Here's a better link and a video!

Here is a link that might be useful: purseket video

Nope, never heard of it! Clever idea but I don't have a purse big enough.

Oh me either, Julie! But my mother does. In fact, I wonder how she lugs that big ole thing around the way she does. In fact, it seems like I know lots of women who still insist on carrying big bags. My mom is virtually blind, and I thought this might be a great way for her to find things around the perimeter of her purse. She will sit there and ''feel around'' for quite a while until she can put her hands on what she's looking for, and I can see this could be really helpful, in a bright color.

OK Claire, that would make a lot of sense that your mom could utilize this. I think it's like the idea of the zippered compartments. I would still just throw the stuff in the center of the purse and sort it out later.

Probably because one of me pet peeves in life is standing behind someone who will not move away from the grocery checkout stand until he/she has recorded the check, put their pen in the proper little slot thing, put away their driver's ID, put up their checkbook, zipped up the darn bag, put on their gloves, put the darned bag over their shoulder and then finally, finally move the heck away from the grocery checkout stand!!!!!

I have to carry a smaller bag or I'm lugging around months and months worth of trash.

Gloria

Gloria,

You can add to the list of pet peeves the older ladies who pay with cash and spend 20 minutes trying to find exact change. LOL

Oh, that my husband! It almost drives me right out of the car...I have been known to walk away!

I am so much like Gloria! I hate being held up by people who seem to feel the checkout line is the time to re-organize their purse and/or wallet. So, I think perhaps I go overboard the other way . . . simply throw the receipt and change in and sort it later. But later doesn't come often enough, so my purse gets messy. I do try to sort out junk while waiting to pick up kids, while waiting for a long train, etc. Helps, but certainly I won't get any "Outstanding Purse" awards!

The purseket is a great idea, but I know I wouldn't use it for more than a week. Tried the zippered things too. I'm just not that disciplined!

Brenda

We've gotten off the subject but I love (not) the person
who stands and talks to the cashier while she is checking things through and then "surprise, surprise" remembers that she/he has to pay for all those things. At that point (and not before) he/she starts digging for cash, check or credit card while the line gets longer and longer.

Also off topic, but this week at Costco I asked why I had to show my card when I entered the store since I can't purchase anything without it. The lady explained to me that there were times when people assumed they had their card with them but didn't. This would have held up the already long lines at the checkouts even more because they'd have to go to the customer service desk to get an okay to purchase the items.

I like the off-topic diversions! Keeps my mind off the fact that I'm not a tidy purse keeper and I throw everything in willy-nilly for "later". LOTS later! LOL

I will have to admit that I just deleated a pretty snarky email in reply to those who do not feel they can give even a small amout of time to someone at the check out counter. I am sure I feel this way becuase I think I am often that person so gets the glares. I often shop with 5 kids in tow and do take a moment to get settled as we leave. I file my receipts ( ever not been able to return something because you did not have the receipt?. it saves me that agravation), I return my debit card to it's slot ( ever thrown your to the bottom of your purse with your change and then panicked that you lost it?, been there did that!).. get out my keys ( ever left your's sitting at the check out and then have to haul all five kids back in the store?..yep ditto) so yes.. I now have an exit routine and it saves me a lot of grief. It adds about 60 seconds to my leaving and makes my life so much easier.. so read one more article in the National Inquirer.. I will be gone in just a second :)

maddiemom, truthfully but with toungue in cheek.

No matter how many times I've emptied my purse, it takes literally no time to become a mess again. The only thing that gets put back into its proper slot is the charge card. I was excited when I first looked at the purseket but I know I'd never stop to actually put away all the items it holds. I don't think it can change someone like me. My purse already has so many pockets that you'd think it would be organized but I have come to believe that the only way would be for me to carry a tiny purse that can't hold much.

When I clean out my purse, I put all my receipts in ziploc bags organized by type of store. But the receipts stay in my purse (in various pockets)until I clean it out. Where do you keep your receipts in your purse? This seems to be my biggest mess maker.

I carry a largish purse so I can also carry my knitting, but it also holds my Franklin Planner ( yeh I am one of those people).. so my planner serves as my wallet since I would not want to carry a planner AND a wallet. My reciepts go in a reciept envelope dated for the week and anything else I care to note on it. At the end of the week or when we do bills I pull it out, trash the reciepts that I will not need again ( greocery store, gas) and keep the rest in the envelope and I file that with the other papers of the month in a acordian file that is for the year. I can see if you just had a wallet that it would be hard, and I think the ziplock bag serves just the right purpose for you. The only other thing I could think of are the 1/2 size manilla envelopes, that way you could make notes on it and get fresh ones easily if you bought a big 100 box of the things.

