Bind It, Shred It, Laminate It, Finish It: A MyBinding.com Blog

Head Back to School with These Helpful Supplies

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link …Head Back to School with These Helpful Supplies. Please feel free to check out this post along with many other helpful reviews, demos, how to videos and more on the official blog of MyBinding.com.

It's just about September which means that students across the country are heading back to school. If you're going to start the new school year, you can ensure your success by having the right supplies. Here are a few that you'll find helpful:

• The GBC BindMate.  The BindMate is a really helpful, dual-action device. This machine functions as a three-hole punch as well as a comb binding machine. It's easy to use the three-hole punch so you can store your work in three-ring binders. And the comb binding part of the device will come in handy when you have an important report or paper to turn in. The BindMate will work with combs that are up to 5/8” in diameter so your papers can be up to 125 pages long. Also, this device has a carrying handle and it's lightweight so you can use it wherever you need to.

• Clear overlay binders.  Every student can benefit from using clear overlay binders. These binders have a clear sheet of plastic over the front of the book so you can use customized title pages. Clear overlay binders can store varying amounts of sheets depending on which one you use. You can use these supplies to store your class notes, prepare for exams, and so on. You should also make sure to get index tabs so you can organize your papers.

• A Swingline stapler.  Swingline makes some of the best staplers available and they produce a number that are perfect for school use. If you need a desk stapler, there are many to choose from such as the 747 which comes in several different colors and can staple up to 20 sheets. Swingline also makes compact staplers so you can carry one with you to class. One of them is the Tot Slim that has a built-in staple remover and the ability to fasten 12 sheets. The Tot Slim even has a clip so you can attach it to your backpack.

School is just around the corner, so be sure to stock up on the supplies you need today. By doing so, you'll be able to take on the new school year with a vengeance.

Five Things to Make Your Workday Easier

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link …Five Things to Make Your Workday Easier. Please feel free to check out this post along with many other helpful reviews, demos, how to videos and more on the official blog of MyBinding.com.

Do you want your workday to be easier? If you do, there are a lot of things you can use that can help you stay organized, save time, and stay productive. Let's take a look at five of them....

• A good letter folder. No matter what you job is, chances are you have to deal with mail at some point. If you send out a lot of correspondence, a letter folder will come in very handy. This type of device can fold letter-sized paper (8.5” x 11”) into thirds so you can pop the letter into an envelope and go about your day. Some letter folders can handle stapled documents or even perform different kinds of folds, so there's one that's just right for your needs. Best of all, a lot of these devices are fairly compact so you can find one that will easily fit on your desk.

• A high-quality pouch laminator. Paper can be ruined if it's handled too much, so it's a good idea to laminate those documents that you frequently refer to. To do that, a pouch laminator is what you need. There are some high-quality ones available that have a lot of great features including multiple rollers (to ensure great results), cold settings (so you can laminate thermally sensitive items), and the ability to shut off automatically. You can use a laminator to protect signs, photographs, calendars, and just about anything else that needs protection. Also, there are some laminators that can laminate a letter-sized document in about a minute, so you can finish the job quickly.

• A selection of index tabs. Do you use binders at work to store and organize documents? If you do, you should keep a supply of index tabs on-hand. These supplies will help your separate the sections in binders so it's faster and easier to refer to something when the need arises. (Something else to have around is a good three-hole punch so you can get your documents ready for the binders.) You can also use index tabs in documents bound with a binding machine, so they're pretty helpful supplies all around. Just make sure the hole pattern is right for the binding supplies you're going to be using.

• A high-capacity electric stapler. A high-capacity electric stapler is a great addition to any office. These machines make it possible to staple thick documents in a couple of seconds. They make it easy to finish up a variety of large jobs so you can get on with your day. There are even some portable electric staplers available if you want to be able to use the device anywhere in the office.

• A whiteboard for your cubicle. Although a lot of people use things like computers and smartphones to stay organized these days, using a whiteboard can be really helpful. For one thing, you can erase them quickly, and they're also easy to refer to. You can just glance at them and not worry about turning them on, waiting for them to boot up, etc.

All of these things can help you have an easier workday. They'll help you streamline your workflow, stay on task, and save time. Consider getting these items for your office so you can enjoy having an easier time at work. 

Getting Organized: Some Tools You Can Use

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link … Getting Organized: Some Tools You Can Use. Please feel free to check out this post along with many other helpful reviews, demos, how to videos and more on the official blog of MyBinding.com.

