Organization

When we all began to scrapbook it was easy, a few sheets of paper, scissors some glue, a little pile of stickers and then of course our pictures. As we progressed with out talents and started finding out there was so many supplies out there it happened. We began to purchase supplies. Heck its only a few dollars here and a few dollars there. Goodness you can buy just a few pieces every time you visit Wal-Mart's or Hobby Lobby for practically nothing. How about those swaps. How addicting are they to start getting all those handmade items. Tons of embellishments start flowing in from the Mailbox. Oh how great it is to receive a prize here and there for winning a challenge or those free sites. Pretty soon you end up where most of us ended up--a giant pile of scrapbook supplies packed away in boxes with no place to put them.
You know the routine, you are scrapping and spending more time rummaging through that box of embellishments then actually finishing a page. Pretty soon you just let the idea go, put something different on the page or worse yet go buy something you probably already have to finish it off!

No matter what type of storage system you use, believe it or not you do need to have one. It does not have to be a fancy one, it does not have to be an expensive one, you just have to have someway to organize your scrapbooking supplies. Lets see if we can do a good but better account of how to store some of those supplies

Lets start off with paper. I know when I started I just found a box and put them all in. I had a box for scraps and one for paper. OK so it worked for just a little bit, but then I found that my papers were getting wrinkled on the edges from pulling them out from the box. I also notices that I was spending way to much time trying to find papers and cardstock than I was actually putting my pages together.

My Solution: I went and got a 12x12 paper storage with file folders. Yes it works great! You can label your papers and store them in their folders. I actually seen a small case at our local discount store and picked one up. It works great for taking for swaps, but it would also work fantastic if you were just starting out and have only a small amount. When you needed something bigger then you could switch over and still use this case to take with you to swaps and other things.

How about scraps. I know when you start out you don't see a reason to keep them. I thought so to. I finished the page so what do I need all these for. As you go along you will notice that you need a little bit of one color here and a little bit of another one for another page. So they are important to keep. Like I said when I started keeping my scraps I just threw them in a pile. I found that I was cutting up perfectly good sheets of paper to get that little bit of color that I needed. I just kept making more scraps and so my box of scraps kept getting larger.

My solution was a file folder. I just had one of those that I bought at a discount store and it was only 8x11. I labeled my folders by color and I sorted all my paper and cardstock scraps placed them in their folder. How well did this work. Well I tell you it saved a ton of time. When ever I needed a piece of a certain color I just went to the file and pulled my color folder and used what I needed, put it back and I was done. My scraps started to get less and my full sheets of paper stayed in tact until I needed to use one for a big project.

Lets leave the organization at that for this month. If you get your papers and scraps organized that will be one big accomplishment. You will find that you scrap a whole lot easier and it won't be frustrating finding the right paper and cardstock to get the job done.

Here are a few tips from the Design Team

Veronica "I store my scraps by color in an accordion folder. My pattern paper is stored in a box with no rime or reason, but since I store it right after I used it, it is kind of in order with coordinated pattern paper."

Lorelie: "I save my scraps by color in a clear accordion folder. Anything too small I toss because I'd end up with TOO MANY - and yes, been there, done that! LOL! Scrap pieces are great for card making - you can create a collage in seconds."

Tricia: "I also store mine in an accordian folder by color. I can't stand to throw away ANY scraps though. I saw a neat way to store them in Zip lock baggies, the large ones, and hang them from a round clip. I also saw using page protectors, hook office clips (the ring kind) around a paper towel holder. "

Anita: "I store my cardstock by color and try to get the lighter shades on top and the darker to the bottom (they are in paper racks). The patterned paper - I try to store by company if I know I will use it all together - like Basic Grey, Heidi Grace, KI, etc. The ones I have fewer of, I will store by color."

Carol: "I cut all my scraps into approx 4 x 6 and then store them in one of those photo storage boxes by ROY G. BIV...Anita gave me the idea and I just love it...if the scrap is too small I just pitch it...I also file them by seasons of the year if they are patterned...just go from January to December ...this I do after the solid colors...It works wonderfully and whenever I may need scraps I just have to tote along the box instead of this pile of mess that I used to have. When I am scrapping I just leave the scraps that I will be cutting to file in the box under the box and when I am done for the day I just cut them up before I put away my trimmer...it is about the only area I feel truly organized with...exceptmfor my ribbon and I will share that with you another day...lol...and as I said the Anita gets credit for the idea!"