Don't Forget the 3 Ring Binder in Your School Supplies!

Few school supplies match the overall usefulness and utility of 3 ring binders. Whatever classes you are taking, if it involves papers of any kind that need to be organized, its nice to have some 3 ring binders on hand. You can get dividers to separate 3 ring binders into different sections related by topic, such as math, chemistry, science, music, and general, or by date. You can get small ones for a single subject or large ones that can hold enough information to organize your whole life.

Not All 3 Ring Binders Are Not Created Equal

3 ring binders come in all sizes, shapes, colors, and qualities. At the bottom of the totem pole, there's your typical flimsy thick paper variety. You can usually buy these kinds of 3 ring binders in bulk for less than a dollar each. They are cheap but they get the job done more or less. These are especially good for projects that require a lot of different binders, or for students or anyone else that is on a tight budget.

Another cheap material popular for 3 ring binders is of course plastic. Plastic 3 ring binders are just slightly more expensive than the paper variety, but are a whole lot more durable. I've been using cheap plastic 3 ring binders for as long as I can remember, and I have a stack of them at home that I've been recycling for ages.

For more important functions when a flimsy bright green plastic 3 ring binder just doesn't seem to fit, there are of course higher quality binders available for a little more cost. These range from a thicker, more durable vinyl variety, to more expensive materials bound in leather. If you plan to be using the same 3 ring binder for a while, I recommend splurging a little and picking up a vinyl or leather bound variety.

3 ring binders of course also come in different sizes. They are usually measures by the width of the spine and the most common widths are one, two or three inch binders. Some of the cheaper paper and plastic varieties are fairly thin and aren't able to hold much. There are plastic 3 ring binders with a turned edge that are able to hold a lot more. Most of the more expensive kinds are made with straight edged side that allows for more content. These higher quality 3 ring binders often have pockets along the inside so they can be used like your basic folder for paper that hasn't had holes punched in it.

Timeless and versatile, the 3 ring binder is an essential component to a life that involves paper. Maybe in the future everything will be digital and we'll no longer use paper, but until then 3 ring binders are going to remain useful and popular.