How to Store Big Bulky Binders on Bookshelves Like IKEA Kallax

Struggling with how to store binders on bookshelf setups? Most 12x12 binders are too tall to slide in smoothly or too deep, sticking out and ruining your clean organization vibe.

KeepFiling's 12x12 Scrapbook Binders offer smart binder storage ideas through precision engineering, fitting perfectly flush in popular options like IKEA Kallax shelving units (available separately from IKEA).

Real Customer Proof: Seamless Shelf Integration

A recent customer photo proves it—our binders slide into Kallax cubes with zero overhang, creating a gallery-like display without wasted space. A beautiful combination as featured in the photos below.

This scrapbook binder organization works because the its design matches Kallax's 13x13 cubes exactly, turning in expensive basic shelves into efficient memory storage.

Key Features for Effective Binder Storage Ideas

Our binders make how to store binders simple and practical:

• Slim, Lightweight Profile: Thinner and lighter than standard options—even when full—for easy handling and more albums per shelf.

• Flush Fit for Kallax Binder Storage: No gaps or overhang on 13x13 cubes for a polished, space-maximizing look.

• Customizable Front Window: Add a 3.5x3.5-inch photo or title in the cover pocket for instant personalization.

• Acid-Free Archival Protection: Safe materials and page protectors prevent fading, perfect for storing 12x12 binders long-term.

• Clear Spine Label Pocket: Label by date or theme for effortless oversized binder shelves sorting.

Pair with our 12x12 Scrapbook Combo sets (binders plus crystal-clear pages) for ready-to-use scrapbook binder organization.

Why Lightweight Design Wins for Everyday Use

The slim profile keeps binders manageable to lift and browse, unlike heavy bulkies that strain your arms—ideal for how to store binders on bookshelf in craft rooms or family spaces.

This approach ensures your setup stays organized, accessible, and built to last.

Why It Is a Good Idea To Start a DVD Collection Now!

In the ever-evolving world of entertainment, the rise of streaming services and digital media has undoubtedly reshaped the way we consume content. However, for those who appreciate the tangible experience of physical media, starting a DVD collection now presents an exciting opportunity. With the market saturated with a vast array of DVDs at remarkably low costs, the time is ripe for collectors to embark on this nostalgic journey.

A Treasure Trove of Classics at Your Fingertips

The current market is brimming with iconic and beloved films that have already cemented their status as classics. From the captivating storytelling of "Pulp Fiction" and the stylish action of "Kill Bill" to the heartwarming adventures of the "Toy Story" franchise, these timeless masterpieces are readily available at unbeatable prices. Additionally, cinephiles can indulge in a diverse range of genres, including dramas like "The Shawshank Redemption," comedies like "The Big Lebowski," and sci-fi epics like "The Matrix" trilogy.

Many movies from the 90s are already considered classic movies

The Resurgence of Physical Media

Just as vinyl records experienced a remarkable resurgence in popularity among collectors and audiophiles, DVDs are poised to follow a similar trajectory. While the convenience of streaming services has undoubtedly captured the attention of many, including the never ending rising cost of these services there is a growing appreciation for the tangible experience of owning physical media. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the value of DVD collections is likely to soar, mirroring the surge in demand for vinyl records witnessed in recent years.

The Yard Sale Treasure Hunt

As the world embraces the digital age, many households are parting ways with their DVD collections, often undervaluing their true worth. This presents a golden opportunity for savvy collectors to scour yard sales and thrift stores, where hidden gems can be unearthed for mere pennies. Just as vinyl enthusiasts have capitalized on this trend, DVD collectors can seize the chance to build an impressive collection at a fraction of the cost. Also check out the sales bins at the local supermarket there are a lot of good titles waiting to be picked up.

Preserving Your Collection in Style

Recognizing the importance of proper storage and preservation, companies like Keepfiling have introduced innovative solutions for DVD collectors. 

DVD Storage Binder with separated sleeves

Their DVD binder sets, complete with black soft DVD pages, offer a space-saving and visually appealing way to store and display your collection. Unlike the bulky and easily damaged snap cases of the past, these binders provide a safe and organized environment for your prized DVDs, ensuring their longevity and accessibility.

Super soft DVD pages for best protection

Now is the time!

In conclusion, the current landscape presents a unique opportunity for those considering starting a DVD collection. With a wealth of classic titles available at unbeatable prices, the potential for future value appreciation, and the availability of stylish storage solutions, now is the perfect time to embark on this nostalgic and rewarding journey. Embrace the joy of physical media ownership and curate a collection that will bring endless hours of entertainment and collectors pride for years to come. Happy Hunting :-)

Rescue my Precious Scrapbook

 

Here is what we have received from a Keepfiling customer:

Today I received my order of 2 packs of 11x 17" sheet protectors in hopes that they could rescue my precious scrapbook that I made when our baby girl was born 53 years ago in November of 1969.  I had searched and searched on the internet trying to find a solution to my problem of the pages of the scrapbook literally disintegrating in my hands.  I think I caught it just in the nick of time.  I measured and re-measured and looked at the positions of the holes for binding and took a shot and ordered them from you, not really feeling confident that they would work.

I just had to tell you that they are PERFECT!  In order for the pages to fit in the protectors, I cut off the side where the hole punches were and then the pages fit perfectly into the sheet protectors.  Some of the pages actually had already become totally detached from the book.  It's a miracle for sure!  My husband and I can't get over how they have saved this book for us, our daughter and our granddaughters and future generations.  These are priceless photos and the joy of being able to keep them and the original written explanations on the original pages just can't be expressed adequately.

Attached are some photos I took this afternoon to try to show you what bad shape the pages were in and how they fit so nicely in the protectors. 

