Before school took over my life and demanded a bag that fit my laptop

　　

Amanda Bynes loves her Speedy 35 (Image credit: blog.americanchic.net)

　　Before school took over my life and demanded a bag that fit my laptop, I spent my days happily living out of a Louis Vuitton Speedy 35. If you've seen a Speedy 35 you know you can live out of it. It's huge, fabulous, and a little daunting. But never fear! With a little direction you can tote a big bag without losing your keys or hurting your back in the process.

　　Get a base shaper

　　One of the best kept secrets of bag lovers everywhere, base shapers are typically made of plastic and fit perfectly into the bottom of your bag. Shapers do just what the name implies: they make a bag hold its shape and get rid of the "slouchy" look. You can buy shapers online for nearly any style bag or you can make one yourself out of cardboard. Either way, a shaper will create a strong base to organize your purse and keep everything from falling to the center.

　　Invest in bags for your bag

　　Inside my Speedy there live three little bags that function as organizing tools: one to hold pens and pencils, one for makeup, and one for my phone and keys. Little bags not only keep you organized, they protect your investment - who hasn't had nightmares of finding lipstick stains marring the interior of their dream bag? Some bag in bag action will keep your lining beautiful for years to come.

　　Pack sparingly

　　It's always tempting to tuck 'just in case' products in your purse and even more when you have a big bag. Be careful how much you're carrying and take time once a month to dump everything out of your bag and reassess. Do you really need everything you're carrying? Take out a few products and feel the weight lift off your shoulders.

　　Vuitton not your man? The same basic principals will get your comfortable in a Balenciaga City, a Hermes Marwari, or any large bag that catches your eye. With a little planning and some simple tools, you'll be rocking a big bag in no time.