My Love Affair with the Label Maker

Organize YourStuff Challenge - Week 29

2009-12-07T07:00:00.002-06:00

Good morning, scrappers! This is it - my final blog entry on the Challenge we have all grown to love/hate/want to throw Twinkies at (bring it on, I LOVE Twinkies!!!). You all have come SO far and I'm so proud of you! So before we get on to the topic at hand, I have one request - grab your camera. Take a picture of your newly remodeled space, and post it. I want to see before and after shots here. Make me feel like these hours of typing were well worth it!

So, what's left to cover? How about the pretty things? You know, the things that make a difference between "Oh, this is your scrap space?" and "I WANT YOUR SCRAP ROOM!" I am going to let you in on a little secret - it's in the details. You don't need custom cabinets, a $1000 work table, or hardwood floors. Heck, you don't even need a whole room. What you need to make it feel like a true creative space are little pieces to help pull it all together.

Think I'm nuts? Check out the rooms you bookmarked from Week 3, the bonus for overhaulers. What did you like most about the spaces? Yeah, the countertop was nice but didn't the little red tags on the silver buckets really tickle your fancy? That was cardstock on a $1 bucket from Target. It wasn't from Bloomingdales. This is stuff YOU can do, folks. You can put together a scrapbook page, right? Putting together a room is no different. Look at it this way - your walls are your cardstock. Your tables, chairs, etc - all coordinating paper. Any accessories you add - embellishments. It all coordinates. It won't be AS simple as scrapbooking - MME does not make a paint/table/lamp pad, unfortunately - but if you keep that same mindset, it will help you with decor. And take risks - it's paint. It's $20 a can and a Saturday afternoon. You can REDO it if you don't like it. It won't kill you.

So, by now, you probably (hopefully?) have your basics. You have walls painted. You have work areas. You have lots of bins and baskets (plastic is perfectly ok). Now we need to tie it all in. My first word of advice - pick a neutral, add a second neutral as an accent, then pop in splashes of a bold color. Meaning:

Walls - light tan, Furniture - black, Accents - red
Walls - greyish blue, Furniture - white, Accents - orange
Walls - cream/pale yellow, Furniture - cherry wood, Accents - bright royal blue

Get the idea? Use your scrapbook pages as design guides. What color combos have you chosen in the past that you adore? You can bring that into your scrap space! And the nice thing is, with keeping your bold colors to your accent pieces, it's super easy and cheap to change your color scheme. Tired of red? Swap for turquoise! It's that simple and will change the feel of a space FAST.

If you've exhausted the links from the Week 3 bonus and still can't find inspiration, one of my favorite sites is Rate My Space on hgtv.com. It's all rooms posted by users - and there are a few scrap spaces, but ignore those. Check out the bedrooms and living areas. There are a ton of rooms, of all different styles and VERY well done. I want your space to do 2 things - first, it should incorporate seamlessly into the rest of your home decor. If you have a warm French Country going on, then I don't want a white melamine and plastic scrap area. Second, I want it to be a place you LOVE. Not just because you get to create in it and it's YOURS, but because it truly feels good to be in. I want all the comforts of home in your scrap space.

Now, what accents am I talking about, and where are you going to find them? Things I love to see in a scrap space: rugs, lamps (table or floor), potted plants in decorative planters (think BIG floor planters here, not tiny African violets), pottery, vases, photo frames, antique suitcases, framed mirrors, pillows, window treatments, candlesticks, artwork. The same kind of things you find in other areas of your home that make it feel like "home" instead of a department store showroom. You don't have to go out and buy all this stuff - repurpose what you can, see if family and friends have things they'd like to "donate," and shop in your own home. Things can be painted and dyed, remember. And anything can be recovered in fabric! In choosing pieces, think about a scrapbook page again. You don't add ONLY flat shiny stickers as embellishments, do you? No! You add some glitter, flowers, some ribbon, etc. You want different textures and feels. This is no different than your scrap space - go for a knobby chenille pillow or a sisal rug. It will bring life to the area.

If you're looking for new pieces or just inspiration, here are some of my favorite places to snag ideas and goodies.

http://www.ikea.com/
http://www.target.com/
http://www.worldmarket.com/home/index.jsp
Hobby Lobby - they have home furnishings, you know!
http://www.pier1.com/
http://www.ballarddesigns.com/
http://www.homedecorators.com/
http://www.grandinroad.com/jump.jsp?itemID=163&itemType=HOME_PAGE
http://www.potterybarn.com/
http://www.pbteen.com/?bnrid=3700111&flash=on&cm_ven=eCommerce&cm_cat=sitelink&cm_pla=PB&cm_ite=homepage
http://www.landofnod.com/
http://www.potterybarnkids.com/
http://www.dwr.com/
http://www.westelm.com/
http://www.jcp.com/
http://www.overstock.com/
Home Depot and Lowes - I found the greatest plants at home improvement stores. Big, beautiful plants and gorgeous planters for beyond cheap. Don't go the silk route, get real plants if your space will allow it!
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/
http://www.uttermost.com/
http://www.etsy.com/
http://www.umbra.com/
And of course, there's Ebay, Craigslist, antique stores and garage sales! Or any local home decor stores you have around - TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Kirklands, HomeGoods, Stein Mart, etc.

This is no different than any other Challenge - go with a list. Don't come home with 16 orange plates and no idea what to do with them - they'll just be clutter. Figure out what each blank wall in your space needs, take measurements, and then go on the hunt. Only buy what works for your area and things that WON'T get in your way. Remember, these are ACCENTS, not tools. You may find a gorgeous table lamp, but if the only place for it is in the middle of your work area - well, that's not so gorgeous then, is it?

Finally, I'm not going to disappear into the sunset forever now that this Challenge is over. If anyone gets stumped on organization ideas, your best bet is going to be posting on 2Peas message board. BUT - if you get stumped on decor or room layout, I am more than happy to help. I do have a Bachelor of Science in interior design, so I'm not all fluff. If you're having trouble deciding on a rug, or can't figure out what color will work best, email me and I'll get back to you pretty fast with some ideas - wookie_mouse@yahoo.com. But no spam or hate mail please, that's not very sweet, and David Duchovny would NOT approve. In the meantime, feel free to revisit this blog anytime, enjoy your beautiful new scrap spaces, and finally - get scrapping!

Thanks for taking this journey with me, I had FUN!

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 28

2009-11-30T07:00:00.001-06:00

Another Monday, another Challenge! This one may or may not apply to you - this week we're going to tackle card storage, both made cards and supplies. Most of our card-making gear is interchangeable with our scrapping stuff, so that's all settled. But there are a few odds and ends - like pre-folded cards - that are their own entity. We're going to get those in order this week, and find a good storage solution for any cards you may have lying around, waiting to be given to someone special (or if it's a nasty card, someone not so special. Don't we all do that?).

First off - card storage. I'm going to combine both pre-folded cards and made cards into the same category here, since their storage options are pretty much identical. If you don't have a large stash, then they might even be able to be stored in the same container, which would be pretty sweet. Some options include:

A clip-it-up type system
Accordion file, by theme
3-ring binder with page protectors
A mini album
A box, bin or basket with divider tabs by theme
A Rolodex-type file

Once you determine your stash size and which method would best suit your card collection, it's time to decide how you want to organize them. For made cards, you can divide by theme (ie, birthday, thanks, get well, etc), by month (Valentines in Feb, etc), or by person (mom, dad, David Duchovny). For pre-folded cards, you can divide by size, color, or style. Figure out which system works best for you and start filing away!

For my cards - I used to use a clip-it-up, but I found it took up too much desktop space for my liking. So I just filed all my cards by theme into the cheap-o photo boxes from Hobby Lobby. The top won't fit because the cards are larger, but that's ok - it sits on my shelf just fine and is easy to flip through when I need to find a card. If I make multiples of the same card to use up scraps, then I file them together in a ziploc bag.

For my card supplies - I know it's beyond easy to fold a card from scrap paper, but I'm addicted to the pre-folded cards in boxes! I have a cabinet devoted to my card making supplies and instead of shelves, I have 2 large bins that pull out. I cut the tops off all the boxes of cards and stacked them in there. All I have to do is grab the color of card I want and the matching envelope, and I'm good to go!

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 that 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. One 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 cards are all neat and ready to go! Join me next week for our grand finale - we're going to turn your neatly-organized scrap hole into a vision of creative grandeur! Ok, maybe not so much, but you won't feel like tossing your cookies every time you walk in there. See you then!

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 27

2009-11-23T07:00:00.002-06:00

Happy Monday, scrappers! I know we're all knee-deep in turkey guts and stuffing right now, so this week's Challenge is something you can do anytime - font organization. And depending on the number of fonts you have, it may take quite a while (I know it took me about 4 months, eeek!).

Step One - stop downloading fonts. If you haven't gotten your fix yet, then go get it out of your system. Hit every free font site out there, download until your computer explodes, then proceed to step 2. It will be impossible to organize what you have if you keep adding to the mix.

Step Two - don't install your fonts. If you install every font you have, then your system will bog down. Keep it to the basics that your system needs, and then install/uninstall as you need the others.

Step Three - decide how anal you want to be about your organization. If you only have 50 or so fonts, a font folder is probably enough organization. But if you have into the thousands, then your best bet is to divide up your fonts into families (ie, serif, sans serif, grunge, antique, etc) or go with a font organizing program. There are a lot of free manager programs out there, the most popular being The Font Thing. This program rocks but will not work with Vista - but I've also come across the AMP Font Viewer that's free and Vista compatible, but I can't comment on the ease of use. Regardless of which one you use, now is the time to figure out how you want to organize your fonts, get your folders set up, download and install your free font managers, etc. Start making preparations.

Step Four - start organizing. Unzip any fonts that need it, move all your fonts into one location, make sure all your font files are valid and working. Then start moving them into their new homes.

Once you're done, you can easily see which ones you have using a font manager, or you can print out your fonts and store them in a binder for easy access. Also make a backup of your new system onto a CD - if your system crashes, it will NOT be fun to try to set all that up again!

Your font dilemma has now been solved! Go gorge yourself on pumpkin pie and get Grandpa out of the gravy, and I'll see you next week - we're going to get those cards and card-making supplies tamed!

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 26

2009-11-16T07:00:00.004-06:00

Helllooooo, scrappers! Can you believe we only have 4 more weeks to go? You all are doing GREAT! This week we're going to tackle 2 completely unrelated topics, but it will be fun and easy. One will deal with the boring, organizing side, and the other will be a little more creative. So you can get your fix and make progress at the same time! What could be better than that? Other than David Duchovny pulling weeds out of your front yard, but that's another post entirely.

A quick update for all of you riding my tail about those negatives - I have not fallen as your leader. I now have 92% of my negatives labeled and filed. The rest will be done this week....I got sidetracked by the Cowboys losing this weekend, let me mourn a little and I'll get back to work.

Ok, let's move on before more distraction sets in.

First topic this week - now that our spaces are lovely, labeled, dust and clutter free - how are you going to keep it that way? If a personal attendant and maid are out of your budget, then my first suggestion is to look around your house and your life. We are constantly bringing things in from the outside - mail, groceries, things from work, things from the kid's school, you name it. Scrapbook supplies are just another thing on this list. Now, if your home looks like it should be on the show "Hoarders," then this exercise may not work for you. But if you DO have some of the areas above under control, what's the system that works for you? Figure that out, and then apply it to your scrapbook supplies! For me, there are 2 things that work. First, I have a designated space for all my papers that enter the house, whether they are things for school or bills. They each go in a certain bin to be filed at a later time, which is in my day planner on a bi-monthly basis. I applied this same system to my scrap supplies - and for me, this is key: the new supplies DO NOT ENTER MY WORKSPACE. Unless I intend on immediately using them on a project that is currently on my desk. Instead, they enter a file system that is located right by the door to my room:

I got this particular one at the Pottery Barn outlet, but you can find them at office supply stores and lots of catalogs - I've seen some nice ones at Ballard Designs. There are 2 units stacked here, and all are labeled (of course). I have spots for paper, magazines/ideas, stamps and embellies, and stickers and die cuts. When I get a package or go to the local scrapbook store, I immediately place my supplies into the proper files. Then, in my day planner, I have "clean scrapbook room" listed for every other Friday. It's no different than doing laundry, or cleaning toilets, or watering the plants. It's a chore that needs to be done, and by making it part of my usual weekly tasks (or bi-monthly in this case), I know that my scrap space will stay clean. It's been almost 2 years now and it WORKS.

Another option I've seen many scrappers do is have a goody basket - a large bin where you put all your new supplies for a while so you can bask in their glory and drool. Set a time limit, maybe a month or so, and use what you want from your new stash. Then recycle the bin - either on a time schedule or whenever you get even newer goodies. Put the now older items in their proper homes and make room for the new stuff. But make sure you do this regularly - you don't want this bin to be a catch-all that starts a new trend of disorganization!

One final tip on keeping the clutter at bay - and I will admit, it's the most boring task in the world but it makes all the difference. If you finish a project, clean it up. Completely - file your scraps, clean your stamps, put away your tools. Have a completely pristine workspace before starting your next task. It will prevent the clutter from snowballing and you hopefully will not have to re-take this challenge. Because - although I do love you - I don't want you back here again.

On to the second part of this week's Challenge - organizing your albums! I'm sure most of us have a hodgepodge of albums going on - mini albums, 12x12 in different styles, 8.5x11 albums from 1991, books, you name it. It can be tough to find a storage solution that accommodates them all. There are really 2 options here - keep them in one place or separate them. If you choose to have them all in one place, it doesn't necessarily need to be your scrap space. The living room would work just as well, a bookshelf in the hall, wherever you'd prefer. But it would be nice to have them in an area where family and friends could access them and appreciate them! Small baskets are another great option for mini books - I know many scrappers who keep baskets around the house and just rotate the books through as they make new ones. Kids love looking through the mini books as well. If you want to break them up - maybe have the newer or incomplete albums in your scrap space, some personal albums like wedding ones in your bedroom, some family albums in the living room - that works just as well. With hodgepodge albums, you can choose the album to fit the space and the decor - anything goes.

If you decide to have all your albums together, you also have the option of creating a unified look. I took this route myself and got rid of a lot of older (mostly postbound) albums that the love just wasn't there anymore. I replaced them with the American Crafts cloth albums for my main albums, and any specialty albums (especially trips) are in the modern line. I love how they take up the same space on the shelf and just look so darned neat together! (Ignore the postbound album on top that is NOT put away, it's a friend's album and doesn't reside in my room!).

Ali Edwards uses this same approach, but in a little more extreme: http://aliedwards.typepad.com/_a_/2008/05/q-a-albums.html - she also shows how to make those cool little circle tabs, they are SUPER easy to make.

Which brings me to the next topic - labeling your albums. There are so many ways to do this, the easiest is using a computer template so whatever new label you need, it's automatically identical to what you already have - no trying to find matchy-matchy supplies from a line 3 years ago. Keeping it simple helps too - not only in saving you time for more important projects, but also in maintaining that unified look.

Some other options:
If you're into Creative Memories, you can have the albums etched or use a spine charm: http://www.ehow.com/video_5226043_customize-scrapbook-album-covers.html
More ideas:
http://www.scrapbook.com/forums/showtopic.php?tid/1499669/
http://www.scrapbook.com/forums/showtopic.php?tid/1493201/

That's all for this week! So go figure out a good way to handle any future incoming supplies, decide what you want to do with your albums, and get labeling. I'll see you back here next week to tackle fonts - your computer will thank me. :)

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 25

2009-11-09T07:00:00.002-06:00

Good morning, my scrappy friends! I won't lie to you - this week will bore the pants off of you. BUT - it will finally get one more thing off our "I really should do this, but I HATE doing this, so let me go watch tv instead" list. We're going to tackle our NEGATIVES (hey, come back, there's nothing good on tv right now, really!!!).

Unless you have your negatives all neat and orderly, then shoo. Go watch tv.

For the rest of us who have them shoved in shoeboxes, there are 2 main goals I want you to focus on in sorting your negatives. First - they need to be in some sort of order in case you accidentally mess up every photo you've ever had printed from them and you need to find a replacement fast, you'll be set. And second, they need to be in a safe storage method, away from light, heat, Kool-Aid fingers, and mouse droppings. Unless you plan on accessing these on a regular basis, it doesn't have to be user-friendly as much as your embellishment storage would be. And if you never, ever use a film camera anymore, it may not need to be expandable - just accommodate what you already have.

You will have one other decision to make - to store these separately or with your photos. Either way will work fine, it just depends on what suits you best.

Below are some links I'm come across for storage methods and ideas. Choose one that fits the space where you intend to store your negatives - if you don't plan on accessing these very often, then it doesn't have to be your scrap space, it could be a closet shelf. This is also one of those areas where I personally feel that pretty can take a back seat - if your negative storage isn't going to be seen, then don't splurge on a beautiful and elaborate storage system. Make do with what you have around the house, if possible. And, as always, 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.