The damaged pages as they are being inserted into the new sheet protectors.

 

I imagine there isn't much call for this size sheet protector (since I couldn't find anyone else who sold them) so I want to give you my heartfelt thanks for you having them available for sale.  Definitely a small price to pay to keep family history safe.

Finished results after updating the old binder with Keepfilng 11x17 Sheet Protectors (no: 13503)

Thank You Thank You Thank You!  You are the BEST!

Linda Harrington

Issaquah, Washington

 

Keepfiling Note: It is very warmhearted to receive such a wonderful note with detailed description and photos. Linda, thanks for letting us share this mail (we asked before publishing it here).
 

Warning about Sheet Protector Purchase 

We don't post often on our blok here but lately we have had a lot of enquiries from people purchasing sheet protectors on-line and been very disappointed about their purchase.  

Contacted by the customer on our chat service the customer would share the link from where they made their purchase on-line and asked question to it. It may be from eBay, Walmart Marketplace or Amazon Marketplace. But they all have a few things in comments and much disappointment and time could have been saved.

Look for these warning signs

1) The product description is insufficient. Size and measurements don't match or add up when comparing inches and metric numbers.  Example: One customer complained her music sheet did not fit a 9x12 inch page as listed in the description with one of the larges retailers in the US. Sadly the person making the listing overseas did not understand the variations of page sizes used in the US or took the time to list the exact product dimension.

Examples of letter size pages made too narrow.

2) Thickness of the sheet may list "standard" when in fact it is what we consider in this country "lightweight".
The listed measurement listed: "4C" as in one example.  C is not a gauge of distance (thickness) anywhere in the world. In that particular instance it was believed the description should have listed: 40C - for; 40 micron thickness and C for Clear.  40 micron is lightweight and flimsy just like the customer complained about.

3) A customer complained about the clarity of the sheet protector received. They were not "clear sheet protectors" as described on the packing. Again here in the US we consider clear to be as transparent as window glass perhaps. But overseas clear may be anything where you can see the content. in the page. We may consider that an "non-glare" or "frosted". There are different expectation and standards around the world. 

Common Product Listing Issues

The three exampels about have one thing in common. The product listing was made overseas by a company that would sell everything from bike parts to household products. I don't know anything about bike parts and clearly they don't about office supplies.  Focus.

• Read about minimum standards for sheet protectors thickness as established by Keepfiling
• Learn about clarity of sheet protectors

Recommendation

Don't just look at the number of stars in the rating. Fake ratings can be purchased on-line by the 1,000th. It's not allowed by most market places but it is common practice overseas in places as China and as Walmart, Amazon, etc. open up for overseas listings this common practise has followed along. The examples listed above all had +4 star rating. 

What products do the vender focus on. Do they offer a line of products or just a single product. If they offer a line of matching products most likely they have invested time and effort understanding the marketplace and the quality requirement by the customer and hopefully use standard terms within that industry, example: "Heavyweight" Standard, and "Super Heavyweight" as in the case with sheet protectors. It is of cause an "unwritten" laws so everyone can set their own standards and some US retailers do this for their own store brands so it is not an assurance. Often seen with Dollar Stores and supermarkets particular around back to school time. 

Sum-up

If you are looking for "it will do" kind of purchase well then perhaps it is worth taking a chance but ask yourself if it is worth the aggravation, disappointment and time and wait. Why not make a good purchase once for all, get the products needed get the project done and move on with life happy knowing a nice project got finished for future use and enjoyment.

At Keepfiling we got more than 25 years of experience with filing product and if you have any questions feel free to head over to our site and send us a question by either e-mail or chat.

Note: For the purpose of this article link could have been posted to the above examples but there is no reason to provoke anyone risking lawsuits, etc. or for ethical matter step on anyone. Life it difficult enough.

Organizing Your Playbills

Our 5.5 x 8.5 binder and sheet protectors are probably one of the most versatile products we have.  The 5.5 x 8.5 size is just so convenient and can be used for so many different purposes.

The number 1 most popular use for it is to organize Classical Conversation Timeline cards.  For many years now we have had customers who buy both our binders and sheet protectors to help them protect and organize these Timeline cards for their kids.

However, as it turns out, there are other uses for the 5.5 x 8.5 size that has slowly become more and more useful.  One of them is for organizing Playbills.

Playbills, for those who don't know, are booklets that features details of the different Broadway plays through out the year.  Play goers will subscribe to Playbills yearly subscription and receive a Playbill booklet every month.  These booklets are 5 and 3/8 inches by 8 and 1/2 inches, so they fit perfect into our 5.5 x 8.5 sleeves with a little bit of room to spare.

Using Keepfiling's sheet protectors to store these Playbills if the perfect choice.  Our sheet protectors are archival safe acid free.  This helps prevent damaging effects of sunlight, oxygenation, acidic corrosion, and dust to the Playbills.  The extra heavyweight polypropylene of the sheet protectors will provide excellent protection to your

Once put in the the sheet protectors, you can organize them anyway you like with our 5.5 x 8.5 Mini binders. Sort them anyway you wish in the binder and flip through them easily when you want to browse through them.  The crystal clear material makes it very easy to see the actual Playbill. 

Available now on Keepfiling is the Playbill Binders Set; includes 2 binders and 1 pack of sleeves (50 sleeves).  

Organizing with Colors!

A feature that is often overlooked with Keepfiling binders is the finger hole.  Located on the binder spine (always 2 inches from the bottom), the finger hole provides an easy way for you to take the binder on and off shelves, table, or wherever you are placing your binders.  Simply slide your finger into the hole and move your binder around.  This is a very convenient feature that does not get enough credit.

