How to organize your college binder

Hi guys! I am excited to do this post and I have had this idea for a while now. I am graduating this semester (as if I haven't told you guys enough already) and I have finally found some great systems that work for school organization. Let's get started!

First off my supplies:

I have two binders (both come from Target), class divider sheets, sheet protectors, Important Dates printable, and Class Overview printable. 

Here is the setup:

I store them here in my desk. The orange and pink box is a file folder box which I use to store paperwork, more on that system later. The pink binder is for my Tuesday/Thursday classes and the blue binder is for my Monday/Wednesday/Friday classes. 

Lets take a look inside the blue binder:

First thing you see when its opened:

Class divider sheet. I found them on Pinterest here. I put in the class abbreviation as well as the full title on the divider. 

Next thing you'll see is my divider tabs. I divided each class up into two sections: Notes and Handouts. The last section (the yellow tab) is my To Do List spot. 

My dividers themselves are these awesome plastic ones that have folders so that I can stick papers inside. This works great to store tests, scantrons, returned assignments, etc. I love that because the polka dot binders from Target didn't have an inside pocket like most binders do. 

Behind the divider you find my important dates sheet:

I love this system because I have all of my important dates for the semester right up front and I glance at that page every time I open the binder. That way I don't miss anything and I know what is coming ahead. 

Behind that I have a class overview printable that shows some information on classmates, the teachers email and phone number, etc. I found mine on pinterest. 

Next I have the class syllabus. I put in a sheet protector so that it would last longer.

Every class I have hands out a syllabus and I print mine off so that I can refer to it often throughout the semester. 

My sociology teacher also created a class calendar so I printed that off as well:

Basically anything I would want to look at everyday I printed off and put in a sheet protector. This is useful because then I know what chapter we are on for the day and I can read it ahead of time. 

This same teacher also posts all of the study guides for all three tests. I printed them all of so while she is talking in class and while I am studying the chapter I can highlight the terms that are going to be on the exam. 

I then have notepaper for all the notes I take in class. All of the above is under the first tab Soc 1010 notes. 

The next tab is handouts and currently I don't have anything in that tab. 

The next thing you see is the divider for my next class:

I love all the cute dividers on that site I showed earlier. Seriously the greatest. 

Behind the first tab I have the following:

Class syllabus.

Class calendar. His is set up differently but it's still the same concept. 

Notes. 

That is all behind the notes tab. Then behind the handouts tab I have this:

It's a style guide on how to site information in the SAA style which is the style used by archaeologists. Most teachers use APA or MLA but archaeology has its own unique guide. 

The next section is my to do list tab:

I have a divider that says Assignments to do now, and the next divider is for assignments to do later.

I usually would put assignments that need to get done over the weekend in the to do now spot, and the later one is used for final papers to be handed in at the end of the semester. 

So there you have it folks. My 2014 spring binder set up. My pink binder is the exact same thing only for the other classes. I just used a one inch binder for both days and so far it is working great. I love this system because now all I have in my backpack is the binder for that day and my books as well. It helps me to stay organized and I am loving the sheet protectors. I don't really use sheet protectors all that much but I am finding that they are great to make sure my loose papers don't get all beat up. I am getting an Erin Condren planner this year to use for school and its supposed to ship to me next week. I can't wait for it to get here so I will be even more organized. I hope this was helpful for some of you and I hope that you are having a great first week back at school.

XO

Caitlin