Maddiemom

maddiemom,

I've got four kids, so I understand the hauling everyone around. I don't hold up the line. We move five feet away with the cart and bags and gather everything up, put it so we can find it and count heads.

While the person ahead of me is taking their time doing all of this at the checkout, I'm trying to keep hands out of all that stuff next to the National Inquirer, so I really wish they would have some consideration for those behind and help us get through the line quicker.

If no one is behind you, then take your time. We only have 12 grocery stores for almost 300,000 people. There are usually several people in all lines, so adding a minute to each person's time through the line really adds up.

Gloria

Well, I've been the person holding up the line, and the person wishing the one ahead of me could get it together a little faster. I've had the messy purse, and one that's a bit more organized. I turned my sister onto the idea of a small purse within a purse so when you don't want to lug the big bag around, you can take only the ''essentials'' if they are handy enough to pull out when you want to travel light. I don't even do that any more, after I realized that less is better, and downsized all my ''needs'' into the smallest compartment possible. I actually bought a single purseket for myself, because now I carry a small little bag and am currently trying one of those little cell phone pockets that slip over your strap...and it just isn't working for me! I dumped my purse to see how many pockets I actually needed and four seemed to be the right number for me. I'll let you all know how it's workin' for me when it arrives, if you'd like an update...

I keep all my receipts in a front flap pocket in my bag, and transfer them every week to a drawer to check against the credit card bill when it comes. When I downsized, I quit carrying the checkbook and carry a check instead.

Considering where this thread has gone, I think I'll ask my mom if she thinks it would be helpful before I order it for her. She tends to roll things around in her head for quite a long time, and it could be that putting things away might be a problem for her as well. That is the beauty of ''the big bag'' even if you can't find anything in it!

Shopping with kids is never relaxing, so I made it as easy as possible. I gave up a wallet and shopped with a checkbook in a small purse (less to rummage around in) that also held cash, my drivers license, and a credit card. After I paid, the receipt and change slipped back in the checkbook, which went in my purse. My keys were always (and still are!) in my right hand pocket ready to go--that way I never have to rummage through my purse or worry about setting them down.

I switched to a wallet that "does everything" this summer. I'm not sure I'm happy with it, and it's heavy and bulky. After 6 months of using it, I still think it slows me down.

P.S. I just gather receipts in a #10 envelope that I keep in the kitchen (that's where I normally clean out my purse). When the envelope is full, I date it and file it.

I stopped carrying a purse. All I need are my keys and my wallet,which contains cash,credit and debit cards,and my drivers license. These 2 items can be stuffed in my pocket. I am a female but I always wear my jacket when I go out. I feel safer walking around stores and parking lots without a handbag. I keep my cell phone in my car. That way it's always charged and I never lose it.

Maddiemom, I hear you but I'll admit a variation of what Gumbycat wrote is a pet peeve of mine: people who stand vacantly while the merchandise is being scanned, wait while it totals, wait while the clerk tells them the total...THEN start digging around for their payment method! I"m sorry but this just bugs the heck out of me, especially when there is a line waiting. It just doesn't take all that much energy to at least fish out your wallet or checkbook and start getting ready.

OTOH I also hate feeling like I'm being shoved off the end of the conveyer belt at the end of the transaction. Especially nowadays when clerks give you back your receipt and change by handing you the bills then the change and finally the receipt on top of everything else, in your one hand. It makes it so awkward to try to put all the money away, get the receipt in the bag or somewhere you can find it later, etc.

So I can see both sides of this one. But I definitely feel only sympathy and empathy for ANYONE shopping with small children! Since I'm all done with it, I feel I'm a lucky survivor of that stage of family life, so I try to be understanding. If I notice a mom with a little one (or ones) is behind me I'll generally give her my space in line if possible because I remember what it feels like to have that little ticking time bomb in the cart right in front of me :).

But the woman who only seems to realize 'what, I have to pay NOW?!' when the clerk intones the total...for that, I'm not so sympathetic.

