How I Organize my Couponing...Part 1

Since I have started couponing last August I have tried several different ways to organize them and ever so often will change how I do it. A couple of months ago I did this...And so far this way has worked the best for me...

A couple of months ago I was getting overwhelmed by all the coupons that I had cut, coupon inserts, and brick coupons that I had and realized that I needed to do something to be better organized. I remembered having a crate and unused file folders somewhere in my house and began my hunt. Luckily my husband knew were both items where and then the hamster wheel began to turn...how do I organize all these coupons?
Well here is what I came up with...I made a file for each of the following categories..

(My hubby has a label maker which I used for my categories)

Smart Source

Redplum

P&G Inserts

Target Inserts

General Mills Inserts 

Unilever/Nestle Inserts

Brick Coupons

Catalinas

Circulars

And then I have seperate categories for ones that I have cut up that I didn't end up using

Household

Pharmacy

Grocery

Beauty

Personal

Pets

Phew!

When it comes to my inserts I organize them from the oldest in the front to the newest in the back. What I also do is use a sticky note to write the date of that particular insert and stick on the first of that lot. On the stem of the insert the date is already there but it it tiny and sometimes difficult to read after you had that insert for awhile. So far this system has worked well for me. One thing that helps me also with this system is 

using Sunday Coupon Preview. When I read about a good sale the first thing that I do is look up that coupon(s) using this website to see what insert and date it came from. Once I know that I go to my file with that specific insert and look for that date (remember the sticky note with the date!) and pull out those coupons that I need. Within minutes I know which insert to pull! 

So now you know my system. I hope that this will help you get organized with your coupons. There might be some categories there that you don't need or maybe a category listed there will make you think of another one to add.

Next Up...

Part II

Now that I have cut up all those coupons...How to organize them in a  binder/ purse file organizer...

Happy Coupon Organizing!

~The Couponing Teacher