First, you will need the following materials:

1. 3 5000 count storage boxes


2. A pen


3. 52 index cards


4. Scissors

5. Many soft sleeves (penny sleeves, number varies on size of collection)


6. Many thin toploaders (hard cases, number varies on size of collection)
7. Many thick toploaders (hard cases, number varies on size of collection)


8. Many rookie toploaders (hard cases, number varies on size of collection)

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Second, you will need to sort your cards into the following categories:
       - when sorting your cards, sort them in the order below. For example, if you have an autographed jersey card number to 25, it would go with the Autographs because Autographs come before numbered and game used on the list.

1. Autographed cards
2. Game used/worn cards
3. Numbered cards
4.Commons/Parallels

1. Put all of your autographed cards into a soft sleeve and then into a thin toploader
2. Put all of your game used/worn cards into a soft sleeve and then into a thick toploader
3. Put all of your numbered cards into a soft sleeve and then into a thin toploader
4. Put all of those cards into a 5000 count box, designating a separate row for each type of card
5. (optional) put all of your numbered cards in order starting with the lowest numbered card. If you have more than one card with the same numbering, put them in order of the of the first number. For example 197/499 would go before 198/499.      
        -more than likely, there will be a lot of space in your box. This is good so your collection has room to grow
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Now that you have all of your most valuable cards are organized and and safe, it's time to get to those annoying commons and many parallels that you have.

1. Sort your cards into commons and parralels
2. Look through the parallels and find the best ones. The best cards should be the best players and/or the hardest to find cards.
3. Put all of your best parallels into a soft sleeve and then into a thin toploader
4. Put all of your best parallel cards (which should now be in cases) into the same 5000 card box ( in an empty row) with your autographed, game used, and numbered cards.
5.Put the parallels down and look through all your commons for rookies cards. The rookie card must say one of the following on the front of the card to be considered a rookie card, just to make things easier.
         - Rookie
         - First Year
         - Prospect
         - Draft pick
         - also include minor league cards, even if the do not say rookie, first year, draft pick, or prospect
6. Take those rookie cards and look through them for the best rookies. The best cards should be the good players or the new players witht the most potential.
7. Put all of your best rookie cards into soft sleeves and then into a rookie toploader
8. Put all of your best rookie cards( which should be now in cases) into the same 5000 card box ( in the last empy row) with your autographed, game used, numbered, and good parallels.
9. (optional) Sort all of your rookies into the following categories based on what the front of the cards says:
         - Rookie
         - First Year
         - Prospect
         - Draft pick
10. Put all of your leftover rookie cards into the first row of a new 5000 card box
11. Put the leftover commons and parralels back together
12. Sort those cards into "good" players and "bad" players. This should be based on the players overall value in the baseball/football card world. You do not have to look up prices to sort them, just take an estimate.
13. Cut the all 52 index cards the same width of a baseball/football card, but cut it a 1/2 inch higher
14. Write each letter of the alphabet on top of each index card twice, so you have 2 index cards for each letter.
15. Sort your good cards alphabetically by last name. (just by the first letter of there last name)
16. Put the good players with a last name that starts with A behind the index card that says A ( in the second row of the box that has your rookies in it). Then place the B index card behind all of the A sports cards and put all of the B sportcards behind that. Repeat until you are all the way though the alphabet.
17. Repeat steps 15-16 with your bad player cards, using the final empty box.
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Finally! Your collection if now safe, organized, and accessable.
In order to keep organized your cards as you get them do the following:

1. Put all Autographs, Game used, Numbered, Good parallels, and Good rookies away to their designated row upon recieving them.
2. When you compile about 500 other cards, sort those into their designated places so you do not have to do it so many times with just a few cards.
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This sounds like alot of work, huh?
Trust me, this is well worth the time. Here's why.

If you ever need to show your friend that nice rookie, just go right to the rookies.
If you ever want to sell that 1/1, go right to the front of your numbered cards.
If you need that 2000 A-rod to complete your set, just look through the letter R in the "good" box.

I hope this can be useful to all you collectors out there.
It took me over 5 years to develop this method and has come in handy countless times.
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Please contact me with and questions
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And please view my other guides

Thanks,
geek--squad