiding anything else that may be important. Remember to go through every piece of paper, you never know which ones might be important and which ones might be hiding cash you forgot about! Checking your wallet weekly or biweekly also helps you identify if anything is missing. If there is, you can at least have a general timeline of when you lost it. You don’t want to misplace your debit card and not remember where you may have left it.

Also, make sure your items are secure but not too secure. Make sure that things do not readily slide out, causing accidental losses or misplacements, and yet make sure that the pockets aren’t so tight that you can’t get anything out when you need it! Once you have done these things, make sure that your wallet fits comfortably in your bag and can be readily closed. You don’t want to be struggling with a jam packed wallet as you’re walking out of a store so it’s easy for a passerby to snatch it. A slim, convenient wallet is safe and easy to use.

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