I'm a bit of an information junkie so I often find myself buying a magazine because one or two headlines caught my eye.
Sound familiar?
I don't like keeping magazines because all you need are about 5 pages (if that) from each magazine and it's a waste of space! Not to mention a waste of time when you have to look through that whole magazine for that article
So this is how I organise all my clippings:
1. I have a flipfile (can someone please tell me what you call it in other parts of the world?) for each broad category subject, like
- Organising/ storage ideas
- Health
- Fitness
- Creativity
- Financial
- Christmas ideas
- Passion (largely due to my work at the church)
- Recipes to try
I like the 20-page ones although most of these are of the 10-page variety. Just because they're more readily available.
2. As I read (and this is key, otherwise you spend MORE time going through the magazine a second time), I pull out the pages I want to keep.
3. I then throw them in my in-tray in my study and when want to organise, I take my flipfiles, scissors and pages with me to do in front of the TV.
4. I then neatly trim the edges of the pages and simply slip them into the plastic sleeves.
5. Every 6 - 12 months, depending on how many magazines I've been reading, I'll quickly flip through the flipfile to see if I can throw anything away. Sometimes our tastes change and you now know without a shadow of doubt that you'll not be doing mosaic art anytime soon :-) (I'm just saying!).
This maintenance stage is critical otherwise you'll just keep hoarding more and more stuff. Sometimes the mere idea of having to prepare another file helps me to get ruthless with the clippings. I know it's not a big deal to write out a label but I actually like the idea of containing my info-addiction.
So how do you organise your magazine clippings?
Don't forget to check my main blog page for the discount on the Household Organising File.
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6 comments:
Fantastic idea! I don't subscribe to many magazines, so right now the few I have kept fit in a file folder in my cabinet, but I will keep this tip in mind for a possible future where I do subscribe to magazines!
I do exactly this!! Except I 3-hole punch the papers I want to keep, and let them stack up on my desk. Just kidding!! I mainly keep recipes I want to try, so I go ahead and put them in my "To Try" spot in my cookbook. If I don't like it, I throw it away. If I do, I put it in my homemade cookbook. The only other category I have is "House Ideas" and that is strictly house plans for a future house. In case we ever get to build.
Corrie, don't start subscribing. I don't subscribe to any but somehow we always have a pile somewhere. Which reminds me, I actually need to go through and start pulling out pages.
Coach J, you make me LAUGH! I did a huge declutter of recipes a few months ago. I finally realised that I was never going to make elaborate recipes - it's just not my style. Hence my muffin madness - throw in, barely mix and voila!
Can't wait to chat to you tonight!
Love, LOVE, Love your blog.
;) Kim
You've been blogtipped!
http://4fabmoms.smartmoms-smartbusiness.com/2007/08/today-is-blog-tipping.html
Outstanding, Marcia. As you know, I have a Good Things book. But the whole premise is basically the same with the exception mine aren't separated into categories like yours. I personally like the randomness of my system and set it up this way on purpose, but I can see where most people would want to use specific categories.
Doesn't matter - the main thing is to get rid of those piles of magazines, right? :-)
I am from the USA and we just say we put them in a three ring binder--you said you wanted to now what others say. I like the sound of flip file.
I do what you do, only it is in my 3 ring binder.
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