Coupon Organization
If you cannot find the coupons you need on a specific item, you will become very frustrated. It is VERY important to have an organizational system that enables you to quickly and easily find the coupons you need when you need them- we don’t need something else that makes life more difficult and stressful! Make it easy on yourself!
Different methods:
-The Envelope Method: Keeping your coupons separated by type of product or aisle of the store
-The Coupon Pouch method: Putting your coupons into a little “coupon organizer” that you would buy at the store. Small enough to fit in your purse, this organizer has a few sections so that you can separate your coupons however you wish.
- The Accordion Folder Method: Sort of a giant version of the Coupon Pouch, you have a bigger folder and a lot more separators for your coupons.
-The Notebook Method: A notebook filled with baseball card holders and using index dividers to organize your coupons by type
- The File Method: This type keeps your circulars organized by date- instead of clipping out all of the coupons, you leave them in the circular and clip what you need as you make your grocery list.
Different methods will appeal to different people, depending on what your “coupon usage” will be. Do you need a lot of coupons, and don’t have the time to pull out handfuls and search through them every time you need a specific one? You probably won’t want the Envelope or Coupon Pouch method. Do you only have a few coupons that can easily travel in your purse? You probably won’t want a great big notebook.
Ask yourself these questions:
Different methods:
-The Envelope Method: Keeping your coupons separated by type of product or aisle of the store
-The Coupon Pouch method: Putting your coupons into a little “coupon organizer” that you would buy at the store. Small enough to fit in your purse, this organizer has a few sections so that you can separate your coupons however you wish.
- The Accordion Folder Method: Sort of a giant version of the Coupon Pouch, you have a bigger folder and a lot more separators for your coupons.
-The Notebook Method: A notebook filled with baseball card holders and using index dividers to organize your coupons by type
- The File Method: This type keeps your circulars organized by date- instead of clipping out all of the coupons, you leave them in the circular and clip what you need as you make your grocery list.
Different methods will appeal to different people, depending on what your “coupon usage” will be. Do you need a lot of coupons, and don’t have the time to pull out handfuls and search through them every time you need a specific one? You probably won’t want the Envelope or Coupon Pouch method. Do you only have a few coupons that can easily travel in your purse? You probably won’t want a great big notebook.
Ask yourself these questions:
- How many coupons do I have?
- How much time do I have to spend clipping coupons?
- Is it important to me to have my coupons with me every time I go to the store, in case I find an awesome unadvertised deal?
- Do I have time to search through a bunch of coupons every time I need one?
- Do I want to be weighed down with a whole other THING to carry?
Personally, we prefer the notebook method. We have big double binders separated by aisles of the store that we shop at most. We use baseball card holders to store coupons- we group like products and values together in the same pouch- so that we can easily flip through our pages and have a great visual of what we have on hand. We keep scissors, calculators, and pens in our notebooks, as well as any store coupon books, so that we are always prepared. Our notebooks are always on hand for clearance deals and unadvertised sales- as we like to say,
"Don't leave home without the notebook!"
Baseball card holders can be purchased at Walmart on the aisle in between the registers and the books/magazines. In my store, they are on the bottom shelf. You can also purchase them on eBay. The notebook we use (a double binder) was purchased on Amazon, but can also be found at Staples. Normal 3-ring binders can be purchased at Walmart.
Click on the pictures below to see how I organize my notebook! Clicking the first picture will start a slideshow with captions.
Notebook Sections:
I often get asked how I set up my dividers. Here is my list:
1. Meats/Produce/Bread (not a lot of coupons for these items, so I group them together)
2. Canned foods: Veggies, soups, fruits, etc.
3. Cereals: This includes cereal, granola bars, coffee/tea, oatmeal, and fruit snacks, because they are all on the same aisle at my store.
4. Snacks: Crackers, chips, cookies, nuts (not baking nuts), juice, etc.
5. Baking: Cake mixes, brownie mixes, nuts for baking, vegetable oils, pudding/jello mixes, chocolate chips, marshmallows, etc
6. Jars/Bottles/Boxes: A great catch-all section. Pasta, sauces,dressings, marinades, olive oil- anything that comes in a- you guessed it- jar, bottle, or box that doesn't fit in another section.
7. Dairy: Anything cold but not frozen. Milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt, pudding, cookie dough, biscuit dough, etc.
8. Frozen: No explanation needed. ;)
9. Candy: Yes, I have a candy section. Don't judge. ;)
10. Cleaners: Anything used to clean the house, divided by room (all purpose first, then kitchen, then bathroom, then laundry, etc)
11. Household: Air fresheners, batteries, Ziploc bags, light bulbs, toys, anything nonedible used around the house.
12. Personal care: Anything used on your body. Because I have so many of these, I continue subdividing with more dividers.
12a. Medicine/eye stuff
12b. Razors and oral care
12c. Deodorant and lotion
12d. Shower stuff
12e. Diapers/feminine care, etc (Becca calls this the "down there" section! I love it!)
12f. Makeup/facial care
Keep in mind that this is how I keep my notebook. All of my fellow couponing friends keep their differently. Work your categories in the best way for YOU- the point is to make it easy to find your coupons when you need them, and to help you stay organized.
I often get asked how I set up my dividers. Here is my list:
1. Meats/Produce/Bread (not a lot of coupons for these items, so I group them together)
2. Canned foods: Veggies, soups, fruits, etc.
3. Cereals: This includes cereal, granola bars, coffee/tea, oatmeal, and fruit snacks, because they are all on the same aisle at my store.
4. Snacks: Crackers, chips, cookies, nuts (not baking nuts), juice, etc.
5. Baking: Cake mixes, brownie mixes, nuts for baking, vegetable oils, pudding/jello mixes, chocolate chips, marshmallows, etc
6. Jars/Bottles/Boxes: A great catch-all section. Pasta, sauces,dressings, marinades, olive oil- anything that comes in a- you guessed it- jar, bottle, or box that doesn't fit in another section.
7. Dairy: Anything cold but not frozen. Milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt, pudding, cookie dough, biscuit dough, etc.
8. Frozen: No explanation needed. ;)
9. Candy: Yes, I have a candy section. Don't judge. ;)
10. Cleaners: Anything used to clean the house, divided by room (all purpose first, then kitchen, then bathroom, then laundry, etc)
11. Household: Air fresheners, batteries, Ziploc bags, light bulbs, toys, anything nonedible used around the house.
12. Personal care: Anything used on your body. Because I have so many of these, I continue subdividing with more dividers.
12a. Medicine/eye stuff
12b. Razors and oral care
12c. Deodorant and lotion
12d. Shower stuff
12e. Diapers/feminine care, etc (Becca calls this the "down there" section! I love it!)
12f. Makeup/facial care
Keep in mind that this is how I keep my notebook. All of my fellow couponing friends keep their differently. Work your categories in the best way for YOU- the point is to make it easy to find your coupons when you need them, and to help you stay organized.
