Organize Your Stuff Challenge Week 15

Good morning, scrappers! YOU DID IT! We are officially past the halfway mark now. Ok, so go get your lovely picture (you know, the one you took in week 2 of your room, not the one of David Duchovny in a speedo). Bring it to your space. See a difference? I'm hoping this will get you through to the end - look at how far you've come and how much you've accomplished! And if your actual space and your photo look the same....well, time to get started, right?

This week we're going to focus on ink pads and embossing supplies. These little suckers are tricky to store because we tend to have a LOT of them, and they're not easy to stack. So let's get down to ideas.

Thankfully, there are a lot of products on the market specifically designed to hold ink pads. That will make our reorganization a little easier. Here's what I've come across in my search for ideas - remember, the links I posted are intended to give you a visual idea of what it is I'm talking about - it doesn't mean I endorse the product or the store.

In wall-mounted ink racks: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5628111

In portable ink racks: http://www.bestscrapbookshelf.com/?action=view_catalog&Join_ID=135113

For small ink pads - in acrylic drawers: http://craftystorage.blogspot.com/2008/02/small-ink-pads-storage.html

In desktop spinning racks: http://www.stampinthings.com/ or http://www.suink.net/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=79&zenid=3e5a1ec1fa80ecf6d718b498e7a0da14 or http://www.dekdevelopment.net/1472840.html or http://www.wistampsupplies.com/

In old cassette tape holders

Stampin Up! Color Caddy: http://www.stampinup.com/us/enu/10854.asp

In clear plastic shoeboxes

Multi-drawer chests

Tilt bins (for small ink pads)

Photo storage boxes

Glass jars (for small ink pads)

Dauber case (for ink daubers): http://columbiaart.net/2012.html

Ikea Fira drawers

Crop In Style cube drawers

Hardware bin units (for small ink pads)

In Scrap N Cube units: http://www.scrapncube.com/

Craft Locker: http://www.craftlocker.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=8

Ebay is also a great source - items vary daily, and there are a lot of reputable sellers on there.

I got my storage system off of Ebay years ago - I've made sure it had a home in my space because it's just awesome. It holds all my larger ink pads on the sides, and the entire unit turns. On the top, I have my liquid inks as well as my smaller inkpads. The unit sits enclosed in a cabinet - so just because you don't have the counter space, don't rule out a desktop spinner! And as a bonus - my kids can't get near this thing. I can only imagine the damage they could do.

For my smaller ink pads, like the Cats Eye, I have some small bins (they're just drawers from another unit, but they were the perfect size) that sit on top of the holder and the inks are just tossed in there. Not as neat and pretty as my larger pads, but it doesn't take me much time to find what I need in there.

EMBOSSING:

In bins: http://www.scrapjazz.com/topics/Organization/Scrap_Rooms/1596.php

Keep the powder in salt and pepper shakers or spice jars, and store on spice racks.

In clear plastic shoeboxes

In a multi-drawer chest

Photo storage boxes

Ikea Fira drawers

Crop In Style cubes

In boxes or bins

I don't have a lot of embossing supplies - I emboss every now and then, but I tend to stick with the basics. I've been able to keep everything in a wooden planter box that sits on a shelf in my room. It's out of the way, and when I need anything embossing-related, I just grab my box. If someone has a lot of supplies and has come across a good way to store them, I'd love to see photos!

I wanted to add one more link from another Organizational Goddess I stalk (and she's a Pea too!) - Patter Cross has an awesome way of labeling her inks. Check it out! http://triplethescraps.blogspot.com/2009/04/organizational-friday.html

In closing, I want to add my 10 rules for organizing. I'm going to post these at the end of every challenge, because I think they are very, very important. I want you to keep them in mind as you tackle each of these projects - they will make your life easier and the task less daunting.

1. Label your containers.

2. Be consistent in your methods.

3. Don't be too specific - your search for your items within your space should be short and simple.

4. Your organizational method should be easy to take out AND put away.

5. When organizing, break any large piles into smaller groupings. Have a 2 foot tall stack of paper to sort? Do it in 1" high chunks, it will be easier to handle mentally.

6. If it's something that you use on almost every project, then keep it within reach of your main scrap area.

7. Don't stress your containers. Get a new system or purge your stash.

8. For most items, product packaging adds bulk. Toss it. With once exception - rub ons.

9. Repurpose when you can - almost anything can be painted or covered in paper/fabric.

10. THE GOLDEN RULE - FIRST choose an organizational method, THEN choose a container that fits your space and style. Always shop for containers with a list in hand - a beautiful container is simply clutter if it doesn't have a dedicated purpose in your space!

Your ink pads are now beautifully organized and back in your space. Congratulations! Summer's just about done, so go get in one last run through the sprinkler and I'll see you back here for Week 16.

Stacy