Sentimental Playground negative pockets: http://www.organizedphotos.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=TSP&Category_Code=O
Filmbin Box with envelopes: http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/item.action?itemGroupId=332
FoldLock sleeves: http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/item.action?itemGroupId=51
Negative sheets: http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/item.action?itemId=430
With photos in a Cropper Hopper negative/photo holder: http://www.cropperhopper.com/search.aspx?find=ch46-p
In acid-free envelopes
In storage sheets in a 3-ring binder: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/61728-REG/Vue_All_V8000_Negative_Saver_Archival_Storage.html

I will not be posting a photo this week of my negative storage because I, in the past, have always chosen the "watch tv" option and my negatives are crammed in 3 shoeboxes in my attic right now. Bad scrapper! Bad scrapper! I do, however, have a 50-pack of the Vue All sheets and a 3-ring binder waiting, so I will be enduring this painful journey along with you.

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 that 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. One 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!

Hopefully we can all survive this together and make it through to week 26, when we'll tackle one of my favorite topics - keeping it neat and album organization! See you then!

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 24

2009-11-02T07:00:00.001-06:00

Happy Monday! We're down to the 6 week countdown! This week we're going to tackle memorabilia - we all do it on trips, hoard things like they're going out of style. I'm not going to tell you to clear out your clutter and toss the sugar packets from that cheap motel you stayed at. We're going to get things organized in case you really DO want to scrap those sugar packets, you can find them!

There are 2 types of memorabilia to deal with - flat and bulky. The best way I've found to accommodate both is to find a system that works with your flat memorabilia, and then add a note card or a photo in there noting your bulky items (which are stored elsewhere) that accompany that event. That way, you can keep all your items together and organized but not lose small things like ticket stubs, or bend important papers, amongst the big things. If you're up for it, the photograph may be enough of a memory to scrap to allow you to get rid of the bulky item altogether - greatly simplifying your life!

The most logical way to organize your precious mementos is by theme or event. If you keep items from something that's ongoing, or repeated every year, like a family gathering or trip, then it might be best to organize by theme. If it's a one time deal, like the birth of a child, then organizing by event is the way to go. Keep in mind these can be combined, it doesn't have to be all or none. So go grab your bags and boxes of "stuff" and find a big clean floor space to dump them out at (keeping the sugar packets away from kids and pets, of course). Dig in and start sorting! At the end, you should have several piles of things - this is also the prime time to purge. Do you really need all 5 brochures from the same boat tour? Be realistic, you DO have photos!

Now that you know HOW to sort your memories, let's look at ways to house them. For bulky items, I suggest finding a really pretty box that you love. Hobby Lobby has a great selection of unique ones, and I love the little suitcases from the Paper Source: http://search.paper-source.com/index/_/N-/Ntt-suitcase. Have fun with it! For your flat items, possibilities include:

In hanging folders in a portable file box

In zip-top bags in decorative baskets

In a 3-ring binder in page protectors

In accordian files

In scrapbook albums

Memorabilia can be tricky if you're taking an acid-free approach to scrapbooking. Make sure to keep your newspapers in a plastic page protector or bag away from your other items. Use acid-neutralizing spray as needed. And for important documents, make copies and file away your originals.

I've found 2 systems to house my memorabilia. The first is for my flat items - I use a 3-ring binder with page protectors. Each protector holds one "event." I have each event labeled at the top, so when I go to scrap the pictures from my Cancun trip, I just flip to the "Cancun" page protector and take the whole deal out. And everything I need is in there!

For my bulkier items, I found a lovely box (half off! which makes it even prettier!) at Hobby Lobby that matches my room decor. Problem solved!

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 sugar packets are no longer in a box somewhere attracting ants! Congrats! Now go take out those trash bags full of stuff you found, and we'll focus on getting your negatives organized next week.

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 23

2009-10-26T07:00:00.001-05:00

Good moooooorning, scrappers! Hope you all can take a quick break from your ghosts and goblins to join me in organizing your templates this week! This should be a relatively laid back week, since templates don't come in too many shapes or sizes, which limits their storage options. And chances are, you probably have a setup that works for you now - in some form or another. This will probably be more of a "tweak" week than a total reorganization.

First off - HOW to organize your templates. By type is one of the most logical - brass with brass, plastic with plastic, etc. Another easy way is by theme - journaling, baby, etc, with all your template types mixed in. Either way is valid - go with how you scrap, and that will help guide your decision.

Now, let's get those templates organized! Once you've decided on your method, let's find a good home. Please note that 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.

Brass/small templates:
In clear CD cases (NOT slimline)
Stacked by theme in clear plastic shoeboxes or photo boxes
Zip N Flip: http://store.scrapbooking-warehouse.com/278904.html
In hanging zip-top bags
On jump rings
In a multi-drawer chest
In a mini photo album
PSB or baseball card sleeves

Larger plastic templates:
In 3-ring binders
Stacked in magazine holders
In hanging zip-top bags
On jump rings
In a multi-drawer chest

For my templates, I decided to organize them by type - mainly because I know what I have. My smaller brass templates are in a Cropper Hopper zip n flip system in a 3-ring binder:

For my larger templates, they go in a 3-ring binder as well. If they don't have holes to fit the rings, then I just slide them into a sheet protector.

Promised you this week would be short and sweet!

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. One exception - rub ons.

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

Your templates are now happy in their new homes! Congrats! Meet me back here next week, same time, same channel, and we'll work on storing memorabilia. See you then!

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 22

2009-10-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

Hello, ladies! Are you still having fun? I hope so - because we only have 8 more weeks to go! You should be seeing some major, major progress by now. Keep in there, you're doing great!

This week we're going to focus on something BIG - dies for die cutting machines. And I say BIG because the oh-so-creative-but-not-so-kind die cut machine designers wanted to make sure that their dies are never, ever confused with eachother, which means us lucky consumers have to find storage systems for a gazillion different types of dies. Thanks, scrapbooking industry! Thankfully, a lot of companies have recognized this and put out storage methods for their own products, which DOES help, but it also means if you have multiple die cutters, chances are, you're going to have multiple storage systems as well. Which means more work for you this week.

There are 2 different ways of organizing your dies - by manufacturer or by type. I would love to organize by type - have all my shapes together, themes together, etc - but it would really be a nightmare to find a storage solution for. How can you store Quickutz with Big Shots dies? And then adding Cricut carts to the mix - what a mess! So I suggest you store by manufacturer and create an inventory book or Rolodex that you can group your dies together by theme in. So you can turn to a page and see all your dog dies from all your different companies, and then go to the appropriate manufacturer to take out the one you want. It seems the most logical way to go.

I know there are a lot of different systems on the market, so I'll try to break them down into one general category first with options for many different types of dies, then tackle specific systems and solutions I've found for the different die systems on the market. If I missed a die system, it's because I couldn't find solutions! So please - help me out here and if you've found a solution that works for YOUR system, post it to benefit everyone.

As always, 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.

General storage ideas for any/all die systems:

Photo storage boxes

Clear plastic shoeboxes

Divided hardware storage drawer units

Divided plastic boxes

Cricut:

Over-the-door tape racks: http://craftski.multiply.com/photos/album/180/My_Craft_Room_Latest_Photos

Ribbon holders: http://www.splatpat.com/archives/category/my-crafty-spot

Wall storage and 2 portable methods: http://www.obsessedwithscrapbooking.com/2009/01/cricut-storage.html

Sizzix/Big Shot dies:

Narrow drawer units: http://craftski.multiply.com/photos/album/180/My_Craft_Room_Latest_Photos

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

Sizzix towers - no longer being produced, but you can find them on Ebay

Nestabilities:

On magnetic sheets: http://craftski.multiply.com/photos/album/85/Nestabilities_Organizer

In metal tins: http://blog.ginakdesigns.com/2008/03/28/using-nestabilites-in-your-cuttlebug.aspx

Die carry case: http://spellbinderspaperarts.com/die-carry-case.html

In clear CD cases: http://embellished-dreams.blogspot.com/2008/04/keeping-my-spellbinders-dies-organzied.html or http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/952552

Quickutz storage binder:

http://ritaslittlecorner.blogspot.com/2008/08/my-nestabilities-storage.html

On a clip-it-up type system: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/1166432?cat=500&ppuser=173723

On the inside of cabinet doors (or on any flat wall surface): http://wickedlywonderfulcreations.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-nesties-now-what.html

Quickutz:

Magpie tins: http://www.overstock.com/Crafts-Sewing/Magpie-Nesting-Scrapbook-Storage-Tins-Pack-of-3/3191176/product.html coupled with an indexing system: http://craftystorage.blogspot.com/2007/09/quickutz-dies-by-angela-urbano.html or http://craftystorage.blogspot.com/2008/02/valerie-shadlyns-storage-idea.html

Slide storage sheets in a 3-ring binder: http://www.archivalusa.com/2x220hb100.html

Cuttlebug:

In baskets: http://starlitstudio.blogspot.com/2007/01/cuttlebug-die-storage.html or http://sewdelish.blogspot.com/2009/06/cuttlebug-die-and-embossing-folders.html

In divided plastic boxes

Cuttlebug storage binder: http://www.amazon.com/Provo-Craft-37-1575-Cuttlebug-Storage/dp/B0015KCV92

Hopefully one (or more) of those methods will work for your stash! Here's some solutions I've come up with for my die collection:

Sizzix - I keep all my Big Shot dies in a cheap white photo storage box from Hobby Lobby, nothing fancy. My border dies (the long ones) are kept in plastic ruler cases from the school supply section of most mass retailers like Target or WalMart. The Sizzlits dies are kept in baseball card holders in 3-ring binders - I can get 2 alphabet sets per binder:

My regular Sizzix dies are stored in Sizzix towers:

For my Cuttlebug dies, I found a divided plastic storage case that I could customize for the long versus short dies. My embossing templates (the square ones) go into a photo storage box.

My Quickutz are in the Magpie tins. I love this system! A lot of places have them on clearance now, I saw them for $20 at Big Lots. My Revolution dies fit well in the bottom drawers of the units.

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. One 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 dies are all neat and organized and snug in their beds. Let them join the rest of the party going on in your scrap space, and I'll see you back here for Week 23.

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 21

2009-10-12T07:00:00.002-05:00

Helllooo Monday! Glad to see everyone so bright and chipper and ready to organize! This week will be an easy one, so grab yourself a nice hot cup of coffee and relax - we're going to get all your pens and pencils in order. If sticking them all in a large bin works for you, then see ya later. If you want them a little more refined, then read on.

Let me get straight to the point here - it's pens. And pencils. And markers. It's not rocket science. You either organize by type, or by color. And I think type works best for most people - if you want a red pen, you don't go digging through a box of 30 red pens, markers and pencils. Unless you're psychotic, then that's ok, there are meds for that. So go gather all your beloved writing tools and let's find a good way to store them.

Bonus, that will add some time on this week but will be worth it in the end: Take some time this week to get your writing instruments in shape. Make sure all your pencils are sharp. Go through your pens and make sure they all work - toss any that don't. We don't hang on to things like this for sentimental reasons. Unless you want to be known as the "pen lady."

Ok, on to the storage methods. Please note that 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.

Stored upright, in jars - best for pencils, not so great for pens (which should be horizontal). Put a layer of beans in the bottom to help keep the pencils separated to get them out easier.
Stored horizontal in a wine rack: http://craftystorage.blogspot.com/2008/02/mk-julias-pen-storage-idea.html
Keep them in the cases they came in (Prisma, Zig Twins for example)
Use a pen holder from an office supply store: http://www.amazon.com/Eldon-Shelf-Savers-trade-X-Cube/dp/B00006IAMW
Crop In Style Pen Caddy: http://www.save-on-crafts.com/cropinstylpe.html
Multi-drawer storage chest
Photo storage box or clear shoe box
Tackle box
Revolving kitchen organizer or tool organizer (best for most-used pens and pencils)
Colorful mugs or small tin pails
Pencil box
Empty paint cans painted and stacked together on their sides
Silverware drawer organizer
Plaid Creative Gear Pen and Marker Holder: http://www.thesavvyscrapper.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=28&products_id=431&osCsid=446961a8cdf56056a
Artbin Prism 6-slot box: http://www.crafttownhobbylandusa.com/proddetail.php?prod=1106AB
For copic markers: http://trudee.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/category/craft-organization/
Zippered pencil cases: http://www.dickblick.com/products/global-classic-leather-pencil-cases/, great for crops

Hopefully you've found something in the links that works with your stash AND your space. Here's how I tackled this storage dilemma - multiple solutions! I have a decent sized stash, mostly because all my journaling pens and Prismas are leftovers from design school - who would have thought they'd be so handy down the road? First, my Zig twins are in the cases they came in, I just stacked them in a cabinet. I use the x-boxes by Rubbermaid from Office Depot for all my gel pens and journaling pens:

For my Prisma pencils, I use the zippered pencil case from Dick Blick art supply. My Prisma markers I just keep in a photo storage box.

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. One 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 pens and pencils are now ready to be used as tools of creativity and not weapons of desperation. Congratulations! Now go drag out that old coloring book for some fun and meet me back here for Week 22.

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 20

2009-10-05T07:00:00.002-05:00

Good morning, scrappers galore! This week we're going to focus on organizing a mess that has probably been the bane of my scrapping existence for quite some time - die cuts! There are so many shapes, sizes, colors and themes, it's a nightmare to try to find a system that works. But we WILL tame that mess this week!

First off - HOW are you going to organize your die cuts? This will depend on how you scrap and how you organize your other embellishments as well. You can organize by theme (ie, baby, Christmas, quotations, etc), by color (which works well for things like blank tags), by type (borders, tags, frames), or by manufacturer (which is a good option if you sort your paper in this method - you can keep sets together easily). You don't have to choose one category - you can have a mix if it works better for you, as long as you know where your stuff is! You also need to decide if you want to take them out of their original home (whether it be sheets or boxes), or leave them attached as is. If you choose to separate them, it'll be easier to organize by theme or color. If you leave them attached, it'll be easier to separate by manufacturer. The choice is yours.

Now that we have an idea of how to divide up those piles, let's look at WHERE you can put them. Please note that 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 Crop In Style Paper Sticker Binders (PSBs) or 3-ring binders with divided page protectors: http://www.createforless.com/Crop+In+Style+Paper+Sticker+Binder+PSB+Navy+and+Black/pid69700.aspx?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=cse or http://www.c-lineproducts.com/product_detail.php?product_id=848
In zip top bags, hanging on a clip it up or pants hanger, or stacked in baskets or bins
In shallow drawers or a multi-drawer chest
In acid free envelopes in a photo box (for smaller die cuts)
In clear plastic shoe boxes or photo boxes
In Craft Keepers: http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.jsp?CATID=cat2051&PRODID=prd35270&cm_mmc=Google%20Base-_-Comparison%20Site-_-Web%20Site-_-Craft%20Keeper%2012''x12''%20Poly%20Envelope%20-%20Clear
Tilt bins (for smaller die cuts)
Hanging file folders
Expandable organizers
Over-the-door organizers
In a mini photo album
In clear CD cases or DVD cases

Now you have some options, I'll share the system that works for me and how I scrap - but it did take a while to find. I combined 2 methods of sorting - by theme and by color. The vast majority of my die cuts are in an Iris cart (I removed the wheels and stacked 1.5 together) - they fit nicely under my main work table:

In this stack are all my die cuts by theme. I have a box for baby die cuts, boys, stars, journaling blocks, floral, swirls, animal/nature, etc. If it's too% theme-related, it goes in here.

My second method (not pictured) is identical to my box storage for my alpha sets, it's just located on the other side of my work table. Using the cheap white photo boxes from Hobby Lobby, I have one box per color and all my "blank" die cuts (ie, not theme oriented) go in here. So if I'm looking for a purple tag, I go to my purple box and I likely have one in there. If I'm looking for a purple tag with a puppy on it, I go to my animal box instead. These are easy to kid proof as well - one strip of masking tape per side won't damage the box at all and the toddler gives up pretty easy.

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. One 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 die cuts are now easy to find and you no longer have to threaten them with the paper shredder. See you all back here for Week 21.

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 19

2009-09-28T07:00:00.004-05:00

Welcome back, happy and organized scrappers! This week we're going to focus on chipboard - the bare naked variety. This should be a good week - great results with minimal effort!

First off - let's talk about HOW to organize your chipboard. You need to decide whether to keep them in their packages (and often this means for the sheet variety like Fancy Pants, whether or not to leave them attached to the sheet), or to break them off into their individual pieces. This really is a matter of personal choice and may even be dictated by your space - sheets are going to need a good 12x12" space for storage, while if you have smaller pieces of chipboard, they could go into smaller containers that could stack. So keep that in mind. If you know your manufacturers, or have a small amount of chipboard, storing on the sheets is very feasible. But if you have a large amount and can't remember who makes what - you just want a large chipboard daisy! - then breaking up your sets may be a way to go.

A second issue is how to categorize them - by manufacturer or theme. Follow your paper on this one. If you know who makes what, then sort by manufacturer. But if you are looking for a chipboard frame with a star on it, then sort by theme. It will make your life easier to have all your like pieces together. Some themes include frames, seasons, brackets, scrolls, floral, hearts, stars, etc. Go through what you have and see what you have a lot of - start grouping them, and that will help to dictate what categories you need (and how many boxes to buy!).

Now, alphas are another story entirely. You can choose to store them with your chipboard here, or with your other alphas. I think it makes more sense to store them with your alphas - unless you are a fan of keeping all your manufacturers together, then store like with like.

Finally, let's talk blank sheets. I know every scrapper hoards chipboard from any place imaginable! The best solution I've found to store it is to treat it like you do your paper. So if you use the vertical paper files, dedicate one to chipboard. Chipboard is also nice in that it can stack upright on a shelf without bending - just a bookend is all that's needed. File cabinets are yet another option.

