Manage Monday: Junk Drawer, Instructions, and Warranty Mayhem

source: OfficeDepot.com

When I had kids, it seemed like tons and tons of instruction manuals and warranty information started taking over my drawers. I had to find a way to tame the junk drawer beast. Here are my tips on how to keep your papers, instruction manuals, and warranty information in order.

1. Purchase one large binder, sheet protectors, and tabs. (Optional index cards and a black sharpie)
   
2. Gather all of your manuals. I had manuals for our kitchen appliances, tech gadgets, toys, and even some furniture. I made one big stack.
3. Place your manuals in sheet protectors. (In some cases, I staple the receipt and UPC to the manual just in case the manufacturer provides a warranty.)
4. Organize the binder.
   1. Write a tab for Appliances, which I place in the binder first. Add the sheet protectors with all of the Appliance related information.
   2. Write a tab for Gadgets (you can name your categories differently such as phones, computers, cameras, camcorders, etc). Next add the related items.
   3. Write a tab for Toys (for instance, you can separate this category future by including video games, electronic toys, plush toys, etc)
5. Optional, place an index card in front of the sheet protector with the date your warranty ends in large bold letters. The card should also state the name of the item and your purchase date.