Introduction: Ultimate Parts Storage
If you like making things, you probably have hundreds or even thousands of little parts - nuts, bolts, screws, electronic parts, etc. This is one of the cheapest, most compact, flexible, portable and simple ways of storing them - in folders you can put on a bookshelf! This is an embarrassingly simple instructable, but one that has revolutionised the organisation of my parts - read on to find out how I did it.
Over the years, I have struggled to find sensible ways of storing my collection of thousands of small parts in an organised way. If you are like me, you have a huge collection of boxes, parts drawers and plastic containers to store your parts in. Not only are they quite expensive, but they suffer from other problems - parts drawers can tip over and either lose or mix up components, and plastic divider boxes are no better - both of these take up a lot of space as well and as soon as you add a few new components when you have filled up all dividers in the box, or trays in the component bin, you have to work out how to resort your entire collection again!
This method uses ordinary ring binders, zip wallets, and grip-seal bags and allows you to create a hierarchical storage system, where you can easily add or remove new categories (folders), sub-categories (zip wallets), and components (grip seal bags).
Step 1: Collect the Bits!
There are three items you will need for this filing system. Firstly you need a ring binder - usually A4 size in Europe, and Letter in the US. I tend to buy a lot on ebay, so would suggest trying that first for the best price. Better to have a 3 or 4 ring version - in Europe, the 4 ring 'D' shape is great, as it holds pages very securely. I also like the ones with clear plastic pockets all around, as you can then customise the spine and front cover (and back as well if you like). The ones I bought were 1.65 pounds each (US $3.34). In Europe, here is an option from ebay, and here is one from viking direct. In the USA, these people have a good price (US $2.13), if you are happy to buy boxes of 12.
The pages I use in the files are a "Zip Punched Pocket" from Rexel - again, I got these on ebay from here as they worked out at only 16 pence (US $0.33) each. In the US, try something like this.
The final item is a pile of 'zip lock' or 'grip seal' bags - again ebay was where I got mine from, but they are also available from packaging stores, like this one in the US. The 3 inch by 2.25 inch size I find great for small parts, as it is the perfect size for electronic items like strips of resistors, but you might also want some larger ones as well.
If you shop around, you can buy a handful of folders, 50 punched pockets, and 1000 zip lock bags for under 25 pounds (US $50.00) - this will be enough to completely organise thousands of small parts!
Step 2: Customise the Folders
With a few minutes on a word processor, and a quick image search on Google, you can easily find and print out a customised front page and spine - helps to keep things looking smart and easy to find. You can even put some technical information on the front which is relevant to the parts inside - sizing tables, for example, for screws, or a colour code lookup for resistors.
Step 3: Organise Everything!
After choosing main 'categories' for your folders, the next step is to setup 'subcategories' using the zip pockets. Label by hand or on the computer, and then put your individual parts inside the small grip seal bags, which then go inside the pockets.
One big advantage is now obvious - you can add and remove the zip pockets in the folder whenever you want, and you can also add or remove the little grip seal bags in the same way. With everything zipped up, you can also literally shake your parts system about, and nothing will fall out. Even if one of the little bags was left open, the worst you will have to do is unzip the pocket, collect the bits, and put them back in the little bag.
Step 4: All Done!
Put all of the zip pockets in the folders, close up, and you are all done! I have now organised over 1000 different types of components in eight folders (less than a quarter of the volume all of my boxes took up!), including all my electronic parts, and all of my miscellaneous small hardware such as nuts, bolts and screws. The largest parts I have also organised in a similar way with "zip bags within zip bags", and then I have stored the collection of bags in some larger plastic drawers.
I have finally got everything organised, for less than 25 pounds (US $50) - it is cheap, flexible, extremely compact, reorganisable, safe (handles the shake test), and portable - perhaps the ultimate small parts storage system!

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93 Comments
5 years ago
Excellent idea. The links, and names, in the article are now out of date. For anyone looking for this in 2018, google for: "Rexel Portrait Zipper Folder Pocket"
6 years ago
BTW, I ended up using zip lock bags and tucked them in dvd/cd organizer sleeves.
6 years ago
Outstanding and really professional looking. You can jam a lot of stuff in boxes and such but your folders allow for notes and pictures as well. I think it is brilliant!
Thanks!
7 years ago
I don't think you will have much capacity in a little album like that, but I think it's a pretty good idea for safe storage for wires and things that aren't too bulky. It's definitely a nice nugget of handy packing tips if there aren't any other alternatives in any case! Haha! And I'll surely save money getting a little plastic file put together than going to build a whole cabinet or drawer to hold everything in comparison!
7 years ago
I think that if you like making things, You're going to need a lot more storage space than plastic Ziploc bags!
8 years ago on Step 4
And 7 years later it's still a great idea! Thanks for the tips and links! I'm already at it trying! :)
8 years ago on Introduction
This is freaking brilliant. Perfect not only for electronics parts, but for the small parts used by miniature wargaming figures. Going to post that in the relevant forum right now.
8 years ago on Introduction
Do not be embarrassed for sharing such a useful idea! I have this plastic organiser pocket book as well but I use it to store almost every tiny little thing that I could find lying around the house. The knick-knacks include keys, Lego pieces, buttons, and even coins. I then hang it neatly inside the coats closet so anyone who lost something small, could look through the lost-and-found pocket book.
15 years ago on Introduction
Our very un-PC instructor taught us "Bad Boys Rape Our Young Girls, But Violet Gives Willingly", even the chicks dig it! :) I can't remember the phrase that our other instructor tried to teach us, he was a Sunday School teacher and didn't approve of the wording...
Reply 8 years ago on Introduction
My instructor had the same one (Bad Boys Rape ...), but added on Get Some Now, which stand for Gold, Silver, and None (the tolerance bands). He also had a more PC one, which I could never remember.
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
...Haven't seen this one posted yet...
Bad Beer Rots Our Young Guts, But Vodka Goes Well
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
Predictably the ribald limerick is going to stick in memory the best. :)
8 years ago on Introduction
Wow, this has to be the most neat and systematic organizing technique I have seen all day. Tiny things like accessories and spare parts are the most difficult things to handle because of their mere sizes. They tend to get lost easily and cause so much inconvenience later on. Therefore, having this card case storage book is really useful and handy indeed.
10 years ago on Introduction
Found this to be great idea. Have just finifhed doing my resistor file. I also found some really good labels for each of the bags. I take no responsibility for creating them, just thought they may be useful for someone else.
http://www.usbmicro.com/documents/14E915BD78CB22AC079339E7E9ACF6FC5517814D.html
11 years ago on Introduction
nice instructable!
that was a good idea. I use a two layer box with only 18 compartments but it is hard to get things out without tweezers. here's my instructable - https://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-box-to-store-your-components-or-other-stuf/
11 years ago on Introduction
Great idea. I have so many ones and twos of bits and pieces this will work great for. But what to do with all these bloody little plastic storage thingies?? This is a pack-rat's dream. Spreadsheet with binder & pocket number annotated with description, even quanity...oh my! Organized hoarding...what a concept! :>)
11 years ago on Introduction
awesome!Im gonna use that in my new electronics lab!
11 years ago on Introduction
wonderful
11 years ago on Introduction
Organising is awesome :) You should put in one picture of how ur parts storage looked before :)
11 years ago on Step 4
Brilliant in its simplicity.