Now that you have an idea of HOW to organize your chipboard, let's talk about what to store it in! Here are some solutions I've found - keep in mind which route you decided to take. If you're keeping original packaging, then you need to accommodate the bulk of chipboard and the 12x12" nature of it. Some options - like hanging zip top bags - may not be strong enough to hold. Most unpackaged chipboard sorted by piece can fit into much smaller containers. You will need as many containers as themes or manufacturers, and plan for future purchases as well.

Clear plastic shoe boxes
Hanging zip-top bags, on clip-it up style rails or pants hangers
Page protectors in a 3-ring binder
Multi-drawer chests
Over-the-door organizers
Photo storage boxes
Crop-In-Style cubes

My main storage method (in addition to the shelf and paper holder shown above) is an Iris cart with the snap top boxes, wheels removed:

I actually have one and a half of these carts - each drawer unit comes apart and can stack on top of eachother! So I have one and a half under each side of my standing work table. I have my chipboard broken down by themes, one theme per box, and each box is labeled.

It's worked out very well for me - prior to this method, I used the 3-drawer Sterilite drawers, but this was prior to the huge pieces of chipboard coming out (and then prior to Sterilite coming out with 12x12 drawers!). Those are both good options that worked for me, tho.

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!

Congratulations, your chipboard is now easy to find when you need it! Meet me back here next week, same time, same place, and we'll deal with all kinds of pretty die cuts.

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 18

2009-09-21T07:00:00.003-05:00

Lovely morning, scrappers! Can you believe we only have 11 weeks left? You guys that are sticking with me - I'm in awe. Good job, keep it up!

The Challenge this week is to organize our tools. This is going to be a very individual task, since everyone has a different set of must-haves (heck, trimmers alone must come in 8 different sizes!), and tools can be small, sleek, bulky, heavy, you name it. So I'll offer up some suggestions for storage, and I'll leave it up to you to figure out the best method for YOUR stash. There are really 3 ways of basic organizing on tools - sort by frequency of use, function or size. You also need to decide 2 things:

First - are you going to keep your tools with all your other tools, or with the products that you use them with? For example - your heat gun. Decide whether to keep it with your tools or your embossing supplies. Do what makes sense to you, and stick with it. Also, in grouping tools, decide whether to keep ALL your tools together, or put some of your less-often used tools out of the way. By splitting tools up, you can gain a lot of workspace, but you also risk forgetting what you have.

Second - if you go to crops a lot, now is a good time to figure out how to make your life easier. Decide to invest in a second set of tools that will be packed and ready to go for your crops, or find a good tool storage solution that's also portable.

Here are a few ideas I came across for storing tools. Please note that 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 recycled cans or canisters: http://bymonkeybean.blogspot.com/2007/09/organized-prettiness.html

Over-the-door organizers

Tilt bins

Clear plastic shoeboxes

Crop In Style scissor caddy: http://www.save-on-crafts.com/cropinstylsc.html

Multi-drawer chest

Craftlocker: http://www.craftlocker.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=2

Photo storage boxes

Tool caddys: http://www.unbeatablesale.com/armd211.html?srccode=cii_11138&cpncode=22-23767156-2

Tackle box

Desktop spinner: http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=65/85103&prodCatId=377489&mode=Browsing&erec=3&Ne=90000&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&N=377489&tabId=2&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&sd=Round+Desktop+Supply+Organizer Pampered Chef has these, as well as Making Memories. You can also pair it with a lazy susan for even more storage: http://craftystorage.blogspot.com/2008/06/combining-elements.html

Hanging on a wall (no pegboard needed): http://www.paperwishes.com/products/4001966

Pegboard: http://craftystorage.blogspot.com/2008/02/amanda-walker-studio-ideas.html

For my setup - I have my tools sorted by frequency of use. My less-frequently used tools are in a lazy susan in a cabinet:

I repurposed a cute garden tote to hold my scissors. ALL my blades are in here - I love my Exacto knife, so I keep my spare blades in a film canister. I also have a second canister out with a slit cut in the top to hold all my spent blades. When the canister is full, I tape over the top and toss the whole thing in the trash - no loose blades to injure someone!

This is actually a photo of my old tool storage. I currently have the Making Memories desktop carousel: http://www.makingmemories.com/Products/detail/Desktop-Carousel This setup did work for me for a while tho - those are just garden planters, another Hobby Lobby find. I found that I needed a little bit more structure (ie, compartments) tho.

So go gather up those tools, make your decisions, and sort and store!

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.

Congratulations, your tools are all happy and content in their new home! Go do a happy dance and meet me back here for week 19, when we'll tame your wild hordes of raw chipboard.

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 17

2009-09-14T07:00:00.001-05:00

Good morning, ladies! Welcome to Week 17 of the Challenge - time to get your punches in order! This week should be relatively painless - there are only a few ways of storing punches. What's likely to be most time consuming is getting an inventory together. But at least that's something you can do while watching evening tv.

First, figure out the best spot in your room for your punches - shelf, wall, box, bin, etc. If you have an inventory, then you don't necessarily have to have them on display and they can be tucked away out of sight. Then choose a storage method that works for your space (AND your style!). Keep in mind one thing - punches are HEAVY. So keep that in mind when choosing storage - if you go with something like the Sterilite drawer units, any more than 5-7 medium punches will bog down the drawers and they'll fall out of the tracks. Large punches will strain delicate storage options and be a bear to move around. So if you have a lot of punches, make sure to go with sturdy storage and only a FEW punches per box (or mix in your heavy punches with some light ones as well). Because of their weight, they'll take up a lot more space than you realize. On to the links! Once again, please note that 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.

On a rod on pegboard: http://stampinat6213.blogspot.com/2007/08/pegboard-organization.html
On a magnetic wall strip: http://makingmemories.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451fa2269e2010536bace9c970c-pi
In shallow drawers: http://www.stacksandstacks.com/sterilite-3-drawer-storage-chest-20238004/ or without the drawers themselves: http://craftystorage.blogspot.com/2007/08/punches-by-janette.html
Clear plastic shoeboxes: http://paperfections.typepad.com/paperfections/2007/06/paper_punch_sto.html
Photo boxes
Punch N Go Tote: http://www.paperwishes.com/products/7267580000
Over-the-door shoe organizer: http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?cmd=display&layout_id=1158922
Crop In Style Punch Organizer (scroll down): http://www.1stopsquare.com/cropinstyle.html or in use: http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/1470672641059524861GHxWPl
On a pot rack: http://melstampz.blogspot.com/2009/02/punch-storage-misc-craft-room.html
Towel rails on a wall: http://stampnsparkle.blogspot.com/2008/01/punch-storage-solution.html
CD rack: http://colorfulom.blogspot.com/2008/01/like-many-stampers-im-trying-to-get.html
Toolbox/tackle box: http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?cmd=display&layout_id=852830
Tilt bins
Matchbox car containers
Steel drawer units - not cheap, but sagging problem eliminated! http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40107872
Hanging on curtain rods:
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/462314
Custom-built shelving, if you're handy: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/574015&cat=3376
Clear acrylic photo frames stacked in shallow drawers
Rotating desktop units: http://www.stampinthings.com/
Craft Locker: http://www.craftlocker.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=2

Lots of options to choose from, hopefully one will work for your stash! My method isn't the most clean and neat, but it works for me. I just throw them all into a drawer! Well, not literally. :) The drawer is about the size of a filing cabinet, and I've taken out the plastic drawers from a 3-drawer Sterilite unit and stacked them in there, so I can have many rows of punches. There's a wire frame (meant for hanging files) that the lip of the drawers sit on - which gives me additional room to stack punches below.

I'm able to find what I want pretty quickly because I know my punches well (ie, if I'm looking for my small corner rounder, I know it's the green one with the black lever). I also use a punch inventory - here's the printout I use for mine:

http://organizedscrapbooks.com/punch-inventory

Just use scrap paper and do a quick punch before putting it in it's final place. Then when you need one for a project, you can flip through your inventory to see if it will work or not before going to get it. It's also handy to have when shopping. I just did a 3-hole punch and put it in a small binder. Super easy to store and to keep updated.

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 punch problem has now been solved. Congratulations! Time for a cupcake break, go gorge yourself on some buttercream and I'll see you back here for Week 18!

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 16

2009-09-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

Is it Monday already? Can we go back to Saturday???? Please? Oh well, let's make the most of it - let's get our buns in gear and organize our paints, glitters and Stickles! Because I know you hoard them, they're just too yummy. So let's make them easy to find and use.

These are one item that if you have just a few, you can toss in a pretty bin and say you're done. It's not hard to sort through 5-10 Stickles to find the right one. But if you have many, you really need them organized in a way that enables you to find the color you need and quickly. The easiest way is obviously by color - just set them up like a rainbow and it'll be easy to find what you're looking for. I'm really going to focus mainly on paints and Stickles here - depending on the shape of your containers, you can store your glitter like your embossing supplies (if it's in a shallow cannister) or like your paints and Stickles (if it's in an upright container).

So, here's my monster list of links for this week. As you search, keep in mind your storage space (wall-mounted, countertop, drawers, etc) - and immediately knock any option off your list that won't work in your space, no matter how pretty it is. Please note that 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.

Upright in shallow drawers, Ikea Fira drawers, multi-drawer units, or Crop In Style cubes
Cropper Hopper vertical drawers (for dabbers): http://craftystorage.blogspot.com/2008/01/acrylic-dabbers-idea.html
In shelf organizers: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22350465 or http://lauravegas.typepad.com/photos/my_studio_in_detail/28_studio.html
How about upside down? Scroll down on this page: http://going-buggy.blogspot.com/2009/01/ta-da-here-is-my-new-crafty-space.html Brilliant!!! And you thought you didn't have room!
On velcro on a wall (no shelf needed): http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/userblogpost.asp?id=39838 or an acrylic frame: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/image/layout/1793069.html
In metal cutlery trays, in a drawer or on the wall: http://ucc4success.blogspot.com/
On a tiered lazy susan: http://www.stacksandstacks.com/dual-level-lazy-susan-turntable/?id=176&sku=10752&utm_medium=shoppingengine&utm_source=googlebase
Tim Holtz case: http://store.scrapbook.com/ch-th92379.html
Plastic flip-top box, great for crops! http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/image/scraproom/1774033.html
In spice racks
In an over-the-door organizer
Clear plastic shoeboxes
Photo storage boxes
Tilt bins
Tiered racks: http://cardstockheadquarters.com/Organizers-glitterstairs.htm

My method is very simple but effective - I have an entire drawer devoted to my Stickles and paints. All I have to do is open it up and pick a color. I try to keep them in order, but that doesn't always happen. Every now and then I get bit by the cleaning bug and put them back in their proper places.

Once again, I have another link from Patter Cross - this time for keeping track of your Stickles colors. http://triplethescraps.blogspot.com/2008/12/organizational-friday.html Too smart!!!

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.

Your paint and Stickles dilemma has now been solved. Congratulations! Go pester the kids about their homework and I'll see you back here next week.

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge Week 15

2009-08-31T07:00:00.002-05:00

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

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.

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

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 14

2009-08-24T07:00:00.001-05:00

Hellooooo, ladies! Welcome to Week 14, this week will be a cakewalk compared to the past few, so it'll be a good time to play catch up. We're going to focus on your cropping supplies this week. This Challenge will be short and sweet.

I admit that I don't go to crops nearly as often as I like, so I don't have a detailed system for organizing crop gear. I do know 2 things, however:

1. If you crop a LOT - store your tools in a portable caddy that can also be used on your desktop, or invest in a second set of basic tools that can be left in your crop bag at all times.

And...

2. Don't bring your entire scrap space with you. Like ANY trip, you need to plan what you pack. I only bring page kits with me - just the basics and the photos that go with them. I take a few days to put these together - if you plan enough of them, all you have to do at crop time is grab a few bags and you're ready to go! I also like to catch up on journaling during crops - I have a few themed albums (especially photo album scrapbooks) set aside for this purpose alone, and have found that crops are a GREAT way to catch up on any Project 365 albums as well.

I did come across some interesting links on how other scrappers pack for crops - check them out and see if any of their tips might work for you!

http://organizedscrapbooks.com/article69.html
http://www.memoryworkshop.ca/index.php?p=12
http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:AKzWQW2Xcz8J:www.croppincorner.com/scrapbooking/organize.doc+packing+for+a+crop&cd=9&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

So - this week, I want you to figure out the best way to pack for your crops, and set up your supply bag as needed - including page kits. Next time a crop comes up, you'll be ready!

That's it for today - I need my daily cupcake fix, so we'll meet back here next Monday and get all your inks and embossing supplies organized. See you then!

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 13

2009-08-17T07:00:00.005-05:00

Calling all organizers! Good morning! Are you ready for a new Challenge? This is going to be another big week - we're going to corral all of your stamps. And I mean ALL of them. The key with stamps is that if you don't remember what you have, you likely won't use them. So you need to either have them stored in a way that you can see them, or have a good inventory system that you can reference. I'm going to cover foam, acrylic, rubber - images and alphabets, mounted and unmounted, as well as some suggestions for inventories.

The first order to organizing is to see what you have, what you want to keep, and how you'd like to store them. Go get your stamp box - yes, the one that's been sitting in the hallway for months now and has been annoying the daylights out of your husband. This is a great time to purge if you haven't done so already - the less product you have, the fewer things to sort! Now see what's left in your box. How's it working for you (gosh, Dr. Phil has SUCH great lines)? Are you ok with having several different storage methods for your stamps, or do you want them all in one place? Are you ok with wood mounts, or would you prefer them all to be cling? Do you go for stamps by theme or by manufacturer? Are there some stamps you LOVE but are a hassle to use - why is that? And what can fix that problem? Finally, stamp sets - do you want to keep these together or break them up? Start jotting down some answers to these questions (ie, keep wood mounted stamps as-is, separate alphas from non-alphas, keep sets together) - when you start looking at storage options, you're going to need to accommodate ALL of these categories you come up with. Which may mean only ONE storage method if you have a few stamps, or multiple if you have a good variety.

There is one option I'm going to mention at this point, which I know a lot of scrappers and stampers have done, and that's going to a complete cling system. Yes, that means un-mounting your wood stamps. Now, before I get hate mail, I LOVE wood stamps. I love how they sit on a shelf, I love the feel in my hand, but I DON'T love how they take up so much room and it's so hard to find what I'm looking for! I know a lot of you are in the same boat. So, about 5 years ago, I un-mounted ALL my wood stamps and put them onto EZ Mount (which has one side sticky to hold the rubber, the other side is cling like on the back of acrylic stamps). I have not once regretted my decision. I am now able to store ALL my stamps in one location, and it put it short - that rocks! Un-mounting is easy to do - here are a few tutorials in case you want to read some more before making a decision:

http://picasaweb.google.com/gbutterfly26/UnmountedStamps#
http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/how-to-unmount-stampin-up-stamps-173480/
http://scrapbookingwithjerosha.blogspot.com/2009/03/how-to-unmount-rubber-stamps.html
http://www.scrapbook.com/tips/doc/4849/31.html

I have a pretty good number of stamps, but I was able to unmount them all in a weekend. It really doesn't take a lot of time (even though it looks daunting!) - great results for a small effort!

Now you have a good idea in your head of your inventory, let's talk storage. I'm going to post quite a few options in each category - mounted, acrylic (this includes unmounted rubber as well - anything that clings (except toddlers and needy husbands)), and foam. Check them out, and find which one(s) will work best for you. Please note that 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.

