All of mine, for everything, are in one large drawer in my laundry room cabinets. And not in any particular order. It's not always easy to put my hands on the one I want right away ;0)

Kitchen appliances, whether built-in, countertop, or small, their booklets are in page protectors in a binder in a cabinet. The snowblower booklet is in a large ziplok hanging from a hook in the garage. I can never remember how to start it, so I told DH the booklet has to live there. Everything else is in page protectors in binders. A Binder for permanent house things like HVAC or garage door opener, another for the laundry, another for outdoor equipment.

My approach is to download PDF versions of user guides and instructions when I get something new, they're almost always available and easy to find. They take up no space and are easy to find because I use a directory with the same name on every PC in the house. Frequently consulted ones get a shortcut that's put on the home page (that's for my wife).

My family room addition was originally built to be an office (actually had its own address!) so it has one wall of built in cabinets and file drawers. All of my manuals/warranties and receipts for purchases, my receipts and contracts for work done, and anything else that would add to my cost basis for the house, are kept in one of those drawers.

All of ours are in an upside down box lid, kept on one of the extra tall shelves in the kitchen. We use them so infrequently it makes sense to keep them in space that's not easily accessed. For problems nowadays, we look for a youtube video first.

Once I realized that very few things are repairable along with I actually read the stuff I keep very few things any more. Most of the things the warrantee means very little. Sure the movable parts will be fixed but that is only if that part is still made. Good example is my current gutters. Guaranteed for life. Leaking along a seam above the door. Cannot be fixed under that lifetime guarantee because that size is no longer made. I am assured that if the covering is damaged or it pulls away from the house and bends it would be covered. I did wonder how stupid the person thought I was. One less piece of paper to keep.

They are definitely worth keeping--the manuals, receipts. I've referred to them many times.

"I use a directory with the same name on every PC in the house."

You don't have a home network with some shared folders?

Mine came in a binder from the builder. They are still there. In the last house, I put everything in a three ring binder with protective sheets. Impressed my realtor with that. :)

When we moved from our last home I put all the important papers that the new owner would need in the refrigerator, I knew they would find them there.

Also, when I sold my Mom's home I did the same.

I have no idea where any of that is....

But I could find it if I needed it.

""I use a directory with the same name on every PC in the house."

You don't have a home network with some shared folders?"

Thank you for your interest in my home network topologies. I wonder why it would matter to you?

The answer is yes at one home, no at the other. If there's one PC that's usually on, you wouldn't even need to have one set up as a server, the folder could simply be shareable over the network

But, no. Much of how I set things up is for the ease of use of my wife. She splits her PC time at home between using a desktop and using a laptop, and her use of the laptop is not always when connected to a network and not always in the one home with a server. By putting the folders on each computer with the same name, it makes it easier for her use patterns. If I were to put a shortcut on her home page that didn't always work, she would stop using it. The folders take up very little room.

I would like it set up the way Elmer has it. That way would work well for me

Hmmm, I have file folder in a file cabinet with all the hard copy manuals - except the one for the oven, which is on the shelf in the kitchen where I keep my cookbooks.

I also have a folder on my computer for all the virtual manuals.

It is certainly easier to pull up a manual on the computer than to rifle through an actual folder.

But a hard copy manual is lot more portable than my computer.

I also write the purchase/in service date on each manual before filing away. One of the previous owners did this, and that is how I knew how old the furnace, washer, and garage door+opener were.

Rae, I do the same. I also usually put the serial or whatever number along with the purchase date and store, on the cover. If I need to get a new part, or look up some problem that isn’t covered in the manual, I have the information right there. Sometimes the serial numbers are hard to find, especially after something is installed/in place. Or they are easy to find as long as you know where to look!

I used to be a “filer”, but DH uses binders and I have to say, I like it much better.

I throw them all in a drawer and I can always find them. In fact I can find manuals for appliances that died ten years ago and were replaced.