What's also unique with Keepfiling's finger hole is that it comes with a 'ring'.  Rather than just cutting a hole in the spine and leaving it as it is, we made this 'ring' that snaps on easily.  This 'ring' adds a touch of designer and professionalism to give the binder a more complete look. Each Keepfiling binder comes equipped with a 'ring' matching the inside color of your purchased binder - so that's either Snow White, Lime Green, Sapphire Blue, and Red.

New Rings

Over the years we have had customers ask if they can purchase extra 'rings' or if other colors were available.  Today, we are very happy to answer both questions with a yes as we are now selling 'rings' separately, and in different colors as well!

Aside from the four classic colors, we now have eight new wonderful colors available for you to use and interchange:

Turquoise Lime Green Red

Purple Orange Gream

Snow White Black Sapphire Blue

Grey Pink Light Blue

Each color is sold individually in a pack of 12 'rings'.  You also have the option to purchase a mix pack with one of each color.

These are easy to use 'rings' as they just snap on and off easily.  You can change them easily and mix and match colors to your own liking.  You can come up with a nice color system to keep your binders organized.

Check the rings now on our website and learn more!

Mix and Match with our White Zen Binders

Since the launch of our White Zen View Binders, we've been working on coming up with ideas on how to make them stand out and be even more unique.  With our new 'rings' this can be achieved as the new colors pair up with the white binders perfectly.

Once you're purchased our new 'rings', you can swap out the original one that comes with the binder and use the new ones in a colorful and fun way - as you can see in the picture above.

Matching Spine Labels

You can even have matching colors for the 'rings' and the actual spine label.  Just simply download our spine label templates for free and you can match the together.  The template are very easy to use - just download them, edit the label name to your own liking, print it, then cut them along the dotted line and voila!

4 Steps To Your Unique View Binder

Tired of all the standard looking binders out there?  Wish you had something unique and special that will stand out?  Well what's better than designing your own sheet and using it as the front cover for your binder.

While most view binders on the market today lets you insert your own cover sheet with the use of the clear front cover, not all view binders come with a mounting sheet that helps keep your cover sheet centered and secured. That is of course what our White Zen View Binders offer.  As it comes with a clear front cover, it also comes with a mounting sheet that we've designed specifically for helping you keep your cover sheet centered in the clear front cover, and also for it to be secured.

With the use of this special mounting sheet, plus your own creativity, you can come up with endless designs for your binder used for all sorts of purposes.  The possibilities are limitless.  You can use the binders at school, at the office, and even for personal use.  The great thing about having the ability to design your own cover sheet and using it with the binder is that the binder becomes very versatile and will be suitable for what you want it to be.

Follow these 4 simple steps and starting creating your own cover sheets for your view binders!

Need some inspiration on you can use our White Zen View Binders with your own designed cover sheet?  Here's what we think you might use them for:

For School
If you're a teacher or parent you would encourage creativity and let the kids make something they can be proud to show and share with their classmates and parents. The Zen Binder is easy to use as you can insert pages into the clear front cover without hassle.  It's a great tool to help inspire creativity from your students as they can let their own imagination run and design their own cover sheet  They can design one for each subject or classes they are taking.

For Office / Professionals
In the professional world, standing out and making a good first impression is as important as the content that is delivered. A striking standout cover sheet to go with your presentation or proposal is very important. An excellent professional cover sheet with a Zen Binder goes a long way to catching the attention of your audience. 
 
For Collectors / Enthusiasts
If you are a collector or enthusiasts for certain memorabilia, then you would want to have a nice solid binder to protect and showcase your collection. The Zen View Binders will satisfy both needs.  It is a durable archival safe binder that will protect your collection, at the same time it is also a nice looking binder that you can put on display for others to see. Furthermore, you can create your own cover sheet that matches your prized collection.

Learn more about our White Zen View Binders and check out the different sizes we have available!

HOT DEALS with Keepfiling

Nothing beats finding the best deal online when you are shopping, whether it's online or at n actual store.  The idea of knowing you were able to save even just a few dollars when you bought something can be very satisfying, especially for smart shoppers.

If you're looking for the best binders and sheet protectors deals, than you don't have to look far - Keepfiling is your answer. 

We have the best deals for binders and sheet protectors that will save you more than just a few dollars.  Look for our Save More badge when browsing our products and you'll know that's the best deal we have!

All Keepfiling binders and sheet protectors are archival safe.  Our products offer the best protection to your documents of different sizes and formats.  We also pride ourselves in being organizing experts as we believe our products to provide the best organizing features to help keep your documents sorted and easy to find when needed. 

Need a good presentation binder? We have the right binder for you.

View binders make for excellent presentation binders as they often have a clear front cover that lets you insert a cover sheet for your presentation.

Our White Zen View Binders take it one step further an offers a mounting sheet that helps you insert the cover sheet, and more importantly helps to keep it centered in the binder cover.  We designed he custom mounting sheet as we noticed that a lot of view binders on the market lets you insert a cover sheet, but more often than not the cover sheet will move over time and be misaligned.  As professionals we understand the importance of appearances and having a presentation with a slated cover sheet does not portray professionalism, so we wanted to fix that.

Each mounting sheet is designed with 'tabs' that will hold you cover sheet in place.  Simply lift up the tabs and slide your covers sheet under them to keep it secured.  It may sound difficult at first, but it's definitely very user friendly and once you see how it works you'll be able to use the mounting sheet without any problem.

Like we said, we designed the Zen Binders with the intention to help you improve the appearances of your presentations.  We accomplish that by including mounting sheets for each binder you purchase.  To help even more, we've also created kits that you can purchase and use immediately as presentations.

