Coupons have taken over my home.... How do you organize yours?

[moxi]

I've tried several ways over the years...binder is still the best for me. I find the card holders at thrift stores. If interested, look in the binders(at the thrift store) I have bought huge binders filled w/Baseball cards for $1. I make sure the baseball cards are'nt worth anything and re donate, makes for a cheap coupon binder.

[Gertie2u]

I've never yet tried the binder because of the expense of the sheets. Gotta save up some of my coupon savings for those, and they're going to have to come after I buy a deep freeze with my savings. I just used what I had on hand, and it seems to be working well enough. I had one of those clear plastic rubbermaid shoe boxes and a stack of normal sheets of paper that are thick like heavy postcards. The postcard sheets are what is left of a project to make covers for some books I was binding for one of the kid's teachers of poems and stories the kids wrote. I just clipped one down until I got the right width for the box, then drew two to a page on the rest of the sheets and arranged them in the box with right and left tabs. So far, since I really sorted things into categories, it seems to have worked well. Best part is it was free!

[JulieDB]

I use a coupon caddy. Yes it can be a pain at times but there is no way I would carry a binder with me.

[$Saving!]

At home I have two leather bound expandable file boxes - 5"tall x 10"wide with a base of 3" that expands.

When I go to the store, each store has an envelope that I write what I'm buying on the outside and the coupons to match are inside the envelope.

I have a tray basket that I put all the printable sheets and uncut inserts into until I can cut/file them - try to keep that flowing daily or every few days so I don't get behind.

All extra coupons I clip I don't need go into a swap basket as I organized and attend two different coupon swap groups once a month. Expireds go into an envelope for the swaps as we have members who ship to the military regularly.

[kwhile0599]

I keep my coupons in a 6x6 plastic box, with a hinged lid (Sterilite brand...you can see it on their website). I use dividers that were made for a file box. The box cost me $1 at Dollar Tree, and the dividers were $3 at Meijer. It sits perfectly in the seat of the shopping cart. Also, when I make my list for each store, I put the coupons that match my list in an envelope, and tuck it inside the notebook that the lists are in. I've been doing this for years, and it works for me.

DITTO XUfan!! Same box, pulled q's in envie - but I write my list on the outside of the envie. And it all fits in my purse!

[Abbybob]

I used to have a small accordion organizer, with a slit for each aisle inshore, a slot for hba and a skiff emptier q's (bed bath and beyond, B&BW, JCP, entertainment book, etc). It fit in my purse and I carried it with me. Now I have a couponixer (my mil gave it to me for Xmas). I'll use it until it falls apart, and then go back to my old system. Probably6 more months or so.

[Nani22305]

I use a zippered address book type of binder and a coupon envie with lots of slits for the food coupons, and non food go in the binder. It's pretty neat.

[lovemygirls]

I use my binder for the things that I know I will use or that are hot coupons. I purchased 3 sizes on the baseball/ coupon holders. I purchased the baseball size ones, the currency size and the 3x5 ones. I do not like to fold my coupons so these sizes work for me. I then use a plastic file box with hanging dividers in it. I put the full inserts that still have coupons in them in there with a sticky note on the right sized labeled with the date. I have a small index box with coupons in it that I am trading or doing auctions with. I put those coupons in a envelope with one coupons paper clipped to the front so I can see the coupon.

These all seem to work for me and help me stay organized

[Mysticaly]

Tons and tons of great tips in here. Thanks everyone for sharing. This will defiantly help me get started right :)

[clippyclippy]

I started as a binder person, went to insert filing and now I've morphed into box filing!
Here are some pictures:
plastic handled shoebox is from Walmart. This stays in the van at all times. I will take it into the store if I'm shopping for more than just a few items. Otherwise, I pull the coupons right before I go in.

I have 3 newspapers delivered, so I stack them, staple them, cut them and file them by insert.
Since I'm not filing into a binder I can do this very quickly by rough cutting and no folding.
The non-insert coupons are filed at the back by category:


I had a bunch of plastic file folders I cut to size and added a 3x5 card as the marker:


When I need to find a coupon, I have access to our newspaper's database of coupons. I can access this from my phone, so when I'm out and about I can quickly find the coupon I need:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?...mZf5E0--yAiNCQ

I do type all my non-insert coupons into a spreadsheet so that I don't forget what I have. Another reason I can keep the actual coupons in the van. I don't need to physically look through the box to see what I have.

That's it!