ACRYLIC:

In their original packaging in bins, baskets or boxes: http://www.scrapjazz.com/topics/Organization/Scrap_Rooms/1596.php
http://mariehelenescrap.canalblog.com/archives/2009/05/20/13778625.html#comments
In DVD tins: http://craftaholicsanonymous.blogspot.com/search/label/Organizational%20Ideas or DVD cases: http://craftystorage.blogspot.com/2008/05/another-clever-clear-stamp-storage-by.html
On plastic sheets in a 3-ring binder: http://craftystorage.blogspot.com/2008/10/maja-kaui-stamp-storage-process.html or http://nicholmagouirk.typepad.com/things_that_really_matter/2007/03/storage_for_cle.html or http://jennifermcguireink.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/07/how-to-video-clear-stamp-storage.html - you could also use baseball card pages or business card sleeves as well.
In binder boxes: http://www.lisahetrickdesign.com/live_create_share/2009/03/unmounted-stamp-storage.html - here's her source: http://www.univenture.com/acatalog/mini.html
In a storage box by category: http://www.paperwishes.com/products/7268940000
In a travel binder, great for crops! http://www.paperwishes.com/products/4001325
Making Memories stamp storage binder: http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=65/85180&prodCatId=377489&mode=Browsing&erec=2&Ne=90000&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&N=377489&tabId=2&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&sd=Making+Memories%26%23174%3B+Stamp+Storage+Binder+%26amp%3B+Folders
Little Monkeys storage system: http://storemorestamps.com/OurProducts.php
Clear CD storage cases: http://tayloredexpressions.blogspot.com/search/label/Organization If you go this route, make sure to get the ORIGINAL CD storage cases, not the "slimline" ones.
In the original packaging, on a Clip It Up
7 Gypsies revolving stamp holder: http://www.capaper.com/product/7434?meta=FRG&utm_source=GBASE&utm_medium=CPC&utm_content=&utm_campaign=
Clear file folders: http://www.paperwishes.com/products/4001709
In document boxes - Target used to have these in the $1 Spot, but I've seen some green ones in the scrapbooking aisle (and NOT for $1!). I've heard some people have found them at import stores as well: http://www.createmykeepsake.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=15223 I found some similar ones at Office Max - they're thicker with a better clasp.
In their original packaging, in a recipe box.
For CTMH My Acrylix stamps - the CTMH organizer box
EZ Mount Stamp N Store panels: http://store.scrapbook.com/gb-ss12.html
Tim Holtz stamp binder: http://www.ohmycrafts.com/advantusunmountedstampbinderbytimholtz.aspx
Stampendous Perfectly Clear tote: http://celestialscrapbooksupplies.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=60&zenid=57373e98ee4c83259aee67d0cbdbced5
Technique Tuesday stamp portfolio: http://celestialscrapbooksupplies.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=539&zenid=57373e98ee4c83259aee67d0cbdbced5 Cropper Hopper Zip n Flip sheets: http://store.scrapbooking-warehouse.com/297701.html
Blockhead Stamps has some cases and binders as well: http://www.blockheadstamps.com/cushion.html

FOAM:

Backed with velcro or magnets on boards/walls: http://craftystorage.blogspot.com/2008/01/debby-de-wilde-foam-stamps.html
In $1 boxes from Target
In glass jars, by letter, font or theme
In stackable trays
In ziploc bags, stacked or hanging
Back with foam core and store in vertical paper holders or magazine files

WOOD MOUNTED:

In plastic envelopes: http://craftystorage.blogspot.com/2008/02/kim-reygates-studio.html
Wood storage unit, like a printers chest or map drawers: http://craftystorage.blogspot.com/2008/05/lisa-itatini-rubber-stamp-storage.html
On shelves: http://ournestof3.blogspot.com/2008/11/photos-of-stamp-organization.html
Stacked in acrylic photo frames: http://papergoddess.typepad.com/we_will_always_have_paris/2007/08/rubber-stamp-st.html
In stamp storage boxes:
http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=65/85153&prodCatId=377489&mode=Browsing&erec=1&Ipp=16&No=16&Ne=90000&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&N=377489&tabId=2&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&sd=3+Medium+Hinged+Stamp+Storage+Boxes In shallow plastic drawer units - good for a few stamps, your unit will sag and the drawers will stick or derail if you overload it!
Stacked in clear shoe boxes - again, good for a few, ideally you don't want to stack your stamps
Crop In Style punch pal - designed for punches, but would work great for stamps! http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/1470672641059524861GHxWPl
Mimi stamp case: http://store.scrapbook.com/mi-m1002.html - you can also use ammo boxes for the small wooden stamps
Crop In Style Stamp Store: http://scrapbooking.com/article/3011
In a tackle box, great for a small stash or for crops!
Craft Locker Wheel and Handle storage: http://www.littlescrapbookshop.com.au/index.php?main_page=product_info&manufacturers_id=161&products_id=6513
Cube Kit G from Mini Stackables: http://bestscrapbookshelf.com/?action=view_catalog&Join_ID=111572
In pizza boxes
Scrap N Cube has a wooden shelf system, add the optional drawers and you have a great setup: http://www.scrapncube.com/Products/QB6--6-shelf-cube__QB6.aspx

So, there you go - figure out which solution will work best for YOUR stash and YOUR space, then start dividing those stamps into the proper locations. I wouldn't put them away just yet tho - you're going to want to do an inventory of them, which I'll get to in a minute. First, I want to show you my storage system, which I've been thrilled with. I have 2 systems for ALL my stamps - they're either alpha stamps or non-alpha stamps. For my NON-alpha stamps, I use the document boxes from Target. They take up the top shelf on 4 of my cabinets - I'm on the taller side so I can reach them fairly easily. They're all labeled on the spine, from 1 to 24 (some numbers have multiple boxes):

Inside, I am able to cling my stamps to both surfaces of the box. The boxes are also thick enough to accommodate foam stamps WITH acrylics on both sides! I recently found out my wood-mounted Unity stamps will also fit well, without having to unmount them. I have one theme per box, and each theme gets a number as well. So 1 is florals, 2 is punctuation, 3 is boy, 4 is winter/Christmas, 5 is travel, 6 is journaling....you get the idea.

I label the outside as well, so it's easy to see what theme each box holds.

Now, to keep track of what I have (especially since I break up some sets), I came up with an inventory system on a Rolodex. I like the Rolodex because it's easy to take out cards - if I purge a stamp, or if I want to toss in a card into a page kit to remember to use that stamp with that set. Very easy to put back, and very easy to flip through. Each of my categories is in the Rolodex, numbered from 1 to 24, and I have the stamped image of that stamp from that box in the Rolodex. I either stamp the image, or cut it out from product packaging and tape it to the Rolodex page. Each image is labeled with the manufacturer and set name. So under tab 1 (Florals) in my Rolodex, I have a cut out of an Autumn Leaves floral stamp from the package and taped on there, and the actual stamp is in my #1 document box on my shelf (also labeled "Floral"). When I need to find a daisy stamp, I flip through my Rolodex to see if I have one I want. If it's there, I grab the #1 box(es) and get it. If not, I log on to 2Peas and buy one. ;)

I use this same inventory system for my alpha stamps, with a second Rolodex:

Now, I store my alpha stamps a little bit differently. My main method is using CD cases - not the slimline, the ones with the black insert that you can pop out. I found that about 85% of my alphas will fit into a CD case. For the ones that are larger, I just use a document box and store them on a shelf below my non-alpha stamps.

The CD cases are numbered, starting at 1. They are not numerical in my Rolodex - I found that really doesn't matter, since I just flip through there until I find the set I want. Then I see the number assigned to that set and go to my CD storage boxes, which are up on a shelf. All the CD cases in those boxes are labeled on the spine for easy viewing and ARE in numerical order:

The boxes themselves are also labeled to show which sets they contain, which makes it easy to grab the right box off the shelf!

That's my system, in a nutshell. The only thing I left off is my stamping wheels - I just keep those in a drawer with my stamp cleaner and my acrylic mounting blocks. I have the images inventoried in my Rolodex under the correct theme, however - I just make sure that it's labeled as a wheel.

I want to share one more non-traditional method for storing sets, which I used to do before breaking mine up. I found these awesome garden hangers at Hobby Lobby in their summer clearance. They are great for holding the Studio G sets and sets that come in tins (like Gelatins). Another option on the Studio G sets - I know a lot of Peas store them in baseball card pages in a binder or they fit perfect in an ATC holder. Brilliant!

I know there are a gazillion stamp storage options out there, so if you've found one that works for you - please post it!

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. One 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 lovely stamps are now all organized. Whoo hoo! Now go take care of all those chores you put off while surfing websites, and come join me for Week 14 next week, when a-cropping we will go!

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 12

2009-08-10T07:00:00.001-05:00

Good Monday morning (if there is such a thing!) - everybody ready to play? Today we're going to tackle another toughie - ribbons and fibers. You may not be able to complete this Challenge in one week. And again, that's ok - as long as you have a system in place in your head and know where you're going, that's what counts!

So let's cut the chit-chat and get started on HOW to organize your ribbon. You can organize by type (ie, grosgrain vs sheer), width, color, or by packaging. Once again, follow your scrapping cues here. You can also mix and match - it's easy to group all your red grosgrain ribbon together, for example.

Now let's take a look at WHAT to store your ribbon in. I'm not a big fan of ribbon packaging - I've found that once you take it out of it's neat and pretty little package, it never goes back in quite the same. So I immediately pull off all my ribbon - off cards, spools, bobbins, you name it. It brings me happiness to see a puddle of fibers. Aaaahhhh. Anyways, I have found oodles and oodles of ways to store ribbons. One of these methods surely will work for you and your stash! Please note that 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.

Ribbon spool organizers: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5628111

Or http://creationsbyjeff.vox.com/

Or in sticker roll organizers: http://stampinat6213.blogspot.com/2007/08/pegboard-organization.html

Or http://www.floralsupply.com/cat.cgi?s=CRM-5%20Vertical%20Ribbon%20Rack&c=disp or in rain gutters, just cut to fit your space!

Or http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/search/processRequest.do?Ntt=dowel+wall+unit&requestURI=searchMain&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchallpartial&N=0

Loose in jars, by color: http://makingmemories.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/05/27/img_0237_edit_resize_3.jpg

Ribbon rings: http://www.ribbonring.com/ or make your own: http://craftystorage.blogspot.com/2007/08/this-is-my-favorite-wall-in-my-studio.html or http://craftystorage.blogspot.com/2008/06/debby-de-wildes-ribbon-storage-idea.html

Wrapped on cards: http://www.amazingpapergrace.com/amazing-ribbon-storage/ or https://www.magisticalmemories.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=17

Stacked spools: http://craftystorage.blogspot.com/2008/08/giulia-ribbon-storage-idea.html or Pottery Barn used to have a nice one, it's been discontinued but you may be able to find one on Ebay or Craigslist. Oriental Trading also has one: http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/search/processRequest.do?Ntt=ribbon+organizer&requestURI=searchMain&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchallpartial&N=0

Ribbon storage bag: http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?requestURI=processProductsCatalog&categoryId=377320&&BP=10576&cm_mmc=Nextag-_-Nextag-_-Nextag-_-Nextag&sku=65/85172&srccode=cii_9324560&cpncode=17-32607915-2 Great for crops! Or http://store.scrapbook.com/ym-pull-ez.html

In Cropper Hopper boxes - this shows it in a drawer - http://triplethescraps.blogspot.com/2009/03/organizational-friday-save-space-get.html, but those little boxes fit beautifully in the Cropper Hopper embellishment case as well

On a Clip-it-Up type system: http://sarahs-scrap-book.blogspot.com/2008/05/blossom-and-ribbon-storage.html or http://www.clipitup.com/ribbon.html

Ribbon spoolers: http://www.bestscrapbookshelf.com/?action=view_catalog&Join_ID=263299

This method isn't realistic for most of us, but it gives you another beyond-cool option: http://craftystorage.blogspot.com/2008/03/donna-downey-new-storage-idea.html

Ribbon boxes: http://scrapbooking.about.com/od/gettingorganized/ss/ribbonbox.htm

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

Wrapped on clothespins, in jars or bins/baskets: http://www.stampingatcatscorner.com/stamping_at_cats_corner_t/2008/02/little-tips---.html

In page protectors (like the kind for slides or baseball cards, one strand per pocket) in a 3-ring binder

Combined with a tool or stamp organizer: http://www.stampinthings.com/

On floss cards in floss boxes

Floss/bobbin tote - good for crops: http://www.plaidonline.com/productDetail.asp?itemID=79011&productName=Creative+Gear%99&Cat1ID=&Cat2ID=&Cat3ID=&brandID=&keywords=&New=False&Closeout=False&page=1

On pants hangers: http://www.yourhomebasedmom.com/organizing-ribbon/

On spools, stacked on dowels inside jars

In ziploc baggies, in boxes or hanging

Cropper Hopper ribbon spool drawer: http://store.scrapbook.com/ch-ch92410.html

On the spool on a tension rod - you can put this in any open space, between furniture, in the open shelves of an Expedit, even in a window or door frame! http://www.littlebit.com/storage/ribbon-storage.htm

Now, if you couldn't find a working solution in one of those links, you're helpless. Seriously. Just chuck your ribbon out the window and have it done with. Just kidding - send it to me instead!

My solutions have evolved over the years. I first started out with ribbon in the Cropper Hopper embellishment boxes. Problem is, if your ribbon is over 3/8" wide, it won't fit.

So, I had my wider ribbon on ribbon cards from Magistical Memories in a large ArtBin box.

I loved this system, but the Artbin boxes take up a LOT of room. My third system was on dowels on a pegboard. I took everything off the spools when I reorganized and used my pegboard rack for tape instead:

I was really getting tired of looking in 3 places for one ribbon. So I combined them all into the card system, but using clear plastic shoeboxes instead. One color per box, it's sooo easy to find what I'm looking for:

Some of the cards are from Magistical Memories - the others I just made myself from cheap chipboard I've hoarded. Each ribbon is secured with a glass-head straight pin.

So that's how all my "true" ribbon is stored. For fibers and floss, I use the floss cards in floss boxes, divided up into multiple colors per box:

My felt "ribbons" that come on rolls (or that can be made into rolls!) is stored in a Pottery Barn craft center. I don't know if they still make these, I purchase mine at an outlet. My paper "frills" are in here too:

I keep all my colored twine in rolls in a metal basket. Basket is from Hobby Lobby.

My Scrappers Floss is in a basket as well - also from Hobby Lobby (yes, I love their baskets - I like even more that they frequently have them on sale for half off!).

One more basket (do you see a theme here?) - my Magic Mesh and the like also go in my ribbon cabinet. If I forget to put away one of my baskets, no big deal, they're just as pretty sitting on the countertop.

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. One 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 ribbons are no longer a tangled mess - you did it! Go get some cheesecake (the good kind with the gooey strawberry sauce) and get ready for next week - it's stamping time!

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 11

2009-08-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hellllllooooo, scrappers! Welcome to Week 11 - now that we have your alphas all neat and tidy, we're going to work on getting those NON-ALPHA stickers and rub ons organized. This Challenge should be pretty quick and easy - even for those of you who are swimming in stickers.

First off - this is a great, and I repeat - GREAT time to purge. I'm sure you have some Sandylion sheets from 1984 lying in your stash somewhere. Give them to the kids, let them decorate the dog. Are you really going to use those fuzzy "Princess" stickers on ANY of your layouts for your 4 boys? Give them to a friend. Remember - the fewer stickers you have, the fewer you'll have to put away (or sort through looking for the right one!).

Once again, I'm combining stickers and rub ons in the same category. Because I feel they're essentially the same thing. There's only a few ways to organize them - by theme, manufacturer, or design element (ie, accents, journaling, borders, etc). Go with how your creative mind works when you scrap - do you look for a journaling box or a princess crown? Once you figure that out, then you can move on to WHAT to store them in.

Below is my link list for the week of storage options for stickers and rub ons. Please note that 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.

Acid free envelopes

Cropper Hopper Paper/Sticker Binder (PSB): http://www.amazon.com/Style-Sticker-3-Ring-Zippered-Binder/dp/B00164ABF8

Magazine or paper files

Multi-drawer chests: http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.jsp?CATID=cat2051&PRODID=xprd74098

On hooks on pegboard or slatwall

Sticker Stadium: http://www.stickerstadium.com/

3-ring notebook with page protectors

Clip-It-Up: http://www.clipitup.com/ They have the original, plus some new variations released at CHA. One of the best tips, tho - if you Google "homemade clip it up" you will find hundreds, if not thousands, of web pages from crafty scrapbookers who have devised their own systems, from spinning racks to wall-mounted rods. If you like things hanging from hooks, where you can see your entire stash, this is a great solution. You can also use rings instead of clip hooks, I love this solution: http://pinkpaislee.wordpress.com/2009/03/16/alphabet-storage/ and this one too: http://outtathisfunk.blogspot.com/2008/01/sticker-gripper.html

Hanging file folders

Expandable file

Stacked in baskets or bins

ScrapRack: http://www.thescraprack.com/

Cropper Hopper divided storage box: http://www.hancockfabrics.com/Cropper-Hopper-Divided-Storage-Box---Frost-9-Hx15-5-Wx9-25-D-Storage_stcVVproductId47596073VVcatId539864VVviewprod.htm

Whichever method you go with - make sure it accommodates your current AND future stash, makes sense with your scrapping methods, protects your stickers and rub ons, and is easy to flip through to get what you want!

My solution has worked for me for about 10 years now, I haven't had a need to change it. I use good ol' PSBs, with my stickers and rub-ons divided up by themes - such as boy, baby, nature, celebrations, etc. If there is no true theme, then I file it under accents. I just keep the PSBs in a cabinet with the spines labeled with small tags. The interiors are further divided up by labeled dividers if I have more than one theme in a binder.

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.

Your sticker and rub on collection is no longer in a heap on the floor. Yay! Now go de-sticker the poor dog and I'll see you back here for Week 12, it's ribbon time!

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 10

2009-07-27T07:00:00.017-05:00

Welcome back, my die-hard organizers! Feeling better yet? I hope so! This week we're going to focus on ALPHAS - I'm talking stickers, Thickers, rub-ons, metal, chipboard, acrylic, you name it. If it's a letter, we're going to find a place for it this week.

What I've come across here is that there are really 2 different animals - there are stickers and rub ons, which are pretty uniform in size and stackability, and then 3-D letters (metals, chipboard, etc) which really have to be stored in a different manner. Because you're not going to be able to cram a can of KI Soup alphas in a filing cabinet with your Thickers. It just isn't going to work very well.

So let's see HOW to store the alphas first (both categories can work here). You can sort by color - which I find the easiest method for stickers/rub ons. You can sort by material type - which may be the way to go with the 3D alphas. You can sort by manufacturer. Or you can sort by letter for the 3D alphas. It's really up to you and the way you scrap. Systems can be mixed and matched as well - all my sticker and rub on alphas are stored by color, my "sets" of 3D alphas are stored by color, and the remaining 3D alphas are stored by letter. It works for me!

