File Folder Paper Organizer Tutorial

I had wanted to buy one of those cute wood magazine wall racks that you see in catalogs like Ballard or PB.  But they were too expensive and didn’t have enough pockets. Plus, I had no space for one on my walls.  So, I designed this organizer out of file folders.  I don’t have pictures to show you how it was put together but here is the finished product.  I used double sided file folders so that I could fold down the edge with the tab where you label the folder.  This makes it a bit easier to slip the papers in.  I put mine together with glue and grommets.  I love the grommets and ribbon, but it was really difficult.

So later, I made one for a customer by sewing the folders together with my sewing machine and a heavy duty needle.  It worked well.  I then punched some holes and added some grommets and the ribbon because she wanted them.  If you want them too, please get yourself a seriously heavy duty hole punch or just buy 3 or 4 because you will no doubt break one or two.  You could totally make it cute without the grommets though.

I made these ones for some Christmas gifts for my sisters.

I also made some cute labels for my tabs and added some dimensional epoxy stickers that I got in the dollar bins at Michaels.  Mine has a pocket for each kid, me, my husband, coupons, receipts, things to file, and things to do (like papers I need to do something about like make an appointment or order something or deal with a problem like insurance claims).  You can have a pocket for whatever you want.  Mine is hung on the pantry door in my kitchen.  The best way to hang it is with 3M Velcro strips.  You probably need 4 of them.  Mine is on 2 but occasionally my one year old rips it off the door.

DIRECTIONS:

The file folder has a front and a back, right.  And both the front and back have an inside and an outside.  The inside is where your papers would go if you were using the folder as intended.  So here is what you do, step by step:

1.      Fold down the tab edge of each folder to the outside of the front of the file folder. 

2.      If you want it extra extra sturdy you could take the folders to be laminated with this edge folded down. You should probably glue it down if you are going to have it laminated.

3.      Decide how much space you want between the tops of the front side of each folder.  Figure out how much you want them to overlap. I made mine far enough apart so that an 8 ½” x 11”  piece of paper could be in the pocket upright without covering the label of the pocket above it.

4.      Use a glue stick to glue the inside of the back side of one folder to the outside of the back side of the folder that will be above it.  So the folders are like nesting inside each other and then spread out like a deck of cards.  Make sure you measure the distance so you can make it the same on each folder.  If you laminated (I did not) you may have to use a different type of glue.

5.      Once all the folders are glued together you can sew up the sides with your machine.  Be sure to back stitch at the ends or tie off your threads to it doesn’t unravel.

6.      Add any embellishments you want like labels, stickers, or ribbon.

7.      Hang with 3M Velcro strips.

I realize this would be a lot easier to understand with pictures.  But I think if you follow the instructions carefully you should be able to duplicate this.  Please email me if you have any questions.