Photocard Binders 101

For most K-Pop fans, the joy of an album doesn’t come from the album itself but from the photocard inside. Pulling your favorite members' photocard is one thing that can make your entire day. Soon you find yourself wanting to collect all the versions of your favorite members' photocards. 

Once your photocard collection begins to grow, it begins to get difficult to find ways to store them. Enter the photocard binder. Similar to what many used as kids to store their baseball or Pokémon cards, a photocard binder is a great way to store the cards safely as well as make them easy to show off. 

Picking Your Binder

Picking a binder is the first step to having a well displayed collection. The size you choose will depend on how many groups you collect for and how many members of each group you will collect. Before you pick the size, first you need to pick the style of binder. A good starting point is a hard sided 3-ring binder similar to ones used in school. These usually are the easiest to find. They also have a plastic cover which makes it easy to decorate. 

The size of the binder is a bit more complicated because it will depend on how many photocards you collect. The number of members and groups you choose to display will impact the size of the binder you choose. A good starting point is a 1 inch binder and then to grow from there. 

Card Pockets 

These are the most important things to pick out. When it comes to displaying the cards, the pocket they are kept in is important as that’s what helps preserve the condition of the photocards. There are a few places to purchase these. The first place is your local card and board game store. They will have the standard nine card pages that will fit most photocards. However, if your city doesn’t have a game store, you can also find them on Amazon or another retailer of choice. Be careful when purchasing online because the quality of the pages can vary drastically from brand to brand. 

Sometimes photocards come in some strange sizes, so the standard nine pocket pages won’t be of use, but never fear. You can purchase these pages in other sizes. It’s good to have some that are “postcard” sized and even just regular sheet protectors to be prepared for whatever groups throw at you. 

Top Loaders 

Top loaders are good to have on hand for those cards that are rare or hold special meaning. They are made of hard plastic and put a protective coating around the card. Some top loaders also boast UV protection to prevent fading. These are great for people who want to decorate their photocard to display in their phone case without destroying the card. These can also be found at your local board and card game store or online retailers. 

Organize, Organize, Organize

Now that you have your binder and the card pockets, now comes the hardest part: organizing the collection. This is something that will take some thought. Some common ways people organize is first by group, then by member, then by era. The best way to organize the binder is the way that makes the most sense to you. After all it is your collection. 

Decorate

Once you have organized your cards, the last thing you should do is decorate the binder. This is where anything goes. Wanna cover it in just your bias’s face? Go for it! Want to use cut outs from photobooks to make a collage? Sure! This is how you show off your collection, so whatever you choose, make sure you are happy with the end result. 

Do you have an amazing photocard binder? Share it with us by tagging @KrazeMagazine on Instagram or Twitter!