Reviewed: Butler Bag

After having long coveted one, I received a Hybrid Butler Bag in Red Licorice for my birthday last month. I immediately switched the contents of my old purse, also a bright red color, which had always garnered lots of compliments, but was wearing out after three years of continuous use. It took about a week to get used to the bag’s layout of compartments and figure out how to best use them, but once I got the hang of it, I fell in love.

The beauty of the Butler Bag is that there is only so much room to hold stuff, and no more. The compartments are dedicated spaces for you to put your belongings, so you can keep your makeup in one, your cell phone in another, etc. But there is not unlimited space. At first I couldn’t figure out where to put my iPod Touch, notebook or reading book, but then I realized there is wonderful space on either side of the built-in compartments perfect for storing something hard and flat, like a book or journal. There are also two slim pckets on the outside of either end. I haven’t decided what to use those for yet. They aren’t quite roomy enough to put car keys in, but maybe after I continue breaking in this bag I’ll find a use for them.

Here are some pictures of my bag, empty and full:

And if you like what you see, click here to get the Butler Bag! I'm a Butler Bag affiliate, so if you click on the link and buy something, I'll get a small commission.

I recently found out that they are disctonintuing both the original Butler Bag and the Hybrid, the one I have, for good, and will instead come out with new designs every quarter. I’m sure the new bags will have compartments and be just as functional as the old bags, but I suppose fashion-conscious consumers might want to have the choice of an updated look more frequently.

Lelah Baker-Rabe is a Los Angeles-based professional organizer. To discuss your organizing needs, call her at 818.269.6671 or email lelah@lelahwithanh.com