General Forum

With more time at home I've finally started putting my newly inventoried collection into binders.

However, my OCD invariably hits and I've run across a minor problem in what to do with insert and small sets that aren't multiples of 9, leaving empty spaces. Do you begin the new set with the first blank spot, or do you do something creative with the empty spots, which could be numerous depending on whether you use both sides of the pocket pages or even if you only end up with one card on a page?

My ocd won’t allow me to mix sets in a page and i end up with a few lonely cards now and then lol I’ve got no solution but curious what others have to say

I saw a collectors idea on pinterest so I started adding to my PC, where the black space would be a picture of the wrappers or advertisement and on inserts would do stat pic of with Ratio listed and if anything only in Retal or Hobby packs. I am using the blank cards which are sometimes in include. I would print on photo stock, then glue on to blank. gives it a flair and easier for someone else to understand a little more of my PC

I find some errors/variations or cheap auto'd copies to fill the empty slots.

Just trying to finish up my clean-up of my Exxcel files and my lists here.  Doing that may me clean up my binders.  Alread have added over 50 more 9 pockets pages.    I do not keep them in order very well before.  Trying very hard to keep them together but time with a few inserts only it is hard to have only 2 cards in one page.

One issue I have is:   One set I have 5 players and 4 parallel set plus base.  So I have only 5 cards on a page that leaves a lot of blank spots.  Now I have been filling them in with inserts or Autos from same brand .

Personally, for set building, I leave them blank. That goes for the base set and any insert sets. If I end up with a Promo card or an interesting mis-cut or missing foil card or the like, I'll add it at the back of the base set in those empty spots, but I don't specifically seek those out to fill them.

Perhaps, as time goes on and I sheet more sets, the cost of pages and binders may drive me to maximize the available space that I have, but until that time I won't stress about it.

Yeah, and just to focus on the OP, it's with sets up to 50 cards (mostly). With larger sets I wouldn't bother integrating them, but with smaller sets it becomes an issue of accumulating blank spaces and that seems inefficient given the cost in the long-term. 

What I'd semi-decided before reaching out for ideas was to start the new set on the subsequent row of the page. So I may have 1 or 2 empty spots that way, and that's better than having 17 when one files the cards back-to-back.

Joshua,

I understand the conundrum.  My thoughts on this may change depending on the day.

In general: If it's a completely new set, i,e., not inserts, errors, variations or parallels of the same issue, I will start on a new page.

I do not often collect inserts, variations, etc. but if am, I will at least start on the next row (I can't get past the last card number in a row not being divisible by 3 - it's also a double check to see if I am missing cards).  Of course, all of that goes out the window if the last card ends up in a page by itself.  I will either start the next set on a new page and re-insert all cards in the sheets or just tuck it behind at the top of the page so the last card is back-to-back on the same sheet.

The struggle is real.

I sometimes use those otherwise "useless" team logo cards that some of the card companies included in packs during the 80s to fill empty pockets. I swear these things have been multiplying on their own since then. 

At first I think, "Why is it so difficult for card companies to make their sets divisible by 9?"

I mean, even with smaller insert sets it shouldn't be so hard. If you have a 40-card set, make it 45 or 36 instead.

But I'm sure it's trickier than than, and involves logistical things like how many cards fit on a printed sheet, and whether it would be cost-effective to add those extra few cards or remove a few cards.