What can I say but this time of the year is exciting, simply exciting! I know, I know….it takes time to let the new things settle and sink in….and that’s ok! I am in the same boat as you are!LE

The NEW CATALOG launched on Friday but because of way that the calendar fell…NO NEW ORDERS are even starting to be shipped until tomorrow (Monday) so please…do not feel that you are late!!! Heck…we’ve got this catalog for a whole darn year so please…take it all in and enjoy the journey!

I love to share tips & tricks that make things easier and when it comes to ORGANIZING I know that when we have a system that works – we are happy stampers!

Let’s DIVE IN to the sea of getting ORGANIZED!

This post is one for you to sit back and take in…one for you to reread and revisit…and this post clearly is tips & tricks that have worked for me and by no means am I suggesting for you to change if you have a system that works perfectly fine for you.

That is what is great about this fun thing that we do…we always see things in different ways and the ultimate goal is to have a system that allows you to continue to create with ease and by all means, not to feel stressed over something that I am sure we have said to ourselves….”What the heck to I do with ALL OF THIS!”

Before we continue forward with this post I need to be upfront and say this…I know that my posts are very long (a bunch of times) and for those that like short and sweet, (I’m sorry) but I just have to be “me” and when I started this journey with Stampin’ Up! 6 years ago…the LAST THING that I ever thought that I would be doing is blogging and also –  actually still being a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator as I was just joining to get a discount and then OUT THE DOOR! They make it just too easy to continue to get a discount and the reality is I love the people I have met and touched my life….so I guess you can say – your stuck with me!

Let’s get this going and I will say…this took me a LONG TIME to compile as I have hyperlinked many items for you to help “make sense” for you to understand what I am trying to convey. Darn, I wish that we all lived in the same town and I could just show you in person what I am trying to say convey!

There are 3 things that need to be organized –  Paper, Ink and Stamps…

Trust me, there are a bunch more but lets start with these 3 things as if these areas are total chaos for you… you are NOT going to have a fun stampin’ experience and we need to do something about that! Today is all about Paper Storage….something that ALWAYS seems to perk you up and always ask questions!

YEARS AGO….I did a blog post about paper storage (click here and then here is another one) and I will say…I still believe in it. Since that post I have invested in some custom cabinets in my craft area so I have tweaked my personal area but this system that I will highlight below is a PERFECT one for a crafter.

Get 1 or 2 storage bins that are similar to the ones that I have pictured below. The reason that you might need 2 is simply for the fact that you might have more paper and also depending on the amount of scraps you put into it. Personally, I only keep the current Stampin’ Up! colors in it but again, do what works for you!

I am linking things for you from many different sources so please, just do what works for you – we all live all over the place so many people feel comfortable with certain retail places. The MOST IMPORTANT thing is that make sure it works for your needs with the space you have dedicated to. There is nothing more frustrating than starting something to only figure out you are saying – “Now where in the heck am I going to put it”

I think it is ket to have the option to have a lid. WHY? Well for starters…many of us like an option to stack to minimize space. Personally, I keep my 2 bins behind a cabinet door so my lids are not on them but if I were ever to go somewhere and take these bins…you bet that I would put the lids on them!

Here you go with some links / options…..

• Let’s start with Amazon – this does the job….here is the link.
• Another option – here is a link from Staples…that would work.

Next, file folders….I use a separate file folder for every color. I know that some might be thinking. THAT’S A LOT OF FILE FOLDERS and YEP, it is but it is worth it and you can and will always use file folders!

• Here is a link for the File Folders…
• Here is a link for the 3 1/2″ clear tabs that will hold the actual card stock and label on. I really like this longer length (3 1/2″) as it allows more of the color of paper to show after you will put your label with the color name on it.
• Here is a link for the labels – I will say this – when it comes to labels, buy the Avery Brand. It is well worth the extra money as the labels stick well. Heck, I am one that always loves to save when I can…but this brands really is the best.

WHEW….how are you doing? Hanging in there?

