Good Morning and if you are anything like me, you will be so confused all week with what day of the week it is! I adore the holidays but I always think I am on another day!
The countdown has begun…the NEW – AMAZING – FUN Catalog will be available one week from today! I say WOOT-WOOT and YIPPEE SKIPPEE but one thing that I know will make you super happy is to be organized and ready for the new catalog.
WHY??? I want you to have fun with the new goodies, but I also want you to make sure that you know what you have already and I know personally, if I am organized and know what I have – I make better choices and am not so overwhelmed (and also do not over spend!!!)
In yesterdays comments, Nancy asked for me to share with you my craft space. I will be happy to do a post on it and once the new catalog rolls out I will. It has been a "learn by trial and error" but it works for me!
I have a question for you…(now I am talking about your craft area)
What does being organized mean to you?
Here are a couple of thoughts that I have and perhaps they will ring a bell with you as well!
- CHANGE – we all seems to struggle with change but ultimately we embrace it and accept it…this will happen with the new catalog as well. We will be saying good-bye to some of our "old faithfuls" but also saying "hello" to some new friends.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with keeping your old friends (we know that sometimes they are the best….for me, I would not part with Petal Potpourri and also So You…just 2 of my best friends)
Because I am a demonstrator, I do separate the stamps that are being discontinued and I will pick the ones that I really, really like, and then the others, I separate and will sell them (I kinda feel like the movie Toy Story when Buzz Light Year was sold)
- PAPER – we all seem to have LOTS of paper….we LOVE our paper…we find it hard to PART with our PAPER….but here is a system that works for me and I hope that you find these tips helpful.
I do have a permanent section in my craft area for full sheets of paper but before I had them built in, this is what I used and I still use it for my scraps! Most of you can get by with 1 bin but I always found that I needed 2 when using it for both full sheets and for scraps.
Below you will see a bin that I am talking about. You can buy them at any office supply store, probably Walmart as well but I know that the office stores have them. You can see that hanging file folders fit right in. (There is also a lid that snaps on that will not crunch your paper, I never used that unless I was lugging my paper somewhere for a workshop etc…..)
Now my full sheets are in their "special homes" but I use these bins for my scraps. You can see that I put a piece of the specific color of paper in the file tab and then used the sticker with the corresponding name on it to label it.
You can click this – Download Stampin' Up! Color Files June 2015 that I have created for you. I hope that you find them helpful and you will see other ways that I use the labels for other products.
I use the Avery Labels #8167 (they are the return address size)…I love the easy of creating and printing from home! Please feel free to email me if you need to. You can see that I have added just about everything in the catalog that I would find labels to be handy for! (I told you I was type A)
I am a stickler for storage saving tips and tricks. I think that we often receive products that can be re-used again and again. I love the little plastic containers our buttons come in…in the below picture you can see how I have used them with the labels I made.
I like to use the 2 1/2" circle punch to pop out a color that coordinates with the product inside, and then use the 2" circle punch to pop out a white circle and then pop a label on it! In the catalog we have a catty that would hold all of these (I do not have it as I keep them out of sight in a drawer) but this would be super handy if you are short of space.
I will share with you in another post about how I like to store my 12 X 12 Designer Series Paper…..I am sorry that this post is so long…
I truly believe that if you find a system that works for you…than you will not only be happier, you will be more productive – and to me = a total WIN-WIN! It sometimes takes many tries on finding out what works…but to me, that is life!
It's TUESDAY and that means the WEEKLY DEALS – click here to see the goodies!!!! Please feel free to email me if you need any help!
I hope that you can pop back tomorrow as you will see who won the Monday Challenge as well as see the offerings I am doing for the Project Shares for the new catalog….there will be paper swatches, paper shares, ribbon shares and a fun card for YOU!
Thank you! What a great post. The spot where it says to “click here” to print off the paper labels didn’t work. I wonder if I am doing something wrong? Thanks again
Thank you for sharing your craft space with us, Susan! I always find it helpful to see how other stampers organize. I use those bins for my paper, but I hadn’t thought about adding a piece of the paper to the label….smart move!
Thanks for your organizing tips. Great ones. I store my paper like you do and it is so handy. Hope you can fix the click here for us to print out the labels.
Thanks for the great tips.I will start to use them right away!!
I label & store my paper & scrap the same as you do except I use an office type 4 draw filing cabinet.
But I LOVE the labels on the button containers, I will do that, so much easier to read. Maybe something similar on the ribbon as well as I can’t read the labels on them without my glasses..
To me organization means knowing what I have and where it is. That said, I have to confess I don’t know everything I own and can’t find anything without an all out search.
I have purchased so many containers, bins, racks, and so on trying to put everything neatly into place…it’s a work in progress…for many years.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve purchased the same stamp set twice or punch or embossing folder because I haven’t put the first purchase where it belonged.
I think the paper in the tab is a terrific idea! I have so many ideas for how to organize when we get back, I’ll have a hard time figuring out the best system. I do like the hanging file plan, though.
The question of “what do I have” is almost funny! I have in the direction of $1000 of product sitting waiting for me to come get it. I don’t even know what is there!
Cyberhugs!
