Store Lapbooks & Notebooks

We use notebook pages for almost every subject, (except Maths, only because we use Singapore maths workbooks.)

During the year the kids keep their notebook pages, lapbooks (we use duct tape to keep it in the file), art  & projects in their own narrow ring binder files.  I make dividers or cover pages for each subject.

As we progress during the year, we file the term’s or month’s notebook pages in a large arch lever file.

At the end of the year, I bind these into notebooks. Last year I bought a new office item – a binder!

I even bind the lapbooks into the spiral-bound notebooks.

But if there are a lot of lapbooks, I file them all in a folder.

How to store lapbooks (& other books) in a file folder:

(photos on the left side of the collage above)

1. You need a 3-page cardboard folder, metal filing clips, a sharp craft knife, ring reinforce stickers, string, brad pins (split pins) and duct tape.
2. Insert the metal clip through slits in the back of the cardboard file folder.
3. Punch or slit the duct tape binding on the side of the lapbook (read here how we make the duct tape binding) to fit over the filing clip.  I made duct tape binding for the Book of Centuries and Maths workbooks.
   
4. Insert the lapbooks and close the file clip.
5. Fold the folder pages over to close the folder.
6. Attach 2 cardboard circles to each folder side with a brad pin and secure behind with some tape.
7. Measure off a short piece of string, tie to one of the cardboard circles on one side of the folder and wrap the string under the circle on the other side and back and forth to close.
   

   Closed with string and brad circles. Label on the spine.

8. Label the spine of the folder.
9. Store on the bookshelf for easy access.
10. Easy-peasy!

How to store lapbooks in a spiral-bound notebook:

(see the photos on the right side of the collage above)

1. Bind all the notebooks pages in the binder.
2. Align the lapbook’s duct tape binding along the plastic spirals.
3. Using a sharp craft knife, make a small slit in the duct tape binding about every 3 or 4 spirals, just wide enough for the plastic spiral to slide through.
4. Ease the plastic spiral through all the slits and back into the spine of the spiral binding.
   

   Some of the spiral binding inserted through slits in the duct tape

5. Now that the binding is closed, the lapbook is quite secure.
6. All done!

These spiral notebooks, labelled and stored on the bookshelf, take up much less space than the arch lever files.

Better still, the kids love to take out their notebooks to browse through their past year’s creative work!

What practical tips do you have to store the previous year’s work?

Blessings,