Tame those 3-ring binders!!!
 

Like I suspect many of you do, I keep a lot of things in 3-ring binders. My sewing patterns (each view in a different page protector as I use them), quilt patterns, etc.

However, those binders can get quite unruly on a shelf, so my boyfriend and I came up with a pretty good solution, in my opinion.

We took off the front and back covers, and attached the spines to a piece of plywood. I then covered the shelf where the bottom of the pages would rest, and voila! This reminds me of the catalog keepers in an auto parts house, but much bigger!

However, I still want to secure them mechanically, perhaps get two long metal brackets and lay it right above and right below the bottom ring, and perhaps screw it along each side of each spine for additional security. I think this would be the most effective, but for now the glue is holding just fine. Maybe we will re-secure things next year when we move.

This wasn't too difficult to do, and I wanted to share. Enjoy your day!

Wow I think this idea is a blue ribbon idea!!! Thank you!!!

Very clever. Is it easy enough to find what you're looking for and also remove the pages without other pages falling off the rings?

Great idea!!

I agree, very clever. Wish I had the space. Do you put the patterns in the sheet protectors too??

Like this idea. Very innovative. Wish I had the space. Gets me to thinking. Thanks for sharing your creativeness.

Looks like a great creative solution!

Very creative...looks like an easy solution to your problem.

What a brillant idea!

Great idea!!

Great idea! I would have left the front and back on as dividers for different sections, i.e. table toppers, baby quilts, full size quilts, etc.

Very Clever !

During the years I working as customer service representative on an incoming toll-free line, I had an office designed unit like that in my cubicle. It was about 16-17 inches wide and was easily accessible of my desktop. Are you able to have holes drilled in the metal binder portion to insert a screw? You could fasten from the backside with a metal nut. I forgot to mention that the viewing unit was angled --- think of the catalog in an auto supply store, :-)

That is a great idea.

Yes, pretty much. Now that I've had it for a week or so, but I recommend organizing what goes in what set of rings because inserting/removing from a full binder ring is kind of challenging.

Very Clever!! This is a terrific idea to share.

Not only do I put the patterns in the sheet protectors, but I separate the pattern pieces out. View A goes in one, View B in another, and so on. This way I don't have to fuss with stuff I don't plan on using anytime soon, if ever. But God Forbid I throw anything out!

oh my that looks great. hopefully I wont' need that many. i did have tons of stuff, but culled it out. now i have a bit more and two very skinny three ring binders. i am going to get sheet protectors. i bet i have some somewhere....

What a great idea! Thanks for sharing.

Brilliant idea