So WHERE to store your alphas? Let's tackle stickers/rub ons first. To me, any alpha set that is attached to a flat sheet is a sticker. So the Basic Grey chipboard sheets are stickers in my book - even though they are made of chipboard. If I can't easily remove them to store on their own, then it's a sticker. So here is my mega-list of links, please check them out and see if you can find a solution that will work for you and your space. Please note that 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.

Clip-It-Up: http://www.clipitup.com/ They have the original, plus some new variations released at CHA. One of the best tips, tho - if you Google "homemade clip it up" you will find hundreds, if not thousands, of web pages from crafty scrapbookers who have devised their own systems, from spinning racks to wall-mounted rods. If you like things hanging from hooks, where you can see your entire stash, this is a great solution. You can also use rings instead of clip hooks, I love this solution: http://pinkpaislee.wordpress.com/2009/03/16/alphabet-storage/ and this one too: http://outtathisfunk.blogspot.com/2008/01/sticker-gripper.html
3-ring notebook or a Crop-In-Style Paper/Sticker Binder: http://store.scrapbook.com/psbbinblac.html
Vertical paper or magazine holders
On hooks in pegboard or slatwall
12x12 multi-drawer chests: http://www.stacksandstacks.com/iris-3-drawer-tabletop-plastic-chest/
Expandable files - great for crops!
Hanging file folders in a rolling cart or a file drawer
Stacked in a bin, basket or box - this works great for the "books" of alphas, like Making Memories rub ons
Cropper Hopper divided storage box: http://www.cropperhopper.com/dividedstoragebox-7x10.aspx

For 3D alphas, you need to figure out how you want to store your alphas - by color, set, letter, material. This will help you decide on what kind of storage you need and what size. Options include:

Zip top bags on clip it ups
Small jars in 3-drawer chests
Hardware cabinets: http://hand-tools.hardwarestore.com/70-420-storage-cabinets-small/storage-cabinet-603483.aspx?utm_source=nextag&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=603483&utm_campaign=nextag
In bags in photo boxes
Tilt bins: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000J07R8E
Floss organizers: http://www.amazon.com/Floss-Caddy-Compartment-7-x10-1-x1-1/dp/B000ZDME1A/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1244335028&sr=1-3
IKEA Fira drawers: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80073304
Muffin tins - this one is for buttons, but I've seen alphas organized by letter this way too: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wychbury/3193942747/
Spice jars or open bowls
Zip N Flip: http://store.scrapbooking-warehouse.com/278904.htm
Tackle box
Labeled envelopes - I've seen these glued to an address book by letter as well, but I think it could get bulky pretty fast

So now you know some options, here are the systems I found that worked for me.

I have a serious addiction to letter stickers (to the point that I really should have an intervention). I have found a working solution tho - I have 2 file drawers dedicated to stickers and rub ons. These hold all my non-book style alphas - I have them behind plastic divider tabs, sorted by color:

For my multi-colored alphas (meaning there are multiple colors on the alphas themselves or on the sheets), I ran out of room in my file drawers (oops!) and started stacking them in nice baskets (purchased at Hobby Lobby) on my shelf:

I also keep any insanely-large monograms up on the shelf there as well.

For my booklets of rub ons (this does NOT include my AC Mini Marks, I think those are flat enough to go in my file drawers), I found this beautiful carved wooden planter in the garden section of Hobby Lobby in their summer clearance:

So those are my sticker/rub on solutions. For my 3D alphas, I sort first by set. If they come in a complete matching color and font set (like Chip Chatter or the Making Memories tiles), then I put the sets into zip top baggies (jewelry section of Hobby Lobby) and store the baggies by color in cheap photo boxes:

Each box holds one color, so I can grab it fast and not have to sort through it. These are also great kid-proof options - my baby loved teething on these bags! Then it got to the point where I'd come in the room and find 7-8 boxes opened, baggies everywhere - they're now taped shut with 2 short pieces of masking tape. He can't budge it, and I just need to remove one piece of tape to flip open the top.

Now, for my alphas that either aren't in sets (like most of the KI lines (with the exception of the Soups), which have the same font but the patterns don't match at all), or my naked chipboard, I divide those up by letter. I started with the hardware bin about 15 years ago, then moved on to the IKEA Fira drawers about 7 years ago, and in my new space have the Crop-In-Style type cubes (from Target). Simply because I needed the room!

Each alpha has it's own drawer. All types of materials are mixed in here.

I would advise against breaking up sets if you submit layouts for publishing a lot - unless you have a really good memory of what's what.

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. One exception - rub ons.

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

Your alphas are now tidy and snug in their new little beds. Congratulations! Now go drool on your pretty organized Thickers (you know you want to) and meet me back here (sans drool) for Week 11.

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 9

2009-07-20T07:00:00.000-05:00

I won't lie to you. This week is not going to be nearly as much fun as last week. It's going to be time consuming, involve a lot of curse words as tiny objects fall from your grasp for the thousandth time, and will require a lot of decisions. But it will be oh-so-worth-it in the end. We're talking embellishments this week. Get your Challenge hats on, this one will be a doozy.

I think the biggest issue with embellishments is that there are SO many - different colors, types, uses, you name it. It's nearly impossible to find one single solution that fits everything. Which means that in this case, it's ok to mix and match. What works for your Primas may not work for your buttons. They don't have to. As long as you know WHERE to get what you need, and HOW to get it, then all is good. That's what organization is all about - finding your supplies.

First off - HOW are you going to organize your embellishments? This depends on how you scrap - your main choices are by color or by type. When you're looking for an embellie, do you think "I need something red over here?" COLOR sorting may be the way to go - all your red embellies go in one bin, green in another, etc. If you're looking for an embellie and think "A button would look great in the corner," then sorting by TYPE may work best for you. Make a decision, and that will guide your storage options.

I think the best way to tackle storage is by giving you all a lot of storage options and then showing what I've come up with for each type of embellishment. I'll try to tackle it embellishment by embellishment, so if I leave something off, please let me know - I'll be more than happy to add it to the list. And if you have found a great solution, PLEASE post it - the more the merrier!! Keep in mind your stash as well - a few brads will easily fit in a tackle box. If you hoard, you'll need to move up to jars. As before, please note that 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.

General storage for all kinds of little goodies:

Sliding storage cases: http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=65/85173&prodCatId=377489&mode=Browsing&erec=1&Ne=90000&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&N=377489&tabId=2&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&sd=Sliding+Storage+Cases

Cropper Hopper Embellishment Boxes: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/image/scraproom/1226601.html
Glass or plastic jars in drawers: http://www.containerandpackaging.com/itemlist.asp?itemtype=Clear_Jars
Small ziptop baggies (look in the jewelry section of stores like Hobby Lobby)
Empty film cannisters

Tic Tac-style containers: http://shop.scrapbooks.com/un-3058085.html

Spice jars on spice racks - revolving or magnetic/wall mounted

Multi-drawer chest

Photo storage box

Craftlocker: http://www.craftlocker.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=2
Tackle box or a travel system: http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.F183006.desc.Creative-Options-Stow-n-Go-Rack-System/walk.yah.M228~E880~E810~E811

Tilt bins: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000J07R8E
Floss organizers: http://www.amazon.com/Floss-Caddy-Compartment-7-x10-1-x1-1/dp/B000ZDME1A/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1244335028&sr=1-3
Hardware cabinets: http://hand-tools.hardwarestore.com/70-420-storage-cabinets-small/storage-cabinet-603483.aspx?utm_source=nextag&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=603483&utm_campaign=nextag
Ikea Fira mini chest: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80073304

Cropper Hopper Zip N Flip: http://store.scrapbooking-warehouse.com/278904.html

Close To My Heart Embellishment Organizer: http://www.craftcritique.com/2008/06/close-to-my-heart-embellishment-storage.html

Making Memories Embellishment Storage Box: http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/making-memories--embellishment-storage-box--white You could also use a jewelry box!

Watchmaker cases: http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&cat=1,43326&p=44948
Stackable storage:
http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.F182613.desc.Ultimate-Stacker-Storage---Red-Square/walk.yah.M228~E880~E810~E811

Magpie tins - originally for Quikutz, but really are versatile: http://www.scrapbookexpress.com/qumaneti.html

Rolling carts: http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.F167185.desc.Cropper-Hopper-Home-Storage-Rolling-Organizer--0-Drawer/walk.yah.M228~E880~E810~E811

Display Dynamics Storage Drawers: http://www.jennycraft.com/Display-Dynamics-Starter-Combo-Pack-12x12/M/B001AOY0V0.htm
Container Store compartmentalized boxes: http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Product.jhtml?searchId=20640998&itemIndex=3&CATID=230&PRODID=71884 These come in many different sizes!

Craft Mates organizers: http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.F155199.desc.Ezy-Snappin-Mega-Canvas-Craft-Organizer/walk.yah.M228~E880~E810~E811

Pegboard or slat wall with hanging bins

Round caddys: http://scrapmasters-inc.amazonwebstore.com/LoRan-Big-Caddy-9-Compartments/M/B000XAJJ54.htm?traffic_src=froogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=froogle

Pill boxes - check the $1 spot at Target as well: http://www.allegromedical.com/daily-living-aids-c519/invacare-large-7-day-pill-box-p550036.html?engine=froogle&utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=feed&CS_003=9164468&CS_010=ff80808111238d9d011124e24a547c48

Craft Kit Company: http://www.ladybugbeads.net/cart_department_thumbnail.asp?Dept_ID=3440&NavButton=05
Mini Stackables:
http://www.bestscrapbookshelf.com/?action=view_catalog&Join_ID=176727

By Embellishment:

Brads: I have 3 systems for my brads.

First system: my general, run-of-the-mill brads are divided by color and shape into the multi-compartment containers from the Container Store. I keep them labeled and stacked in a drawer. If I need a brad, I use a pair of craft tweezers to get the one I want out:

Second system: my large brads go in large glass cannister jars. These are from the glass storage section at Hobby Lobby.

Finally - fancy brads are divided up by type (velvet, fabric, stripes, etc) into small plastic containers from Container and Packaging (link is above). The jars are thick clear plastic and are slightly shorter than 3" - which means they sit beautifully in the 3-drawer units from Sterilite! I used to house them in those drawers, I now have them in a single drawer in my scrap space:

Notice that I store them upside down - makes it easy to see what's in each container, no?

A unique idea I found, I've never seen this before! Very clever. http://creatingkeepsakesblog.com/2009/03/10/storage-solution-brad-boards/

Primas:

I know these little flowers give people fits! I think they'd be easy to store if they didn't come in such pretty packaging - you want to keep the jars, but it's hard to find anything in those mixes. My solution - first, sort by color. ALL the flowers. Then divide up by size within the colors - my larger flowers go into these beautiful glass cookie jars from Hobby Lobby:

My smaller flowers go into the original Prima jars, but this time - by color!

For packaged flowers - like Petaloo, or the fancy Prima flowers - I keep them in the original packaging, stacked on end in my drawer. Nothing special, but it works. You could easily do this in a pretty bin or basket as well.

For smaller stashes, a clip-it-up type system might work great: http://sarahs-scrap-book.blogspot.com/2008/05/blossom-and-ribbon-storage.html

Dew drops/Skittles: I keep these in their original containers as well. I found a pretty fabric-lined basket and just keep it in a drawer with my packaged flowers. It's easy to sort through the basket to find the right color.

Another solution - spice jars: http://triplethescraps.blogspot.com/2009/03/organizational-friday-buttons-dew-drops.html

Eyelets: Stored in the same Container Store boxes as my brads in a different drawer. Sorted by size first, then by shape and then by color.

Buttons:

I LOVE buttons. I love seeing them almost as much as using them! I think they add fun to a space. I have mine stored in glass cookie jars from Hobby Lobby, sorted by color:

For my fancier buttons (shaped, wooden, etc), I store them in the same small jars as my brads in a shallow drawer:

I have also seen them stored in shallow bowls or baskets, which is really cute. If you go to crops, re-using tins may be a good alternative: http://triplethescraps.blogspot.com/2009/03/organizational-friday-buttons-dew-drops.html

Rhinestones:

These are tricky, since some are stickers technically, some are not. I have my loose ones in the containers from the Container Store. I store that container - along with my packaged rhinestones - in a small milkcrate of sorts from Hobby Lobby. The crate goes on a shelf:

Miscellaneous STUFF:

All those little things that really don't fit into any categories. Wooden pieces, photo corners, metals, sequins, acrylic pieces, glass slides. I use the same small containers as the fancy buttons in the Sterilite drawers - but I removed those drawers from the main unit and stack them in my drawers instead.

Now, I just gave you a lot of information. A LOT. I don't want you to zone out on me here, and get overloaded. If you feel overwhelmed, go get your original list - your what works/what doesn't, and your brainstorming list. Now check those against the solutions I've offered here. You can probably immediately cross a ton of options off your list based on things you've tried before and didn't work, or your stash size, or because things that spin scare you. Go to crops a lot? Cross off any system that won't travel well.

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.

Congratulations, you're no longer sucking up gallons of brads and eyelets every time you vacuum! Tell Mr. Duchovny it's time for your massage and we'll meet back here for Week 10 - it's alphabet time!

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 8

2009-07-13T07:00:00.007-05:00

This week's Challenge is near and dear to my heart, because I wrestled with a solution for so many years and just recently found a great solution. I'm talking about projects, unfinished pages, and kits. We ALL have them - pages that need a little something but you don't know what, so it gets put aside. Monthly kits that come in and get stashed on top of a desk, only to be lost under piles. Projects that you intend to start, but can't find the rest of the supplies for so they just sit there. I have some suggestions that will hopefully work for you - they may or may not, so if anyone else has found a great working solution, post it as well!

My idea is a take-off of Stacy Julian's "Start Here" jar from Photo Freedom. What you will need (please note that 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):

1. Some sort of enclosing system to hold 12x12 paper and elements. Some options include:
Zip lock bags: http://cgi.ebay.com/50-NEW-ZIP-LOCK-PLASTIC-BAGS-13-X-15-X-2MIL-ORGANIZE_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ65Q3a12Q7c66Q3a2Q7c39Q3a1Q7c72Q3a1205Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a1Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem588150e83cQQitemZ380126685244QQptZLHQ5fDefaultDomainQ5f0QQsalenotsupported

Craft Keepers: http://www.amazon.com/Craft-Keeper-12x12-Poly-Envelope/dp/B000BY4QD2
Snap-top Iris boxes: http://www.stacksandstacks.com/iris-storage-box-snap-case-snt/
3-drawer chests: http://www.stacksandstacks.com/sterilite-3-drawer-organizer-clearview-wide-20938003/?id=176&sku=11565&utm_medium=shoppingengine&utm_source=googlebase
Page protectors
Expandable files: http://www.shopwiki.com/_Cropper+Hopper+Expandable+Paper+Organizer-Clear
Planning folders: http://store.scrapbook.com/cmp-04972.html
Paper pouches: http://www.save-on-crafts.com/cropperhopper3.html

Note that some of the options are better suited for pages (ie, they won't hold bulky embellishments), while others will be better for projects or kits. I bought a 50 pk of bags off of Ebay for pretty cheap - they're 13x15", so they'll hold larger supplies, and they're thick enough not to tear. I don't need 50 bags right now, but I'm sure I'll find other uses for them, and they're cheaper in bulk than the large ziplocs you find at the grocery store. You can also split them with your friends, or use them for page kits. I use the Iris boxes for my larger projects (like baby albums) - I like that they stack and I can put a ton of stuff - including memorabilia - in them.

2. A way to store these enclosing systems. A bin, box, tiered skirt hangers, filing cabinet or upright holders (such as Cropper Hopper paper files) will work. If you're using page protectors, look into 3-ring binders. I went with the Cropper Hopper vertical paper holders. They hold the 13x15" ziploc bags beautifully.

3. Popsicle sticks. Raid your rub-on packs or your kid's art supplies.

4. A small can or jar to hold the sticks. I use a small wooden planter.

5. A black pen.

6. Your label maker (which should be permanently attached to your hip at this point).

How to do it: Place each one of your unfinished projects, layout, kits, etc in its own bag/container. Each bag gets a label - start with #1 and move up. You can label larger projects individually (ie, Baby Album). At the end, everything should be in a matching container so you can pull one out with ease. Place all these containers in numerical order in the larger bin or basket. So for my system, I have my ziploc bags labeled and stashed in the Cropper Hopper vertical files. I also use the Iris cases for my larger projects:

Grab your popsicle sticks. For each number on your bag, put the same number on your popsicle stick. This goes for your projects as well. So you should have a "1" popsicle stick, "2", etc and one labeled "Baby Album" (for example). Use as many sticks as you have bags/projects. Here are my sticks, feel free to dress them up:

Once you have all your sticks labeled, put them in your jar:

Ok, great! So now you have a jar full of popsicle sticks and you're probably thinking I'm nuts. Well, a little, but that's ok. This jar is going to be your little scrap angel who gets you moving in the right direction when you don't know where to begin. You know those moments - when you have 2 hours of freedom, you walk into your CLEAN scrap space, and think "OMG where do I start?" and log on to 2Peas instead and kill your 2 hours dead. You will not be doing that anymore. Instead, you're going to pull out a stick - randomly. Say your stick says "#6." Go to your bins and grab bag #6. It may be the kit you got in the mail yesterday - go find some pics and create a layout with it. It may be the page you set aside last August - finish that baby up! Work each project as long as you have time, and then re-file it when it's done - or keep on working if you have the mojo. Once the file is cleared out, recycle that bag for the next project or finished page. Or if you get stuck again, just re-file it - you'll come back to it next time you choose that stick. And you don't HAVE to use the sticks everytime - your system is now organized enough that you can flip through everything you have in-progress and choose a project that matches your mood. Isn't organization wonderful? Aaaahhh.

