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!

10 Awesome Keepfiling Back to School Products that You Should Buy

Being organized is an important characteristic to have if you want to be successful at something, for example like school.  Throughout a school year, teachers will give out dozens of handouts like school materials or even administrative documents for parents.  If you don't have a system for your kids or yourself to keep these papers organized then you could be in a lot of trouble.

Being organized is important and helpful because it saves a lot of time.  If you have a binder to put the handouts in then you won't lose them, or you will know where to find them when you need them for studying.  You might also consider using sheet protectors as well to protect these handout and prevent them from getting dirty and ruined.

An 'organizing system' does not have to be complicated.  It can be as simple as having different binders for different subjects, but if you don't want so many binders then you can have indexing system for one binder and split it's contents into different subjects.  For example you can have 5 individual binders for English, Math, History, Science, and Social Science, or you can have one binder and use indexing tabs to divide the different subjects.

Keepfiling has always emphasized the importance of being organized, and all our products are aimed to help make organizing easier for our customers.  This time of the year is important for parents who are preparing their kids to go back to school, so we came up with 10 of our products that we think you should get for your kids for the upcoming school year and help them keep things organized.

Here are the 10 products:

Binders
1. Mini Binders	2. Letter Size Binder	3. Letter Size Landscape Binder
Fits: 5.5 x 8.5 paper or sheet protectors	Fits: Standard letter size documents - 8.5 x 11	Fits: Landscape letter size documents - 11 x 85
Sheet Protectors
4. 5.5 x 8.5 Sheet Protectors	5. Clear Standard Weight Sheet Protectors	6. 11 x 8.5 Sheet Protectors
Organize: Classical Conversation Timeline cards, or other homeschool materials	Organize: Standard handouts, homework, and other loose papers	Organize: Drawings, graphs, tables. etc
Index Tabs
7. Multicolor Sheet Protector Index Tabs	8. White Sheet Protector Index Tabs	9. Point Flags
Use for: Indexing binder contents. Write onto tabs, or can use as color codes	Use for: Indexing binder contents.  Write onto tabs different categories	Use for: Highlight important points on your documents
10. Color Edge Sheet Protectors
	Shop Now for Keepfiling Back to School Products
Use for: Organize letter size paper with color coding edges to index and sort subjects

Landscape or Portrait?

The orientation of a binder is something that is not discussed a lot. This is mainly because the general public assumes that they all come in the portrait orientation – which is the standard orientation for most documents; letters, contracts, application forms, handouts/flyers, etc. all usually come in the portrait format. That’s why most binders are portrait so that it can be used to organize these documents. The orientation opposite of portrait is landscape. This orientation is not as common, but is used in several other situations and can be just as useful. For example, people use the orientation for charts, graphs, or spreadsheets.

In terms of binders, there is not a lot of selection when it comes to binders in landscape formats.  Although people use landscape documents, landscape binders are somewhat hard to find. You’ll be surprised at how many brands actually offer landscape binders for the typical sizes like the letter size or legal size, let along the odd sizes like 17x11 or 14x11. However, you will find that at Keepfiling we offer landscape binders in several sizes, at a very reasonable price.

Currently Keepfiling has landscape binders available for the letter size and 17x11 papers.  We will add to the collection a legal size and 14x11 landscape binder in the coming month, so stay tuned!

Letter size landscape binder, and 17x11 landscape binder

When talking about landscape orientation documents, most people would associate them to artworks like paintings and drawings, or business documents like organization charts, graphs, or spreadsheets. This is because landscape paper provides a wide canvas or space to display their works. For example a painter might be painting the skyline of Chicago, and working on a landscape paper allows him to capture more of the skyline at once than compared to if he was using a portrait paper. Same with businesses, the extra width allows for more information to be display at once like on a spreadsheet with a lot of columns of data. Artists can use the landscape binder as a portfolio to showcase their artwork. Businesses can use the landscape binder as a report to show their numbers, calculations, graphs, charts, etc.

You can also use landscape binders to organize genealogy documents like a family tree, which similar to a business organization charts, can become very wide as you continue down from the top of the chart to the bottom. Another way that you can use the landscape binders is to help organize timetables or schedules. You can fit more information on a timetable or schedule that is printed on landscape paper. Then you can use binders to keep track of these timetables and schedules as reference or just for record. So you ask, landscape or portrait? Well it really depends on what you’re trying to achieve.

Not only does binders and sheet protectors come in different orientations, but also computer monitors nowadays are suited for both landscape and portrait orientation. Monitors are generally of landscape orientation. The landscape view gives viewers more information to view at once without having to scroll down pages, compared to if monitors were in portrait orientation. However, today, there are monitors can be rotated from landscape orientation to portrait orientation. This gives users, especially editors for magazines and other booklets, a ‘true’ view of the page under portrait orientation.  Even TV monitors today are made in the landscape format, as compared to the box shape that they use to be in.