There's only a couple more weeks left in the year, so it's a good time to start thinking about New Year's resolutions. One particularly good resolution is getting organized. Being organized entails keeping track of appointments and deadlines, as well as dealing with paperwork and the like. If you want to get organized in the coming year, here are some tools you can use. Check them out!

• A three-ring binders and some index tabs. These are extremely important supplies to have around if you want to get organized. You can store just about anything in a three-ring binder. For example, if you're into cooking, you can keep your recipes in one. (This is much more convenient than writing them on those little index cards and storing them in a box.) If you're into photography, you can organize your proofs in binder as well as slides. And, of course, binders are perfect for storing and organizing school work, correspondence, bills, and more. Index tabs can help you divide up your materials as necessary so you can flip to the right section to quickly find what you need. Be sure to have a good three-hole punch handy so you can prepare your materials for the binder(s).

• A whiteboard. A high-quality whiteboard is a terrific organizational tool for just about any environment including the kitchen, home or professional office, classroom, and so on. While you can definitely use this type of device to communicate ideas with others, you can also use them to make lists and keep track of appointments (doctor, dentist, parent/teacher) and deadlines (bills, school assignments). Whiteboards come in all different sizes; there are even ones that are small enough to fit in tiny locations such as lockers. And if you really want to stay on top of things, there are whiteboards that have calendar grids printed on them. (These have the added benefit of being environmentally friendly. You won't have a paper calendar to get rid of at the end of the year.) Just make sure you only use dry-erase markers on your board. Other types of markers can stain it.

• A paper shredder. Another great tool to help you get organized is a paper shredder. This is especially true if you have a lot of old correspondence and bills piled up. It can be dangerous to just throw those things in the garbage or recycle them since they contain a lot of personal information. Becoming a victim of identity is no fun, so shredding is a great way to protect yourself and get organized. Then, as time goes on and more bills come in the mail and receipts pile up, just run them through the shredder. It will reduce the amount of clutter in your home and you get to enjoy peace of mind as well.

These are some of the tools you can use you help you get organized in the new year. By getting organized, you'll save time, protect your identity, and be able to find those important items. Good luck and enjoy the new year!

Using Index Tabs to Organize Your Documents

This post was originally written for MyBindingBlog.com and can be found at on that blog by following this link … Using Index Tabs to Organize Your Documents. Please feel free to check out this post along with many other helpful reviews, demos, how to videos and more on the official blog of MyBinding.com.

Managing paper is part of all of our lives. We all have important documents we need to keep on hand. For some of us, they are assignments, handouts, and homework. For others, they are medical bills, insurance forms, and benefit statements. For others still, they are invoices, receipts, and schedules. Regardless of what types of documents you need to organize, a great way to sort them out and keep them tidy is through the use of index tabs. Index tabs are used to divide documents into manageable sections, allowing you to quickly locate the page you're looking for. They also help others (who may not be familiar with the document) to find their way through documents you have created.

When you begin to think about index tabs and how they can help to organize your document, you should think about how the document will be used. Ask yourself what users of the document will be looking for, what questions they will seek answers for as they look at your document. Index tabs are designed to help people find information quickly, so you should choose your section names with care. As a rule of thumb, it is more helpful to err on the side of too many index tabs than it is to have too few. The fewer index tabs you have, the longer it will take users to find the information they need. In business situations, this type of delay can mean upset customers and definitely means decreased productivity.

These days index tabs come in a variety of styles and sizes. We no longer have to rely on those puny index tabs we used in school, the ones with barely enough room to write on and that we had to push into the plastic opening without losing them or crunching them up. Index tabs are available in clear, frosted, plain paper, and colored Mylar. You can even print professional looking tabs right from your desktop printer or you can have customized tabs professionally printed for you. There is no longer a one-size-fits-all approach to index tabs. Index tabs can be selected based on the needs of you and your readers.

Potential uses for index tabs include:

Accountants

• Invoices
• Receipts
• Contact lists
• Payment calendars

Managers

• Training manuals
• Employee records
• Attendance and behavior records
• Emergency Procedures
• Contact lists

Salespeople

• Client lists
• Contact calendars
• Product information

Teachers

• Lesson plans
• Grade books
• Attendance and behavior records
• Club records
• Student portfolios

Students

• Notes
• Assignments
• Correspondence

Individuals

• Health records
• Academic records
• Financial records
• Warranties
• Babysitter's guide
• Maintenance records for home and auto

Index tabs are a simple yet powerful tool for organizing your daily life. Index tabs can be easily updated as your business and personal needs change. There is no reason for any of us not to be organized when such a simple and affordable tool is available.