I Test Closet Organizers for a Living and Swear By This $10 Option for Corralling Purses and Bags
I’m constantly trying to optimize my home — and since moving in August, my closet situation has been untenable. My closet floor is already occupied by a carry-on suitcase, a full-size suitcase, and a fake Christmas tree, so I already barely had any space to speak of for my out-of-season shoes. But, somehow, I managed to stuff bags of other accessories and miscellaneous items I couldn’t find a home for in there. Luckily, part of my job is to find cool organizing products to feature on Apartment Therapy. By going down rabbit holes on Amazon, I’ve stumbled upon (and subsequently bought) closet storage bins for my workout clothes and jeans as well as two double-layered storage bins that I use under my kitchen sink and bathroom sink. The latest problem: Where can I put all of my bags and purses of various sizes? The majority of them were stuffed at the bottom of my closet in a large duffle bag, while three of my everyday bags were cluttering up our kitchen counter.
Although I liked the look of the clear closet dividers we covered, my shelf space was already all spoken for. Something we talk about frequently at AT is using your vertical space for storage, so I kept that principle in mind while searching on Amazon and stumbled upon my all-time favorite organizer.
What Is the AARAINBOW Hanging Handbag Purse Organizer?
This hanging purse organizer from AARAINBOW has eight slots for purses. It also requires zero installation — you just have to unfold it and hang it up. The biggest selling point of this organizer for me is that the bags are mostly protected by a layer of transparent PVC, so you don’t need to worry about them coming into contact with your clean clothes. I knew that I had to give this a shot because it seemed like the most compact option on Amazon. It comes in a total of three models in various colors. I picked Model B in Light Gray. Honestly, I was still a little worried when I clicked “add to cart” that this would take up too much space horizontally in my already full closet.
When it arrived, I was surprised by how lightweight and thin it was. I was also a little concerned that the purses would just slide out the back of each slot, due to their weight, and I’d have to grope around the back of my closet floor trying to find them. But both of my worries were instantly alleviated.
Why I Love the AARAINBOW Hanging Handbag Purse Organizer
The purse organizer is no more than 6 inches wide in my closet — and it is housing a total of 10 purses. I was able to double up clutches and small crossbody bags in the same slot to hold all of the purses I own. I even fit my large work totes. All of them stayed put — only when I violently rocked the organizer back and forth would a few tumble out.
My only regret is that I didn’t know about this sooner — prior bedroom closets would have given me much less of a headache. And, I know that if I ever don’t need it (which is highly unlikely because I love it), I can just fold it up and put it underneath my bed. It’s a flat organizer that takes up little space.
Now, I rotate out of my purses more than ever before. Bags that didn’t get a lot of play because they were stuffed at the bottom of a duffel are now taken out on the town at least a few times a month. I feel much more put together at home and walking around New York City.
Buy: AARAINBOW Hanging Handbag Purse Organizer, $9.99