10 Tips for How to Use Number Dividers

Are you looking for some information on how to use number dividers? Then check out these helpful tips to make sure you use them efficiently.

Did you know that a cluttered workspace can cost a company the financial equivalent of 10% of a manager's salary?

Whether you're a law office or a construction company, you can't just hole punch all your paperwork and put it in a binder. You need to keep your documents organized so you don't lose them or waste time looking for them.

One of the best ways to keep your office organized is by getting number dividers. You can use them for anything from legal exhibits to archiving old paperwork that you can't shred.

Ready to organize all those loose papers? Read on to learn our top 10 tips to get the best use out of your number dividers.

1. Know What Each Number Stands For

Even if you put all your papers behind numbered tabs, you won't be organized unless you know what each number stands for.

This will depend both on what type of company you have and what you're using the binder for. Make sure to assign a category or page to each number and put a table of contents at the front of your binder.

Don't forget to organize your binder in a way that is easy for you to navigate.

2. Keep Packs of Tabs Together

Although tab dividers tend to be standard size, you should keep packs of tabs together if you're not using them.

Wrap an elastic band or use a gentle clip for groups of tabs so you know which ones belong together. For example, if you bought a pack of 20 tabs but only ended up needing 10, store the rest together and put a label on it so you know it's an incomplete set.

If you're still organizing your binder or you know you'll be adding more to it soon, then keep the tabs on hand on your desk or in a filing cabinet.

3. Use Tab Extenders if Needed

If you have some documents that are oddly shaped or don't fit a standard 3-ring binder, you can use tab extenders to make them fit.

Tab extenders are self-adhesive strips that you can attach to odd-size items so they fit in your binder.

You can also use tab extenders if you have more than one row of tabs and you'd like to see all the tabs at once. Our tab extenders can extend regular 8.5" tabs and make them 9" tabs.

4. Store Unused Tabs Properly

Law office supplies can get expensive, so you need to store any unused tabs in the right way to avoid damaging them.

Make sure your office has a designated supply area or supply closet where you store your legal pads and pens. With unused tabs, you want to make sure you put them in a box and put them either closer to the floor or the ceiling.

This way, you reduce the chance of knocking over the box and having the tabs fall out of order.

5. Decide How Many Tabs You Need

Will you need a large set of tabs or do you think you'll only need a couple? In some cases, you may need several tabs with the same number to put in more than one binder.

This is especially true if you need to make several sets of duplicate binders.

In this case, you'll want to get individual number side tabs with the number you need.

6. Use a Good Binder

If you use a binder that's hard to open, you risk damaging your tabs.

A good binder is one that you can open easily and that has good-quality rings.

A great option to keep your tabs in good condition is a binder that has a push tab at the bottom. This way, you don't have to pull open the binder rings by hand.

7. Decide if You Need Side Tabs or Bottom Tabs

Side tabs are the first tabs you want to use to organize your binder, whether it's for your law office, construction data, or academic papers.

You'll want to use bottom tab dividers if you need to organize the information in each of your side tabs.

You can get bottom tab dividers with a set of numbers, individual numbers, exhibit numbers, or blank ones if you need more customization.

8. Repair or Replace Broken Tabs

Imagine having an organized binder and having one of the tab pages rip and fall out. You might have no way of knowing where one section ends and the other begins.

This is why you need to repair or replace any broken tabs the moment you see one of the holes starting to rip. If only one hole is ripped, you could get specialized stickers to try and fix it.

9. See if You Need Customization

In some cases, you may need to customize your numbered tabs. This includes labels such as 1A, 1.a, or 1.1.

For these kinds of tabs, you'll want to get blank side tabs. Make sure to write clear numbers or use printed labels to keep everything neat and easy to read.

10. Keep Your Tabs Clean

You don't want to spill your morning coffee on your newly organized binder. Even though most tabs are laminated, the entire sheet usually isn't, and you don't want any liquids spilling on your documents.

One way to stop drinks or food from spilling onto your dividers is to organize your desk. Make sure to keep your coffee on a part of your desk where your elbow can't knock it over by accident.

Boost Your Office Organization With Number Dividers

Number dividers are one of the best ways to keep all your paperwork organized and free up your office time for serving clients as best you can.

And when you follow these tips, you'll get the most use, wear, and organization out of your number dividers.

At Exhibit Indexes, our tabs are printed on high-quality paper and are laminated to give you the best durability.

Whether you need to organize a few binders or do an office organization overhaul, Exhibit Indexes has the tabs you need. Browse our selection of number dividers and boost your office organization today.