   Some monitors today can rotate from landscape orientation to portrait orientation,
in order to fulfill different user needs.

10 Ways To Use Ring Binders

Ring binders are used in all sorts of situations today - for example, in the office for organizing various types of documents, at home for organizing coupons or recipes, or even at school for organizing handouts, homework and projects. Ring binders have come a long way since it was first invented. There have been design changes to the ring itself, and also to the materials used to make the binders. People also use binders now for a different reason compared to when it was first invented. Let’s take a quick look at whom, when, and why it was first invited. Then we will share with you 10 ways how ring binders are used today.

Brief History 
 
History has it that ring binders were first invited by a German entrepreneur and inventor Friedrich Soennecken in 1886. He was an office supplier in his home town and was keen on creating his on inventions. He registered a patent for his design which was of a 2-ring mechanism that would open and close using a lever. By pulling the lever up the rings would open, and then close when you push the lever down. Soennecken would later also invent and registered a patent for his hole punching invention. Of course, this hole puncher was in a part the result of his ring binder invention because holes needed to be punched into papers in order for them to be inserted into the binders.

(Although hole punchers are still being used today, many are started to prefer using sheet protectors. With sheet protectors you don’t need to damage your papers with punching holes into them, and it also adds an extra level of protection to your papers.)

In the US, loose-leaf paper was becoming a popular thing in the 1854. Instead of notebooks, people started using loose-leaf papers because they thought it was more convenient. It didn't take too long for those same people to realize that using loose-leaf paper was actually more inconvenient - especially when the papers accumulate over time and people started losing pages. They needed something to organize these loose papers, and that is when Henry T. Sisson from Providence, Rhode Island came up with his ring binder designer. He recognized the need for something to protect and organize these papers. It wasn't until 1899 when he finally perfected his design and a binder was available for purchase on the market. The Chicago Binder and File Company was one of the first companies to sell binders. There were 2 types of designs – a 2-ring binder and a 3-ring binder. Most were selling 2-ring binders in the beginning but later more 3-rings were sold because it did a better job of holding papers in place.

1899 ad from the Chicago Binder and File Company

Over these 100+ years, binders have changed tremendously. Original binders were made from heavy cardboard-like material and their rings were made of cold rolled steel. First it was the 2-ring design, and then there was the 3-ring. The Swedish also came up with a 4-ring design of their own. And now today there are even binders with multiple rings (spiral binders), and ones that don’t use rings (post-bound or strap-hinge binders). Now we have binders made in all sorts of materials like plastics, cardboards, metals, fabrics, etc. In the past, because loose leaf paper was only available in letter size so therefore binders were only made in that size. Today binders are available in all types of sizes as different size loose leaf papers became available. We have small ones like 5.5x8.5, to even bigger ones like13x19 and 14x17. What’s also different with binders today is that they are not only for storing loose leaf paper anymore. They can be used for various different purposes. Some people use them for photo albums, some for portfolios, some of organizing business cards, some of CDs – basically binders have become something of a multi-purpose storage/organization tool.

Here are 10 ways to use ring binders (and which ideal Keepfiling size binder should you use for this purpose):

1. Paper organizer – this can be at home, in the office, or at school.
   (Letter Size Binder is the most common for this purpose, sometimes Legal Size Binder as well)
2. Photo albums – organize old or new photos in a binder for viewing.
   (Mini 5.5x8.5 Binder fits this purpose well)
3. Scrapbooks – for those arts and crafts enthusiast who enjoys the art of scrapbooking.
   (12x12 Binder)
4. Music binder – musicians often need a binder to organize their scores.
   (9x12 Music Binder)
5. Portfolios – to display any type of creative work like paintings, posters, architecture drawings.
   (11x14 Binder, 17x11 Binder, 11x17 Binder, 14x17 Binder)
6. Homeschool binder – a lot of homeschool parents use binders to help organize their materials.
   (Mini Binders - especially great for Classical Conversation cards, Letter Size Binders)
7. CD/DVD organizer – no more bulky jewel boxes for all your discs. Organize them into a binder to save space.
   (CD Binders, Letter Size Binder)
8. Cookbook – recipes are an important part of a household. Organize your recipes with binders and make yourself an easy to use cookbook.
   (Mini Binder, Letter Size Binder)
9. Business card organizer – with the right kind of business card sheet protectors you can use a binder or organize all the business cards you collect.
   (Letter Size Binder)
10. Collection binder – again, with the right type of sheet protectors, you can use a binder to organize any of your collections like stamps, coins, cards, etc.
    (Any Keepfiling binder would work as long as it fits the size of the sheet protectors you purchase for your collection)

3 Things to Consider When Choosing a Binder

There is a wide selection of binders available for consumers to purchase today.  Just walk down any office store and you will notice all the different types of binders there are on the market today.  A regular consumer might be intimidated by the wide selection and will often just go for the cheapest one available, which is not always the best solution.  It is important to choose the right binder for the right purpose.  If you need a presentation binder you will want something  nice and thin, not a big heavy reference type binder.

