Well I hope that this title of today’s post got your attention. When it comes to organization ideas and tips…we all seem to listen and try to take a “nugget” away and implement it to your system. Before we go any further I want to say…..(and I really mean it)…
There is no RIGHT or WRONG way to organize…
We all see and do things differently but it is fun to hear and share what works for. What works for me…might not work for you so please “take in” this post as a way to possibly help you.
Before we get to pictures, I will do my best to share with you what works for me and I will also try to link to places that you can purchase the products. I will say, when you go to organizing…there is an investment to make a system work BUT…once you have a system that works you will save money in the long run as you will not be wasting products…and buying more products…(sound familiar to anyone?)
Most people struggle with space. I get that and I will say that these containers that I use for paper storage can be stacked on top of one another, can be put into a closet etc…I use this for my scraps and I have these bins tucked in a cabinet in my work area.
I used to this bin method for my solid sheets and then right behind the solid sheet file folder, I had the scrap file. I now have “built it” spaces for my solid sheets….but this works like a charm. The bins can be found at most Office Supply Stores, the Container Store, Walmart etc…..They hold hanging files. If you have all of our paper, you will probably need (2) of them.
How do I organize my Stampin’ Up! Paper? First, I organize it by color collection….that just works for me. I find it easier to find. In the pictures above you can see that I simply put a label on the color of the paper and then in that file, holds all of my scraps of that color.
I found that I had to do it this way as if I had all of the “blues” together, again…I would go bananas. This just seems to work for me. ***REMEMBER, I used to use (2) folders before….a folder IN FRONT of the scrap folder….This way, I could simply pull out the bin….find the color and then smile, I was organized.
Here is a Sheet of Labels that you might find useful. It is a basic Avery Label using the Return Address.
I just use Mircosoft Word and then go under “tools” – click “labels” and then find the size that I need, this is formatted for Avery Label # 8167. There were a bunch more labels left blank so I just added all of the DSP’s and some extras so when you printed it off, you did not waste any labels. Below is a picture of the labels.
Now to the DSP…I love to keep my DSP in individual sleeves. In the below photo you can see an example of the retired Everyday Chic Paper. This easily holds a full pack, probably 2 and there are actually (2) products here.
1. – The sleeve – I purchase these from Amazon – CLICK HERE
2. – The flat divider – I also purchase these from Amazon – CLICK HERE. The reason that I do both is that I keep all of my “full sheets” in front of the divider and the scraps behind. This method works great for me.
I use one of these for my paper and yes, one will hold all of the DSP in the Annual catalog. Here is the LINK FOR THIS – I admit, I do have (2) of them as when the Holiday Catalog comes out….I need more space – so (2) is perfect as then I also have room when the Occasion Catalog comes! 🙂
For the DSP paper, I do like to the P Touch Label Maker…..CLICK HERE for the link and I will say….if you do not have this – STOP NOW and order it. I use it ALL THE TIME for so many things and here is a funny….this was a Christmas Gift to many and I think everyone thought I lost my mind….well, within months they caught the organized bug!
The reason I like to use this for the DSP is the fact that the labels peels off easily as I reuse the holders every year and say…bye-bye to the retired paper (have no fear, I put the paper to good use….promise!)
I know that I did put the DSP names in the labels that I provided for you and I am sure that you put them to good use, I just prefer the label maker for this part!
WOW – I know that this was a lot to take in….please feel free to leave me a comment if you have any questions….I will do my best to explain. I know that there is an investment in organizing, but when you have a system that works, it is worth it. We have all been there…and we will still continue to look for the answers for ease….I hope that this post has helped!
Loved your organizing post. I use those containers too! Would love to see pictures your stamping “office”. Will you be showing tips on organizing that too? I truly believe organizing is essential to stamping. Have a great day!
It is always helpful to see how others organize their craft space. Thanks for the tips.I agree with Cindy and would love to see pictures of your craft room. I have paper storage under control, but could use help with other supplies. Stay cool today!
I use the “bin” method also but I don’t file them by color collection. I have all my reds, blues, greens, etc. together. I also have one file for full sheets and one behind it for pieces. It works for me. The cardstock is easy to get to, easy to see which shade of a color I want to use and they neatly tuck away in an armoire when I’m not crafting.
Enjoyed this informational post. My biggest organizational dilemma is my punches. I have a lot of “old” discontinued punches and I just can’t let them go. I am a punch hoarder I suppose……but I can’t see them in my bins. Always looking for a way to store them……any ideas???
Thanks Susan!! For the ideas, the links and the labels!!! I look forward to seeing some more storage ideas because that is a major dilemma I accumulate more and more product.
I agree about the label maker ! Love mine ! Thank you for the Amazon links ! I need some big clear sleeves for storage with new stuff coming . It is easier to get them from Amazon (I have Prime) than driving to the nearest Staples (which is pretty far from me ) This has been a fun read …as always !!
I know this blog post had my name written all over it – what did you do use invisible ink for my computer? Gee, no eyeball rolling or anything mentioned about me even! Hey, did I tell you I did finally find my label maker? Last year or two ago you did posts about this and organizing the stamps etc. There was one hint for me, (yes, it is all about me at times!) about how they were put on a program but I couldn’t find that post. I go back and check it now and then but still can’t find it. Obviously I didn’t take the hint and organize them.
Mike is gone to a conference this week and he said I had better have at least one room cleared out of stamping supplies before he gets back. I think I had better hurry, huh?
It really is a good idea to re-think how we organize. Looking through you method gave me an additional idea to use with the way I store my DSP. Thanks for sharing your solution with us all.
My paper is organized just like yours and I love it that way. I like when my crafting area is neat and tidy so I can find everything. I enjoy to see how fellow crafters keep their “stash of fun” and all the tips and tricks of the trade! Thanks, Susan.
Hi Susan! I remember your similar post a long while back and I rushed out and bought a bin to store my 8×10 paper in and I do like this method. I have too much and therefore, need a 2nd bin and haven’t done that yet. I also have some scraps in with sheets of paper but some scraps in another system more like your dsp goes in. I’m frustrated in myself that I have finished this yet but kid activities have taken over and Summer is such a hard time for me to be creative with extra yard work, etc. I appreciate the label sheet and would love to try this out too! I totally agree that being organized makes crafting easier and saves time. Who doesn’t need more time, right? I find these posts to be especially useful and always learn a trick or two. Thanks for the great tips and I hope you’ll share more with us!
I use the file tote in this manner for my scraps which are grouped in Brights, Subtles, etc . . . but I may be changing to a different method. However I will continue to use this system for my retired card stock! I have paper racks that I was fortunate enough to buy from a scrapbooking store (closed her doors) that I keep my whole card stock sheets in and grouped by color collections as well. I love it when I see how others organize their SU stuff! TFS not to mention your Label Sheets! Awesome! 🙂
Thank you for the ideas and inspiration. My plan to store card stock on horizontal shelves will not be possible in the near future, so I think the file box with hanging folders may be my interim system.
We all learn from each other and it’s great to get tips from others as to what works for them. I, like Cindy, would be interested in more glimpses of how you store your supplies and how you organize your work space.