With so many people using iPads, laptops, and other forms of portable technology, it seems we’re moving closer and closer to becoming a paperless society, but we’re not there yet. Not everyone can afford such devices, and there are many people who just prefer to work with pen and paper, at least for some tasks. Fortunately, there are innovative new tools for paper lovers too, like the one pictured here.

A product sample was recently sent to me, and upon opening the package, I was a bit confused, because I couldn’t figure out whether it was a binder, or an accordion file. It didn’t take me long to realize that it’s actually two products in one!

It opens out flat into a three-ring binder, as shown above, but when you flip it over the other way, it’s a seven-pocket accordion file, as shown below. It comes with cardboard labels that slip into the tabs and includes plenty of extras in case any of them need to be changed at some point.

It closes up neatly with two elastic bands so it’s a tidy and compact way to store paperwork and carry it around as needed.

I immediately thought of two ways you could use the Duo Binder in your organizing business:

1. Take it with you to consultations. The binder section can be used as a portfolio to display before and after pictures, pictures of organizing products or ideas, testimonials, clippings of articles you’ve written or been featured in, and the like. The accordion file can be used for agreements, flyers, and other materials you frequently leave with clients.  I admit that it’s not as elegant as a leather binder or even a leather-like binder, but it’s available in a variety of colors and designs, so if you choose one that coordinates with your branding, it will do the job nicely.
2. Use it for committee or volunteer work. Use the binder to hold lined paper for taking notes, schedules, membership lists, or other information you refer to when you’re attending meetings, and use the pockets to organize paperwork related to past or ongoing projects – stuff you don’t access regularly but that  you might need to refer to during a meeting. Even if it’s a teleconference you’re attending from home, it’s helpful to have that information close at hand.

But of course you don’t need me to tell you how to organize your paperwork – you know best what will work in your particular situation!

And there are countless ways your clients might use this product. One thought that came to mind for me was for recipe organization. When your client clips a recipe from a magazine or prints one off the internet that she or he wishes to try, it can go in the binder. I’d suggest putting them in plastic sheet protectors to keep clippings neat and make the pages easier to turn. Once a recipe has been tried and identified as a keeper, it can go in the pocket section, which can be organized by type of recipe.

What would you organize with the Duo Multitasking Binder?