Paper Organizing: Binders and Labels

[Life_is_Simple]

I am finding that 3-ring binders work well for organizing my paper. Why it took me this long in life to realize it, I don't know :laff:

Last night I organized my Car binder, and I will tell you what I did. To some of you this may seem excessive, but it's really helping me, so try not to judge too harshly ;)

I have a blue Car binder - my current car is blue. On the front of the binder, I have a sheet of paper which I had on display, when I showed the car at a car show.:+1:

The first section starts with a blue tab insert page, with the car name printed on the tab via a label maker. Car records then appear in a blue Divide-It-Up (Pendaflex) folder, which has 3 cascading pockets - labeled "Inpection/Registration," "Oil Change," and "Service." The folder itself has a tab labeled "2010 2011 2012."

The next section is the previous car, which was red. Same thing, labeled with a red tab insert page. Then the red 3-pocketed cascading folders labeled insp/regr, oil change, and service - 3 years at a time in each folder.

Next is a smaller yellow section for Car Insurance. Same story. A yellow 3-pocketed folder. And a green divider at the end with a few pages of older car info.

I can't believe how non-overwhelmed this binder makes me, as opposed to the "Papers Everywhere" method. :0! Something about the 3-pocketed folder helps chunk the information better into meaningful categories for me, so it isn't just endless stick-on tabs by year, which it previously was. :doh:

It's a lot easier to throw things out too.

The End. :cool:

[Fawn]

Isn't it cool when you figure out the thing that works? :D

What are you going to do if you get another blue car?

[goldensmom]

I'm a strong supporter of color coded files. We have green for John Deere tractors/implements, orange for Kubota and red for Massey Ferguson/International. As we have more than one of each, on the front we have pictures of the tractor/implement. Grab the color and check the cover. Another blue car? Stick a picture of the car on the front of the folder/binder.

[Gardenarian]

I l ove a story with a happy ending :)

Binders are wonderful. Love color coding. I can spend hours in stationery stores, such fun stuff, thinking about ways to create systems.

[JaneV2.0]

I love binders. Binders and sheet protectors. And labels and bins to stick them on. Stationery stores and yes--container/organizing stores are catnip to me. With that, you'd think I'd be far more pulled together than I am. I'm really too old to be such a work in progress. (insert Methuselah smiley here)

[Life_is_Simple]

Isn't it cool when you figure out the thing that works? :D

What are you going to do if you get another blue car?
Fortunately, goldensmom has solved the problem for me ;)

[Life_is_Simple]

I'm a strong supporter of color coded files. We have green for John Deere tractors/implements, orange for Kubota and red for Massey Ferguson/International. As we have more than one of each, on the front we have pictures of the tractor/implement. Grab the color and check the cover. Another blue car? Stick a picture of the car on the front of the folder/binder.
I love the idea!:+1: Let me know if you have any more ;)

[Life_is_Simple]

I l ove a story with a happy ending :)

Binders are wonderful. Love color coding. I can spend hours in stationery stores, such fun stuff, thinking about ways to create systems.
I probably would be better off if I spent more time casually exploring and creating systems. I need to s...l...o...w down :thankyou:

[Life_is_Simple]

I love binders. Binders and sheet protectors. And labels and bins to stick them on. Stationery stores and yes--container/organizing stores are catnip to me. With that, you'd think I'd be far more pulled together than I am. I'm really too old to be such a work in progress. (insert Methuselah smiley here)
Well, one of my friends told me to just start sticking the labels places, to designate where things should go. If I need to buy a label or bin later, so be it :)

I keep wanting to check out the Container Store. It's a little far, but it would be fun to explore!

[fidgiegirl]

Love it!

But why keep the folder for the previous red car?

BTW I think you have more formatting fun on this forum than anyone else ;)

[ToomuchStuff]

Seems to me if you find a bargain on the binders (I've seen a local overstock store where they go from $.50 on up before), it might be more cost effective to do a different color label then worry about the binder. (I would probably use Kinko's since I only have a black laser printer, or highlight a label). Files are fine for some things (still use them) but the more I think about it, the more I think binders are a good future option.

[Life_is_Simple]

Seems to me if you find a bargain on the binders (I've seen a local overstock store where they go from $.50 on up before), it might be more cost effective to do a different color label then worry about the binder. (I would probably use Kinko's since I only have a black laser printer, or highlight a label). Files are fine for some things (still use them) but the more I think about it, the more I think binders are a good future option.
Yeah, the binders themselves are mostly white, since that is what I have been finding on sale.

The few color ones I have that may actually be from college in the 1980s, where I threw out the notes and used them for something else.

I got rid of a bunch of binders about 10 years ago on Freecycle, because I was not a Binder Person back then. The good thing is, I do not regret getting rid of binders 10 years ago, because I "might need them in a future life when I become a Binder Person." :laff:

[Life_is_Simple]

Love it!

But why keep the folder for the previous red car?

BTW I think you have more formatting fun on this forum than anyone else ;)
Hahaha on my forum formatting inclinations :laff:

Two reasons for keeping stuff on the previous car. If my current car later has something go wrong with it, I will think, "I wonder when things starting going wrong with my previous car."

THe other reason... a tax person did a home business car use deduction on a percentage of car expenses, instead of straight mileage deduction. So I keep the receipts for that purpose. I later realized I would have been better off with the mileage deduction, in terms of what paper needs to be saved. So when I do taxes now I think, "Can I pay just a little more in taxes, if it results in me having to save a lot fewer documents?"

[Tussiemussies]

Great idea, glad it takes some stress off of you.