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Organizing Magazine Articles

By Manuela Williams

I thought I’d post about the system I use to keep my magazine articles and inspiration pages. I’ve been using it  for a while now and it’s working well for me.

What do you do with all those magazine articles and pictures that inspire you that you tear out and want to keep for future reference?

organizing magazines in a bin

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to Amazon and/or Etsy, which means that I may earn a small commission from some of the links in this post. Please see our Disclosure Page for more information.

I organize my magazine clippings/articles into labeled  file folders. That way when I need to look for something I don’t have to sift through a stack of magazine clippings! I have folders for fall decorating ideas, general homekeeping, garden inspiration, bedroom ideas, kitchen ideas, vignette ideas and so on.

Organize magazine articles & clippings in file folders

So when I’m looking for fall decorating ideas – I pull out the “Fall Decorating Ideas” file.

I keep my currently read magazines in the front, also a small pair of scissors for just cutting out stuff. I keep the bin on my nightstand because I usually look at magazines before I go to bed. I’m usually too sleepy to read a book – all I can manage is to look at pretty pictures for about 10-15 minutes and then I’m out like a light! Books are for during the day when I can concentrate on what I’m reading.

organized magazine clippings

I bought that toile bin last year at TJ Maxx and you certainly don’t need one to organize your magazine clippings this way. You could use a large accordion file even,  you could use a cloth bag, you could use a box (you can wrap the outside with scrapbook paper, wallpaper or gift wrap paper, stickers, use your creativity!)

Nor do you need toile file folders! But pretty file folders are very inexpensive these days and I find that it makes keeping things organize just a bit more enjoyable.

 

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Filed Under: Clean and Organized Home, Organizing my nest

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Comments

  1. Adrienne says

    September 29, 2008 at 12:08 pm

    Manuela, you’ve just given me the idea I needed! Magazines at bedtime. I’m usually too sleepy to read but need a bit of something to do to unwind, too. What a great plan! ~Adrienne~

  2. Cyndi's Re-Creations says

    September 29, 2008 at 1:07 pm

    Great Idea I’ll need to get one of these. Thanks!

  3. Paula says

    September 29, 2008 at 2:29 pm

    Manuela,
    Thank you for sharing this wonderful idea.
    Have a lovely week, Paula

  4. Carla says

    September 29, 2008 at 4:07 pm

    How pretty!!! This is my plan when I unpack my BOXES of magazines I just couldn’t throw away. I love your pretty files and box, by the bed is a lovely idea too! (if I try a juicy book at bedtime, I will stay awake to read and skip sleeping:)

  5. salmagundi says

    September 29, 2008 at 5:06 pm

    I’m afraid I’m guilty of not being able to throw away magazines. Must try your method to reduce some of the clutter in the closets around here!! Sally

  6. Penny @ Lavender Hill Studio says

    September 29, 2008 at 6:03 pm

    I love this system of yours! I have mine in 2/3 big folders, not seperated. I am going to take an afternoon now and sort them out!
    Hugs,
    Penny

  7. Jen - Balancing beauty and bedlam says

    September 29, 2008 at 6:46 pm

    You are right that the toile makes it SO much more beautiful. Mine sit in my dusty manila folders….ugh!

  8. Lyn says

    September 29, 2008 at 7:02 pm

    I love this idea and really need to implement it as I have too many magazines to go through and this is so much simpler!

    Your file folders are lovely. I’ve been able to find cute ones at Wal*Mart and Target even. They are not much more than the plain ones sometimes and they are cheery to look at and use too.

  9. AmyK says

    September 29, 2008 at 7:05 pm

    Oooh, I love that idea! I’m constantly cutting out magazine articles, but putting ’em in my family binder isn’t quite working out; I tend to forget the articles are there! But this? No, this is a great idea.

  10. Melissa Wertz says

    September 29, 2008 at 7:10 pm

    I love your banner the way it is. It is warm and inviting.

    I love the magazine filing idea. I am VBS craft czar (DH fondly dubbed me that name.) and I have the need to cull down craft magazines and craft blog articles I have collected over the years. I was thinking the other day that I need to start tearing out some favorite articles and get rid of the clutter. I just need a better idea of storage. I like using notebooks as well. And b/c we go to a big church and we have a #2 and #3 czar in case I get hit by a truck, that note book and a copy of that note book awways comes in handy. But a note but is not as handy or all conclusive as a nice pretty bin. 😀 And I can always pull out and make copies to put in a notebook and refile to the bin.

  11. Melissa Wertz says

    September 29, 2008 at 7:11 pm

    Sorry, last post, I started typing what as I was pondering/thinking.

    Great idea, thanks!

