I keep mine in Sterilite tall plasic containers that I get at Joann when the everyday plastic storage is on sale at half price. They hold quite a lot of patterns. I have 8 of them, because I have over 1000 patterns, and they each hold different types of patterns, like piecing, applique, Christmas, etc. The boxes have handles and the lids snap onto the bottom, so they are easy to move around and stack.

binders for the magazines i have and a file cabinet for the patterns i keep. Its one of the smaller ones with 2 drawers. I have them categorized by type in folders (ex. christmas, applique, jelly roll)

You could use the hanging folders used for file cabinets but hang them in the cardboard file boxes (purchased from office supply store). Then you could label the folders (with those plastic tabs that attach to the folders) of patterns by style, size, or craft.

This is my method of choice too. Some of mine just haven't made it into the binder yet.

I use the same system as Auntpiggylpn, except I also have a few in the bathroom, a stack in the bedroom and probably a box or two in the storage building! I will be watching just in the event someone suggests a foolproof system for someone like me that loves magazines and printing quilt patterns off the internet as well as the actual quilt patterns that come in fancy little plastic envelopes.

When we moved in here, there was a large oak kitchen cabinet in the garage. (like the ones in my kitchen) I placed it like a cabinet on the floor in my sewing room.

It has three shelves and I placed (three row on each shelf) labels on the end of the shelves with a label gun. That way the type patterns that go into that place/stack is easy to read. I also sew for men, children and myself occationally.That is why I have so many.

It has been wonderful to get them out of those individual moulded plastic cases and into this where it is so easy to find what I want. Then a bookcase holds the books, folders or binders.

I did purge some of them to the second hand store recently. It is important to do that once in a while so you aren't overwhelmed with the ones you won't use anymore.

I forgot to mention that I have all of the frequently used rulers and sewing cards and cd's stored on top of the cabinet. There is one drawer of plastic templets and speciality rulers in the closet. This system is great and works for me.

3 ring binder and plastic sleeves

I store a lot of my patterns in "under the bed" boxes. You can get a lot under there!

Colleen

I've only been quilting a couple of years, but I save mostly free pattern off the internet in my computer. When I start working on the pattern, I print the instructions & save those in a 3-ring binder with a zipper. I have a few books, most given to me, one I bought at a flea market. Unfortunately, no place to organize those, but I keep them nearby. I dream of some day having a wonderful sewing room to get organized in.

I have so many now that I bought a plastic crate made for holding file folders. Now they are all devided into files. So easy to find what Im looking for.
A file for stars, whole quilts, blocks, children, instructions, etc.