Summer is typically a time of fun in the sun and relaxation bliss. But for me, I like to utilize summer to tackle unfinished projects that I just don’t have time for in the school year. Whenever I have an idea of a project I want to complete, I make sure to write it down in my planner so it’s not forgotten. At the top of each week, I write down all of my ongoing, big goals and projects I’d like to complete and carry them on from week to week so I am constantly reminded of the goals I’m working towards. Some goals are big and lofty, while others are small and just a little time-consuming.
This past summer, I decided to tackle a small project that would help me feel more organized.
I was at first inspired by a TikTok video and then found more inspiration on Pinterest. The video was captioned something along the lines of “My Go-To Baby Shower Gift.” The item wasn’t a life-hack, baby gadget like you’d think, but it was still something very useful. The video featured a clear, plastic container lined with filing dividers. Each divider was labeled with different categories like health records, medical bills, ages 0-5, and then each grade from kindergarten to 12th grade. Being the queen of organization that I am, I immediately fell in love and added this project to my to-do list for the summer.
I was so excited to finally have found a good system to organize important files in. I had been using a variety of color-coded folders, but I knew this would be a much better method. Not to mention, I would also be able to store and organize all of my son’s cute drawings and homework.
A quick search on Etsy will result in a variety of products you can buy from sellers to make your very own organization bin. But I quickly noticed how expensive the products were for only the filing dividers, tabs, and a sticker for the front of the bin. The bin itself wasn’t even included for most listings. Prices ranged from $50 to even $70. I knew I could make the bins myself at a much more affordable price for our family, so that’s what I did.
After searching online and through different stores, I found the most affordable option for the plastic container was available at Wal-Mart for only $7.13. It can sometimes be difficult to locate these bins in-stock at Wal-Mart, so make sure to check the app before heading to the store.
I was also able to find the filing dividers on Amazon available in an assortment of colors for only $9.86. The set includes 25 tabs, more than enough for all your filing needs. On Amazon, you will also find the Avery filing tab inserts for only $2.19 which can be customized and printed through the Avery website. To top it off, I labeled my filing bins for my family with the Avery name tags for only $3.28 for a set of stickers which can also be customized.
In all, this brought the total to create a customized filing bin to only $22.46 before taxes, plastic bin and all! This bin has me feeling so organized and empowered. Not only did I make one for my son, but also my husband and I. Now, whenever my husband needs access to old W-2’s or important receipts, he can easily find them.
For my son’s bin, I included the following tabs: Birth Certificates, Health Records, Doctor Bills, Age 0-3, Age 4-5, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, College, Report Cards, Certificates, Cards, Manuals, Warranties, and Miscellaneous.
For my husband and I, our bin includes the following tabs: Birth Certificates, Medical Records, Insurance, Automotive, Banking, Credit Cards, Utilities & Bills, Important Receipts, Classroom Receipts, Tax Documents, Trading, Employment, Retirement, Legal, Reality, Warranties, Manuals, School & Certifications, Mike’s Recognitions, Kat’s Recognitions, Other Recognitions, Cards & Letters, Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous, & Miscellaneous.
Taking a further step to become more organized with my family’s documents has me feeling more in control than before. I think everyone can benefit from having a system like this and I highly recommend it! In fact, I’ve already started making these as gifts. This is now my go-to baby shower gift.