I want to quickly share one neat tip I found to keep track of your kits - take a picture of each one with all the contents spread out. You can then keep this with the kit itself (so you don't have to search through the whole kit), or in a separate notebook. And if you want to keep track of everything that you have page-wise, here's a very cool download I found from Becky Higgins. It will help you keep track of what's missing what.

http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com/articles/Download_Sbk_Pgs_ToDo

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!

Congratulations, your piles of projects, kits and pages have now been tamed! Raaar! Go relax with a latte and I'll see you back here for Week 9 - be ready ladies, we're going to get those embellishments in order!

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 7

2009-07-06T07:00:00.005-05:00

Welcome to Week 7! Wow, you guys have come so far, thanks for sticking it out with me. Hopefully you're starting to see some progress by now and you might even be able to see a glimpse of your scrap table! This week we're going to focus on one of my favorite topics - IDEAS! I love this topic because it took me years and years to find a system that works, but I finally did get organized and it's made me very happy. Not calorie-free cheesecake kind of happy, but still happy.

Thankfully, there are really only 2 sources where we can get layout ideas - print and digital. You can go all print, all digital, or a mix of both. It really depends on how you scrap - do you have access to a computer when you're scrapping? If not, you may want everything in print. But if you have more room on your hard drive than in your scrap space, or if most of your inspiration comes from online sources, then digital may be the way to go.

First off - HOW to organize your ideas. I found the best way to do this is by theme. This will work for both print and digital. What exactly do you pull out for ideas? Let that be your guide. Some possibilities include titles, journaling, photography, layouts (theme or by number of photos), quotes, tips and tricks, techniques, color, designs, basics/accents, borders, card ideas and mats. You can have any number of categories that work for you - as long as you'll know where to go for that idea. You know best how your mind works. One caveat - do NOT have a "misc" category. It's a catch-all and really useless - you'll never reference it!

Second - now that you know how to divide up your stack, let's talk storage options. If you go digital, well, you're set! Print has a lot more options. Here are some solutions I've found (please note that 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):

Put ideas in 3-ring binders, with or without page protectors, divided by category
On note cards in a Cropper Hopper photo case: http://store.scrapbooking-warehouse.com/272764.html
Upright in magazine holders (if you decide to keep the magazines)
On notecards in photo storage boxes or note card files: http://www.thegreathardwarestore.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=294272&click=2744
In a mini photo album
Tacked up on a large corkboard/"inspiration board"

Choose the best method that will not only fit your space, but also the way you tend to look for ideas.

Now, the dreaded topic of magazines. I think there are 3 camps of scrappers here. Those who tear out ideas and toss the magazines. Those who either flag the articles in the magazines or are so into them they know every article and idea. And those who keep the mags because of hoarding issues, haven't looked at them in 5 years, but are petrified to toss them. I used to be #3 until I realized that my bookcase full of magazines could be holding scrap supplies instead. That gave me enough incentive to go through them and only keep what I needed. Because seriously - have you checked out the September 1991 issue of Creating Keepsakes? Will you REALLY reference anything in that magazine? I hope not! If you do decide to keep the magazines, one option to organize them is with colored sticky notes. You could assign one color per topic and flag the layouts or articles appropriately. That way, you have the best of both worlds - keep your mags and still have your ideas organized! Most magazines also offer a yearly reference, you could use those as a guide instead of using a tagging system. Personally, I prefer tearing out ideas - I found it was much easier to flip through an idea book essentially tailor-made for me, rather than several magazines that had a handful of what I was looking for. It's saved me a lot of time over the years, even though the setup was fairly time consuming (I had a backlog of 10 years of magazines to go through!) But once it was up and running, it was great. Whatever you decide is up to you. Just keep in mind - whatever you choose to keep in your space is less room you'll have for other supplies.

What about idea books? One nice thing about books is they don't HAVE to be in your scrap space. You can store them just about anywhere. But what about the ideas inside? With books, you can leave them as is, you can flag them, or you can scan them. I chose to get rid of a large number of my idea books and only keep the ones that are specific to a topic or a technique now. For the remainder, I went through them and scanned any layout ideas I liked. I then edited the scans to fit a 4x6 note card and printed them out. They are filed with the rest of my ideas. It took a little time, but was easy to do - and even better, it's made me VERY selective about the books I buy now, because I don't want to scan more!

My system has 3 parts - layout ideas, general ideas and cards. General ideas and cards have their own 3-ring binders. I use scrap paper and notebook paper to glue my cutout ideas on. Just a quick 3-hole punch and they're off into their respective categories!

My card idea binder has no categories, just ideas.

My idea binder is separated by dividers - once again, just quickly glued in on scrap paper:

Now, for my layout ideas - I LOVE scraplifting. Not so much for the ideas as for image placement - I have such a hard time getting the pics to look "balanced" on a page. So all the layouts I love because of the design are in my Cropper Hopper photo case. It contains 4x6 notecards of all my favorite layouts, divided up by number of photos in a layout. They are in all sizes and orientations - when I go to my idea file, it's because I have a certain number of photos I want to scrap and need ideas on how to lay them out. Size doesn't matter! So, in getting these ideas TO the file, I take these steps. If it's a print idea, I cut it out and paste it to a 4x6 notecard. If the print idea happens to have a sketch as well, the sketch goes on the front and the image of the layout goes on the back. I put the number of photos in the layout in the upper right hand corner so I can re-file it quickly. I also LOVE the 4x6 size, as it's the size of most of my photos - which means if I come across an idea which would be perfect for a set of photos but I'm not ready to scrap them yet, I can stick the card in with the photos - easy solution! If I find ideas online I like, then I save it to my "to print" folder. I use Photoshop Elements to cut and paste the idea onto a 4x6 page and re-save it, deleting the original. When Walgreens has their $0.10 print sale, I do a batch upload and file the pictures when I receive them. If the print image is too large to put on a notecard, I scan it and then edit it to fit on a 4x6 notecard using Elements and save it with my digital images.

Another solution I found - quotes and YOUR layout ideas. My kids are always saying funny/weird things that I want to document. I'm also always getting ideas for layouts - and of course, nothing to write them down on! I found these wonderful spiral bound index cards:
http://www.officemax.com/catalog/sku.jsp?productId=ARS26044&history=wq1xr84dprodPage~15^freeText~note+cards^paramValue~true^refine~1^region~1^param~return_skus@4q55w63cprodPage~15^paramValue~true^refine~1^region~1^categoryName~Cards+%26+Card+Filing^param~return_skus^categoryId~cat270002^return_skus~Y^parentCategoryID~cat_10003
Almost any office supply store has them, in various sizes and colors. I bought about 5 of them - for the rooms my kids play in the most, my car, my purse, and in my nightstand (SO many layout ideas happen as I'm falling asleep!). So once you write something down, the card easily tears out of the pack and the rest stay together - and you can file your quotes in a card file (you can assign different family members different colors if you get the colored cards), and file your layout ideas with your actual photos. This has been a great help to me!

Keeping up with the system - now that's a different animal completely! First off, I have a central location where all my ideas go. Well, 2 actually - one for print, one for digital. On my computer, I have a "to print" folder. If I find any ideas online, they get saved to that folder. If I find print ideas in magazines or the like, I tear them out and put them in a hanging file on my wall labeled "ideas." So the ideas now have a home, at least - which is better than piled up on my dining room table. What I have discovered that works for me is to put my idea filing in my datebook. Just like with photo backup - if it's on my to-do list, it'll get done. For me, I chose the 20th of the month. On that day, I scan in my "too big" print ideas and edit them to 4x6s. Once I get these prints back after uploading on print sale day (usually the next day or so), I label and file all my new images, and cut/paste or hole-punch the ones in my wall file. Within 2-3 days, everything is in its place and I'm ready for a new batch.

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!

Congratulations, your ideas are now all neat and orderly! Go get yourself a well-deserved foot massage and I'll see you back here when we tackle projects, incomplete pages and kits - I'll share another recent discovery of mine, I think you'll love it!

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 6

2009-06-29T07:00:00.000-05:00

It's time to get down and dirty with the mainstays of scrapbooking, our photos. I'll be covering both print and digital at the same time. This is not going to be one of those challenge weeks in which you'll be done by Sunday. But - you WILL have a system in place by then and be on your way to getting your photos in order, and that's what's important. Don't feel rushed on this process. Each step you take will get your closer to your goal, so keep plugging away!

I'm covering print and digital together because I strongly feel that your systems should match. It seems silly to have one method of organizing your print images and then try to remember where you have them stored on your hard drive. If your systems mirror each other, they you'll always know where to look!

So, first let's talk about how to organize your photos. Some good news - you have 2 choices. You can organize chronologically or by subject. See how easy that was? Not painful at all. Now, which one you choose should depend on how you scrap. And you can even combine the 2 if that works for you. I think the vast majority of us think chronologically, even if you don't scrap chronologically, because it's easier to find events when you've lived them - everyone knows what year their first child was born, their wedding day(s), etc. So it makes sense to file your photos of these events accordingly. But - if you do a lot of heritage photos, or photos where the dates really don't mean much to you - organizing by subject or theme may be the way to go. Which ever system you choose to store your print photos by, do the same on the computer. So if you have a box of photos labeled "Great-Aunt Sally", then you should have a folder under "Pictures" on your computer labeled "Great-Aunt Sally" as well. For chronological organizers, go with the year and then month, or you could also sort by year and quarters (ie, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter). Within each month or quarter, you could also break it down into more specific events, if you tend to take a lot of event-based photos. So each print storage will have divided tabs with 1998 Spring, and you'll have a "1998 Spring" folder on your computer as well for those same digital images. Make sense?

If you don't know the date of a photo, you can take a guess. This doesn't have to be hard, and the Photo Police aren't going to haul you off if you mess up. It might help to have a folder for several years of photos (for example, 1970-1975) if you only have a handful of pictures and you don't know the exact dates. It will be close enough to find them when you need them. And that's the main goal of this challenge - not to necessarily have your photos in their exact locations by date or subject, but have them in locations where you'll remember to look for them when you need them! So tweak the system to work with how your mind works.

For those of you ready for a real overhaul, I'm going to recommend Stacy Julian's Library of Memories. Her class on Big Picture Scrapbooking starts next February, but you can do it on your own anytime with the help of her book, Photo Freedom. I just finished her class and it was the best money I have ever spent. The system entails 3 methods of storage:

1. Photo albums, which serve as storage binders for photos to be scrapped. Which means you can easily flip through and view ALL your pictures - no more digging through boxes. And your family can enjoy looking at them in the meantime as well. These photos are all stored chronologically, by year and by quarter. This is a fluid system - photos go out to scrapbook pages, newly printed photos go in their spots in the binders.
2. Card files, which serve to "age" photos and enable you to make connections between seemingly unrelated pictures for more meaningful scrapbooking. Photos in this file are sorted by themes and categories, with dates not being an issue. I found several pictures of my 2 kids doing the same thing, wearing the same clothes, or playing with the same toys but in different years. I could not have discovered those easily if the photos were stored by year in boxes. But with my file, they were stored together in my "play" category, which enabled me to find them quickly and do a really neat layout.
3. Photo boxes, which are termed "cold storage." These are photos which you do not want to scrap, really don't have a place in your card file, but you also don't want to toss them, either. I have a lot of photos in here from my childhood - homes I lived in for just a while, my pet mice (which only live 2 years, so they don't make a huge impact in your life, but they were cute!), some pictures of my old garden. These photos are out of the way and out of mind - they're no longer clutter.

If this system sounds like it will work for you, I wholeheartedly recommend Stacy's book - give it a try. If you are still struggling, then sign up for her class in 2010. It will really change your scrapbooking.

Now that the infomercial is done, where to actually store all your photos, now that you know how to organize them? There are several options for print photos - I'll give you some links, and then I'll tell you about my favorite method. Please note that 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. Whichever products you decide on, make sure they're archivally safe for photos if you intend to store them long-term. If you're housing them short term until you can scrap them, then it's not so much an issue.

Good ol' photo storage boxes: http://www.exposuresonline.com/ExposuresOnline/Browsing/Category.aspx?CID=PHOTO%20STORAGE&SCID=Shoeboxes There are literally thousands of types out there, from expensive linen, to moderately priced ones at Pottery Barn, to $1.50 ones at Hobby Lobby.
The Memory Dock system: http://www.memorydock.com/ They also have a great drawer unit for oversized prints.
Creative Memories Power Sort system: http://www.creativememories.com/MainMenu/Our-products-and-services/Traditional-Scrapbooking/Organizers/Power%E2%84%A2-Sort-System Cropper Hopper Photo Organization system: http://www.cropperhopper.com/photostorage.aspx
Expandable photo organizers: http://www.windycityscrapbooking.com/vmchk/Miscellaneous-Organization/51-4X6-Photo-Organizer-Mimi.html
Rubbermaid photo storage box: http://www.rubbermaid.com/rubbermaid/product/product.jhtml?prodId=HPProd100285
Index card files: http://www.successimage.com/cat--Card-Files--CardFiles
Photo Albums: http://www.archivalusa.com/k-stc-46.html
Stack photos in fabric, metal or woven bins
4-drawer wooden cube units: http://www.stylefeeder.com/i/qr49nvc4/4-Drawer-Organizer-Cube-Crop-In-Style

Once you've decided HOW to organize your photos and WHAT to store them in, let's go on to the actual process of organizing. I won't lie to you - this is going to be only slightly less painful than a root canal. But like a root canal, once it's done, it's DONE! So, grab your novacaine, and here we go:

First - grab all your photos. Ones in boxes, in albums, still in the envelopes from Walgreens, the ones you were going to take to a crop 4 months ago, the stack that you blackmail your children with. Every last photograph.

Second - find the biggest, baddest table you can. You're going to sort these photos into stacks by year if organizing chronologically, or by subject if you're going that route. If you have a LOT of photos (like 20+ years), start in decades first, then move on to the individual years. You should have a good pile for each year/subject when you're done. If you're organizing by subject, then skip to the final step. Just like any other scrap supply, this is also a good time to purge. Remember, this is just ink on paper - it can go in the trash, it's ok. Toss out photos that are blurry, dark, have a huge thumb in the middle, or ones you just don't want anymore. It's ok to toss. Trust me.

Third - once it's narrowed down to year, grab a pile and sort by month. A lot of times, you'll have no idea on the date. One option is to guess by the season in the photo. If that doesn't work, see if you can find the original image on your computer if it's a printed digital photo. They will usually have a date stamp.

Finally - label your dividers and start filling your containers with the appropriate photos. Once your container is full, put it back in your space. Make sure to label the outside of your container with the dates or subject as well.

Digital organization is a lot less messy! My best advice is to get some sort of tagging software - I use Windows Photo Gallery in Vista for PC, I've heard iPhoto in Mac is wonderful. Picasa, Adobe Bridge and Adobe Photoshop Elements also have tagging. What is tagging? Exactly what it sounds like - you are going to put a digital label on your photo. So all your photos of Princess the cat are going to have a "Princess" tag on them. You can tag any photo with any label that will help you narrow down and find that photo later on. So if you are trying to locate the photo of your daughter Roxy playing with Princess, and can't remember the date or even the year on that picture, you can do a search in your tagging program for "Princess Roxy" and it will pull up every single image on your computer with those 2 tags that you placed on it. Pretty neat, huh? In addition, some programs - like Windows Photo Gallery - have a star rating system, from no stars to 5 stars. I know a lot of scrappers like to "judge" their photos using this system. For me, I use all or none. If it's a photo I loved enough to get printed, it gets 5 stars. If it's a photo I like but will likely never display nor scrap, but I don't want to delete it, it gets no stars, so I know I never printed it. If I want to pull up all the photos I printed in Spring 2008, all I have to do is click on my Spring 2008 photo and pull up my 5 stars. Easy!

I know that organizing your digital collection is likely the most overwhelming task in this entire challenge, so take baby steps. Do it in 15 minute chunks - not enough time to drive you batty, but enough time so that you can make a serious dent in your filing and tagging. First step - if organizing chronologically, set up your folders by year and then subfolders by month/quarter. Other methods - set up folders the way it makes sense to you (person, place, thing, etc). That will take you 15 minutes or less, and look how cool that already looks!!! It already feels like you've made a difference. Then start slowly, one "old" folder at a time, moving your photos to their new home. Once the "old" folder is empty, delete it Soon, you'll have more photos in your new system than old! When your photos are in their new homes, then go back and revisit the pictures in each folder. Set up your tag system (I found this easiest to do as I went along, since you never know what tags you're going to need), and place the appropriate tags on each picture. 15 minutes a day, and you'll slowly but surely make progress. You can do this!!!

