By Noreen Doll.

I was asked to create a spiral organizer, because the owner was unable to find one that would work well.

Thus the idea for creating one that was perfectly suitable came about.

It was created without actually having to purchase anything, just using materials already on hand.

Materials.

2 Pieces of Cardboard

4 Sheets of Designer Paper

Colored Card Stock (for Dividers)

Computer Paper

Manilla Folder Scraps

Mod Podge

White Glue

Bind It All and Spiral Binding

Make the Covers for the Spiral Organizer

1. Because I was using 8 1/2 inch x 11inch computer paper for the pages, I needed the covers just a little larger than that.

I cut 2 pieces of cardboard 8 5/8 inches x 11 1/4 inch for the covers.

Since I turned the paper horizontally to create the spiral organizer, I made the cover 1/8 inch wider for the bottom, and 1/4 inch wider for the sides (1/8 inch on each side). On the top edge where it is spiral bound the cover will be flush with the paper edge.

2. Cut 2 sheets of decorative/designer paper  a little larger than the cardboard. Mine was 9 3/4 inches by 12 inches.

This photo shows the paper for the outside of the cover (bottom), the grey card board for the cover (middle), and the inside cover paper (top).

It would have been better if the outside cover paper could have been 12 1/2 inches, but 12 inches was the size the paper came in.

3. Apply Mod Podge to one side of the cardboard and lay it on the wrong side of the paper, centering it.

Use a brayer or flat scraper to smooth out wrinkles and bubbles from the center to the edges.

Run the brayer or scraper around all the edges to make sure they are adhered.

Repeat with the other cover.

4. With pencil, draw a line across each corner of the paper, next to the cardboard.

Cut these corners off.

5. Score and fold the narrow edges around the cardboard toward the uncovered side.

Apply Mod Podge to wrong side of these narrow edges and press them into place.

6. Cut 2 pieces of paper about 1/4 inch smaller on each side than the covers.

Apply Mod Podge to the inside of the covers and center the smaller piece of paper there.

7. While still damp, apply Mod Podge over the entire inside covers.

Let dry. Use a hair dryer or heating tool to speed drying time. Allow to set 20 minutes or so.

8. Turn the covers over and Mod Podge the outside of the covers.  Let dry.

Prepare the Pages for the Inside of the Spiral Organizer.

While you are waiting for the covers to dry, you can prepare the inside pages.

If you want to make dividers for the organizer, here’s how I did it.

1. Find card stock in whatever colors you would like your organizer to have. You need 1 sheet of 81/2 x 11 card stock for each divider.

2. Use scraps from manilla folders (as I did), or from card stock to make the tabs for the dividers.

Cut these scraps 1 3/4 inch x 3 inches. This will allow 6 – 1 3/4 inch tabs to fit across the width of the organizer.  We made 12 tabs and made a second set of dividers.

If you need wider tabs, you can put only 4 or 5 tabs across and make 3 or 4 sets of dividers.

3. Score and fold all tabs at 1 1/2 inch – or in the middle of the 3 inch length.

4. Mark where the first tab will be near the edge of the first divider. Start it about 1/4 of an inch from the edge.

5. Apply white glue to one half of the inside of a tab and apply it to a divider. Be sure when it’s folded, the tab will stick out a little from the edge of the divider.

Turn the divider over. Add glue to the inside of the other half of the tab and close it over the edge of the divider.

Repeat this with the other tabs, moving them further along the edge of each divider so they end up looking like this.

6. Arrange your pages and dividers however you want them to be in the finished book.

Attach the Covers and Pages to the Spiral Organaizer.

1. Line up the edges of the papers and dividers. I used 2 clothespins on each side of the pages to hold them snuggly together while I punched them.

2. Double check to be sure you are punching the correct edge of the covers.

Punch holes in the covers.

3. Punch holes in the pages and dividers.

4. Check to be sure the pages are in the order you want them and that the covers are turned with the correct side on the outside.

5. Attach the spirals. I added two – one near each edge, with a gap in the middle between them.

Look how well this idea journal matches the spiral organizer.

Pockets

If you want to add any pockets to the spiral organizer, you can attach them to the inside of the covers.

Or cut the top half off a large envelope, and enough off one side to make it fit the organizer pages. Bind the cut edge when you are binding the pages, and it will make a perfect pocket.

Or you can use card stock to make pockets between the pages.

You can also add page protectors to hold things.

Tips

You could make a  bound book like this for any use. This one is used for an idea journal.

Instead of using a Bind It All and spiral binding, you could punch 3 or 4 holes down one side (or across the top) and use binder rings.

I recycle used manilla folders into all kinds of crafts. One of the things I use them for is to make tabs on dividers for 3 ring binders.

© Noreen Doll

Crafty Journal