Envelope Storage for Warranty Information
This warranty solution works well for folks without file cabinets - all you need is one drawer and some envelopes, and you’re all set.
First follow the steps I discussed in the previous warranty post:
“To get started you should have all your collected warranty info gathered together. Some people suggest stapling all the info together , which works well; it helps you to not lose anything. However, often a manual may come in a fold out poster style, or be too thick for staples. That said, I like clipping items together with Bulldog Clips better.”
You can still use small bulldog clips, even though we’re using envelopes, or you can staple.
Grab an empty drawer - preferably a large one OR a box like the one I mention in the current box post will work if it’s wide enough.
Decide how you want to organize. You’ll be putting your warranty info into envelopes, so in order to know how many envelopes you’ll need, you have some choices.
You can file warranty info by…
- Separately: Each item’s warranty info can be stored in one envelope - I don’t recommend this, becuase that’s a whole lot of envelopes. But, you can do it.
- Room: kitchen appliances all together, and so fourth.
- Type category: computer equipment, food related appliances, toys, electronic, and so on.
- Date: Date warranty expires.
After choosing your system, decide how many envelopes this warrants. Then pick up some 8 1/2 inch by 11 inch envelopes - but make sure they’re strong. If you want to store whole rooms together or whole categories together, one good choice, would be some 8 ½-inch x 11-inch Craft Keepers. They expand by an inch, so they’ll hold a lot. You may need say three for the kitchen, but in my opinion, that’s better than 15 separate envelopes.
8 ½-inch x 11-inch Craft Keepers
Two other nice envelope choices from Paper Direct include:
Multi-Colored Expandable Velcro Envelopes - hold up to 150 sheets of paper each.
Expandable Velcro Envelopes - hold up to 200 sheets of paper each.
You can also go with plain old 8×11 paper or manilla envelopes, but they won’t hold up as long. Then simply insert your warranties and store them all together in your drawer or box. Easy. I used to store mine like this until I got my new (and much beloved) file cabinet.
Also read:
- Organize Your Warranty Information - What You Should Keep
- File Drawer Storage for Warranty Information
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POSTED IN: Accessories, Office, Organizing Basics, Paper Clutter
1 opinion for Envelope Storage for Warranty Information
GothamOrganizers
Jul 25, 2008 at 6:07 pm
These are nice ideas, but for many people it might be over-organizing. Most of my clients don’t really need to go back to their warrrantees and product info very often, so just keeping them all together in one place usually works just fine.
One more tip - whenever you get rid of a product, toss (or donate) the warrantee/manual with it.
One nifty idea, particularly for people who have a hard time remembering where they have put things, is to attach the warrranty directly to the product - obviously this works well for large appliances and electronics, not for your ipod!
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