DIY Business Card File

I have tried several methods for storing all the business cards I get from clients, bloggers,  trade shows and businesses I frequent and some have been more successful than others.  My latest storage option has been to file my cards by alphabet in a Rolodex business card binder.  The notebook format has worked great and I like that it can be stored on a bookshelf or in a file drawer, plus the cards have stayed neat and organized.  That is until I ran out of room.

 Once all the slots for a particular letter were filled up, I began placing the extra cards toward the back of the book, in no particular order.  You can image that this makes it difficult to find a card in a hurry.  I’ve reached the point where  my file runneth over.  I needed a new solution.

Inspired by Jen at I Heart Organizing and her diy business card file, I set out to make my own.  What I liked most about having the cards in a file box is that they are sorted by category rather than alphabetical.  This makes it easy to find a card when I can’t remember the name of the business but know what category it falls under.

I started with a unfinished wood recipe  box I picked up a JoAnn Fabric for $2.99.  I spray painted it a glossy red which is my favorite color and since my desk is red I thought the box would blend nicely.

I also lined the inside lid and bottom with gold metallic paper.

I added a piece of decorative paper to the top of my card box and scalloped the edge so it had a shape.

 

All of the paper I used in making this card file came from an old vendor catalog I had which contains beautiful floral images.

Next I made dividers using more decorative paper and printed labels for each category to place at the top of each divider.

The last detail I added to the box was this brass label holder with a pull handle on it.  I found this at a specialty hardware store here in Atlanta for $6.00.

And just like that and for less than $12 I now have a beautiful new business card file.

The Atlanta Market is next week and so is the Haven Conference so by next weekend my card file is going to be filling up.

Thanks Jen for the inspiration!