Make a Custom Organizer from a Spiral-Bound Notebook (with YouTube Video)
Sometimes, I have so many notepads around the house that I can't find the specific notes I need. Now, which notepad did I put those in? This suggests that I really need to get organized.
To solve that problem, I made a custom organizer from a spiral-bound notebook I bought at my local office supply store. I can instantly find my primary notebook by the designer series paper (DSP) on the front cover. This DSP is Hand-Penned (item 155499) on page 131 of the Stampin' Up! 2021-2022 annual catalog. All DSP in this project is from the same paper pack!
The notebook (at left) is 9.5" x 6" finished size (9.5" x 5.5" perforated paper). I cut the 12" x 12" DSP to 7.25" side-to-side and left it 12" high.
The DSP on the inside front cover (below) is cut to 5.25" wide x 8.25" high. Both pieces of DSP are glued to the notebook. The glue in this project is Multipurpose Liquid Glue (aka "green glue") from page 167 of the annual catalog.
I recommend watching my YouTube video to see how I made the cuts, punched and cut the paper to fit over the spiral binding, mitered corners for a perfect fit, etc.
I used my Crop-a-dile to punch the holes for the spiral binding. The hole size for this specific notebook is 3/16"; however, hole size will vary by the size of the notebook you have. No Crop-a-dile? You can buy single hole punchers with a 3/16" hole size. Check out your local office supply store or Amazon. (I have verified that Amazon does offer them at this size.)
To be even better organized, I also inserted three tabbed sections (9.5" x 6") into the notebook, including pockets that can hold extra papers, a ruler, or anything small that I need to gather in a single place.
The tabs pages are made from coordinating Stampin' Up! cardstock in Highland Heather, Daffodil Delight, and Mint Macaron. The tab pages all have pockets in various styles that allow me to tuck extra paper, notes, or even a short ruler inside for added convenience.
The first tab (Highland Heather) features coordinating DSP cut to 6" wide and 5" tall). It is glued on three sides (right, left, bottom) to the cardstock, and punched and cut to fit in the spiral binding.
Meanwhile, thanks for visiting! Do come again - and may God bless! tall; however, it has a diagonal cut and rounded right corner. The video for this project shows how to make the diagonal cut.
Finally, the third and final tab (Mint Macaron) features vertical pockets that open on the sides. (Tab on reverse not pictured here.) They can be cut at 3.25" to 3.5" wide, depending on your preferences, and 9.5" high. They are also cut on a diagonal across the top and then glued on one side and at the bottom.
The tabs themselves are cut from the same color cardstock as their individual pages at approximately 1" x 2.875" (2-7/8") size and scored in half lengthways. I used the Stitched Rectangle dies (item 151820) on page 165 of the annual catalog; however, you could simply cut a rectangle in a size of your choice from the cardstock, and then score and glue it in. The video provides additional instruction on placement of tabs!
An alternative for the tabs is to use a tab board or punch if you have one. This would eliminate bulk from the notebook and would reduce some of the wear and tear on the tabs themselves. Tab labels can be handwritten, stamped, or labeled with a label maker - whichever you prefer.
These notebooks are going to be a great time saver for me as I try to get organized. They would also make an excellent gift for someone in my life who also needs to be organized. They are very low cost, but offer the benefit of a handmade item for a friend, co-worker, or family member!
I hope you'll give these a try. Please feel free to load a picture of your new custom organizer in the comments section of this blog.
Meanwhile, thanks for visiting! Do come again - and may God bless!