Each kit includes:

1. A White Zen View Binder (and it's mounting sheet of course)
2. Matching sheet protectors (quantity will vary depending on the size of the binder you need)

Keepfiling Presentation Kits available in 5 sizes.

Our kits are aimed to help you get started with your presentations right away.  All kits are ready for use immediately as they come with matching sheet protectors so you don't have to worry about getting the wrong size for you presentation.

Shop now on Keepfiling for Presentation Kits and get 10% OFF on all kits. 

Save Money with Keepfiling!

Buying binders and sheet protectors can sometimes be very stressful as you fuss and debate about the size you need and worry about whether the binder and sheet protectors will match.

Through our experience, we often get questions from customers about which binder does the sheet protectors fit into, or which sheet protectors do we buy for this binder.  With that in mind, we've been offering what we call 'Combos' - which includes a binder and several packs for matching sheet protectors.  The idea of this was to make it easier for you to get what you need and to make sure that you have the matching binder and sheet protectors for your project.  Without having to a binder and sheet protectors to your shopping cart separately, adding the 'Combo' to your cart instead will automatically include the binder of your choice and several packs of matching sheet protectors (the number of packs depends on the Combo you purchase).

Now, we did not only make it easier for you to purchase a Combo when you need binders and sheet protectors but we've also given it a discount.  By purchasing a Combo, you automatically enjoy a 10% discount - no coupon codes needed.

When shopping on Keepfiling, look for the Save 10% badge to automatically enjoy the discount!

Save 10% now on the following Combos:

5.5 x 8.5 View Binder Presentation Kit	8.5 x 11 View Binder Presentation Kit	8.5 x 14	9 x 12
11 x 8.5 View Binder Presentation Kit	11 x 8.5 Archival Binder	11 x 14	11 x 17 View Binder Presentation Kit
11 x 17 Archival Binder	12 x 12	13 x 19	14 x 8.5
14 x 11	14 x 17	17 x 11 View Binder Presentation Kit	17 x 11 Archival Binder

New White Zen Binders

For years Keepfiling has been offering our typical black binders with a combination of either the red, blue, green or white color.  It's sort of been our identity.  This time around though, we are offering a all new binder that is yet again focused on functionality, but also with style and a bit of fun in it.

We are proud to introduce the White Zen View Binders.  As the name suggests, these binders are in white - a great contrast to our existing line of binders for those who are seeking for a bit of alternative.  Furthermore, a new function or feature that we've added to the binder is a clear front cover pocket.

What this clear front cover pocket does is it lets you insert a cover sheet for the binder.  This cover sheet lets your to easy identify what the contents are inside the binder.  For example if it's a presentation binder then you'll definitely want to have a cover sheet identifying the subject, who the presenters are, etc.  On the other hand, if it's not a presentation binder but perhaps used for something less formal like a school binder then you can even have your kids or students to create their own cover sheet and insert them into the pocket.  It's really is all up to your own creativity.  Each binder can be unique with their own cover sheet and that's what we want you to enjoy.  The process of creating something unique and personal or professional to be used.

Other than adding the cover pocket to the binder, we've also designed a mounting sheet that will help keep the cover sheet centered when inside the pocket.  This is a custom designed mounting sheet that you cannot buy elsewhere.  We've spent time and paid great attention to the details of the mounting sheet to make sure it fits perfectly into the cover pocket.  What we've done is used 'ears' on the mounting sheet that you can place your cover sheet into.  These 'ears' will make sure your cover sheet is secured and centered at all times.

The White Zen View Binders:

• Clear front cover pocket for cover sheet
• Custom made mounting sheet for securing and centering cover sheet
• Professional looking
• Easy to use
• Cool and unique binders for everyone

Shopping Tip with Keepfiling

Here at Keepfiling, not only do we want to offer you the best binders and sheet protectors available but we also want to provide you with an excellent online shopping experience.  With the our recent website revamp, we hope to have improved what was already a great experience to an even better one.

How a website function is only one part of that experience.  There are other aspects such as special offers and deals that will make your shopping experience with us even better.  One particular 'deal' that has always been with us but perhaps sometimes forgotten is our 'Quantity Discount' deal.  This discount is a great way for shoppers to save a few more bucks if they buy products in larger quantities.  Each product offers a different Quantity Discount so make sure you check the details of each product to know how many you must purchase before the discount applies.  While not all products have a Quantity Discount, we've tried to make it available for most of them.  If available, the details are always listed in a table on the right of the product page next to the price of the product.

Group Buy

As the discount name implies, Quantity Discount only applies when a product is purchased in larger quantities.  While this might be useful for customers that uses a lot of binders and sheet protectors, the average shopper that tends to only buy 1-2 binders or 2-3 packs of sheet protectors at a time can also make use of this discount if they are able to group their purchases.  Perhaps you know have a friend or a neighbor that also needs to get several binders and packs of sheet protectors.  Maybe you're in a homeschool community and your homeschool group needs to restock on binders and sheet protectors.

Then what you can do is assign an individual as the buyer, and he or she will write down the total number of binders and sheet protectors that the whole group needs and place the order online with us.  This way, you can get the Quantity Discount for the products you're ordering plus since your order is now larger, you will most probably reach the $50 mark for free shipping which is always nice!  Of course, once this selected individual receives the products from us, he or she will have to pass them along to the rest of the group.  If you're together in a community, are neighbors or friends, then this won't be too hard to work out yourselves.

