Help me, oh organizationally-minded friends!

[gnomi]

...and I know I've got a couple of you out there.

Here's the deal. I have the 2007 Knitting Pattern a Day calendar, and I know there will be patterns I want to keep. The question is how. My options as I see them are as follows:

1. Keep all the patterns I want to keep in a standard 8.5x11 manilla folder
2. Get a small 2- ring binder (the calendar pages are about 6x7.5) and a 2-hole punch and store them in the binder

I actually like option 2 better than option 1, but it is more equipment-intensive. However, it would allow me to sort the patterns by type, or whatever.

Thoughts? Alternate suggestions for organizing the patterns? Thanks!


P.S. I know I still owe a trip report and some rambly bits. I just haven't been sufficiently brainful. This weekend, maybe.

Comments

[estherchaya.livejournal.com]

My preference would be to use the binder. Then you have limitless expansion capability, but can also use sub-categories, which will ultimately mean you get more use out of the patterns, since you'll be able to easily locate them.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Very reasonable, indeed. Expansion is key. And you're right about the subcategories, which I hadn't even considered.

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

Get the binder.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I see a Staples run in my future (though probably not this afternoon).

[530nm330hz.livejournal.com]

Binder binder binder.

Perhaps a standard-size 3-ring binder with clear plastic pocket inserts (sleeves), so you don't have to worry about the holes you punched ripping as you flip pages.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

So... you think the binder, maybe? :-)

Ooh, good thought about the sleeves. My other thought had been those goofy reinforcements they sell to protect the holes, but they're never reliable.

[byrne.livejournal.com]

*clears throat*

HIYA!!

For my patterns I use a standard binder and page protectors so I can just slip the patterns into something I can see through, and reorganize at will. As you're dealing with a smaller size, I suggest this:

http://www.centuryphoto.com/servlet/OnlineShopping?Dsp=20000&PCR=10000:95000:95300

which fit in this:

http://www.centuryphoto.com/servlet/OnlineShopping?Dsp=20000&PCR=10000:60000:60200

I've ordered this, for my recipes: http://www.centuryphoto.com/servlet/OnlineShopping?DSP=50100&PCR=10000:95000:95050&IID=HK039 which is the same thing. And extra pages.

:D

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Heh. Somehow, I knew you had a system. You were one of the three people I figured might weigh in on the subject (the other two being estherchaya and damascene).

[byrne.livejournal.com]

:D

[damascene.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but I came late to the party, so it's all been said already.

Binder and sleeves, no question. Standard size or custom is just a matter of preference. (The notable argument for a standard size 8.5x11 binder and full-size page protectors is that you can then interleave other patterns from other sources into your newly-developed binder filing system with less likelihood that you'll have to fold them to fit them into the smaller custom pockets. Just a thought.)

[eal.livejournal.com]

Heh, and it somehow figures that you would solve my recipe problem at the same time that you're solving gnomi's knitting problem.

Thanks :)

[byrne.livejournal.com]

HEE! I wasted most of a day deciding on that particular system. :D I can't wait until it gets here. <3

[eal.livejournal.com]

You'll have to report how it works. I'm not quite ready to buy, so I'm still thinking on it.

[byrne.livejournal.com]

Oh, for sure! I love babbling about new systems. LOL I'll let you know!

[farwing.livejournal.com]

Go with option #2- you can keep the knitting recipe book with your cook books!

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Oh, good idea! There's space on those shelves, for sure.

[joecoustic.livejournal.com]

I too vote for a binder with clear plastic sleeves. I used this for organizing songs (in my chaotic system) and it has worked very well (and keeps things safe and clean).

[cellio]

Plastic sleeves, definitely. In addition to saving wear and tear on the paper (and avoiding buying the 2-hole punch), this lets you group variations and similar patterns together. So if you do one but tweak it a bit, you can preserve the original and file your marked-up photocopy right there with it (where you're more likely to notice if you come back to it later).

[samcdermott65.livejournal.com]

Binder w/ clear plastic sleeves. Leaves plenty of room for expansion and organizing. Easier and neater to use than just sticking everything in a manilla folder.

[tapuz.livejournal.com]

Definitely clear sleeves.

While they are overkill in terms of manufacturing quality and price, the ones made for CDs might be the right size.

Hm, you could also always photocopy to 8.5x11 before putting in standard size-punched plastic sleeves. This way, there would be room on each sheet to add your own notations and each one can be placed in its own separate location w/o having to dislodge more than two patterns....

[norda.livejournal.com]

Binders, all the way.

[zhot-ani.livejournal.com]

a small photo album.
Clear plastic sheet protectors in any kind of notebook.

business card holder

[(Anonymous)]

If the calendar items are small enough that you can fold, you could probably fit them into business card holders. It depends on just how many you're going to save, and for how long.

My first thought was a splindle, if only because it would be lots of fun to drive those little papers onto a spike.

Re: business card holder

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I'm planning to add them to my pattern collection, for future reference, so folding them isn't such a practical option. For the same reason, neither is a spindle, since I want them to be usable.

By the way, who is this anonymous commenter?