What’s The Best Way To Keep Your Wallet Organized?

We’ve sought the help of a financial expert, interior designer, DJ, project coordinator, and civil engineer on how you can keep your wallet—and perhaps, your life—in order.

How to keep wallet organized

A wallet is supposed to keep your cash, cards, and other important stuff organized, yet there are times that we can’t help but just shove items inside. Next thing you know, you’re taking forever at the cashier looking for your cards and cash, with an angry mob lined up behind you.

If your wallet looks more like a tropical rainforest than an organizer, then you might want to heed these nuggets of wisdom from a number of professionals.

1. Get a big one that allows for easy organization.

“If you are big on membership cards, loyalty program cards, IDs, and the like, you need a wallet with a lot of compartments,” says Zham Pescadero, project coordinator. “The bigger it is, the less clutter there will be. And make sure the cash is easily accessible so you won’t cause inconvenience to other people, especially when you’re at the counter.”

2. Separate bills and coins.

“Do not put coins in your wallet as they can cause it to deform, especially when it’s made of leather,” says JB Masangkay, civil engineer. “Instead, use a coin purse to store your coins separately.”

See related: (Here’s Why You Need To Know Your Wallet’s Contents)

3. Do away with printed photos.

“Almost everything’s available in digital format right now,” notes Tala Singson, Associate Style Editor at Real Living. “Also, at the end of each day, make it a point to go through the receipts you’ve managed to collect in your wallet. Throw away the ones you don’t need. For those you need to hang on to, dedicate one compartment for them so you’ll know where to look when the time comes.”

4. Keep the important cards.

“Don’t forget to have at least three business cards that you can hand out to potential promoters/clients,” says DJ/musician Cyril Sorongon. “Everything’s digital nowadays but a legitimate, tangible business card shows you’re serious about what you do. And to avoid cracking or bending credit cards and IDs, rotate and flip them at times. Every time I use my cards, I return them either flipped to the back of the card or upside down to balance out the pressure.”

See related: (3 Reasons Why You Suck With Money)

5. Use tri-fold wallets to your advantage.

“You can also use your wallet to remind you of the bills you need to pay,” tips Dania Esmael, financial and investment analyst. “To make sure you don’t spend all your money, learn how to separate some of your cash for everyday expenses and others for bigger and more necessary expenses, such as bills payment. Wrap statements of account around your cash so you’ll remember which ones are still unpaid. On top of what you have in the main compartment, you should also keep emergency money somewhere in your wallet. This will come in handy whenever you run out of money.” –Dino Mari Testa