We understand our shipping rates can be high especially if you're only buying one binder or a pack of sheet protectors.  Unfortunately, it is out of our control with the way shipping rates are increasing each year.  We also understand that it might seem ridiculous to pay $14 shipping for a $5 product, but shipping rates are not calculated based on the value of a product.  It's based on the size and weight.  That is why we offer the Quantity Discount, to encourage you and provide an incentive to purchase more of a product and reach the free shipping mark of $50.

Remember to check each individual product for Quantity Discount details.  Quantity Discount is not offered on all products.

We hope you find this tip useful and always check back here for other tips and Keepfiling news.  You can also follow us on social media for latest updates.

Keepfiling - keep smiling :)
Ken

Our New Organizing Webste

During the past couple of weeks, you may have noticed that our website has undergone a major revamp. We felt like it was time to change things as the old website was starting to be a bit outdated in terms of its look, design and feel. Furthermore, we felt like we could really change the website to help enhance the overall shopping experience, making it much easier and enjoyable to shop at Keepfiling.com.

Here's what we've changed and why we changed it.

1. Larger Pictures
   
   The previous Keepfiling website used smaller thumbnails and product pictures due to the layout constraints. Now, we’ve made them larger so it’s easier for you to see them. We understand most users will react to pictures first, compared to text. So we wanted the pictures to standout more and be able to catch your attention first. We also understand that it’s important to have good pictures because it gives you the first impression on how the products actually are. This is especially important as an ecommerce site because you are unable to touch and feel the actual product, so the picture must offer a good first impression. We believe the use of larger thumbnails and product pictures offer you a better first impression of our binders and sheet protectors.
   
2. Top Down Top Navigation
   
   Navigation is an important part of any website. In the past, we utilized a left side navigation menu to direct visitor to the different category of products we have. In our new design, we’ve opted for a simpler top drop down navigation for our main menu which is more stylish and more importantly, much easier to see and use. This new top menu directs you to the main categories that our products are divided into. If the main category is divided into several other sub categories, than a drop down will appear when you hover over the main category.
   
   Once you’ve selected a category, you will notice that the left navigation is still active. This is to make is easier for you to know which category you are browsing at the moment. You will see that if, for example you are in the landscape section of the sheet protectors, the left navigation will expand accordingly to reflect your location. It’s another feature that we believe will enhance your overall shopping experience, making is easier to know where you are and to browse different products.
   
3. New Search Bar
   
   The search bar is not located on the top right corner (next to the shopping cart icon). In the past, the search bar was placed along the left navigation in between two menus which sometimes was overlooked and was not utilized enough by our visitors. That is why we’ve now decided to move it to a more obvious and easily accessible place. We want to encourage visitors to use the search bar so they can quickly find what they are looking for.
   
   
4. Separate Login Menu for Returning Customer
   
   To help our valued returning customers, a new My Account menu is featured on the top left corner of the website. This gives quick access to you for logging in and tracking your orders. Your login email and passwords remain the same. If you have forgotten your password, you can retrieve it by clicking the 'Forget your password?' link on the login page. For new customers, we encourage you to create an account with us so that it’s easier for you to track orders, and place orders again with us since we know you’ll love our products and come back again.
   
5. Overall Design
   
   It was time for a change. We've managed to keep and integrate several aspects from our old website into the new design. For example we've kept our signature blue as the main color theme.

We hope you enjoy the new website and find your experience at Keepfiling.com a fun and enjoyable one. If you'd like to share your thoughts and experience to us with the new website, or if you have any questions, feel free to drop us an email! We appreciate all your comments and will be sure to get back to you if you have questions or concerns.

Paperless Office? Not Quite Yet.

Since the creation of computer and electronics, it was widely believed that an office without papers was only years away based on the potential of technology.  The term 'Paperless Office' was coined as early as the 1970s, but it seems like we are still far way from it.

Will there be a 'Paperless Office' one day?  Will the use of paper be

reduced to for us to make paper airplanes for fun only?

According to Wrap (Waste and Resources Action Programme), the average officer worker uses 45 sheets of paper per day (source: BBC).  These can be notes taken, presentations printed, tables, charts, etc.  While there has been an effort reduce paper production for environmental sake, the use of paper in the office is still a significant part of every work.  There seems to be a more human element in writing down notes, rather than typing on keyboards.  There's also the fact that it costs much less to put a pen and paper into an employees hand for note taking, compared to a computer.

Outside of the office, you can also start to notice the decrease in the use of paper.  If you observe during commuting hours, more people are reading news on their phones or tablets rather than from newspapers.  Train tickets are slowly being replaced by electronic passes for convenience.  Even for longer travels, plane tickets can be issued electronically for awhile now, and you're now starting to even see boarding passes becoming electronic.  The Government as well have reduced paper usage by offering electronic services like filing in tax returns electronically.  It's pretty evident that there is a wide spread effort in trying to reduce the usage of paper, whether it's because of environmental reasons or for increased efficiency.  Yet it is believed that paper will always be a vital part of our lives no matter how hard we try to replace it electronically.

Take for example how Moleskin, a market leader in notebooks, have adopted their products to the electronic word.  Moleskin believes there is still a fundamental human part in writing notes down rather than typing them out on keyboards.  That is why in 2012, they teamed up with Evernote to create a digital notebook.  This notebook is like every other notebook you've seen or owned.  It has a cover and more importantly, paper for you to write on.  The catch here is that each page can be photographed and transferred to the Evernote app that will catalog and make it's contents searchable.  This is done through the use of special paper that is written on like any normal paper, but is capable of capturing and recognizing handwriting along with smart stickers for sorting.

 Moleskin Evernote - source: www.moleskin.com

Since Moleskin's creation, many have followed suit in creating 'digital' notebooks that allows us to preserve the human aspect of writing, and at the same time adopt to the technology that is improving and making our lives more convenient.

