Comments on: Reader question: Storing binders in a home office

By: Melissa

Melissa — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 11:19:25 +0000

Now that unikeep binders exist, why use old-fashioned triangular binders? Unikeeps are rectangular and snap shut like boxes. http://www.unikeep.com. They are the miracle of my existence on planet earth!

By: kate

kate — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 20:38:18 +0000

I find binders a pain–having to punch holes in everything, little round bits of paper everywhere, awkward and not space efficient shape, etc etc. I have gone to the use of project boxes (sometimes called letter boxes if they stack flat). (If I really need dividers, I use the large envelope-style divided folders.) Can’t wait to get my Sharks so they’ll stand neatly, but I’ve been using them lying flat, which is not as big a hassle as you might think. When I’m sorting piled up papers, I just lay them in a row on the floor without their lids and toss in whatever belongs.
Also I just bought Innohaus Aktiv file boxes at Office Depot or Max that will stack or hang in a file drawer.

By: Perri

Perri — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 11:59:21 +0000

After I posted this question, another organizer sent this brand new product idea to me (grrrr…I always wish I had invented it first!):
http://shelfshark.com/?p=home
I haven’t tried it out yet, but it looks promising!

By: Scott Jones

Scott Jones — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 06:34:57 +0000

Another quick tip – hit your local Staples, OfficeMax, or Office Depot around back to school time. Avery and other binder manufacturers usually produce “shippers” for binders very similar to the image you posted above. After the product is sold, or nearing the end of the back to school season, these shippers are tossed out. Make friends with the department manager, and he’ll let you leave with the shipper when they’re done with it. I used to work at Staples, and there was a friendly customer who I held a couple of these for each year for a similar DIY home binder storage project.

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 02:25:40 +0000

I really like Bamboozler’s corner shelf idea! You could put it at the end of a bookshelf, so it wouldn’t even need to be in a corner.

By: Bamboozler

Bamboozler — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 18:32:22 +0000

Here's a corner shelf for you anyone wondering what I'm talking about. http://www.ikea.com.sg/products/product_display.asp?id=2576

By: Bamboozler

Bamboozler — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 18:24:01 +0000

There are many corner shelves that would easily store binders. Just like the carousel but 1/4 the size. Plus they are much cheaper and use up normally unused space.

By: roothorick

roothorick — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 16:02:06 +0000

This looks like something that would be VERY easy to make, and cheaply. I’m thinking plywood discs on a PVC frame, and then paint it for style points.

By: Debbie

Debbie — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 14:40:17 +0000

Another idea is to use smaller binders so that they are more full and thus more rectangular.

Or you can slip something in with the pages, such as a narrow box (multi-pen pack? macaroni and cheese?), to hold the binder in a rectangular shape.

Another idea is to store every other one backwards. This works best if you can tell what the backwards binders contain by context, without having to pull each one out, such as if the binders are in a series or if the backwards ones contain the older files of the frontwards ones.

Or you can store them someplace where you have access to the top and can straighten the edges to make them perpendicular. This way each one holds itself up.

Or you can store them on their sides in such a way that something like the back of a closed bookcase keeps them from sliding off each other.

By: Jaclyn

Jaclyn — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 14:36:13 +0000

So what about a large lazy Susan on a shelf?

By: PJ Doland

PJ Doland — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 13:15:01 +0000

You can also put the binders in slip cases which will effectively make their profile rectangular so they will sit properly on a bookshelf. http://bindertek.stores.yahoo.net/newslipcases.html