ACOT Message Board

I'm in the middle of reorganizing my scrap room. Disclaimer, had it been super organized to start with I doubt I would have wanted to change it all up. It's a bit of a disaster in there at the moment.

I'm curious as to how you store your supplies and if anyone has tried what I am working on.

I used to take apart kits and buy things separately as well. I would store the paper by color and/or theme, and the embellishments would be sorted by type.  Parts of a kit, especially papers, wouldn't be together. It was harder to scrap because I'd spend so much time looking for coordinating papers. I luckily didn't always have time to do this and many kits are 'together' tough in disarray, mostly in stacks with nothing dividing them and impossible to know what I have in order to use it or find the right things for the pictures I want to do. 

I'm currently making 'kits' by putting together each kit and their specific embellishments into an old 12x12 sleeve. The sleeves were from bound books, I have switched to D ring and they don't fit in the D ring binders / the holes are spaced differently. I then am storing my kits by theme in plastic sterilite ~12x12 drawers. Of course I have plenty of papers and embellishments that don't belong to a kit so they will still be sorted by color/type like they were. The 'kits' don't lie perfectly flat but I have them set so they're mostly flat, and only so many fit in a drawer so they're not really weighing down on each other or causing problems.

How do you store, specifically your paper? Before I went to the 12x12 drawers, I used file accordion 'hoppers' that were sized for 12x12 paper, but of course they were cumbersome and I eventually outgrew them. It was a good solution at the time when I had little money and therefore little supplies.

As I am organizing, I am finding I have overbought some kits/duplicates I don't need. Doh!

wow!  organization has been an issue for me too...   there are so many ways to go!  I had bought 3 Daisy storage thingies years ago from CM...  they are basically standing 12x12 folders.  I noticed they were okay for paper but if I put matching embellies in the folder, they would slide out the sides or get to cumbersome and I really could not hold a lot...  plus the more I dug for what I wanted, the more  PIA they were.  I have over a dozen Art Bin boxes, 12x12 and larger and started storing by themes and I like that idea.  For instance, I have my boys themed kits all in one big box, 4-5 Christmas boxes, beach, wedding, dogs, etc... 

However, I keep washi separate as well as the enamel dots.  I have smaller baskets and bins that are stackable, but I can easily see everything.  Also paints, stamps, inks and such each have a basket/bin.  My room is far from done but the way I have stuff separated seems to work for me.  When I buy a kit, I get extra solid cardstock that matches and keep it all together to save time digging for the "right" colors later.  I also have a ton of older solids that are in shelves that are right on the corner of my desk.

Hope this help  some and good luck!!. 

I use the 12 x12 sterlite drawers too. I have two rows of them side by side stacked 5 high. In the drawers on the left side are my papers and on the corresponding drawer to the right of each one are the embellishments and stickers that go with the papers on the drawer to its right. Does that make sense? This way the papers all lay flat and I can find all the corresponding things that go with a particular paper or collection in the drawer right next to it. 

beachlover wrote:wow!  organization has been an issue for me too...   there are so many ways to go!  I had bought 3 Daisy storage thingies years ago from CM...  they are basically standing 12x12 folders.  I noticed they were okay for paper but if I put matching embellies in the folder, they would slide out the sides or get to cumbersome and I really could not hold a lot...  plus the more I dug for what I wanted, the more  PIA they were.  I have over a dozen Art Bin boxes, 12x12 and larger and started storing by themes and I like that idea.  For instance, I have my boys themed kits all in one big box, 4-5 Christmas boxes, beach, wedding, dogs, etc... 

However, I keep washi separate as well as the enamel dots.  I have smaller baskets and bins that are stackable, but I can easily see everything.  Also paints, stamps, inks and such each have a basket/bin.  My room is far from done but the way I have stuff separated seems to work for me.  When I buy a kit, I get extra solid cardstock that matches and keep it all together to save time digging for the "right" colors later.  I also have a ton of older solids that are in shelves that are right on the corner of my desk.

Hope this help  some and good luck!!. 

That's a great idea- storing matching cardstock when possible with the kit. I need to do this!

pawprints wrote:I use the 12 x12 sterlite drawers too. I have two rows of them side by side stacked 5 high. In the drawers on the left side are my papers and on the corresponding drawer to the right of each one are the embellishments and stickers that go with the papers on the drawer to its right. Does that make sense? This way the papers all lay flat and I can find all the corresponding things that go with a particular paper or collection in the drawer right next to it. 

I once had mine stacked 4 high but found the weight was a problem, had one come crashing down after a long time. I also might have overstuffed the drawers and now will not be doing so. I have 3 towers 3 high and I think it will work out this way .

I stopped scrapping a few years back and was hesitant to get back into it because I had NO idea what I had on hand or even where to start.  I saw the Totally Tiffany scrap rack on HSN.  I ordered it and followed her method on organizing it.  It was the motivation I needed.  I also organized my paper by the way she suggested.  I have it organized by theme or color.  I also organized all colored cardstock and labeled everything.  I do have 3 art bins for odd and ends.  I also store collections separately together in 12x12 clear zip bags.  This works for me because I know where everything is. 

I use hanging files (they are on wheels so I can move them around). I separate them by colors and by theme...some by company. LOVE these things...I have 9.  They store underneath my scrap tables that my husband made.  

lissahope26 wrote:I stopped scrapping a few years back and was hesitant to get back into it because I had NO idea what I had on hand or even where to start.  I saw the Totally Tiffany scrap rack on HSN.  I ordered it and followed her method on organizing it.  It was the motivation I needed.  I also organized my paper by the way she suggested.  I have it organized by theme or color.  I also organized all colored cardstock and labeled everything.  I do have 3 art bins for odd and ends.  I also store collections separately together in 12x12 clear zip bags.  This works for me because I know where everything is. 

Wow! I've never heard of the scrap rack, what a cool thing! I just looked into it, I would probably have gone for this had I the $ and was starting over. It's pretty expensive looking at it- I'd easily spend a LOT on this system at $12/10 pages and $99 per 8-spine binder. But, it does look super amazing to stay organized and easy to use. If I didn't have so many supplies hahaha I would go for this instead. Thanks for sharing! My priority right now is saving some $ so I can have my pages digitized so I can 1) get prints for family of layouts they want and 2) in case something happens I have them.

I bought some 13x15 inch ziploc bags from Amazon to keep my paper pads and loose papers in little kits or collections, and I store them standing upright in a big Steralite tub.  Part of it was to keep the paper safe during our move, but now I just love flipping through to see what I have.  I stick labels on the outside of the bags with washi tape for what the theme or purpose of the kit is.  So far nothing has gotten bent or "swoopy" from standing on end like that.