|
|
You've got loads of magazines you don't want to part
with. But you must part with them because they're creating too much clutter in
your home. Or at least you must find a way to organize your magazines.
First, get rid of the concept that you must keep the whole magazine intact. Why?
That's like keeping a copy of a television show with all the commercials. If you
had the patience and know-how when taping your favorite television shows onto
DVD or VCR tapes, wouldn't you edit the commercials out of your collection? Sure
you would.
So why are you keeping magazines in which the pages are at least half ads and
many don't interest you? That just takes up twice as much storage space and
gives you more pages to flip through to remember what it was you wanted to
re-read in the magazine in the first place. Just clip and save the best stuff
(more on this later).
And get rid of that mindset that it's a classic set of magazine issues that you
may pass on to a granddaughter someday. It's not. And no one on eBay is going to
pay for your "classic" issues (okay maybe someone on eBay might but not at the
rates you're expecting).
And the library doesn't need one more issue donated of a magazine they already
have. In fact they only need one set of a magazine, and if they've got a set
already, they don't need yours (trust me, I've offered).
Anyway, the fact is that in most cases you are the person who loves your
magazines most. Don't count on someone else wanting your "classics". Sometimes
the trash to treasure adage works in reverse. Your "treasure" is someone else's
"trash." And that's often the case with magazines.
So now if you agree that these magazines are being saved for your usage and
nobody else wants them, you're ready to clip, purge and organize.
GET OUT THE SCISSORS
Clip and tear using these guidelines:
►Ask yourself why do I want to save this
magazine article, ad or photo? What's its purpose? The purpose could be
non-tangible such as it's an inspirational article that gives you hope when
you're down. That's why and when you may read it again. Or you could project a
more tangible result such as you want to use the quilt pattern to create a gift
for your granddaughter for her wedding in a year.
►If your reasons for keeping a clipping are
simply that you loved the article or think the picture is pretty, that's not
good enough. You must have a solid reason as noted in the tip above for keeping
the clipping. Just because you love an article you read doesn't mean you want to
read it again and again annually. Many more good articles come along every day
that will take precedence over re-reading that article.
►Using a pen or marker, write a note
directly onto any clipping related to why you're keeping it (if it's not
self-evident such as it's a recipe). For example, write "safety idea for the
baby's room", "get in shape inspiration", "ideas for mother's day gifts," or
"home business idea." Also, put a code in the top right corner that tells you
where you'll file the clipping such as R for recipes, E for exercise folder, P
for patterns (more on filing magazines later).
►Keep a stapler handy. Inevitably if you
don't attach multiple pages of an article together, one page will get separated
or lost.
►If a magazine has two great articles
back-to-back that you can't separate, do one of two things: Copy one of the
articles on a copy machine. Now they're separate. Or stick a tiny sticky note on
the article that's showing so you'll always have a reminder that another article
is on the backside.
►You can tear out whole pages. If the page
contains multiple articles, use your marker to draw an arrow pointing to the
article of interest.
►If you clip partial pages, you can tape
them to 8 1/2" X 11" sheets of white copy paper so they're more visible and
don't get lost. If an article is published in several small sections spread over
several pages of the magazine, cut the article into pieces that fit in proper
order taped to your plain paper. Use your scissors to make the paragraph splits
where you need them to fit into columns on your plain paper. Then either keep
your cut-and-paste job as-is and file it or copy it onto a copy machine and
throw out the original.
►Don't keep a clipping of something you can
find again or elsewhere when you need it. For instance, perhaps you find an ad
displaying what you think will be the perfect storage shed for your
backyard---when you have money to buy it in two years. Don't bother keeping this
ad because when you save enough money to buy the storage shed, you can simply go
online, do a quick search and find it and 10 more you like better. Only break
this rule if the item is truly unique, something you wouldn't find easily.
►If you think someone else would be
interested in an article clipping, immediately attach a sticky note with a quick
explanation to them. Put it directly in an envelope addressed to them (which you
will either hand-deliver or mail sometime real soon!).
►After clipping from your magazine, put the
remnants in the trash or recycle bin immediately to avoid further packrat
temptation. |
NOW FILE YOUR CLIPPINGS
While you were clipping you made a code about which category to file your
magazine article, photo or ad in. Those are your file categories or subjects.
►Accordion Pocket Folders - Store your
clippings loose in an accordion multi-pocket file with tabs that say exercise,
recipes, home repairs, etc. If you have lots of clippings you can have a
separate accordion pocket folder per subject and break the slots into
subcategories. So you would label one accordion pocket folder on the outside as
"exercise". And inside the tabs would read "dumbbells", "aerobics", "walking",
etc. Office supply stores and major discount retailers sell pocket accordion
folders.
►Binders - Use three-ring notebooks/binders.
Fill the binders with translucent sheet protectors. Put your separate clippings
in the sheet protectors, each page back-to-back so you don't waste space. Buy
notebook dividers with tabs to make the dividing categories for "home business
ideas", "exercise", "crafts", etc. Label the spine and front of the notebook
with a label-maker or use paper, marker and translucent mailing tape to make
labels the old-fashioned way. And if you think white binders are ugly, buy a
three-ring decorative photo album in the same size. It's a binder in disguise!
►Magazine Files - If you must keep whole
issues of some magazines, store them upright in "magazine files". Label the
magazine file by category or by magazine title. Put it on your bookcase.
Magazine files are usually made of cardboard or hard plastic. Here are some
Magazine File Products. |
|
|
|
