Christmas Organizing Secret: Try A Tear File!

Christmas magazines and catalogs are fabulous resources for seasonal decorating, gift ideas, and Christmas recipes—but en masse, they can become too much of a good thing. When the piles avalanche from every side table, finding an article or a recipe that caught your eye a few weeks ago can be an impossible job.

How do you keep all that good information without being crushed by stacks or drowning in paper? Answer: a set of tear files.

Try a Tear File!

Tear files are just that: torn-out pages from magazines and catalogs, organized according to subject. Properly cultivated, they’re a quick and central repository of all things Christmas.

Small groups of tear files can be stored in clear plastic page protectors in the Christmas Notebook. For larger collections, set up hanging file folders in a small desktop holder, or invest in an accordion file.

Label files according to your interests. Here are some suggestions for tear file categories:

• Gift Ideas
• Decor Inspiration
• Floral Creations
• Crafts
• Gifts to Make
• Tabletop and Centerpieces
• Recipes To Try

To feed your tear files . . . just tear! Did this month’s magazine show the perfect floral swag for the dining room doorway? Tear the article, staple the pages together and dump it in the Floral Creations file until you’re ready for a trip to the crafts store.
Spot a perfect gift for a special nephew--but you've already purchased his Christmas gift this year? Rip! Into Gift Ideas it goes, where it will jog next year's memory.

After you've torn the catalogs or magazines? Toss them! Store tear files in the Christmas planning activity center for easy—and clutter-free—seasonal reference.