I have my paper and button/brad containers set up like yours, too. I believe I got the idea for the paper from one of your posts a few years ago. Love it! I need to have things organized and neat. It helps me think better and I love to hear other ideas in the way of organization. Thanks, Susan!
Loved it ! I think we are all so similar in our collecting and then trying to organize it ! I used to think I was a tad “OFF” until I joined up with a stamp group and found out “That`s What We Do ”
I know one thing I have to get that 2 1/2 ” Circle Punch because it is the one I don`t have and so glad you showed that it fits the top of our little round containers ! Fun seeing your “BIN” ….
Thanks for sharing your tips. I love your idea for labeling the paper tabs as well as the containers. I’ve got to figure out a better solution for storing my paper and i just might try your idea. We are letting Caleb play hooky from school today because my in-laws are still here from ND. I’m going to be confused with which day it is all week also. I hope you have a wonderful day!
Hi Susan, we moved into our own apartment in Feb. After 2 years (almost) I finally have all of my things with me. Talk about being overwhelmed! But oh so happy! I’ve been organizing ever since. When I think of being organized, I think of my aunt Dee Dee. She could tell you where to go to find anything in her house, or the shed out back. And I mean anything! When I had my first child, she completely re-organized the nursery when she came to visit. Now I love her, but I had the hardest time putting on a smile and saying thank you. LOL… I kept telling myself…”she did it out of love”. I did keep some of it, because it worked better. But, saving toilet rolls to put his Socks in…. that was a bit over the top. Lol, sorry for going on and on…. looking forward to seeing your space
I think we all know that ORGANIZATION is not in my vocabulary. I have paper sheets and scarps all over the house as well as ribbon and embelishments. I have a couple orders that are still in the boxes they came – yes, they have been opened and moved around.I do have most of my punches in some drawers if not in one room though I happened to uncover one yesterday in another part of the house.
Mike brought home a punch of plastic containers – now I need to use them. Anyway, I need to see if hanging files will work in them after I gather up some stuff in them. The plan was to go to one room and put paper in one, embelies in one, stamp sets in one etc. While I am at it I had better grab the Paper Pumpkin boxes and corral them since they do seem to stick out like a sore thumb!
So, you need to tell us how you store your unused or not totally used Paper Pumpkin boxes of stuff. How do you do your stamp sets? I dislike that tower for ink pads so I would like to find something fun to store them in. I wish the cubbies in an old pop crate were big enough! Modern is fine but I still like some antique looking things.
By the way, there is hope for me (I think) as I took most of my threads from needlework and have them organized including my specialty yarns and threads. Too bad I haven’t done any needlework in a few years!
One would think I would be starting to sort since it is pouring down rain out and I still have a couple of hours before I go to work. But no, it is more fun to check out blogs and whine about my mess!
2 tips: I have a 3 ring binder divided by subjects. When I get a new set I stamp it into the binder and write the name of the set before putting it away. This way for example I can see all my birthday stamps at once and select the perfect one. I also have a binder for DSP. I cut out or photocopy the catalog photo of DSP along with all the coordinating colors.
Finally, I lined my cabinet doors with magnetic sheets from s sign store. A little pricey but here’s where I keep all my steel dies so I can see them all at once.
Wow all these tips . . . I will have to read when I have some extra time. In the meantime, Susan, I like the hanging file system. I’ll have to look into it. BTW . . . one of my wheels broke on one of my 6-drawer unit yesterday. Boo Hoo.
🙂
I label & store my paper & scrap the same as you do except I use an office type 4 draw filing cabinet.
But I LOVE the labels on the button containers, I will do that, so much easier to read. Maybe something similar on the ribbon as well as I can’t read the labels on them without my glasses..
Thank you for the “click here” color files.
I love the title of this post: Tidy Tuesday. It is Terrible Tyrannical Tuesday here (why I’m visiting for a break from the insanity). I love how you labeled those round containers. They are very useful containers and labeling them adds to the usefulness. I’ve been struggling with paper lately. The scraps are under control it is just the sheer amount of cardstock that is over whelming me. Of course, I don’t just stick to one company like you do. Perhaps that is part of my problem… I haven’t bought any in a loooong time. I think it multiplied.
Love the idea for your paper idea…I will do this. Can’t wait for
the designer series and scraps ideas. Always looking for ideas to organize better.
I used to use the hanging boxes as well and moved to a better system. NOW I know what to do with at least one of the hanging boxes…. SCRAPS!
Thank you for the great idea!
I have a friend that has convinced me to let go of my Excel spreadsheet where I was logging everything, and to start using Evernote. I snap a photo of my stamp set, tag it with key words, then can find it with a simple search. Evernote is a free app for iPad or iPhone.
I’ve heard of this. Is it easy? I’d have to start from scratch.
Guess who was at Storables this morning and thank you for pdf for the file labels. Now I just have to organize it. Thanks again for sharing.
thank you for sharing how you organize your paper. I just did this the other day with my paper, but now I see I have to go back and add the color to the tabs now 🙂 I really like this idea. I would love to know how you did your 12×12 papers and if you have any ideas for the DSP that would be great as well. Blessings to you and your family.
Awesome idea!! How do you know what size bins and hanging folders to get? I have standard bills and important letter sized documents to store.