Ann

You will all probably hate what I do. I put all my items on the belt before I let the cashier start ringing me up so that I can see what I am being charged for each item. I do try to find a line where I am the last person in line and the person ahead of me has a full basket. There have been too many errors and it takes forever at the customer service counter to correct the errors so I find this helps me. I do blame the supermarket for my doing this. If the errors were very few, I don't think I'd have ever even thought to do this but in the past few years, I always seem to be charged the non-sale or wrong price for items. One supermarket manager told me one day that it was because his scanner person was off sick. That's a lame excuse when you expect to pay the stickered price.

Marie, do you have the self-scan stuff in your area? I have found I really love that. I don't have to stand passively, I can bag the stuff how I want and I can watch it ring up the price as I go. I have to admit that unless it was something pretty large, I'm not sure I could tell you the exact price of very many of the items I purchase.

Gloria

No, there are no self-scans in my "rural" area. But even if I were to use one, I'd have to find the person in charge of them to go and price check an item if it were priced wrong.

EGADS Marie! I hope you only buy a few items at a time! LOL

I used to go straight from the cashier line to the customer service line. We have a state law that if you are overcharged, they have to refund the difference PLUS pay you 10 times the overcharge amount (I think it's 10 times now? I haven't done the grocery shopping lately) to be not less than $1 or more than $5. That means if something that should cost $4 scans at $5, I get back the $1 difference PLUS $5.

Do the math: I paid $5 and got $6 back. Better than free!

One national chain store was really bad about keeping their scanners updated even when they new they were wrong. If I bought something that scanned wrong, I went back the next day and bought another one. ROFL

I guess I need to make it clear that I don't think my kids have ever been a problem during check out ( in this I am blessed).. I do have them with me so do watchover them while at the same time watching that I am not over or double charged ( happens often).. I have no desire to self scan $300+ dollars worth of groceries each week. I pay them enough...heck I stillthink they should be taking them to my car for me! I pay on time... in fact before time since soon as I get to the debit machine I slide my card and wait for the checker to get done. But that is still not going to rush me from amking sure they did it right, putting my recipet in the binder and zipping up my purse.. each to our own :)

maddiemom

WHOA! We should all eat at Maddiemom's house. Your grocery bill is way higher than ours so you must have better food. :)

P.S. Those self-scan things hate me. I can scan 2 items and have a problem and have to call the clerk over.

I'm with Jannie. 75% of the time I don't carry a purse; I use my pockets and there in lies the problem. Yesterday I counted 7 pockets on my 1 year old DGS; grandmother--zero. So what did a 1 year old need with any pockets much less 7!

My dear aunts came for a visit (they live about 2 miles away) and all three of them came in the house with big purses and looked for somewhere to store them. I'm thinking...what's in those handbags that necessitated bring them in the house for a short visit?

I live in NYC, and I don't walk around w/ my wallet out any more than I have to. Plus, there's just not that much room *past* the checkout. I'll take two steps down to the end, but I'm not walking very far until all that "business" is done.

I believe I have the right to put my money away in an orderly manner. It doesn't actually add 60 seconds; I bet it's 20.

And you know what? It's a line. Lines are for waiting. You don't want to wait while NORMAL activities happen in front of you? Come when there's no line.

I'm not rushing just for the folks behind me. Sorry, and all that--but I'm not. Taking my money out and putting it away are normal activities to happen at the check-out. It's as valid an expenditure of everybody's time as the clerk's punching the buttons, etc. Just because it's not YOUR life, doesn't mean it's not appropriate behavior.

One thing w/ NYC, where everybody rushes everywhere: I've learned how to tell when it's my impatience, and when it's something that's taking much longer than is fair. Reorganizing your purse isn't fair. Putting the receipt in one pocket, the bills in another, and the debit card into its slot, then putting your wallet in your purse--that's fair.

And if you want anybody to EVER wait for you, you need to be patient and wait for other people.

I can get my wallet out while the clerk rings up the bill, and I can take two steps down to put it away (which, actually, I do). But each of us will need to do that--and it's an appropriate activity for that time and place. The rest of the world can just wait a moment.

Having your purse or wallet well organized means you can do that "putting it all away" bit more smoothly and rapidly.

My comment on the "spacelet" would be, will those pockets sort of stay open, so it's easy to put stuff in them one-handed? It looked like it was simply two layers stitched together, so if it pulled tight, the opening would close.

Were I making it, I'd made one side smooth and the other side w/ pockets that gap out a bit (in other words, the back of the pocket would be 3", and the front of the pocket would be 4" so you could have 1/2" "sides" on them). Then, it would work for me.

IF I had a purse that big--I carry a LITTLE one.

