Double Folders

So, I'm a pinning fanatic, even though I usually end up "window-pinning" instead of actually making the cool things I see. 

And this is why...

I saw this adorable pin that took me to an amazing blog: http://msk1ell.blogspot.com/2011/08/4-pocket-folders-revisited.html

Here's the picture from the pin:

Such a great idea!

But, I should have been aware of her MEAD folders because my measly budget didn't quite have MEAD folders in mind.  Especially because I teach up to 99 students per year. 

I could have waited for Office Depot or Staples to have their folder sale, but I have a wee bit of OCD when it comes to things matching, so I figured I would get these items sooner than later and be sure to have color-coded bliss.  I should have thought this through, though, and I don't want to be THAT LADY that returns 200 folders.

So I bought the 15 cent Walmart folders.  I still think it's a great deal.  As soon as I saw them I thought these are perfect because they are already hole-punched!  DUH.  The holes are the opposite of what I need...but I didn't realize this until I got home. 

Here are the folders.  15 cents is still a great deal, especially because the pronged folders were the same price. 

But, if I turn them inside out, the holes are on the outer edge.  oops

I decided to go for it anyway, despite the fact that I know there will be 300 dots all over my floor within the first week of using them.  Anyway, I went to Michaels and bought a nice single hole puncher because the folders didn't fit in to my 3-hole punch.  I made it through roughly 5 folders with the single punch before my strength wore out.  What to do next?

Husband to the rescue! ( <= I told him I was going to write that.)  So far my husband has come in handy at least twice this week.  First, we went to dinner for our 6th anniversary and got in the car to leave and the battery was dead.  This lady's hubby was able to buy a battery and INSTALL it himself with whatever dollar store tools his dad had in the trunk of his car when he came to our rescue! 

 

Next, he saw me agonizing over this one whole punch as hundreds of folders sit in front of me, and he says, "You know, I have a hole punch at work that does 300 sheets of paper at once." 

 

1. How did I not know something like this existed in the world?!?! 

2.  I immediately googled it to see how much it would cost me.  But, you already know my folder budget was tight, so $300 for a hole punch is a bit much. 

 

Do you know what he did?!?!  He borrowed it from work and punched the rest of my folders in less than 30 seconds!

 

Check this puppy out!

Last night, I put all of my double folders together.  Aside from the holes on the wrong side issue, the Name/Subject label that comes on the label is on the last page.  oops. 

But, here they are!

For 30 cents a piece, I think they look pretty good.  Now I have to figure out how I'm going to organize them.  I only teach middle school Literacy (Reading & Writing), so I think there will be a "Work In Progress" section and I think there will be a "Reference" section that will house things that will stay there all year (like rubrics). 

Anyone have ideas how I can keep these organized?  They will stay in the classroom at all times.  I already have writing folders that are kept separately for finished pieces. 

All ideas are welcomed.