{"id":1398,"date":"2013-03-20T19:03:44","date_gmt":"2013-03-21T00:03:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/?p=1398"},"modified":"2013-03-20T11:31:58","modified_gmt":"2013-03-20T16:31:58","slug":"review-accordion-folders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/2013\/03\/review-accordion-folders\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Accordion Folders"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Pros:<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_1400\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2829.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1400\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1400\" title=\"Accordion Folder\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2829.jpg?resize=300%2C225\" alt=\"Accordion Folder\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2829.jpg?resize=300%2C225 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2829.jpg?resize=1024%2C768 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2829.jpg?resize=150%2C112 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2829.jpg?resize=400%2C300 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2829.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2829.jpg?w=1440 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1400\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Here&#8217;s an accordion folder I used for our wedding!<\/p><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>portable<\/li>\n<li>one system, one piece<\/li>\n<li>contains papers together yet separately<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Cons:<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>limited number of papers within<\/li>\n<li>doesn\u2019t expand with need<\/li>\n<li>isn\u2019t conducive to flipping through the papers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Review:<\/p>\n<p>One of the things I\u2019ve found in working with people is that they haven\u2019t always thought through the pros and cons of the \u201ctypical\u201d organizing options.\u00a0 Accordion folders have been around a long time and can be quite useful.\u00a0 Let me say up front that I am not a fan of them personally.\u00a0 Yet, as I practically preach about \u2013 we each have to find our own ways, the products that work for each individual.<\/p>\n<p>Accordion folders of various types are portable.\u00a0 If you need to move a collection of papers around or carry them somewhere, these folders can simplify that easily.\u00a0 The papers stay organized and can go with the person wherever they need them \u2013 even if it\u2019s from room to room.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1401\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2835.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1401\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1401\" title=\"2 Styles of accordion folders\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2835.jpg?resize=300%2C225\" alt=\"2 styles of accordion folders\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2835.jpg?resize=300%2C225 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2835.jpg?resize=1024%2C768 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2835.jpg?resize=150%2C112 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2835.jpg?resize=400%2C300 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2835.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2835.jpg?w=1440 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1401\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Here are 2 (of many) styles for accordion folders<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Due to the design and function of accordion folders, there\u2019s little to decide about \u2013 mostly a hard or soft cover.\u00a0 You don\u2019t need to decide if you want to have hanging folders with file folders or just file folders (which lean without the framework of the hanging folders).\u00a0 Color options are fewer, though everything\u2019s contained and you won\u2019t be thinking about what color signifies what.\u00a0 The accordion folder offers you one system \u2013 all together, in one unit.<\/p>\n<p>Since part of the design is the divided sections, you have a way to organize your papers together yet separately.\u00a0 You can use the accordion folder for one category of papers \u2013 like financial or medical \u2013 and each section holds some distinct type of paper related to that category.\u00a0 Or you can make it more broad where it\u2019s all your recurring bills \u2013 credit cards, car payments, mortgage, medical expenses, etcetera.<\/p>\n<p>Depending on how it\u2019s used, this is where its limitations can become an issue.\u00a0 Since it is a self-contained system, it can only contain so much.\u00a0 The pockets are designed for a certain amount of papers before it the folder itself gets misshapen.\u00a0 Although file folders also have a limit on how many papers they can hold, the accordion folders pockets can hold significantly less.\u00a0 (Those creases at the bottom of file folders make their expansion possible and much easier.)\u00a0 Once you\u2019ve maxed out the amount of papers in the accordion folder, you have to make adjustments.<\/p>\n<p>Check out the bottom of an accordion folder \u2013 the frame has creased paper going up into each section \u2013 limiting how it holds your papers.\u00a0 This design is part of how paper is restricted within each section.\u00a0 Although you can expand the sections, that creased paper goes up into the section regardless of how much paper is stored in there.\u00a0 This also means that papers are more prone to getting bent, if that matters to you.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1402\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2841.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1402\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1402\" title=\"Side &amp; bottom of accordion folder\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2841.jpg?resize=300%2C225\" alt=\"Side &amp; bottom of accordion folder\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2841.jpg?resize=300%2C225 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2841.jpg?resize=1024%2C768 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2841.jpg?resize=150%2C112 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2841.jpg?resize=400%2C300 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2841.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_2841.jpg?w=1440 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1402\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Here&#8217;s the side and bottom of an accordion folder which shows the creases<\/p><\/div>\n<p>If you need to peruse a section of papers, looking for a specific one that isn\u2019t in the front or back of the pocket, the design of the accordion folder makes that more challenging.\u00a0 The section dividers only move so far, which means seeing inside the pocket to the words on the paper isn\u2019t much of an option \u2013 so you\u2019ll probably pull all the papers out of that section to find the paper you need.\u00a0 In my mind that means more work for the user \u2013 and papers don\u2019t always go (back) in neatly.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s probably pretty clear that the limitations of accordion folders have created a bias for me.\u00a0 I\u2019m not much of a fan.\u00a0 Yet that doesn\u2019t mean that I haven\u2019t used them \u2013 there is something wonderful about their portability.\u00a0 As well as how useful they can be \u2013 depending on how you will use them.\u00a0 Just like with every product and tool out there, if a product meets your needs with its limitations (and every product has drawbacks) then use it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Everyone\u2019s seen and knows about accordion folders.  It\u2019s easy to take them for granted, they\u2019ve been around \u201cforever\u201d \u2013 yet have you considered the pros and cons of them and how those impact your needs?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[10,8,5,20,22,15,17],"class_list":["post-1398","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews","tag-behavior","tag-discipline","tag-household","tag-paperwork","tag-productivity","tag-resources","tag-spaces"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7p82c-my","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1398","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1398"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1398\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1407,"href":"http:\/\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1398\/revisions\/1407"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1398"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1398"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.jenniferlinnig.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1398"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}