The search for the perfect coupon organization system...

I love to be organized. Truly.

You can't always tell by looking at my house but I love to be organized. I love the actual process of organization. (I think I can thank my Dad for this). I love to look into a cabinet or drawer and see a nice, organized space.

So this whole new world of couponing has caused a big problem for me.

How in the world do I keep it organized?

Right now I'm talking about the coupons themselves, not the products I buy with said coupons, which is another whole issue that I won't get into right now.

I started out with a smallish binder (binders are recommended by all the "couponers who know") and outgrew it fast.

Then I thought that I didn't really want to carry all the coupons around with me so I had a binder and a file folder system. This required too much time going through the files to add to the binder etc. Plus I don't know how many times I was in the store thinking "I know I had that coupon...now where is it?" Probably at home in a file folder. Really helpful.

So then I went crazy and got a HUMONGOUS binder to just bite the bullet and carry all the coupons with me. I even got a bag to carry it in (on sale of course). It weighs more than your average baby. It's truly huge.

Now, I read blogs of other couponers and I go online to forums where couponers talk about upcoming deals and what they are doing etc. And I know there are people out there who get 10-20 newspapers each week! I get 4. Plus I have 2 friends who occasionally share their coupons with me. So I have a max of 6 of any one coupon. But keeping them all organized and fitting into my binder is becoming a challenge. How those other people do it is still a mystery to me.

I think I am going to have to get a 2nd binder for just the toiletries and those types of things...the things that I really only buy at CVS or Rite Aid. There is no need to have them in the same binder as my grocery coupons because I really only use them when I shop at the drug store. And this will open up some much needed space in my quite full HUMONGOUS binder.

Here, take a look at my current state of organization at this moment:

Not a joyful sight.

Anyone have any tips?