Here are some tips to keeping up with your newly organized system:

1. Set a regular date to download your photo card and print your images. It can be weekly, monthly, quarterly - whatever works for you. Put it in your datebook or your calendar. Treat it like any other thing on your schedule - getting your teeth cleaned, giving your dog heartworm meds, getting a pedicure. If it's on your to-do list, then get it done. I have mine monthly on the 1st of every month - I download my card and edit my photos on the 1st, upload and order from my online print service on the 2nd. Super quick and easy. Since I do it monthly, I don't have a huge amount of photos, either - which makes it easier on the budget as well.
2. Always, always date your photos on the back. It sounds time consuming, but it really isn't. Get a Staz-On black ink pad and a cheap date stamp from an office supply store. Use your digital date stamp on your original image on the computer as a guide. I usually group all my photos together by the same date, flip them over, cascade them (overlap slightly), and just stamp stamp stamp. Takes me maybe 10 minutes to do 200 photos. I upload once a month, so that's 10 minutes of your time once a month to date your photos. Not a huge commitment, huh?
3. Once you get your photos dated, file them. Put them in their appropriate container or in an addressed envelope, if they're going to family or friends. The less time they spend on your scrap space, the less chance they'll have to become clutter.
4. I cannot stress this enough - back up your photos! Use at least 2 different methods and 2 different locations. There are many options - external hard drives, CDs, online backups solutions are a few. I backup each of my quarterly photos on CD once I'm done with that folder. I also subscribe to an online service which automatically backs up the folders I tell it to once a week. This is a huge load off of my mind. You computer WILL crash at some point - it's not a matter of "if," but a matter of "when." So take steps now to protect your photos.

Here are the photos of my storage system. I love it. It has completely rejuvenated my scrapbooking - it's so easy to find whatever photos I want to scrap, that I've been overwhelmed with ideas lately. Which is a good thing!

These are my storage binders. Like Photo Freedom suggests, I limit myself to 15 - if I have more pictures than binders, then it means I need to start scrapping more. Every photo I intend to scrap goes in these binders.

A close up of my system. The binders house years, divided up into quarters by season. They're also numbered on the bottom so I can put them back on the shelf quickly and easily. These are the 3-up, 3-ring binders from Pioneer. Not beautiful to look at, but they're a real workhorse. The 3-ring binder aspect is especially important - you can get bound albums for much, much cheaper, but then you can't remove or re-shuffle pages when you clear out a good chunk of your binder. And that's pretty important.

A typical binder interior. Can you see now how easy this is? Suppose I'm in the mood to scrap, I have 20 minutes until I need to leave to pick up the kid from school. I pull out a binder and pull out a kit - either one you've purchased or one you've assembled ahead of time. Flip through the binder until you get a good color match, and viola! You're already halfway done with a layout. Isn't that cool?

These are my Memory Dock drawers. I think they've been discontinued, but you may find some on clearance. They house any photos that are larger or smaller than 4x6. I'm not totally thrilled with these - the drawers are hard to pull out - but I don't access them a lot so it's ok.

These are my category drawers. Just metal card files from Staples. I have photos by theme in here - you store photos in ways to make connections, not necessarily event-based. So a lot of my non-scrapped extra photos from a certain event can be placed in these drawers - like my son eating Easter candy could be put under "food," instead of "Easter." I also have personality categories to house all those quirks about my kids...like my oldest will turn just about anything into a hat. Those pictures go in the "hats" divider in his personality tab. Or all the photos I have of him sucking his thumb - I have a "thumb" category as well. For future blackmail, I have a "tantrum" category - I really hope that comes in handy someday.

A close up of one of the drawers. I don't have a ton of photos in them - the idea is to be selective and let the drawers grow and evolve over time.

Finally, these are the cold storage boxes. They used to house my entire photo collection - I had 20 boxes of photos. And even though they were organized by date, you can imagine how UNinspired I was to scrap - just the thought of going through all 20 boxes to find some pictures, no thank you! I now have these 3 as "cold storage," meaning they house photos that I don't want to scrap, don't have a place in my category drawers, and I don't want to toss out. They are loosely organized in here and out of my way, which is exactly how I need them to be. If I ever DO need them, I know where to find them.

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 photo dilemma has now been solved. Congratulations! Go give David Duchovny a kiss for me and I'll see you back here for Week 7.

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 5

2009-06-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

We're going to work on taming your angry hordes of scrap paper this week! I don't know why we feel guilty about tossing a 4" square piece of printed paper that cost less than pennies to produce, but we do. So let's get a handle on the baskets and drawers full of them. If we can't toss 'em, might as well store 'em!

First off - time to get real (oooh, a Dr. Phil moment here!). Are your scraps working for you? Do you even need them, or is guilt just making you save each little piece? If you truly DO use your scraps, then you need to organize. But if you can't think of a reason to keep them - you NEVER touch them, except to move them out of the way - then seriously think about donating them to a charity that can use them, or simply putting them in the recycling bin. This will be one less piece of clutter in your space, and you can take this week off organizing-wise.

If you DO use your scraps, then you need to decide what to keep and what to trash. What constitutes a scrap, anyway? For me, anything less than 12x12 is a scrap (I only scrap 12x12 layouts). So all my 8.5x11 papers, 8x8 papers, etc. go in my scrap drawers. The smallest paper I keep is 2x2 - I almost never use small pieces, so anything less than that size immediately goes in the trash. You may use smaller pieces tho - so decide where to draw the line on keep versus toss, and stick to it.

Once you've decided your guidelines on what to keep, you're going to need to figure out an organizational method. The most common way of organizing scraps is by color - I use red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, black/white, brown and multi. You can also sort them by size, or intended use - like photo mats and borders. Do what works best for you and how you use your scraps.

Let's get to organizing!

1. Dump out all your scraps. Or collect them from your table top, under your chair, the cat's mouth, etc. You want them all in one big lovely messy pile. Resist the urge to play in it - but oh my gosh, wouldn't that rock???

2. Sort into smaller piles by color, shape or whatever system you've come up with. As you're sorting, toss out the following: anything bent, anything too small to use, anything torn, and anything ugly. If you have scraps in odd shapes, trim them up so that they're more usable.

3. Take a good look at your pile sizes. Keep this image in your head as you check out the list of possible solutions below. You're going to look for a container that fits your scrap piles (including future growth), your scrapping style, and your available space.

Here are the options I've found for storing scraps. Check them out, and find one that will work best for you. Please note that 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.

Hanging file folders in a mobile cart or a filing cabinet: http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/185794/Fellowes-Mobile-File-Cube-11-1/

Cropper Hopper vertical organizers, especially the paper packs: http://store.scrapbook.com/l-cn4b.html

If you don't have a lot of scraps, consider storing them with your non-scrap paper stash.

3-drawer wooden chest units: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60073300

A 3-ring binder with page protectors

Expandable file folders: http://www.windycityscrapbooking.com/vmchk/Miscellaneous-Organization/52-12X12-Paper-Organizer-Mimi.html

Multi-bin literature sorters: http://www.pcconnection.com/IPA/Shop/Product/Detail.htm?sku=7726584&oext=1038A&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=7726584

Desktop files: http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=65/85166&prodCatId=377489&mode=Browsing&erec=6&Ne=90000&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&N=377489&tabId=2&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&sd=Paper+%26amp%3B+Page+Angled+File+Holder

Retrospect Paper and Accessory Organizer: http://home-solutions.hsn.com/paper-and-accessory-organizer-12-x-12-frost_pf-744491_xp.aspx?club_id=744491&sz=31&sf=CT0103&rdr=1&cm_mmc=Shopping%20Engine-_-Froogle-_-Crafts%20And%20Sewing-_-2298008&cawelaid=144057882

You can store scraps in envelopes - choose the size based on your pile, and store upright in pretty bins or baskets.

Map chest or drawers for larger collections: http://www.homedecorators.com/detail.php?parentid=6011200&aid=froogle&CAWELAID=201594052

3-drawer plastic units, in 12x12 or 8.5x11 - these are stackable as well, which makes it easy to have one color per drawer: http://www.sterilite.com/ProductDetail.html?ProductId=404&Section=Storage

Put scraps in zip top bags - you can hang them from a Clip It Up, a rod, or a skirt hanger, or sit the bags upright in bins or boxes.

Below are photos of my scrap storage - my map drawer. It's from Pottery Barn and is no longer being made - I was able to snag it at 80% off at an outlet store, I just about screamed like a little girl when I saw it in the warehouse. I have 2 colors per drawer, with the bottom drawer housing all my multi-colored scraps. In each drawer, I have the scraps divided by size. In the larger bins (all of these are from the Container Store: http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Product.jhtml?CATID=74533&PRODID=10012698), I have my larger scrap papers. In front of these bins are my long, skinny border strips. In the middle, 2 smaller bins hold my 2-4" scraps. In front of these middle bins are my photo mats. Each drawer is arranged like this. It took me less than a week to arrange, even with a very grabby infant in the middle of my scrap pile.

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 that 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. One exception - rub ons.

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

Your scrap paper dilemma has now been solved. Congratulations! Grab a lemonade (spiked, if you prefer) and go soak up some sun, I'll see you back here for Week 6.

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 4

2009-06-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

We love it but it's so darned tricky to store because it takes up so much room. I'm talking about all that PAPER! Thankfully, it's fairly simple to organize. You only really have 2 choices - you can go vertical or you can go horizontal. Once you pick your main method, it will help to determine your storage options.

I have done both, and found that I preferred the vertical, especially using the Cropper Hopper paper holders. You can easily flip through the papers to see what you have, you don't have an issue with dust, and all the papers are easily accessible. The only downside is that it takes up horizontal space. If you're tight on room, this may not be the best option for you.

Which leads me to horizontal storage, like paper shelf units. If you have a small space, you only need a 12x12 block of floor space to go with stacked units. You can stack up to the ceiling, and that's pretty nifty. The problems I personally had with horizontal storage was dust on the top sheet, and remembering what I had on the very bottom of each stack. Sometimes I would want that bottom paper and would just say "forget it!" with the thought of taking out all the sheets above it. Which is probably why I kept some stuff from 1991 for so long. I did see a tip to combat the dust issue tho - put a 12x12 page protector on the top sheet of each stack. Problem solved!

So now you know the 2 ways of storing paper, I've got options for both you horizontal and vertical organizers. Click on the links to see if you can find something that works for you, or if there's something around the house that you can modify. Please note that 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. It means I googled "file cart" and found the picture I wanted.

VERTICAL (that is, the paper stands up):

Hanging file folders, in rolling carts or file cabinets: http://www.cropperhopper.com/heavydutyrollingcart.aspx
Cropper Hopper paper files: http://www.cropperhopper.com/paperholder.aspx Oriental Trading has a cheaper version of these, and Karen Foster has some with metal rims. You can also make your own from USPS Priority Mail boxes - cover them in fabric or paper to match your decor. Please only use ones you receive, tho - otherwise it's stealing.
12 x 12 wire cubes: http://craftystorage.blogspot.com/2008/02/amanda-walker-studio-ideas.html
Desktop files: http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=65/85166&prodCatId=377489&mode=Browsing&erec=6&Ne=90000&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&N=377489&tabId=2&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&sd=Paper+%26amp%3B+Page+Angled+File+Holder
If you have a cube unit like the Expedit from Ikea, you can store paper right on the shelf: http://www.scrapvillage.com/blog/2009/01/22/quick-tip-vertical-storagesideways/
You can also stack paper upright in metal, fabric or woven baskets. Check out Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Container Store and Pottery Barn for options.
Expandable portable paper files, great for crops: http://www.overstock.com/Crafts-Sewing/Cropper-Hopper-Expandable-Paper-Organizer/3275262/product.html?cid=123620&fp=F&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=11379133
Mimi makes one as well: http://www.windycityscrapbooking.com/vmchk/Miscellaneous-Organization/52-12X12-Paper-Organizer-Mimi.html
Place paper in zip-top bags and hang from skirt hangers: http://www.scrapbooksetc.com/images/img_paperstoragelg_2.jpg
The Paper Packer organizer - binder-type, great for on a shelf and it's portable: http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.aol_refer.false.tpl.detail.msn_refer.false.item.F154797.ref.GBA?cm_ven=GOOGLEBASE&cm_cat=Sports%20&cm_pla=Crafts%20&cm_ite=F154797
Here's a cascade file that's great for smaller stashes: http://www.productpilot.com/en/suppliers/beautone-co-ltd/office-supplies/organizational-aids/filing-folding-equipment/

HORIZONTAL (that is, the paper lies flat):

Display Dynamics paper trays (with or without lips): http://store.scrapbook.com/dd-st-010.html - DD has a range of products up to huge stacking towers. If you prefer wire units, check out West End: http://sepplsales.westendwire.com/
Iris lidded boxes in hanging closet organizers: http://www.scrapbooksetc.com/images/img_paperstoragelg_4.jpg
Wire cube systems: http://www.organize-it-online.com/itm_paperstorage.html?cmpid=Froogle (you can easily make this by taking the wire cube units from Target or the like and attaching the "extra" sides to the interior for shelves by using zip ties)
Multi-bin literature sorters: http://www.pcconnection.com/IPA/Shop/Product/Detail.htm?sku=7726584&oext=1038A&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=7726584
Wood shelves/cube systems: http://www.scrapncube.com/Products/QB6--6-shelf-cube__QB6.aspx
Plastic storage drawers: http://www.sterilite.com/ProductDetail.html?ProductId=404&Section=Storage
Plastic storage boxes: http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=65/85107&prodCatId=377489&mode=Browsing&erec=11&Ne=90000&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&N=377489&tabId=2&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&sd=3+Frosted+Plastic+Storage+Boxes+With+Dividers Crop In Style P3 paper tote - this is no longer being produced, but I've come across ads for it on Ebay and Craigslist. If it's what you're looking for, it may be worth the hunt: http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/crop-in-style-p3-paper-tote-3
Mini stackables cabinet units: http://www.bestscrapbookshelf.com/?action=view_catalog&Join_ID=176727
Pizza boxes - easy to decorate and stack, and beyond cheap!

Now you have some ideas of WHAT to store your paper in, let's talk about HOW to store your paper. Options include:

1 - By brand. This is a good idea if you scrap entire lines (ie, collection kits) or know what each manufacturer produces. If you don't know Pink Paislee from Luxe, then move on. This system would best work for a scrapper who picks out a photo and says "This has a Basic Grey feel to it."

2 - By color. If you match paper to your photos, this is a great way of storing paper. This system would work best for a scrapper who picks out a photo and says "Some orange dots would make that blue bathing suit just pop!"

3 - By theme. Lots of scrappers who do theme pages find this to be a working solution. This system would work best for a scrapper who picks out a photo and says "I need some wave paper to go with this pool theme!"

So which one are YOU?

I think most of us can figure out one category that will work, but get tangled up along the way - mainly the paper that goes into more than one category (not so much if you sort by brand, but the other 2 options will get you in this spot). That's ok. Just because you choose color, you don't have to be a purist. You modify the system that works best for you.

For example, in my personal system - I do all 3! I only recently added "by brand" to my organization. All my cardstock is by color, one per paper holder. On patterned paper, I have it sorted by color first (ie, a red page with white polka dots goes in the red patterned paper holder). If it's a paper that can go in multiple bins (ie, a blue paper with large orange dots on it), then I file it by theme or pattern. In this case, it would go in my Dots file. But if those dots happened to be flip flops, then I'd put it in my Summer file. Get the idea? You can have as many or as few categories as you need. I think I have about 10 themes, based on the type of pages I create.

The one downside I found to this method is losing my paper lines. For example - I recently finished an album on our family vacation to San Francisco. I wanted to use the American Crafts Metropolitan line for the entire album. It took me about 3 weeks to go through every single paper bin I had to pull out paper from that line. I was miserable. So I'm doing a little reorganization to tweak that problem. I'm now pulling out the major manufacturers in each patterned paper bin (the lines I tend to like to match, like American Crafts and Basic Grey) and putting those behind a divided tab within that bin. So all my purple patterned paper is still in the purple patterned paper bin - but if I need a sheet that happens to be in the Basic Grey Periphery line, it's behind a tab in that bin. So far, it's been working pretty good!

One last area I want to touch on are those dreaded paper stacks. You know, the ones that look so neat and organized sitting on the shelf at Michaels, then you get them home and have no idea what to do with them. Once again, an easy fix - you have 2 options. You can keep them together or separate them with the rest of your paper. If you tend to use your stacks a lot, like the coordination factor, and know what's in each one, then I would keep them together. Store them in the same manner as you do the rest of your paper (I saw that one Pea suggested to label the spines if you store them vertically - brilliant!). BUT - if you spend more time looking through your stacks than actually scrapping, then I would sort them out with the rest of your paper. I went this route and never regretted it - it's saved me so much time in looking for the papers I want.

So, your challenge this week is multiple:

First, I want you to figure out how you want to store your paper - let your available space guide you. Decide on if you want to go vertical or horizontal.

Next, explore your storage options in each of this category. You will need to Get Real with your stash - you're going to need enough holders for your current paper and more, because you truly are kidding yourself if you think you'll only use your stash and never buy another sheet of paper again in your lifetime. Use this time to purge as well - will you really use that pink glitter princess paper when you have 5 boys? Give it to someone who can use it, and you'll free up room for all that grungy dirty stuff that boys love. When you choose your storage method, look around for options that suit your style. If you're into shabby chic, and want to use magazine holders, then don't get the ugly black plastic ones from Walmart. Find some nice cheap woven-look ones, or cover cardboard ones in fabric. The time to add style to your space is as you go along - not by sticking letters on the wall and a nice rug at the very end. And make sure your storage choice will fit in your space as well - don't go out and buy 40 vertical files when you have 3' of shelf space. That just isn't going to work. Trust me.