When buying a binder, a smart consumer will understand their need and evaluate their options before simply picking the cheapest binder available.  When buying binders, there are 3 simple things you need to consider about - size, rings, and materials.

Size

The size of the binder is important simply because it needs to match with the documents size you're working with.  If you're organizing letter size paper then you will want a letter size binder, or if it's legal size paper then a legal size binder, and so forth.  It's pretty simple, the right size binder will protect your papers.  You don't want something smaller because the papers won't fit, and you don't necessary want something bigger either because even though it will protect your paper, it will be hard to handle the binder and it can be a waste of space when you're shelving them.  It's important to have the right size binder for your paper.

There are all sorts of binders out there today for different paper sizes.  At Keepfiling we have standard types like the letter size, legal size and A4.  We also have smaller ones like the Mini Binders, as well as bigger and unique sizes like 9x12, 11x17, 14x17, etc.  You can check out all Keepfiling Binders on our website.

 - Keepfiling binders in different sizes; from large to small

Rings

Contrary to popular belief, the capacity of a binder depends on the rings that are used and not the width of the binder spine.  It's very common for consumers to think that the wider the binder spine then the more paper it will hold, but actually the capacity is based on how the ring size of the binder.  There are two types of rings - O-rings and D-rings, and their ring size are measured differently.  For O-rings, the ring size refers to the diameter of the ring.  The wider the diameter, the more it can hold.  For D-rings, the ring size refers to the height of the straight part of the ring.  The longer the straight part is, the more it can hold.  D-rings are sometimes offered in a slight angle, and they are called slanted D-rings. 

 - Different ring types and sizes

When comparing the two types of rings, apart from the obvious difference in shape, the main difference is that D-rings can hold up to 25% more than O-rings.  This is important because if you are looking for a binder to organize a lot of paper, like a manual, reference binder, or archive, then you will want a thicker binder with D-rings.  On the other hand, O-rings are usually found on presentation binders that are thinner and does not require a lot of capacity.

Another small difference between the two rings is that O-rings are mounted onto the binder spine, while D-rings are onto the back cover of the binder which allows paper to lie flat.  Some people prefer this as they think it looks nice and is more organized.  All Keepfiling binders are equipped with D-rings to offer a more uniform look for organizing papers. 

Here is a table showing roughly the capacity a binder can hold with different ring sizes.

Ring Size	Sheet Capacity
1/2"	80 - 110
3/4"	100 - 130
1"	170 - 200
1-1/2"	240 - 300
2"	370 - 440
3"	560 - 600

Material

The last thing to consider when choosing a binder is the material it's made from.  On the market today, manufacturers make binders from all sorts of materials to satisfy different needs and tastes from consumers.  There are binders made from cardboard, plastics like vinyl or polypropylene, metals, and even from fabrics. 

Most binders are made with a combination of some plastic like vinyl, and some cardboard.  Usually the cover of the binder is a cardboard cover with PVC plastic, while the rest is made from similar plastic. These are durable and will last you for a long time.  You can use them in the office, at home, or at school and they will be just fine.  They usually come in different solid colors like black, red, yellow or blue.

The binder's material becomes very important if you are planning to archive your documents for a long period of time.  The binder must be archival safe and even more durable than typical binders.  Therefore in contrast to typical vinyl binders, Keepfiling binders are all made from polypropylene - a type of archival safe material that is strong and rigid.  Instead of using a cardboard cover with PVC plastic, Keepfiling binder covers are made with 3 layers of polypropylene that is sandwiched together through a heating process. 

If you're looking for something more fancy like a presentation binder with more colors or patterns then maybe something of a cardboard binder is more suitable.  They are usually thinner and come with fancy designs.  Other materials like metals or fabrics are good as well for people who want something more stylish and will use them for things like portfolios or scrapbooks.
 
We hope with this information, next time when you're walking down the binder aisle at an office store or shopping online with us, that you will know what you're looking for and will spend your money on the right binder instead of getting the cheapest or more expensive binders that won't last you very long or is not suitable to your needs. 

Introducing Keepfling New Sheet Protector Tabs

We are very excited here at Keepfiling as we get ready to launch our latest product that we believe will make organizing a lot easier for everyone, and also allows us to offer a complete solution for you to organize and manage your documents.

