DIY Customized Hanging File Labels (Free Download)

Anyone else have a love affair with office supplies?  Ahhhhh... a well-organized space! [Insert dreamy sigh] The only thing I disliked was figuring out the Avery templates to print my file folder tabs.  It took me time to find the right template, and sometimes it would get messed up in the printing process or I changed my mind about the titles I wanted on the labels.  It was never easy.

I decided to make my own.  I spent a little time experimenting with font and size.  I chose a simple black background with white font but it can be customized to your liking!  My favorite part is the font can be larger than what can fit on typical tabs and there is no need to wedge the paper into those stiff plastic tab holders.  Without fail, it seemed the corners would inevitably get bent or the paper would crumple when I tried to get them into those plastic tabs.  Here's my solution.

Click here for my Hanging File Labels template that you can download and then customize yourself!  If you end up using the template, please take a picture of your files and email it to me.  I'd love to see how yours turned out!  What colors and fonts do YOU want to use for your files?

Laminate the sheet of labels.  Folding them makes them thicker and more durable.

Cut and fold laminated tab before inserting.

A little touch of tape holds down the back.

Insert into hanging file slits.

Music Bulletin Board with Old Records

I'm loving my new bulletin board!  Thanks to my friends, Mitch and Jen Inouye for giving me the old records to use and to my daughter Lydia for helping me assemble the bulletin board.

Music classroom bulletin board

I can't forget to thank the inspiration for this... Kristen, a creative crafter from Kristen's Creations, who redid her son's room in a rock 'n roll theme and made a similar border for some artwork.  Check out the inspiration from Chase's Rock 'n Roll Bedroom.

My music classroom is mostly decorated in black/white colors with red, lime green, and yellow accents.  I wanted to carry over those colors when assembling this bulletin board, but I didn't have enough records in those particular colors.  In the end, I like how it turned out with the variety of colors.  I also didn't know if I would like the black bulletin board paper (since the records are black), but I do!

In order for the border to really pop, I chose to staple the bulletin board paper about 6" from each wall. Then we started by putting all the red records in the corners.  A simple thumb tack through the center hole of each record worked great!

You can see how the paper does not go all the way to the wall,
and you can also see my helper and soon-to-be 7th grader smiling in the mirror's reflection! <3

I put the corner records all the way to the edge of the wall, but not over the metal trim.  Then I measured 2.5" down from the edge for alternating records.

Measuring wasn't precise, but it helped even out the look of the alternating records.

Too bad I have a mirror and soap dispenser to work around, but I did my best by tucking the edges of the record behind them, but I did have to break/chip off some of that last record to make it happen. (You can look back at the finished product to see how it's wedged in there, not 2.5" from the edge.)  Oh well.  My perfectionistic tendencies will surely notice this every time I wash my hands in the sink!

As the Human League sang in 1986: "We're only human!.... Born to make mistakes!" 

It's not perfect, but it's perfect for what I could manage at the time!  I love looking at this wall in my music room.  It just makes me happy!