I feel bad that this post is sooo darn wordy but I truly am trying my best to share and paint the picture of organization for you! You can do this and I know that IF you have a workable system than you are more likely to enjoy the journey a bit better!

CLICK HERE for all of the Stampin’ Up! Colors for you to get organized!

Next, we need to add card stock and label them. I cut a 3 1/2″ X 1 1/4″ piece of the card stock and then score it at 5/8″…the reason that I do it this way is that I have found that sometime the card stock paper will fall down if I make it 5/8″ X 3 1/2″ (and that makes me grumpy) so if it is a bit thicker (being scored and folded in 1/2…it stays put). Add the specific color label of the card stock and SMILE! (you’re getting there)

I know that there is going to be someone asking this question….How do you organize your colors? Here’s my answer…I organize them by the color families.In one bin I have the BRIGHTS, REGALS and SUBTLES together…and in the other bin I have the NEUTRALS and IN COLORS.

If you do it this way and if you also have retired Stampin’ Up! colors…you can easily add more folders to your 2nd bin. I know that some people organize by the color of the rainbow but for me, my simple brain works better this way!

I have shared with you that I use these bins for my scraps because I have a built in paper cubbies for all of my full sheets of paper (and I will share that with you in a later post) but here is an idea of how to incorporate your full sheets of paper to keep them both clean & organized.

You can actually do 3 things….please read them below and then let them “sink in” and you decide how it works best for you.

• Add an additional file folder to your bins and place it in front of the one that has the tab scraps like we did above.
• Add the full sheets of the card stock behind all of your scraps as described above.
• Put your full sheets of Card Stock in a Job Ticket Holder and then slide this in the scraps folder.

Let me explain…I like to use these pouches to keep my Non-Stampin’ Up! Paper in when I purchase it full packs of paper, just like we can do with our Stampin’ Up! Paper. A full pack of 24 sheets can easily fit into a Job Ticket Holder. I totally realize that many of you do not purchase full packs of every color…but I am just trying to share with you another way to stay organized.

I guess you could say I am a bit picky about the way that I like my products to be kept…nice and neat….with no chances of getting the tips bent etc…so these works for me. Just as I shared above with the labels, I would buy the Avery Brand for these as the quality is stellar – they are super heavy gauge vinyl that truly hold a bunch. These pouches WILL fit in the file folders.

We are just about done…..(well heck, I could go on for HOURS about this topic) but I will try to wrap it up! On the outside of the Job Ticket Holder I use the label maker to identify what is inside the Job Ticket. In the picture below you will see that I have the Company Name on line #1 and then underneath it I put the product color.

I have blogged about this a BUNCH but I think a label maker is a MUST HAVE – we use it all over the house! Here is a link for the Brothers P Touch Label Maker….this is  “go-to” in my home! I can tell you that the price fluctuates a bunch in Amazon and also in stores… but seriously, if you do not have it…I would treat yourself.

As for the refills…always have refills because when you are in a groove in making labels…nothing is more frustrating than running out. For this…I do buy a knock off brand from Amazon and they work GREAT….I would make sure you have both widths.

• Here is a link for the 1/2″ width (I use this size more than the 1/4″ as I like to get either 2 lines of text on it and also I like the font to be super large if I am just labeling something with one word)
• Here is a link for the 1/4″ width – I do think that it is wise to have this width as well because I use this to label my punches and also to label my non stampin’ up! ink pads ….I just think you will be amazed with how you will use the narrower width (I also use this for my spices in the kitchen)

When I can save money, I do…(heck, that’s why I signed up to be a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator) and I will say….buying an off brand for the tape for you Label Maker IS the way to go. The quality is just fine and there is a HUGE difference in the Brothers Label Refill price.

Now we are going to touch on what I truly think IS THE BEST OPTION for you to me on the “New Track of the Stampin’ Up! Color Revamp” Chances are you already have many of the Stampin’ Up! Colors but I think that at the beginning of a NEW CATALOG YEAR the best and most economical thing to do is purchase the collections of the card stocks.