I guess I am sort of in the "middle" in the standing in line issue. Talley, I agree you shouldn't feel rushed to put your money away properly . . . I do feel rushed, but it is probably my own insecurities of being a "problem" for others that makes me feel this way. I honestly have no problem waiting if the person simply puts away their money, receipt,etc. But when they stand and visit and don't even get out their checkbook, let alone begin filling it out, it seems rather self absorbed to me. I have stood in line many times behind people with price checks, errors, etc. This is not within their control, so I certainly understand it and treat it with patience. As for the shopping with kids issue, I do totally understand that. Mine are getting older now so it is simpler. When they were little, I was unloading our groceries in the parking lot, only to discover one of them had "stolen" a king sized candy bar! After that they all had to hold each others hands in a circle so their were no free hands at the checkout! LOL! But one "pet peeve" I do have at stores is when they open another checkout stand and rather than taking the next person up (whose been waiting forever), they take the ones who run the fastest. It is so inconsiderate. I guess that is the word that I think applies here . . . consideration. We all need to be patient, but we also all need to remember it isn't only "all about me."

Brenda

I have one of those healthy back bags, which is a cross between a purse and a backpack. I tote lipstick, powder, a nailfile, a purse perfume, a PDA, cellhone and often have at least one book and mail or other papers in it. I do not carry a briefcase, however. I usually try to have hard candy for a dry mouth, too. I also need a separate pair of sunglasses (prescription).

It has a few interior zippered pockets, which haven't been all that useful to me. Some time ago I started putting the make-up in one small ziploc bag, the hard candy in another, etc. It's the best organizing system I've found.

As to putting things away at the end of a checkout line: yes, I take the time to do that. I have my wallet out and am ready to pay before the order is rung up, and I never have anything but my wallet out by the time they are done. Bills and the receipt can go in the same pocket of the wallet. I try to make them give me coins separately ( I thought it was a southern custom to give it to you all together, because I used to mostly get it separately when I lived in the north). And I do put my credit card away if I have used it. I don't want to try to do this while I am moving - the credit card could end up on the floor and I'm pretty fanatical about knowing that it is in the right place at all times.

"But one "pet peeve" I do have at stores is when they open another checkout stand and rather than taking the next person up (whose been waiting forever), they take the ones who run the fastest. It is so inconsiderate."

Oh Brenda, I hate that too! And you're right, the root here is just being considerate.

As for taking time at the checkout, I hope I wasn't misunderstood--I never mind waiting a few seconds, as TS points out, for someone to put away change, put the wallet in her purse, gather her faculties so to speak. It's the person, as others have noted, who just stands there without getting ready to pay in any fashion till after the entire transaction is finished who annoys me.

As a counter example, I had a lovely example of courtesy recently. I had to return something to Home Depot the weekend after Thanksgiving, so you can imagine how busy the store was. I didn't realize when I walked up to the return area that I was supposed to take a ticket. On seeing someone else do it, I went up and pulled one out. At that point a little girl walked up to me and exchanged her ticket for mine, as they had come in right after me. So she actually put me ahead of her (and her dad) in line just because it was the polite thing to do! What a nice surprise and what a great thing that father was teaching his child for the future.

That's a nice thing that dad taught his child. There's not much courtesy around these days. I love Costco but only go when I have plenty of time. If lines are long and there's someone in line with one or two items I will let them go ahead or if they have small children runnign loose. Although, once I let this woman go ahead of me and she held the line up forever haggling over some tickets she wanted to buy and they had to call three clerks to query and think about it before she was finally done, about 20 minutes later. That's when I was sorry I no longer carried a book to read since I small sized my purse.

If someone comes behind me and has very few items, I always ask them if they want to go ahead of me. This is even if I don't have a full basket. I figure it's like letting someone pass you when you're driving. If you let one person ahead of you, then invariably someone will let you in when you need it. There have been times when I have only 1 item and am paying cash (and am in a rush) and I have to ask the person ahead of me who has a full basket if I can cut in. I think it's just being courteous to pay attention to the person behind you as well.

Not to venture too far from the topic this topic has become, I wanted to tell all of you my ''single'' purseket came today. It has four pockets, two are back to back. The pockets have a gusset, and are easy to get your hand into for dropping things in, or removing them. It is about 8 inches wide, so I had to go find a different purse to put it in, but I have to say I absolutely love it. The pockets are big enough that my cellphone with the Bluetooth and extra battery fit (with room to spare), one pocket holds two pair of glasses, another my lipstick and eyedrops, and one for pens, note and business cards. The post for keys is well placed, and I can find everything at a glance. I chose red so it would be easily seen inside a black bag (which it is). It looks like my private purse life is about to become super easy and very organized! Highly recommended.