So is there really ever going to be a 'Paperless Office'?  Who knows.  While it seems like it is the smart way to approach things where there is less paper to handle, and together with environmental concerns, it only seems like it's the way to go.  But it can't be denied that there is a large human aspect in note taking that becomes missing when it is done digitally.  For the moment, I believe paper will stick around for a bit longer, and for as long as they exist Keepfiling will be in business providing binders and sheet protectors to help make organizing easier.

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-32130647

Sheet Protectors and Railroad 'Horse Blanket' Timetables?

Ever wondered what's it like in the old days when there wasn't monitors, computers or smartphones for you to check the timetables and schedules of trains, ferries, or even for airplanes?  Today you can probably find the timetables for any transportation at the tip of your fingers.  However, in the past, most of this information are actually printed out onto paper and posted or passed out to passengers and employees so they can have this information on hand.  A lot of these timetables are actually very valuable, in the sense that there is a lot of history that goes with these timetables, and a lot can be learned from studying them.  That is why it's become a hobby for some people to collect these timetables.  Today there is even a National Association of Timetable Collectors that brings together timetable collectors to share their collections and experiences with each other.

It all started in 1962 when a group of 12 men formed the association after Howard Sanford posted in a railroad magazine asking if others were interested in collecting timetables together.  Since then, the association has seen both a drop and raise in its number of members.  However, even till today, the association is active and brings all sorts of timetable collectors together, not just railroad, but also expanding to other transportation like ferries and airlines.

At first, it might seem like such a boring hobby to have - collecting a piece of paper with times on it for when and where trainings are leaving.  Trust me, we were just as shocked and found it surprising when we had a customer reviewed our products and said it was a good fit for their timetable collections.  They call a lot of these timetables ‘horse blankets’ (we have no idea why).  However, as we looked into it, we realized that it's not as boring and there is actually an importance to it because there is just so much knowledge in them that it can teach us about the past and help as preserve a bit of history.

As it turns out, a lot of these railroad timetables were printed on larger paper like 11 x 17, 13 x 19 and 14 x 17.  A guess is that the larger paper allows for more information to be printed on the timetable.  Printed in these timetables are very vintage design works and graphics that are great to collect and preserve.  What’s also valuable is the information it has, and what it can tell us about the history during those times like how population increased in one area coincidently after a train station is established in that area.  

A lot of the said timetables are from many years ago and if you happen to find any of them now, they are probably in very poor conditions depending on how they’ve been archived.  Our acid free sheet protectors are perfect for archiving these timetables.  You also don’t find a lot of sheet protectors in the sizes that these timetables are printed on – again like 11x17, 13x19, and 14x17 which of course are all available with Keepfiling.  Of course, we don’t only have sheet protectors in those sizes, but also binders that you can get to organize the sheet protectors into.

 

- Railroad timetables, or also called 'horse blankets'

(Source: http://www.naotc.org/)

Not to sell ourselves short, but every now and then we learn something new from our customers on how they use our sheet protectors and when we do, we like to share them with you because maybe you can use them in the same way.  

If you like to share with us how you use your binders and sheet protectors, we would love to hear from you. The more we know the better we can serve your needs. E-mail me at: ken@keepfiling.com.

5 Must Have CD/DVD Organizing Products

Believe it or not, while it may seem like CD and DVDs are dying because almost everything is becoming truly "digital" (i.e. downloadable music and movies), they still are a big part of our lives.  Music CD are still being produced.  Movies and games are still released onto DVD and Blu-ray.  Some offices still backup their documents onto CD/DVD as a backup to the backup in case hard drives become faulty.  So there are still uses for CD and DVDs, and when there is a use for it, there is also a need for organizing them.

You want to be able to store and organize your music and movies neatly without taking up too much space, but that's hard to do because of the bulky jewel and DVD boxes. Or you might want to keep a copy of your document with the CD/DVD but you can't because there is no proper way to do it.  Well what if I told you here at Keepfiling we have exactly all the products you need for keeping CD and DVDs organized?

Here are the 5 must have CD and DVD organizing products from Keepfiling.

1. CD Sleeves

Simple and useful. Store CD or DVDs in this sleeve to save space.  One sleeve can hold 2 discs, front and back.  If you prefer, you can also place the music cover pages from the jewel boxes in the front pocket of the sleeves.  It's light weight design lets you carry it around if needed.  The polypropylene material does a great job in protecting the disc, preventing it from getting scratches. Also, the non-glare pocket makes it easy to see writings or labels on the disc, plus the V-design makes it easy to insert and remove discs.

Learn more about our disc sleeves on our website.

2. Mini CD Binder

This is the perfect accessory to have with the aforementioned disc sleeves.  These binders are designed specifically for those sleeves so that you can organize your discs neatly, and more important, to save space.  Each binder can hold about 12-14 sleeves, so that's almost 24-28 discs per binder if you have 2 discs per sleeve.  Imagine all the space you save on your shelf by using these binders to organize music CDs, instead of placing each jewel boxes on the shelf.

Mini CD Binders can purchased individually, or in a set of 4 Mini CD Binders with sleeves to hold 96 discs!

3. CD & Document Sheet Protector

Ever had to hand in your homework in a printed copy and also a CD version?  Or did you want to keep a printed version of a document together with the CD copy?  If yes, then you'll understand how difficult it can be sometimes to keep those things together.  If you just use a regular sheet protector and drop the CD into it together with your document, you run the risk of the CD falling out at some point if you're not careful.  If you want to protect the disc a little more, you might put it into a jewel box first before into the sheet protector, but then because the jewel box is so bulky it sometimes ruins the sheet protector.  If those are some of the problems you run into, then Keepfiling has a solution for you - the CD & Document Sheet Protector.

