Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Moving Pages In A Wire-O Notebook

My craft notebook uses Wire-O binding.  I like it because it doesn't crush easily, and it allows me to open the notebook flat.

But my favorite benefit of using a Wire-O bound notebook is that you can easily move pages around.  This is the only reason I can use notebooks for things like this, otherwise I'd have to use binders because I HAVE to be able to add pages in the middle.

Especially for my crafty planning.  It would be ridiculous and cramp my style if I had to estimate how many pages I needed in between each month for all my sketches and ideas for the whole year.  This way, I can add as many or as few pages as I need as I go along.

Here's how you do it!

First, cut the page with an Exacto in between each of the sets of wire loops.

Next, while holding the top of the page, pull up and toward the bottom of the notebook (see arrow) to remove it.  It should easily come right out of the notebook without tearing or bending any of the tabs you just created.

Last, use a pointed and blunt object to gently tuck each tab back into the notebook where you want the page to be.

You can move the page around a lot as long as you are careful not to rip up or bend the tabs that hold the page into the notebook.  

I used to use this technique to move my "hot list" of to do items from day to day when I used a Wire-O note book to track my lists.  You can even make mini-pages with notes or warnings or inspirational sayings that you can snap into your notebook.  They are mini so they don't obscure the whole page below it ...

... like this!

Notebooks: In the single digits on the list of Awesomest Things In The World!
26 Comments leave a comment


Brittney said ...
I love this! My planner is wire bound like that, how fun that I can do all sorts of exciting things with it. :D I can't wait to see all the cool things you've got planned for us.
1/6/2010 11:19 AM

Gene said ...
Eh, I never thought of that. I used to just rip it off. I know such a waste of paper, that's why I stopped buying notebooks in wire bindings. My notebooks are always filled with clutter. I tried separating them by writing things with colored pens though.
1/6/2010 11:27 AM

planetjune said ...
Alice, you're a genius! I would never have thought of this. Being scared of leaving the wrong number of blank pages has been my biggest reason for NOT using a good notebook. Thank you!
1/6/2010 11:42 AM

Kate said ...
Wow! You are amazing! I would never have thought of doing that with a spiral bound notebook, nor worked out how to do it on my own.

Also, the cross-stitched heart on the front cover of your notebook is the cutest thing!

1/6/2010 1:42 PM

Cláudia said ...
Thanks for share the downloads!!!I loved that! The seahorses, the fishes, I love all.
Yes! this year will be great!!
Ks.
Cláudia.
1/6/2010 1:56 PM

Kuky said ...
I would never have thought of doing this. Ahhh so many notebooks wasted...
1/6/2010 5:03 PM

Sister Diane said ...
This is freaking brilliant. Thank you for sharing this trick! I totally agree re: the awesomeness of spiral notebooks.
1/6/2010 5:03 PM

katie the kid said ...
OMG!!! that is a big "duh!" to me. thanks for pointing that out. man, i feel like a dork...i always hate the stupid schnibbles that fall out when you rip the pages out...now i know better. enjoy.
1/6/2010 7:28 PM

Carmen said ...
How do you get smart ideas like this? Do you just stare at things (like the notebook) until something strikes you? Love it!
1/6/2010 7:53 PM

Kathy said ...
Holy Cow! This is an awesome tip! Why didn't I think of that!
1/6/2010 11:26 PM

Jami Smith said ...
This is a fabulous idea! I'm addicted to Levenger circa notebooks (same idea, but quite spendy.)

This is the cheapest way to try it out: http://www.levenger.com/PAGETEMPLATES/PRODUCT/Product.asp?Params=category=326-339|level=2-3|pageid=5574

I love them!

-jami
1/7/2010 1:59 AM

Oooo! Awesome tip!!
1/7/2010 10:50 AM

Caro said ...
Ok. You just changed my life. Thank you for posting this!!!! :D
1/7/2010 12:29 PM

Julie said ...
Levenger makes notebooks that does exactly this... the Circa system. No cutting or blunt objects required.


http://www.levenger.com/PAGETEMPLATES/NAVIGATION/Products.asp?Params=category=326|level=2|pageid=1749
1/7/2010 12:39 PM

HildeC said ...
What a clever idea! :-D
1/7/2010 2:26 PM

Katie Dawson said ...
Great idea! You probably already thought of this, but laminating or putting contact paper on a page you move around and use extremely often would preserve it.
1/7/2010 7:12 PM

KathiD said ...
What a great idea! It occurs to me that if you were worried about tearing the little tabs, you could run Scotch tape along the edge on both sides before cutting the slits, then it would be well reinforced.
1/7/2010 7:59 PM

raven said ...
what a great idea...I too have the Levenger Circa stuff to, but they aren't an actual ring notebook

This is sooooooo much cooooler!!

1/8/2010 11:25 AM

Katie said ...
That is a good idea, and I see someone already mentioned Circa notebooks by Levenger. Sometimes that have great sales, a good time to stock up. Once you buy one or two of their notebooks, you only need to buy paper. Also, you can buy the Circa rings, and create your own notebook.
1/8/2010 12:56 PM

Love this! The idea, the photos... and the green arrow that has a shadow! That follows the page no less! What a fun little detail : )
1/8/2010 6:28 PM

Karen said ...
I love this article! I have thought of so many applications to this method. It would work great with a sketch book I have! Thanks so much for posting this wonderful article.
1/8/2010 6:45 PM

Bonnie said ...
What a great way to avoid pesky little pieces of paper. Those are always the pieces that the vacuum can't seem to suck or fly out of dustpans when sweeping.
1/9/2010 11:17 AM

Shawna said ...
This is such an awesome idea! I hope it is ok, I posted a link to it on my blog. If not, let me know and I will fix it.
1/11/2010 9:25 PM

DavidCL said ...
Alice,

I was really excited when I read the title of this post. Unfortunately... well, you remember that post-its don't work for me, right? This technique would not work for me either. I would be constantly losing important pages.

I think both post-its and this technique are really ideas that are designed for people who are, shall we say, somewhat more gentle with their belongings than I am. I'm very sure those carefully-cut tabs would not retain their stiffness if they existed in my immediate vicinity.

I *wish* a technique like this would work for me. Being able to move pages around is the only reason I use a ring binder. I *hate* brainstorming and taking notes in a ring binder, so I have to use spiral notebooks too;

I'd much rather have some kind of a bound book where the binding releases and the pages can move. But none of the ones I've seen are really designed for writing and drawing-- the ones that are out there are designed for display.

So I spend a lot of time moving pages between cheap spiral notebooks and binders, and it isn't really a satisfactory solution. Still in search...

I keep thinking that I'll come up with a design I can make myself that will work for me, but I haven't found one yet.
2/3/2010 9:56 AM

futuregirl replied ...
DavidCL ... Drats! Some day you will find the perfect system, and then you'll disappear in a puff of smoke, your quest having been fulfilled. :) Perhaps you just need a personal assistant in charge of notebooks and post-its. ;)
2/6/2010 12:36 AM
 
Elizabeth said ...
Oh goodness me! This was so helpful. Thanks a bunch!
3/13/2010 11:26 PM

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