I want to share with you, lovely ladies, my "Good Steward Record Binder". It's really not as fancy as it sounds but simply a place to corral all my manuals, instructions, receipts and warranties from our home purchases. This is the easiest way I have found to organize these items and I hope it may be of some help to you.
Using a three ring binder with plastic page protectors inside, simply file each manual, warranty or instruction book inside each plastic page and place inside binder according to the appropriate category.
I prepared a printable title page for each applicable home category. Some examples are main appliances, small appliances, electronics, etc… You just file your plastic page containing the manuals, instructions or receipts, behind the appropriate section.
What is nice is that you can slip the paperwork in and out as you need to use them, replace them or resell them. This allows for very easy access instead of fumbling through a drawer and having manuals fall through the cracks or inside other manuals. I also place the purchase receipt inside the appropriate page so that all the pertinent information is gathered together.
Attaching clear index tabs onto each category page is very helpful to find what you need in a pinch.
A spine insert is also useful so that the contents of the binder are understood as it rests on the shelf.
Would you like to make one?
Using a three ring binder with plastic page protectors inside, simply file each manual, warranty or instruction book inside each plastic page and place inside binder according to the appropriate category.
I prepared a printable title page for each applicable home category. Some examples are main appliances, small appliances, electronics, etc… You just file your plastic page containing the manuals, instructions or receipts, behind the appropriate section.
What is nice is that you can slip the paperwork in and out as you need to use them, replace them or resell them. This allows for very easy access instead of fumbling through a drawer and having manuals fall through the cracks or inside other manuals. I also place the purchase receipt inside the appropriate page so that all the pertinent information is gathered together.
Attaching clear index tabs onto each category page is very helpful to find what you need in a pinch.
A spine insert is also useful so that the contents of the binder are understood as it rests on the shelf.
Would you like to make one?
List of supplies:
- Three Ring Binder
- Plastic Sheet Protectors
- Index Tabs with Printable Inserts
- Printables (see below)
There are two ways to organize your binders.
One way is to do MAIN CATEGORY sections in which you would divide your records into the following subjects:
- Main Appliances
- Small Appliances
- Gadgets
- Electronics
- Furniture
- Baby Items
- Garage & Garden
- Automotive
- Tools
- Seasonal Items
- Misc.
- Blank Label
- Kitchen
- Family Rooms
- Bedrooms
- Baby Room
- Bathrooms
- Laundry Room
- Craft Room
- Garage & Garden
- Misc.
- Blank Label
I have also included in the printables above, a cover page (see first photo), spine insert page (fifth photo) and a back cover page (shown above) for extra decoration and with a verse for added inspiration. (Thank you to the Graphics Fairy for all the beautiful clip art!). An organized home is just a few clicks away! Well, the beginning of it, that is...
This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Monday's Musings, Make Your Home Sing Monday, Good Morning Mondays, The Scoop, Titus 2 Tuesdays, Tuesdays with a Twist, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Homestead Blog Hop, Wow Us Wednesdays, Coffee and Conversation, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Our Simple Homestead, From the Farm Blog Hop, Front Porch Friday Blog Hop, Awesome Life Friday Link Up, Five Star Frou Frou Friday, Shabbilicious Friday, Simply Natural Saturdays and Clever Chicks Blog Hop. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these.
This is a great organization tool!! Thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteNow I would make something like this but not stock it- but it could be lovely like yours. Thanks for the nifty idea!
ReplyDeleteSmiles, Suzanne at WhyCuzICan in NW Illinois
This is such a great idea!! I have all of mine in a folder in my file cabinet and it takes up way too much room! I will have to make one of these!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! Love the Graphics Fairy graphics, you've made something workable into something attractive (and workable). Also love the title of your blog, your sharing scriptures, and your obvious love for our Lord. ~ Mary
ReplyDeleteI'm hosting a blog roll for household notebook related posts, and I'd love to have you link up! Great ideas for your notebook. I'm wanting to update mine before our new baby comes in March (baby #3). Thanks for the ideas. Here's my link: http://homekeepers.theproverbs31home.com/2012/01/03/household-notebook-challenge/
ReplyDeleteI'm such a sucker for a good use of a binder and, my friend, you have a wonderful use here! Thanks for sharing! I love that you call it "The Good Steward Record Binder". I may have to "steal" that name to put on my financial records binder as a reminder to be a good steward of the money that God has blessed us with. Thanks again!
ReplyDeletewww.mytaylormadehome.blogspot.com
What a great idea! I do something similar and have a household binder. I could probably add to it to include your above categories.
ReplyDeleteWhat an excellent idea as well as a great way to stay organized! I really should do this, as I have booklets for appliances here and there, but it would be so much nicer to have them all in one handy-dandy 3-ring binder! :)
ReplyDeleteAt any rate, thank you for stopping by my blog today and leaving a kind comment. It was a pleasure to "meet" you, and I am sure to come back for future visits, as I'm your newest "follower." :)
-M. Wildflower
What a great idea! I have all of mine tossed in a file pocket, but they're not organized. This would be something I could just leave on my recipe shelf in the kitchen for easy access too. Stopping by from Wise Woman link up--thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteIt's a lovely binder! I apologize for not coming by sooner. I want to thank you for linking up with Make-It-Yourself Monday! Be sure to come back next Monday and link up your beautiful projects!
ReplyDeleteDear JES!!! Wow~ I LOVE this! I am impressed by the thought that went into it. I am blessed and may just have to do this for myself and revise my system. Also, did you change your 'look' here on the blog? Oh, wait, I see...you have 2 blogs! Lovely taste you have. It is beautiful to my eye.
ReplyDeleteIt just makes me wonder if you would ever be open to guest posting for me using one of your past posts or a completely new one? Sometimes I am SO tired, and at 60 it would be nice to know there is something I really feel would be helpful for others. Pray about it and let me know in my comments. Blessings!!
nice post! thanks for sharing! blessings soraya
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my favorite organizational posts. Very helpful and also pretty :)
ReplyDeleteThese are lovely but it wouldn't let me download without spending money to subscribe to scribd. They gave me an option for a one day pass, but I thought these were free.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it was because I just downloaded your recipe binder pages on Heroines of Faith.
I'll try again in a couple of days, but I thank you for offering these. I was going to use them a bit differently-to write down what needs to be done room by room-daily, monthly and seasonally!
Oh! They are supposed to be free! Thanks for letting me know! I will look into that and I am glad you are able to use them and get creative to modify for your own needs :)
ReplyDeleteYou are so clever! I was just wondering today where on earth I put the manual for my electric range... :P Thank you for the printable.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you can use this! :) Thanks for sharing! Now if you can only find that manual...
DeleteFantastic, thank you!!
ReplyDeleteThat is a great idea. Right now I have everything in a drawer and need to shuffle through everything to find the one item in the "haystack". Thank you for sharing the tutorial and printables. Have a great day, Heather
ReplyDeleteUh how perfect! Mine are all in a cabinet but this would make them neater and easier to find the one I am looking for!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a fantastic and helpful idea! I tend to lose my manuals and other paper work that comes with a new appliance... This is just what I need, JES :) I am so happy you shared this at ROI. Hugs to you!
ReplyDeleteWe have started trying to do something similar to this. It has made finding warranty information so much easier.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to organize.
ReplyDeleteScribd says these are no longer on the site - are they available through another link? Thanks
ReplyDeletePS - I'm really enjoying your site!
Thank you! :) I just updated these printables to the new system. They should work now! :)
DeleteThis is a great organizational idea. Mine are all just in a single folder, but I like that you have even further organized it. If I have some time I might try to do something like this!
ReplyDelete