Claire said:
"Not to venture too far from the topic this topic has become"

LOL... how funny!

I'm thrilled for you that the Purseket was everything you hoped! Let us know how it works out once you've used it for a while.

Julie, the real test will be my very own mother, who is hyper critical and ''opinionated''. If it passes her test, this item should be an essential one for the entire civilized world...

Have you ever noticed how sometimes you can have too many pockets in an organizer? Zippers here, flaps there, and an open pocket on the back? The beauty of this is that when I open my bag, it looks like an open, compartmentalized file folder, where everything is easily seen at a glance. I've been into my purse at least a dozen times since I put this in, and have to say that for buying the smallest component they have available, I finally have a system that's workin' for me! (Not to mention one empty pocket. How will I choose to fill it? Mints? Gum? I know...change! That's Always been a problem, you know? How great to have a pocket you can throw THAT into. I love this thing.)

Claire, I'm glad to hear that you like your purseket. I've considererd ordering one, but haven't yet. I have a bit of a dilemma with it. I prefer a backpack-style purse & on my current one at least, it isn't wide enough for even the small purseket. Now I'm looking to see if I could find a wider backpack purse.

I think I'd like being able to put my cell phone, which always gets lost in the bottom, in something like the purseket. I tried one of the little cell phone pouch things that you can attach to the strap of your purse, but it was so tight that I had trouble getting the phone out! That would solve one problem but create another one of missing all calls & having to call back - not what I want. Just glad I tried it before I wasted $5.

I'm interested to know if you continue to like yours & how your mother likes hers. It might be a good gift idea for my MIL & sister.

The only type of purse I will buy for everyday use must have an outside "open pocket" that holds a cell phone. If my cell phone is inside my purse, I never get to it in time or I don't even hear it.

well....i think the price is WAY over the top ........ might be fun and easy to make as gifts.............

looks awesome to me...can you buy them in stores (Canada) or only online?

kittiemom, my cell phone pouch wasn't working for me either. Also, it came unsnapped a couple of times, which worried me about losing my phone! The purseket (I wish they'd picked a better name for this) is working for me beautifully. Also, there wasn't any room in the pouch for the battery and the Bluetooth, and there is in this.

Marie, my purse also has an outside open pocket which I can use if I want to. If you're expecting a call, that's where I like to keep it, but not all my bags do.

wannadanc, if I had sewing abilities, it might be a possibility. It is well designed with a little more detail than just being a pocket because of the gusseted sides. It seems like you'd need the first one as a pattern...
The price is a lot less than some of my bags, however, especially for those which don't have built-in organizers.

green eyes, I don't know! Online is where I found them...

Ah, cubbyholes!

Vertical ones, but cubbyholes nonetheless.

i'm developing a theory that cubbyholes are the perfect storage medium.

I carry large, huge purses -- yep -- or "U-Hauls with handles" as the DH puts it!!!!! LOL!!! OR my purse could be misconstrued as a "weapon of mass shopping"

Yes -- I stand and organize for a moment -- and re-arrange the money, credit card etc. Get out my keys -- and try to watch the tally at the cash register too! So I can walk out -- and know that everything is back in place!

As for the Purseket -- not a bad idea -- but I already try to keep things in my purse "ready-to-grab."

Teacats wrote:
"U-Hauls with handles"

TOO FUNNY!!! I've never heard that before, but I can picture just what your husband was describing!

Claire,

The Purseket video says that it conforms to the shape of your bag. Does it have some sort of wire that pushes it outward? It looks like a great idea.

Susan, It has a stiff backing, which allows you to make a circle with the line of pockets and it's long enough to conform to your bag. The larger version that I got for my mother and MIL, has different sizes on the pockets, whereas the smallest size has four equal sized pockets with two back to back. I tried my mom's in one of my larger bags, and it works!

I have the smallest and the largest and they are great for smaller purses too. I use one in my coach kelly bag and another in a leather tote bag. It seems to me they would be very easy to make.

Claire,

Did you mom get hers today? What did she think?

Hoping she liked it,
Susan

Susan, Thanks for asking! I haven't given it to her yet. I'm actually saving it for when I see her (and my MIL) in January (and February), since they both have a birthday soon. I'll be sure to let you know when I find out.

Merry Christmas!