Page Protectors — The Secret to An Organized Life

I’m a big fan of organizing tools that are inexpensive and have multiple uses, like the shoe organizers that you can use to organize many things other than shoes (for more details click here).  For this reason, I am a huge fan of page protectors.  At less than ten cents per sheet, these are the most affordable, multi-purpose organizing tools you will find.

Ways You Can Use Page Protectors To Organize

The primary purpose of a page protector is stated clearly in its name—it protects pages (from becoming torn, soiled, or otherwise damaged).  You may already use page protectors in your family binder (if you don’t know what that is, click here.).  Once I realized the versatility of these little dynamos, I started using them for much more.   Here are some of the ways you can use page protectors to organize your life:

• Recipes: I slide recipes from magazines into page protectors and keep them in a binder organized by type (appetizer, side, entrée, or dessert).  Bonus:  your recipes won’t get soiled by spaghetti sauce when you’re cooking—spills wipe right off!
• Receipts: Label page protectors with each month or purchase type and store receipts in a way that will make them easy to find later.
• Coupons: If you use specialty sleeves, or make your own (see end of article for tips on how to do this), you can keep your coupons in them, stored in a binder and grouped by categories (e.g. Dairy, Canned Goods, Frozen, Breakfast, etc.)
• Take-Out Menus:  Keep each menu in it’s own page protector and store all of them in a thin binder near the phone or in the kitchen.
• Instruction Manuals:  We use them to keep all the Lego instruction manuals for the kids so they can rebuild the projects later.
• Product Warranties:  Keep each warranty in its own page protector and organize by room, alphabetical, or product type.
• Kids’ Artwork:  Running out of space on the fridge?  Keep individual pieces of art in page protectors and then:
  • Clip them all together with a magnetic clip and hang on the fridge, rotating the order occasionally to spotlight a new piece.
  • Keep in a binder.
  • Hang page protectors on a bulletin board and simply slide out old artwork and slide new art in whenever it comes home from school.

Use Page Protectors For Reusable Papers

Beyond the obvious use, the most functional aspect of page protectors is that they are perfect surfaces for using dry erase markers.  So, any document or worksheet you want to be able to reuse, you can slide into a page protector and abracadabra—it’s now reusable.  Go ahead and pat yourself on the back now for all the trees you are going to save.

Are you having a hard time figuring out what sheets you do or would use over and over again?  Here are a few ideas:

• Meal Planner
• Shopping List
• Weekly Planner
• Chore Chart
• Kid Games (e.g. Tic-Tac-Toe, Hangman)
• Homework Practice Sheets (e.g. Tracing Letters, Addition Worksheets, Foreign Language Vocabulary Sheets)
• Sticker Book

Page Protectors Can Be Used For Art Projects

But wait!  There’s more!  Page protectors do more than keep you organized.  They can also be used for visual appeal.  Check out these ideas:

• Use one to hold up flowers in a vase that is too tall (see image)
• Make your own stencils
• Make your own window clings
• Make a children’s flip book for counting

You Can Customize The Size Of Page Protectors

Also, if you don’t like being limited to the full sheet format but don’t want to shell out the big bucks for the specialty sleeves that are pre-segmented, you can customize your own using one of the techniques below.

• Sewing Machine
• Washi Tape

Ready to stock up on page protectors and organize your whole life?  Click here for a great value pack.  As always, if you have suggestions or examples, please share them in the comments section.