As the product name suggests, this is a sheet protector that can hold both your documents and disc together.  It's designed with a separate pocket that is wield on the top of the sheet protector for the disc, making sure your discs and the document don't get separated.  It also has a index pocket for labels which are included for free!  The sheet protector itself is designed with a L shape opening, from the top to 3/4 down the right side.  This wide opening makes it easy to insert and remove paper, and also provides a bit more space so that it can fit more pages if necessary.  The CD & Document Sheet Protectors fit perfectly with Keepfiling's 3-ring Letter Size Binders.  It is also punched with holes for other 2 ring binder.

CD & Document Sheet Protectors can be purchased individually in packs of 10, or in a set with one Keepfiling Letter Size Binder and 2 packs of the sheet protectors (20 sheets total).

4. CD Pages with Index Pocket

Another simple but useful accessory to have for organizing CD or DVDs.  This disc page lets you organize 2 discs, and also has a index pocket for any labels you want to put in.  This is an excellent product to have if you have a lot of discs to organize and want to put them all together in a nice binder.  It's punched with holes for both 2 and 3 ring binders - perfect with Keepfiling Letter Size Binders. The glass clear polypropylene makes it easy to see the labels, and the super heavyweight material ensures its durability.

Purchase CD Pages with Index Pocket individually, or in a CD Pages Binder set with one letter size binder and 2 pack of the disc pages. 

5. CD Pages

These CD Pages are the simple version of the above page, without pockets for labels.  If you don't need to label your discs, then these are the pages you need.  Each page holds 2 disc, and will fit in any 2 or 3 ring binders. Made with super heavyweight polypropylene for great durability.

CD Pages can be purchased in packs of 10.

These are the 5 must have CD/DVD organizing products that Keepfiling offers.  With these products, organizing your discs will never be a problem anymore.  We also has a wide variety of other organizing products, be sure to check out what we have on Keepfiling website!

Back to Work - Your Trustworthy Letter Size Binder

2015 has arrived, which also means the celebrations are over and it’s time to get back to work! Nothing feels better than having some new products to use in the New Year to replace some of the old ones that you’ve had. Things like binders, sheet protectors and other office products absorb a certain amount of wear and tear so it’s always nice to replace them for the year ahead. Starting from January 7, until the 23, selected items will be on sale so you can get them at a great price to refresh some of your existing products.

Remember to come back there to check out what some of the products are that we have featured for this promotion! First, let us start with the standard Letter Size Binder.

Your Trustworthy Letter Size Binder

Letter size paper is the standard paper size used in almost all offices. Some offices might also use odd size papers, but they will still have to have some Letter size documents to deal with. So how do you handle these documents? How do you organize, sort, protect, and archive them? Well, there’s always our trust Letter Size Binder.

You can always count on our Letter Size Binder in doing all of the above for you. You can insert your paper into them so they will be organized and kept together in one place. Our Letter Size Binder will protect them from getting dirty or ruined, especially if you also use sheet protectors. You can sort the binders by different contents inside, and place them nicely onto shelves so they can be easily accessed. They even look nice and professional with a Scandinavian type design, and are available in different colors, so it can actually be something nice for the eyes to look at in the office even if you are not always using them. Rest assured though that they not only look nice, but are durable and always reliable.

Here’s a list of the features with our Letter Size Binder: Scandinavian design 3 ring binder, with D-rings Clear inside pocket for extra storage  Finger hole for convenience when moving binder on and off shelves; color matching with binder color Label on binder spine Available in: Red, Sapphire Blue, Lime Green, White Durable Archival safe, made with up to 65% polypropylene

For the Back to Work Promotion, we are giving you a speical Letter Size Binder deal - for $56.28 ONLY you get 10 binders plus 2 for FREE ! That is less than $5 for a binder with this promotion.  The normal price per binder is $5.88. Click here to learn more about this Buy 10 get 2 FREE Letter Size Binder deal.

Don't hesitate and shop now, it's your chance to start the New Year by saving some money!

Binder and Sheet Protector Combos

Binders and sheet protectors should always be used together for the best possible organizing and archiving solution. You may think just buying a binder is enough to keep your documents safe, but that’s not true. Without sheet protectors, you’re going to have to punch holes into your paper and that itself will already damage the paper. On top of that, without sheet protectors, your papers are not protected from possible spillages like when you accidentally knock over your beverage cup. With sheet protectors you can also keep dusts and dirty fingerprints off your paper. Only when binders and sheet protectors are used together, then you will have the best possible solution for organizing and protecting your papers.

With that in mind, it’s also important that your binder and sheet protectors to be for fitted for each other. This means having a binder where there is enough space so that the sheet protectors don’t stick out from the edges. If sheet protectors start sticking out from the edge then they are exposed and could endure damages.

So how do you make sure your binders and sheet protectors are fitted for each other? You might have to shop around a long time to find the right binder.

With Keepfiling, you don’t have to shop around. We offer matching binders and sheet protectors that will fit each other perfectly. They are offered in we call Combos as to make your shopping experience with us as simple and hassle free as possible. With every combo, you will get one binder plus 1-3 packs of matching sheet protectors (the number of packs depends on each Combo specifically). As our binders and sheet protectors are designed specifically for each other, they will fit perfectly with just enough space for the sheet protectors to be stored within the binder borders. Your documents will not stick out from the binder edges, nor will the binder be too big for the sheet protectors and become too unhandy and heavy for you to handle. Furthermore, we’ve also made sure that there is just enough space for you to add indexing tabs on your sheet protectors. Tabs won’t stick over the side and be protected as well.