  12. glorv1 says

    September 29, 2008 at 7:21 pm

    I like the idea of having magazines by the side of the bed. I have Martha’s magazines and they are so beautiful I can’t throw them away and I always go back to them for something or other. I’m going to pick myself a pretty box and set it next to my bed for future use. Thx for the hints. Have a great week.

  13. Mrs. Pivec says

    September 29, 2008 at 8:42 pm

    You’ve been busy! 🙂 I have too and haven’t been able to peruse my favorite blogs in a few days and I see all sorts of things you’ve done!

    I like your clippings idea and love the file folder. I do something similar, but my clippings get taped into my journal. Recipes get saved in my recipe binders, but pretty decorating pictures and things I generally like go into my journal to make me happy while I write. 🙂

    One of my FAVORITE things to do though, is to find the pages I intend to tear out and clip and collect them for taping into the journal later. It is such a peaceful, dreamy thing for me to do…

    I notice that you and I seem to have the exact same color green walls in our kitchens!

    I also love your Friendly Village plates. I have some similar dessert plates that my mom picked up for me at an antique store a few years ago.

  14. Mom2my9 says

    September 29, 2008 at 9:30 pm

    Hi Manuela! This is a great post! I love your beautiful box and pretty folders. It’s a great idea to have this on your nightstand. Good to remember. Hope to see you again next Monday!

  15. A Hint of Home says

    September 29, 2008 at 9:41 pm

    It’s always good to hear ideas of organizing. Thanks for sharing them and for visiting my blog today.

  16. Angie says

    September 29, 2008 at 9:56 pm

    I also love magazines, especially decorating ones, and am always tearing pages out of them. I’ll have to get me some pretty folders to organize with. I used to put the pages in photo albums (I have 5 albums), but it’s kind of a pain to do so your idea would be easier and less time consuming. I love your folders and box!

  17. Linda's Blue Gate says

    September 29, 2008 at 10:19 pm

    I wish I were you…… you are so organized…..I am not….. I want to be….. but alas…. it hasn’t happened….
    Someday you will inspire me to be so I am just sure of it…
    Hugs
    Linda

  18. Tara says

    September 29, 2008 at 10:36 pm

    LOVE it! Great idea…I have a pile of torn out pages…now I have something to do with them. Thanks for sharing and thanks for dropping in on my blog!!

  19. NotsoDG says

    September 29, 2008 at 10:37 pm

    I keep all of my clippings in one folder. I should really categorize them. Maybe if I had some of those pretty folders, it would help.

  20. Lady Katherine says

    September 30, 2008 at 1:46 am

    Thanks for the tip, its a great idea. I have been wanting to cover some boxes in cloth. I blue toile for my weaving studio, and plan to do a day bed so it can be for sevearal thing. I love the red toile!! The family room is remolding stage. Maybe I can sneak it there or on my rocking chair on the porch.

  21. Simply Me Art says

    September 30, 2008 at 1:56 am

    Great Idea Manuela! I too read mine before bed and they put me out like a light also.Jamie

  22. Kelli says

    September 30, 2008 at 2:20 am

    What a wonderful way to organize your magazines and the box is so pretty, too!
    ~Kelli

  23. Lisa Ann says

    September 30, 2008 at 5:22 am

    That’s a great idea! Thanks for the tip.

  24. Mimi Sue says

    September 30, 2008 at 6:44 am

    Fabulous idea. I have little stashes here and there and really need to organize them. And of course everything is better in toile. Mimi

  25. Kathleen Grace says

    September 30, 2008 at 12:25 pm

    I only save photos of pretty rooms so I keep them in clear page protectors in binders. Every once in a while I flip through all my favorites and enjoy them again:>)

  26. Barbara says

    October 1, 2008 at 9:36 pm

    I do something similar just not by my bed. It’s in the top drawer of my desk cabinet, but this would make more sense since I read magazines in bed at night.

  27. Betsy says

    October 8, 2008 at 4:43 pm

    Love this idea. I would have to keep a notebook in the front of mine too because I am constantly jotting down ideas.

  28. Patty says

    October 10, 2008 at 2:19 am

    Great Idea! You were an inspiration to me! You helped me get rid of a big stack of magazines. I don’t have fancy folders yet but I am working on it. Thank you! Hope you don’t mind I’m going to link this post on my blog. Thanks!

  29. ElleX says

    July 12, 2009 at 2:44 pm

    Hi Manuela, so glad you are back. On your old blog, you did a post about your household binder. Can you re-post that to this blog? I want to put together a household binder and remember how great your post was.

    Thanks in advance.
    ElleX

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A Cultivated Nest makes no claims of “expert status” and the owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the use of the information found on this website. Posts may contain affiliate links. A Cultivated Nest is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. A Cultivated Nest is also a participant in the Etsy affiliate program via Awin. This means that I may earn a small commission from some of the links in my posts. Please see our Disclosure Page for more information.

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