December 3, 2012
How to Stop the Paper Trail – Binders
We’ve been working through letting go of paper clutter over the past few weeks, tackling areas and methods to eliminate the stream of paper and piles. Today we’re talking about BINDERS! They are my favorite tool to organize paper. I feel like my binders are like my homekeeping brain on paper – all the things and ideas I have swirling around can be put to paper and filed away in a neat and tidy way.
Why use a binder?
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Isolate a subject or a variety of subjects in one, easy to locate place.
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Portable filing system – no need to haul a filing cart or box around.
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Inexpensive – there are so many different types and styles of binders, you are sure to find a style that you like and fits your needs.
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They can be stored in a drawer, on a bookshelf, in a cabinet, on top of your desk.
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Use one subject per binder or many subjects per binder – flexible!
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Reusable – binder not working for one thing, switch it up and use it for something else.
What can you put in a binder? The options are endless, but here are some ideas to get you started.
- Homekeeping tools (cleaning checklists, maintenance schedules)
- Budget and bill pay information
- School papers (phone numbers, teacher info, etc.)
- Important papers that you don’t need all the time, but you might need to grab in a hurry (insurance paperwork and forms, automobile info, banking/investment data, etc.)
- Projects – separate by specific projects or keep a binder with all your projects in one place
- Recipes – one of my all-time favorite binder projects
Want to see how I use binders in my home? I use them everywhere and for most types of paper storage. Here’s a round-up of posts on a few types of binders to get you started:
How about you? Have you hopped on the binder bandwagon? What do you use binders for?
Inspired to start a binder collection? Well it’s your lucky day – I’ll be back later TODAY with a BIG giveaway sure to get a binder started for you! Any guesses as to what the giveaway is?
Clickhere to see all the posts in this series.
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Christine Pignatello Says
Martha Stewart office goodies? Love them!
Danielle Says
I love binders… When we switched our vehicle insurance, our new agent loved that all our vehicle insurance information was in a binder! Portable and collected! We use separate binders for lots of things!
Emily Says
I have used binders, and like their ease and efficiency of organizing my papers. However, I’m curious about how you store/organize all of them. I’ve got a bunch of binders that take up so much room on my limited bookcase space, that I don’t quite know what to do with them.
Clean Mama Says
Hi Emily!
I have a built-in bookcase in the kitchen, so the recipe binders go there with the cookbooks. The other ‘household’ binders go in a cabinet out of sight.
Lawana Says
I need a home binder and bill paying binder
Lawana Says
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Angela Johnson Says
I think this is a great idea. I need to start a Binder. I too much Clutter!
Alana Taylor Says
I’m such a sucker for binders! Thanks for sharing yours. 😉
http://www.domesticblissdiaries.com
Keely Henry Says
WOW! I am just discovering your site from abowlfulloflemons. This is amazing and speaks to the core of my organizing ways! Thank you for being here and giving so much!