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Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Tuesday Tip

This is tip #50 and in just under the wire! Organize your tear sheets.

Do any of you remember way back in February the post I did showing the dismal state of my tear sheets and magazines? I said I was going to reorganize my tear sheets and keep my commitment not to let my magazines pile up? Well I finally finished!

What should have been a quick and easy job, turned out to be a pain. After an unsuccessful search for linen or linen looking notebooks, I settled on plain paper covered ones. The only problem? No mistakes allowed with-out ripping the paper off the spine. Back to square one and search for notebooks. Delay of weeks.


I ended up just getting vinyl binders from Target and they've worked great. I put all my tear sheets in them months ago and it's been a great system even with their post-it note temporary labels! Now,  I rarely have more than 10 magazines hanging around and a lot more storage space in their absence.

I got hung up making the stupid labels. I don't know about you, but I would rather put Ikea furniture together than figure out a label maker. Every one I've ever owned is so damn complicated. Or is it just me?


Usually, I print on clear tape. And, after printing out all my categories, I realized the clear labels wouldn't show up on the B&W notebooks. Delay of weeks. I finally got around to buying white tape and printed them again. In the wrong font. Delay of weeks. Reprinted them in correct font...with help of husband. Realized I needed adjustment to some categories. Delay of weeks. This is why it took 5 months to complete one simple item on my to-do list. But it was worth it!

At last, all my tear sheets organized in the cabinet with my design books and within easy reach of my desk!


21 comments:

  1. Wow Rebecca that is a huge project accomplished and it looks great! Bravo!

    xoxo
    Karena

    Art by Karena

    Exciting New $150 Giveaway from Dr Perricone! Come and Enter!

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  2. What a big project, Rebecca. I love the way you've categorized everything in binders. Aren't label makers fantastic? I adore beautiful organization!

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  3. I am MOST impressed!!!!!!!!! Wow....what a fabulous idea. You have really inspired me here because goodness knows I have pages EVERYWHERE. My husband would kiss my toes if I did this.....such a beautiful idea! I am so saving this post to come back to for reference and inspiration!!!!! Great job.

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  4. I love this! I have magazines I NEED to go through. I don't usually like binders (took all my personal photos out of them and put them in picture boxes, catagorized by date) but I DO like these. I wonder if Tarjay still has these? Will have to go find out! Whew....aren't you glad you are finished? Great job!
    xo

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  5. I love the job you did; could I ask what were the individual titles of your binders? I think this could work well for me - great idea!

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  6. This is a brilliant idea, Rebecca. So happy you showed us how to organize our inspiration files.
    xx's

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  7. Looks great but not good news for me that it took you 5 months. You are way ahead of me in this department so perhaps I should count on a year or two!!

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  8. Hi all,
    Thanks for the compliments! To answer the anon question above and the 2 emails I got, yes the binders came with this pattern. Don't you love the chevron? They also have pockets, which come in handy to store the pages before I slip them into page protectors(from any office supply store-I bought the big box)which also work great for receipes!

    As for the categories. I based mine on what I need and what I can grab and bring to a client. For example "Bathrooms" is one book for all types, including powder rooms. If I didn't need to store my design books here and had more room, I may have seperated out some further, but so far it's working for me. You can click on the image twice to enlarge it, but just in case you can see it fully, here are the titles:

    Art, Archtitechture, Bedrooms, Bathrooms, Dinining Rooms, Foyers, Holiday, Kitchens, Libraries, Living Rooms, Outdoor Living, Staircases and Windows.

    And, just in case your wondering about the "window" binder...actual window examples would go under architecture, but this is my way of containing examples everything from curtains,to shades and shutters. I also put offices under libraries and family rooms under living rooms.

    I highly recommend using post-it notes until you've got a system that is logical to you, before putting on any labels!

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  9. How lovely! Organization is just gorgeous! Enjoy the fabulous day, Kellie xx

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  10. Opps! Left out one above, one of my favorite categories: Laundry/Mud Rooms.

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  11. OK...I'm inspired. I have the Brother p-touch (love that little machine) but not the notebooks. What a great project. I know you have to have a huge sense of accomplishment...and will enjoy flipping through those well organized notebooks even more!!

    xo elizabeth

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  12. I love this idea!! My 'tear sheets' are gorgeous and inspiring greeting cards... and this is an excellent - and stylish! - way to store them. Thanks!!! -Steph

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  13. I have mine in one binder but now that I've seen yours categorized, I'm rethinking! Lovely!

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  14. Ha! I understand the five month process precisely! It usually takes me that long as well! Love the organization!!

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  15. once again one of your post made me laugh out loud! i can totally relate to the "delay of weeks"! except mine has been more like a "delay of years"! i have the tearsheets, the binders, the clear sleeves, but still havent made the time to do it! but now i am totally inspired! they look so good and i love the way your books are arranged! so pretty. thanks for sharing!

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  16. How fabulous! Now this is something I am going to try! They look great on your bookshelves!

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  17. OMG! You are so organized it kills me! I would hate you if I didn't adore you!

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  18. So impressed Rebecca!!! It's funny how those 'little things' can hold up the big things, but you're right...very well worth the wait!
    xo J~

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  19. wow- I'm so impressed! Now, can you come right over and do mine;)

    happy week!
    joan

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  20. LOL! You crack me up! I thought I was the only one who couldn't figure out the Dymo! I never know what it is going to print.

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  21. Can I please come back as you in my next life. Everything you do is so inspirational and so well done.
    pve

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