[Quazel]

I think I have finally settled on my organizational strategy so I thought I would share. There are a lot of minor details that have turned out to be lifesavers, I will asterisk those. For me, the little details are the ones that are keeping me couponing rather than pulling my hair out over the mess.

First, my system is a combination of bindering and filing inserts. It is a happy medium for me to have what I need on hand but not spend a ton of time clipping and organizing. I use a two sided Case It zipper binder with a shoulder strap. One side for food, one for everything else. I also use a file box from Target for inserts.


Clipping:
What I clip:
1. Things I know I will use. For example: we go through 1 lb. of LOL deli cheese a week so I always clip those qs.
2. Things I know there are upcoming deals for.
3. Things I am running low on.
4. Things I am hoping for a deal on.

The rest of the insert I file. More on that below.

*If you can buy only one newspaper it will make your life a TON easier for clipping and filing. Different papers require cutting different pages and then matching coupons. At first I wanted different papers for different qs but clipping and sorting took forever. I finally decided to save my sanity, get several of a good paper and trade for qs I didn't get.

I start by going through each insert and pulling out the pages with qs I want to clip. I lay them out in a semi circle around my desk so as soon as I pull each page, it gets it's own pile. I also dispose of pages that have no coupons. When I am done, I have a pile of each of the pages of the coupons I want to clip and I can clip them all at once.

***As soon as I have clipped each coupon, I immediately paper clip them. I have been interrupted many times and ended up with a mess of coupons no longer grouped together. Paper clipping them right away has been a life saver. Once it is paper clipped, it goes into a pile. I make one for food, one for everything else.

Sometimes a page I am already clipping from has a coupon on it that I will never use. I may also clip that coupon so I can then throw the page away. The coupon I have no interest in goes in an envelope so I can use it as bonus coupons when I trade. It takes just a few seconds. I don't bother paper clipping them.

At this point my coupons are clipped for the week.

Filing Inserts:
Once I have finished clipping, I make a stack of the inserts. All SS in one stack, RP in another. The pages that I have removed and just clipped from stay piled together and get tucked into the top copy of the insert. I will sometimes staple those pages together, depends on my mood.

*I take a post it and write the date of the inserts along one edge.
*I then take a large binder clip and clip all of the inserts from that date together. The Post It gets wrapped around the edge of the stack and included in the binder clip. The binder clip goes on the edge I didn't write the date on. By doing this, I can then file into my box with the inserts from each date easily grouped together and the date visible on top when I open the file box.

In my file box I have a hanging file folder for each month. The inserts go in order in their month. Some people give each date their own file folder. While I love that idea, my box isn't huge so I am saving the room by having only one file folder per month instead of 4 or 5. Here is the crux of the binder clips. By using one folder per month, I found my inserts would get mixed together any time I tried to look for something. Plus, any sheets I had pulled out would slide out and then I wouldn't be able to find them if I needed them. Everything was just extremely messy. **Binder clips made it quick and easy to access my inserts at a later date. I am not missing pages or mixing dates up.

So now I have my inserts well organized and easy to access for when a great deal comes up and I need to find a coupon. Plus, my desk isn't a mess of everything laid out.

My coupons are now clipped together and ready to be filed in my binder. I have a zipper pouch in my binder (came with it). If I run out of time I can throw my paper clipped coupons in there and the mess is gone but still organized. I also put any tear pad coupons I find so when I am filing, they are ready to be filed as well.

The first week of every month I throw away expired coupons and pull out any coupons that will be expiring that I definitely want to use.

My total time in sorting and filing is about 20 minutes. Time clipping and filing into the binder depends on the number of coupons I clipped that week. This week it only took me 20 minutes to clip and file as there wasn't much I wanted.

Let me know if you have any questions or anything doesn't make sense. Happy couponing!!

[delsol1]

Sounds great!

[tazzie]

Been needing to get something going for a long time and you've got some great tips that I can use. Thanks.

[foodie]

This is exactly the way I do my binder and files, etc. I used my Staples Rewards recently for large box of assorted binder clips in all sizes, rubber bands, and giant paper clips.

I also have a separate file for IP(s) with oldest dates in front filed, etc.

Thanks.

Foodie (Katie)

[majkmom4]

Great system! Thanks for sharing!