This way, you will have (2) sheets of EACH COLOR of EVERY SOLID COLOR of paper (4 of the In Colors) that we have and then you will be able to get a feel to what colors you gravitate to – this way you will start to see a pattern in your style and then perhaps purchase full packs of 24 sheets of a given color. At the end of this post you will see all of the Collection Lines Up! in the Product Line up!

The other thing that I would do is…purchase one of my Card Stock on a Ring Swatch Books that I have made up! This is a must have and actually I would have (2) – one to keep at home and another to keep with you in case you are somewhere and are trying to match up something and use a current color that we have.

I have had to re-order on them as they seem to be “hot cakes” and to me, there is nothing like seeing and feeling the actual card stock in your own hands. Each swatch is professionally printed with the Color Name and Color Family it comes from. CLICK HERE TO ORDER ONE and in the SUBJECT LINE PLEASE PUT, Card Stock Swatches.

How are you scratching your head as to what and where do the new COLOR FAMILY called BASICS fit in? (page184) First – I am THRILLED that stampin’ up! has pulled out the old faithfuls and made a new sub-section for them. I am talking about Whisper White, Very Vanilla and Basic Black. All of these are in my swatch book so you can feel the difference on the weights between the thick and the regular.

Again, you will see them in the product line up at the end but we all need full packs of these papers as they are just as they are called, the BASICS.  I always use the Thick Weight for my card bases and then the regular weight gets used for the inside layer as well as for when I stamp an image and want to use the blends or copics with it.

You can put them in your bins just like I have outlined above but here I am going to share with you what I call a GAME CHANGER for me in my work area. I use the Whisper White and also the Very Vanilla ALL THE TIME and honestly because I reach for them quite often, I keep my scraps of these in the AMAZING stacking containers that are SUPER AFFORDABLE.

You can CLICK HERE to see where I purchased them but truthfully you can find something in a store that would probably work but I honestly think these are the best because of the price and also because of the quality. They are SUPER STRONG as we know sometimes we get things that are nothing more than cheap plastic.

I do love the Container Store and in future posts you will see more Items I get there in keeping me organized! You want to make sure that the container you use is long enough to have the scraps lay flat. These stack perfectly and the quality  – fabulous! I often go ahead and precut strips of paper in the basics so when I am creating, I can reach in and pull out a strip that is 1″ .

You can see that I labeled them with my P-Touch Label Maker and it is super easy for me to read and use….hence saving a bunch of full sheets as I think when we cannot find something easily – we just grab a full sheet. (does this sound familiar to anyone)

WHEW….this has taken me FOREVER TO DO and I do hope that you have enjoyed it, found it helpful and can see the vision as to where I am going for you in being organized. Please feel free to leave me a comment. I will continue to explore more organizational ideas on the future if you enjoy these.

Please know….if you want to get into the 1st wave of the PROJECT SHARE for this new catalog….you can! The cut off for WAVE 1 is this Wednesday, June 6th and then I will do another wave of product shares but that will not be until towards the end of the month.

The cut off for the 1st wave of the product share is WEDNESDAY, June 6th.

I am excited to hear and see what products tickle your fancy from the newbie. The BEST ADVICE I can give you is…look….look…and then look again. Take sometime to let it sink in and then take an inventory of the stamps you already have. There are some new and exciting products and some that I think you will be able to use a bunch in conjunction with things you already have!

With the NEW goes the retired…and yep, I have deeply discounted my RETIRED STAMPS/BUNDLES from the past Catalog. They are all at least 50% off and you can find them under the Blog Header/Shop…and it is the 4th down – RETIRED SU Product. All of them are on a 1st come basis so take a look to take advantage of a great deal!

Enjoy the afternoon and on the East Coast….I think we are all about to swim away as we have had rain, rain and MORE RAIN! This is the time of the year that I adore to pick Strawberries…but with all of the rain we have been having…it has really put a damper on the local farmers.

Please let me know if this blog post helps you and if YES  – I will share more…and if NOT – no worries….it would save me a bunch of time! I do love sharing with you as this little thing that I do is soooo much more than selling….it’s about a journey of love and passion that I have with some AMAZING PEOPLE….like YOU!