- Lack of organizational pockets = always digging for something. Nearly missed out on a selfie op with Giada de Laurentiis at the airport because my phone was buried! I literally dumped out the contents of my bag and rummaged furiously as she waited patiently ... love her
- Open top = non-secured valuables.
- Difficulty of transfer. I like to switch amongst my bags, but as a result, often forget necessities in the prior bag.
- Non-protected interior. Some of my totes are lined in canvas, which is prone to stains from food, drinks, or pen ink accidents.
Yes yes, I'm sure purse organizers were invented decades ago for these exact reasons. It took me long enough, but I finally jumped on the bandwagon and ordered a few to try!
I'm an Amazon Prime addict so ordered all mine from there, but these brands may be available elsewhere too. With inserts, be sure to check the measurements listed online against your handbag and don't just go off the s/m/l labels. Here are three I found avail. in a "large" size, which FYI was not very large:
Left: Purse to Go organizer in jumbo, (comes in extra jumbo w/ zipper)
Weight: 4.5 oz
This seemed of decent quality, but note all the pockets were on the inside and there is no handle strap. It would work if you don't need a ton of pockets for different things. This brand's "jumbo" size was smaller than the other brands' "large" size.
Center: Born to Accessorize purse organizer in large, $35
Weight: 11 oz
This was the notably best quality and sturdiest-feeling organizer. Lots of varying-sized pockets and compartments all around, with two zippered ones on the interior. The zipper and material quality felt durable and easy to wipe clean. I thought this one would be perfect as a diaper tote bag insert!
Right: Periea purse organizer liner in large, $13 (comes in extra large)
Weight: 4 oz
This was the lightest weight insert, but on the flip side was flimsier and doesn't stand upright by itself unlike the other two options. It is also super affordable but you get what you pay for. It has two large zippered compartments, plus smaller pockets along the outer.
Here's how my two favorites out of the three look inside my Goyard St Louis totes in the smaller PM size, which is very similar in size to the popular Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM. In hindsight I wish I had ordered an "extra large" organizer to see how it fits in comparison.
Here's how an insert looks on its own filled up, with my 11" Macbook air inside. An organizer was super helpful when traveling since I didn't have to dig around for my passport, phone charger, wipes, etc, plus being able to transfer everything from different purses in one swoop of the arm was a big bonus!
As another size reference, here's the Periea large insert inside my Ann Taylor gallery tote:
In summary, I ended up keeping the Periea insert because it had the pockets I needed at the lightest weight. It does flop over sometimes when not filled, due to the flimsier material. I would definitely recommend the Born to Accessorize organizer for its better quality and more durable structure, if you don't mind a few extra ounces in weight.