This weekend while attempting to track down all of my receipts for taxes, I was bit by the organizing bug. You’d think I would have tackled tax form organization, but I got distracted and jumped to creating order from all of the manuals and warranties littering my paperwork files. Because of a lack of space, I no longer have a traditional file cabinet and instead use storage bins with files. Well, I did until this weekend.
If you’re anything like me, out of habit you save every product manual from new purchases and stash it away just in case. Some manuals I do consult from time to time but others automatically enter the file(s) without any regard for whether or not it’s useful enough to keep. The problem with this is you have the paperwork but can you find it? And do you need to save every manual for every product you’ve ever owned? The answers are probably no to both of those.
So in an effort to reduce clutter and tame the broken file system I’ve been using , I decided to organize with binders. I went through all the manuals and tossed out all paperwork for products I no longer own or for things that it isn’t necessary to even have paperwork on. Now that all of the manuals are organized in a binder, my husband and I can easily find the information we’re looking for.
Supplies Need and How to Organize Product Manuals
- 3-ring Binder: depending on the number of manuals you have will determine how large of a binder you’ll need. I used a 3″ binder. Well, two of them.
- Sheet protectors: slip each manual into it’s own sheet protector. Or if you like, add one manual to each side of a sheet protector.
- Tabbed dividers: create logical categories for locating manuals you need quickly. My categories per binder are the following: Electronics, Kids Stuff, Garage, Appliances, and Miscellaneous. Of course at times there might be overlap or you might find yourself over thinking the categories. For example, does the Barbie Jeep manual go in Garage or Kids Stuff? I chose the latter.
- Pen(s): to list your categories on the tabs of course!
- Scrapbook paper (and a ruler for measuring the paper): I have my binders on a shelf in the living room. I wanted to make my binder visually appealing and easily accessible.
- Optional: A label maker to to easily label and identify the categories in each binder. Of course, you could always label the front of your binder as well so the contents weren’t as obvious.
For more ideas on how to organize your home, check out my post on how to Make Your Own Stylish Storage Boxes.
How do you use organize your product manuals? Do you have any other tips that I could use?
GREAT idea. I almost feel inspired to tackle mine now….lol. My files are long overdue for a “clean-up”, so one of these weekends I’ll have to sit down and actually do it.
That is such a great idea!! Can you come over and do mine? Please??
That’s probably better than my throw them all in a single file in the file cabinet method.
You are so organized! All of ours are in a kitchen drawer. This way is much better.
Great tips. I love to organize and do it every year when I gather my taxes.
A while ago I put all our manuals in a big box in a kitchen cabinet. They aren’t in any particular order, which makes finding the one(s) I need from time to time, a bit of a chore. I think I’m gonna switch over to your system. Thanks for sharing!
These are some great ideas. Thank you!
Great job! I am not organized at all and I really need to do something about it.
That is a great idea. I just stack them in the cabinet right now but of course I have manuals for stuff we don’t own any more.
this is a great idea – I am HORRIBLE with how I organize.
This is a great idea! I just bought a label maker this morning and have all kinds of plans for orgnaizing
clutter is my pet peeve. Thank you for the tips. I’ll definitely be putting some to use.
That’s great. I usually look to see if they’re available online. If they are they get tossed! I do however do this w/ my son’s Lego books that come w/ sets.
That’s a great idea! I’ve been organizing my office this month & have been looking for a good solution to my manuals so this couldn’t have come at a better time!
Thanks for sharing this, we usually just throw all of our product manuals in the kitchen drawer and ignore them until something breaks! LOL
I need to get more organized. we keep joking that we will get this house organized just in time to sell it.
I finally stuck all of mine in a filing cabinet!
I love the idea of properly storing manuals. Once upon a time I had a great filing system, but now it sucks. We’ve moved so many times over the past 18 months that I can’t find half my stuff. Ugh, and we’re moving again this year.
Honestly, I never organize them and usually get so frustrated by them that I toss them (which is a BAD idea)…you are inspiring me to get my act together, save them, and organize them!
This reminds me to take out my large box file and sort them! Thanks for sharing!!
Oooh that’s pretty! I always throw mine away – my husband makes fun of me if I want to keep one because he says they’re all n the internet these days! Ha. I like to keep them though…maybe I would if I had a pretty system! Pinning this!
What a great idea! I totally need to this soon.
great idea!
I’m all for keeping things simple and this fits the bill. Thanks Kelly!
How did you know I have a bazillion manuals? Love this organizing ideas!
This post was the #2 clicked idea submitted last week on my mommy solution linky party! Thanks for sharing such an awesome idea!