Say hello to our NEW Keepfiling Sheet Protector Tabs. As the name suggest, these are tabs that you can use on the sheet protectors in your binders.

With these tabs, you can easily divide your binder into appropriate sections and they will also make it easier for you to browse through your documents.  You can easily personalize the tabs by writing onto them with your own text.  Whether it's a binder of your favorite recipes, CD/DVD of music or movies, business documents, art, or even a portfolio, these tabs will make organizing easier and even add a bit of color to your collection.

In short, Keepfiling Sheet Protector Tabs will: Index your binders that are filled with sheet protectors.  Organize all your projects, making them a joy and easy to use.  Make every project personal; created by you, and for you.  Add cool fresh stylish colors to your collection. The Tabs are also: Double-sided (for writing) and self-adhesive - super strong.  Stiff and durable - NOT flimsy  Suitable for ALL sizes of sheet protectors.  Permanent.  Easy to use.

Personalize your tabs by  writing your own labels

SPECIAL DESIGN

Different than some of the other indexing tabs you will find on the market, Keepfiling's Sheet Protector Tabs are specially designed to work specifically with sheet protectors so that they are strong and will stick on permanently.  Nothing is more frustrating than have tabs that don't stick on the right way and keeps falling off.  Keepfiling Sheet Protector Tabs are super strong self-adhesive.  They can be repositioned initially after you first stick them onto the sheet protector, but once after that they will stick on almost permanently unless excessive force is used to rip them off.

CONVENIENT AND PERSONALIZE

As we touched on this earlier, these Tabs are not only easy and convenient to use but they also make organizing and browsing much more convenient.  First you can personalize the Tabs by simply writing on to them whatever you think is appropriate.  If you don't want to or don't know what to write, the Multicolor Pack can be used a color-coding option so that each color can represent a different section or category.

Once you're personalized the Tabs and stuck them onto the sheet protectors, you've successfully divided your binder into sections and browsing will be much easier as you can flip through the pages using the tabs are handles and section breaks.

Tip: Remember to write on both sides of the Tabs so that you can still see your indexes when the pages are turned.

COMPLETE ORGANIZING SOLUTION

With Keepfiling Sheet Protector Tabs, we offer a complete solution to help you organize or archive your documents.  Remember these Tabs are designed to work with sheet protectors, therefore they will be long lasting and anyone with binders filled with sheet protectors will want to use these Tabs to help them divide and organize their binders.  Also important is that Keepfiling binders are designed with extra width so that when the Tabs are stuck onto the sheet protectors they won't extend outside of the binder, but are rather tucked nicely within the binder.

With Keepfiling Binders, Sheet Protectors, and now our New Keepfiling Sheet Protector Tabs, we can truly offer a complete set of products that will be your best solution to organizing or archiving documents of varies sizes and types.

SPECIAL OFFER

Sign up now and receive a 25% OFF coupon when the Tabs are in stock!  NO CREDIT CARD needed, just your email and once the product is available you will receive an email with the coupon code.  

Sign up for the All White Pack here.   |   Sign up for the Multicolor Pack here.

NEW Binder Label Templates - Free

Labeling your binder is an important part of being organized.  It tells you what you're storing in your binders and also makes it easier for identifying them when they are on shelves.  Well made binders today will have some sort of pocket on the spine so you can put a label into, and that is exactly what Keepfiling binders feature. 

We like to call it the Easy-to-Remove Spine Label. The labels you put in can be a simple piece of paper with text, or if you wish to put in some design you can as well and that is what we're offering to our customers with these new label templates.

Apart from having text on the label so that you know what's inside, having nice labels also makes the binders look ascetically better when they are lined up on your shelves. We've come up several designs that matches our binders and uses the same color design.

The labels will fit into any of our Keepfiling binders and will for sure add a bit of excitement to the binders when you put the labels to use.

Visit Keepfiling's new Templates page, and choose your favorite spine label now!

Solid Color Design	Professional Design	Box Design	Triangle Design

You can download all these templates for at no cost. They are FREE.  Follow these simple instructions and you'll have your labels in less than 5 minutes! Pick a template and visit the template's page to download the file.  Open the template file with Microsoft Word. Edit the text for each label. Print out the label. Cut the labels along the OUTER BLACK DOTTED LINES.

If you wish to be creative, you can even download the template file and make changes yourselves and create your own label from these templates.  The templates are editable so you can change the colors or add new patterns to them if you wish.  Nothing beats having a binder with a DIY label that only you have because it's your own design!
 

You can now also search for templates on our website.  Simply do a search for 'templates' in our search bar and all downloadable templates will come up as your search results.

Note: This is NOT a search bar. Image for reference only.