boring ask for help

[poptartpoet.livejournal.com]

hello crafty kittens!

for all the sewers on the list, or frankly, for anyone who may have helpful advice, i'm DESPERATELY trying to organize my art room and all of my sewing stuff. ie: fabric, patterns etc...
i have rubber-maid containers for my fabric. but i'm trying to figure out a very efficient way for me to store all of my patterns. as many of you may well know, that once you take them all neatly and perfectly folded out of the envelope it is pretty near impossible to get them back in without ripping said envelope or losing pattern pieces. (it's a grand illusion. it's like how DO they get the soft flowing caramilk inside the caramilk bar?? same dilemma)
the only thing i can think of, is to buy a file box with file folders and tape the envelope to the outside, so i immediately know which pattern is which and fold all the pieces as best as i can and place them in the file folder.
ANY thoughts or ideas would be oh-so-very appreciated.

my apologies for a boring post and if it isn't quite craftgrrl appropriate, but i'm knee deep in clutter and trying very hard to get some semblance of order.

thanx, kidz!

p.s. money is an issue...as in, i don't have any, so any way that i could try and figure this out without spending any or very little, would be best. thanx again! :D