One of the most common questions we get from our customers is if a certain type of sheet protector will fit with the binder. The answer is yes they do. All binders and sheet protectors are designed by Keepfiling, therefore we have total control over their dimensions. With sheet protectors, not only do we take into account of the actual paper size but we add just enough room to the sheet protector size so that it’s very easy for our customers to slide in their paper. This extra space could just be a mere extra 1/8 of an inch, but is a huge difference in making sure it’s easy to slide paper in while at the same time stay nicely tucked in with the sheet protector. As for binders, we specify the dimensions so that there is always a bit of extra room all around so that the sheets won’t stick out from the binder, either from the sides or from the bottom. And this extra room we give is also just enough so that you can add tabs to the sheet protectors if you wish to index the contents.

Shop for Keepfiling binder and sheet protector combos now to make sure your binders and sheet protectors fit together. Buy selected Combos now and also enjoy a special discount for 1 pack of our Sheet Protector Tabs.

Safety First - Learn About Archival Safety

One thing that is sometimes overlooked when people are buying binders and sheet protectors is archival safety. As much as binder and sheet protectors are used for organizing, they also serve as great tools for people to archive and store memorable or important documents for a long period of time. A part from binders and sheet protectors, other environmental factors also contribute to archival safety.

Let’s look at sheet protectors first. In terms of archival safety this refers to the ability the sheet protector can effectively protect whatever it is that you are storing inside, whether it’s documents or photographs. This might sound very simple and on a general level, you may assume all sheet protectors should be able to do just that. However, on a more technical level, you will find out that in fact not all sheet protectors are archival safe. In order to be actually archival safe, sheet protectors should be chemically-stable with a neutral or slightly basic pH level. In science, pH levels refer to how acidic or basic something is. So with a neutral or slight basic pH level, that means sheet protectors should be ‘acid free’. This is important because being ‘acid free’ means your documents won’t be damaged by any erosion that may happen to the sheet protector over long periods of time.

Having said that, now you might be asking the question “With all the sheet protectors out on the market, how do I really know if they are acid free or not?” The answer to that question is - materials. There are several types of materials that are used to make sheet protectors:

1. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) 
2. Polyethylene (PE) 
3. Polyester (Mylar) 
4. Polypropylene (PP) 

Of the four materials, you should avoid PVC as it is considered to be non-archival safe while the other three are archival safe and each has their pros and cons.

So Why Not PVC? 

The reason why PVC is considered non-archival safe is because it contains plasticizers. Plasticizer is a substance that is added to PVC during production to increase its flexibility and durability. There are over 300 different kinds of plasticizers - 50-100 are used commercially. These plasticizers will emit damaging hydrochloric acids as it deteriorates, therefore ruining both the sheet protector and the document inside. If you place photographs or other important documents into PVC sheet protectors, overtime you might notice damages like colors or ink from the photo and documents sticking to the sheet protector. This is a disastrous scenario as it is almost impossible to restore a photo with its color faded or ruined by acids emitted from the plasticizers used in PVC sheet protectors. Remember, PVC sheet protectors are NON-ARCHIVAL SAFE and should be avoided at all times.

The two images below shows exactly how PVC sheet protectors can cause irreversible damage.  As you can see from the image on the right, the red ink on the paper had faded. On the left you see the PVC sheet protector with the red ink marks from the document. What happened is basically the paper got stuck to the sheet protector and when you try to take the paper out, the ink is 'pulled' from the paper onto the sheet protector.  This can be a disastrous situation if you have precious memorable photos placed in PVC sheet protectors and over time they can be ruined just like this document.   

 - PVC sheet protector and document ruined

On another note, PVC is also used to make things like toys, clothing and other daily applications. There have been reports that show some plasticizers have a high level of toxicity in them and may even be a cause for cancer, therefore raising considerable amount of health concerns. Some countries even ban the use of PVC. While it seems like the plasticizers used in PVC for sheet protectors are not as dangerous, it is still something to keep in mind.

So What is Archival Safe? 

As mentioned early, of the four types of materials, only polyethylene (PE), polyester (Mylar), and polypropylene (PP) are archival safe. The reason is because they do not contain plasticizers and in general have a neutral or slightly basic pH level. This means they are acid free and is important because remember, acids will cause damage to paper causing them to turn yellow and become brittle and fragile.

So now you might be wondering, if all three materials are archival safe then which one should you use? The answer to that is it depends on what you need the sheet protectors for.

Polyethylene sheet protectors are the cheapest of all three. However, the quality of the sheet protectors is not that great. They usually are softer, less durable, and their finish is not as clear so it makes it hard to read the document that is inside. If you’re in need of cheap sheet protectors just to store regular paper and don’t mind poor quality then polyethylene is your kind of sheet protector.

Polyester, or Mylar, on the other hand is the most expensive kind of all three.  In fact, it's so expensive to manufacture, only a hand full of companies actual offer polyester sheet protectors.  Being so expensive, of course you should expect to get high quality sheet protectors that are durable, have a great feel and texture to it, and are crystal clear so it makes it very easy to view the contents inside. These are the sheet protectors you get if you want to protect and showcase your artworks, and of course if you have the money to spend.

The last type, polypropylene, is probably the most ideal sheet protector type. They are economical and comes in good quality –durable, clear and of course, again, archival safe. They are the most common type of sheet protectors used today and note that all Keepfiling sheet protectors are made from polypropylene.

Keepfiling is not only about organizing but also about protecting your documents and offers the best archival safe documents.  Check out our sheet protector buying guide and our archival safety page to learn more about sheet protectors and become an expert yourself!