Third, decide on how you're going to store your paper - by brand, by theme, by color, or a combination.

Finally - start sorting and purging. What worked best for me - get the biggest, baddest table you can find. Put a sticky note labeled with each of your categories in spots about 1' apart on this table, in rows. Then grab a stack of papers and start sorting. If you have a short stack, it shouldn't take you longer than an episode of Law and Order. If you're a hoarder like me, you may have to settle in for the full season of 24. Either way, just keep plugging away on it, your "to file" stack will get shorter over time. Once you have everything sorted, put it in the appropriate holder and allow it back in your space. It will be happy to see its friends.

I would love to see before and after pictures of your paper extravaganza! Even "in-process" would be great, share your pain! Below is a picture of my system, which I looooove - easy to navigate and the kids can't get the cabinets open, whoo hoo! I use the Cropper Hopper vertical paper files. I have 50 of them (yes, I have a problem, I know that). I have them arranged by color, my multi-colored by theme, within each of those are my special brands, and then my specialty papers (chipboard sheets, lace paper, transparencies, etc). Everything is labeled (of course). I've had this system for about 7 years now and it's been working great for me.

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. One 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 paper dilemma has now been solved. Congratulations! Now go get yourself a milkshake and I'll see you back here for Week 5.

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 3

2009-06-08T07:04:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Week 3 of the Organize Your Stuff Challenge! By now, you should be pumped up (with or without caffeine) and ready to go get that space of your dreams! This week, no more lists - you're going to start seeing results.

Today you are going to make a decision. A big one. And this is one that only YOU can make. You are going to decide whether you want to start small or go for broke.

Let me explain.

If you choose to start small, you will choose one problem area. Choose the one that first comes up on the Challenge list. Say you can't find a good way to organize your stamps. You are going to get all your stamps together. Every last one of them. And put them in a large box. And remove this box from the room. And not touch this box until Week 13, when we tackle the stamps. You will leave your other problem areas untouched until you conquer your stamp issues, and then you will come back to this Challenge at a later time and go over the next problem area.

If you choose to go for broke, you are going to get several boxes. As many as you need. You are going to box up each of your problem areas in a box, label that box, and take it out of your scrap space. That box will not be allowed back into your scrap space until it decides to behave nicely. Which means it had better be in its working container, all neat and organized. Then it may return to play with the rest of your supplies. This will also mean that you will be without a lot of your supplies until you get your act together and organize. Which may be exactly what you need.
So which one should you choose? YOU know you. I don't. But here are some guidelines:

If you are 100% committed to this challenge and want to completely reorganize your scrap space; if you are the type of person who can complete a project, no matter how long it takes; if you don't get easily discouraged or sidetracked - I would choose option 2. Go for it.

HOWEVER - if you aren't sure you have the time/money/interest to keep up with us; if you get bored with projects easily and lose interest; if you are just casually looking for some ideas and not up for an overhaul just yet - I would choose option 1. You can always go back and box up more problem areas if you need to at any given time.

Special note for some of the Challenge followers - and you know who you are, because I saw the photos you posted of your (ahem) "scrap space." If your room is a catch-all for diapers, too-small clothes, boxes of fake flowers that you bought at a garage sale, and at a place where you can't even find your computer monitor (how does that happen???), then my advice is to suck it up and go for broke. Get a LOT of boxes. Go to Target or Big Lots, you can get free ones if you ask. You're going to not only have boxes for your scrap supplies, but I want you to set up 3 more categories - SELL, ATTIC/BASEMENT, and GIVE AWAY. As you're uncluttering your space, if it doesn't involve scrapping, put it in one of these boxes. Oh, and get a REALLY large garbage bag as well for the trash. Take one item at a time from your space and put it into one of the above categories, or if it has a home in another room in your house, then put it away. Then take the boxes and do something with them - I'd box up the "Sell" stuff for now and tackle that once this Challenge is over. Take the "Give Away" box to Goodwill this weekend. And put the "Attic/Basement" box in it's proper location as soon as it's packed up. Get them OUT of your space. I want you to spend this week making your room a clean slate.

For the record - I went for broke on my space. I was also in the position that we just moved into a new (to us) house, tho. I refused to unbox any of my scrapping stuff until I had my organizational systems in place. I did one type of supply at a time, pretty much following the list from the overview. I would figure out how to store it, get the supplies, organize, THEN put it in my space. Slowly my empty room filled up with clearly labeled boxes and pretty containers that housed my stash, exactly where I needed it to be. It was heaven. I cannot tell you how easy it is to organize when you have a clean slate to work with. Nothing in your space, at all. You see options and possibilities that weren't there before, because they were obscured by other supplies. It allows you to move furniture and possibly even change locations in your home. It took me about 4 months to get the room up and functional. I have done minor tweaking since then, but no overhauls. It hasn't needed it. And if I ever did choose to do an overhaul again, I wouldn't hesitate to box everything up and take it out of the room. Despite the overwhelming stack of scrapping boxes in my kid's room, it was definitely easier for me than trying to work in a cluttered space. I'd get sidetracked into other projects, I know it.

Now, I have a special assignment to those of you who chose to go for broke. This is the week to get your "pretty things" rolling. Your space is empty - there's no better time to paint if you need to, change out the flooring, put up that new light fixture. Or at the very least, VACUUM it. It will be a nightmare to try to do some of these things when your supplies are back in the room, trust me. Also, if you have your space cleared out - it's time to think, is this where you want your space to be? If you have a spare room, it's a no-brainer. Or if Mr. Duchovny converted your garage into a studio for you while you were taking a bubble bath, then you're set. But if you're in a corner, a closet or the dining room - now is the time to make sure that your space is optimal. Maybe you've been thinking about moving out of the basement to the spare room? Or moving out of the linen closet to a dining room armoire unit? You already have your things packed up - why not? And since we'll be taking a week at a time to move everything back in, you'll have plenty of time to get your new space ready. So think about it. If you're not ready to take action, then don't. But I just want you to be aware that this is a perfect time to do it. To help you out, I'm including a bonus post this week. It's a monster list of links to spaces I've come across that I think are spectacular. Not all are rooms - some are corners, closets, you name it. But they are so well done that they will give you loads of inspiration and a jump start on your design file. I've also included some tips for designing your own space and would be happy to aid in space planning for anyone doing a full remodel. So go check out that bonus when you get a chance.

Anyways, you choose an option and grab your box(es) this week. Clear out your space - that will make you feel better immediately. And feel free to post pictures. The girl with the most boxes this week wins!

See you in Week 4 - we're going to start big - PAPER!

Stacy

Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 3 BONUS - for my overhaulers

2009-06-08T07:00:00.000-05:00

http://www.scrapscene.com/2007/08/scrap-studio-photos.html

http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?cmd=display&layout_id=1257425

http://sherellechristensen.typepad.com/photos/my_studio/studio1_edited2.html

http://aussiescrapsource.typepad.com/aussie_scrap_source/2007/10/meet-the-design.html

http://anderjam.typepad.com/photos/where_the_magic_happens/index.html

http://tarawhitney.typepad.com/me/2008/04/this-is-where-i.html

http://tayloredexpressions.blogspot.com/search/label/Organization

http://teresamcfayden.typepad.com/minutia/2007/06/come_on_in.html

http://timholtz.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/11/the-studio.html

http://vickiboutin.typepad.com/vicki_boutin/2008/01/my-creating-pla.html

http://picasaweb.google.com.au/yvettedownunder/2008July8#

http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/album_display.asp?album_id=71289&f=n

http://midnightinspiration.typepad.com/photos/my_stamp_room/index.html

http://brendawalton.typepad.com/photos/studio_pix/15219.html

http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?cmd=display&layout_id=1206809

http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?cmd=display&layout_id=896830

http://jennibowlin.blogspot.com/2007/08/pimp-my-desk-i-have-weakness-for-tables.html

http://margieromney-aslett.typepad.com/photos/my_studiofinally/index.html

http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?gallery=1&cmd=display&layout_id=860988

http://scrappinconnie.typepad.com/photos/scrappin_shed/index.html

http://www.kevinandamanda.com/photos/scraproom/new/

Now if that won't keep you busy for at least a few hours - other good print sources include interior design magazines - Metropolitan Home, Traditional Home, House & Garden, Renovation Style, Interior Design, Architectural Digest are all great for ideas. There are also a few scrapbook organization books out there that have room ideas - check out your local library, free is good!

On to the planning. Now that you have some idea of what you want your room to feel like, your space design needs to encompass 3 basic things. First, it needs to function. Which means that it needs to fit YOUR style of scrapping. A standing island is useless if you sit to scrap! Second, it needs to be thought out in advance. PLAN this thing. Where will your main scrap area be? What tools need to be close by, which ones can be stored further away? Do you have kids - your sharp tools need to be out of reach then, maybe closed storage with child locks on it. How about workstations - one for stamping, one for die cuts, etc? These stations can be mobile as well, if you have a small space to work with. Keep these things in mind when setting up your zones. Finally, this is your creative haven. It needs to be uplifting, inspiring and a wonderful place you want to be in. Don't stick yourself in the damp, moldy basement just to have a large room, if you want to be with the rest of the family. A corner armoire can be just as functional in the dining room, where your kids are at. Find a space with light, one that you can add color and personalization to. If you're tight on space, get creative - even a small closet has wonderful potential. The key is to find a place where you will be happy and want to stay for a while so you won't have to go through this horrid planning process again.

So at this point, you should have a binder or file of sorts filled with things you love, and have chosen a space in your house where you will set up your scrap area. See how much progress you've made already? Yay! Now it's time to combine the two. Before any supplies go into your space, you need the basics - paint and furniture. Color is easy - go through your file. You should start seeing a trend in colors you've pulled. Maybe it's blues, or greens, or the black and white look. Start making decisions on the color scheme - treat your space like you would a layout. Choose your main colors and then have some accents (like embellishments!) that will pop.

Furniture is a little trickier. You first need to decide what you're going to do - use what you have, get a few new pieces, or get all new furniture for your scrap area. If you have a dream for your space but your budget doesn't match, then focus on the most important pieces and save up. If you do have the budget and are considering specialty pieces or built ins, then make sure you know what you're going to store where before making final decisions. I had my supplies mapped down to which drawer my paints were going in before I bought a single cabinet. Otherwise - what's the point of having a custom space if you have to tailor your stuff to fit in it? Design really is basic - figure out your method of organization first, then find stylish pieces that fit your space. If you have general ideas for all your supplies, wonderful. If not - hang in there through this challenge, and we'll figure it out together.

Once you have an idea of how your supplies will be stored (it doesn't have to be exact - like you want your ribbon hanging on the wall, but you don't have a hanger in mind yet), you need to get a room plan. Measure your space out with a tape measure, making sure to note any door and window locations (obviously you can't put a bookshelf behind a swinging door, but you CAN put one under a window!). Now, transfer these measurements to grid paper. Choose a scale - maybe a grid block on paper equals one foot of room space. Now you have your room drawn out, it's time to go to furniture. Measure the furniture you intend to use in your space (or if buying new, find the dimensions online). Draw them in the same scale on a separate piece of grid paper. Cut these pieces out, and you now have paper dolls of sorts to move about on your room diagram to see where things will go best. You can do this if you're doing cabinets as well - you can find the dimensions online. This is a cheap and easy way to plan a space - make sure you allow for movement, however. Usually 30" for aisles is a good start, and 36-40" behind chairs to allow someone to scoot back from a desk. Also keep in mind cabinet doors that open or drawers that pull out - that's important. Finally, make sure you take into account lighting and outlets. If you are planning on adding additional lighting, then you're set. But outlets are trickier and you don't want to drag an extension cord across your space for your sewing machine or tools, so set up your stations accordingly.

If you have a very small space to work with, it might be easier to draw the space in profile instead of in plan. Maximize your area by going vertical - in my old house, I had a small corner, so I used a computer hutch and stacked those 3-drawer Sterilite drawers about 4 high on top of that hutch. It rocked! I had to use a stepstool to get to the top drawers, but I only put my seldom used supplies up there so it worked out. I had 5 boxes across for a total of 20 drawer units - not bad for a small space! Closets are great areas - take out the clothes rod and you can go floor to ceiling with shelving. And it doesn't have to be all in one space either. If you have a small armoire unit in the dining room, you can have storage under the bed in another room, or a mobile cart or 2 in the closet - things like older photos, reference materials and completed albums can easily be stored elsewhere. Go on a house hunt and see what unused space you can find, you might surprise yourself. Make note of these little hidden gems on your space plan. You don't want to forget about them in the future.

At this point, all that's left is to put it all together. Get your paint colors on and your furniture in. Get each of your supplies in their appropriate containers and in their proper space in your room. Don't rush things. And if you get stuck, feel free to ask any questions - heck, you can even post your floor plan and I'll be happy to help you arrange things.

Have fun with this one!

Stacy

Organization Challenge Week 2 - Brainstorming

2009-06-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Week 2 of the Organize Your Stuff Challenge! Hopefully you all have gone through the process of scrapping and now have in your perfectly manicured little hands a list of your problem areas. This week, your challenge will be to figure out why these areas are hindering your scrapping, and what to do about them. I also want you to grab your trusty camera, because we're going to be posting some pictures this week.

First on our Challenge list - I want you to take a deep breath and leave your current world behind. Ignore the phone ringing and your kid screaming about something being on fire. Just take deep breaths, relax. Imagine you just woke up from 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep (ok, stop laughing). You feel refreshed, your mojo is strong, you grab your coffee and head to your scrap space. There are a trail of rose petals leading up to the magnificent French doors that is Your Room. The Scrap Fairy, in all her glorious grandeur, has visited last night (unfortunately, she didn't do the laundry, but we'll talk to her about that later). You now have the scrap space of your dreams! It's clean, it's tidy, it's free of dust/dead silverfish/things the cat coughed up. Don't wake up yet - what do you see? Are things in country woven baskets? Are they in sleek metal tins? Are there labels or do you just "know" where the supplies are at? Are your paints lined up on a shelf by color, or stashed in a drawer? Is the paper out for all to see, in racks or in cupboards? Does it feel like the loft space of a Manhattan artist, the cozy craft room of a southern cottage, maybe a porch of a shore house? This is YOUR dream room. There is no right and no wrong. This is a place where you spend so much of your time and creative energy - start envisioning what you want out of it. This is just brainstorming right now - leave out budget and space constraints. We'll deal with those later. Just have fun with it.

Now, you are still in your dream space. First thing I want you to do is to grab your list from last week. Start with problem area #1. I want you to write down all your thoughts on this area - why it's a problem, and what would make your life easier. Your dream room has no problems. Envision yourself in this space, creating the same layout that you did in week 1. How is this different from your reality? So, for my example - my monthly kits. Right now, in my reality, they're in plastic bags lined up on my desktop. I take out one, I can't get it back in, the others fall over. I hate that! But in my dream space....what if I had something to keep them upright? And in order? And maybe off my desktop....like if I can stick them in a cabinet maybe. Or hang them up. That would work. See? Just jot down possibilities. Because in Week 8, when we get to kits, I may find something related to hanging or upright containers or the like that will "click" for me. But by jotting down ideas, I already have in my head a good start on how to get rid of this problem area. And if you can't think of any solutions, that's ok too - I'll give you plenty.

I don't want to talk budget and space yet, but I do want to focus on one practical aspect - how you work. I know everyone in this challenge has seen beautiful scrap rooms that they'd sacrifice their mother-in-law for. But if you have small kids who get into everything, then an open shelving system on the floor is not going to work for you, no matter how pretty it is. If you have room for one small scrap surface, then don't drool over a desktop tool caddy that takes up half the table. If you're a sitting scrapper, don't look into standing-height counters. So as we go along, keep your reality in mind. You CAN have a great, gorgeous space, and on your own terms. We're going to bring the items you covet into your reality with what you already have and own. It CAN be done. So keep this in mind as we go along - I want you to IMMEDIATELY rule out any storage solution that will not work with your lifestyle or your scrap space. No matter how appealing or pretty. Just cross it off. With a big black Sharpie.

Our final step in the challenge this week is - picture time! I think this is a great motivational tool - it's not meant to get you down in the dumps by looking at your photo (sans David Duchovny) and thinking, man, my space bites. You're going to post this photo and you're going to find that there are others out there much, much worse off than you are. And that will (sadly) boost your spirits. And if you have the absolute worst space posted, well - you have nowhere to go other than up, right? Let's keep those attitudes positive! You will also print this photo out and display it prominently in your space. Because when you're in Week 10, and you don't want to do this anymore because you feel like all you do is organize and nothing has changed, you're going to look at that picture and see how far you've come. And that will give you a second wind to tackle the rest of your list.

Here is the photo of my space, un-Photoshopped:

Overall, I'm happy with my space. It does need some tweaks tho. And some cleaning (I think that's jelly on my stamping cabinet....yuck, kids!!!).

See you all in Week 3 - get ready for a clean sweep, ladies!

Stacy

Organization Challenge Week One - Space Audit

2009-05-25T08:00:00.003-05:00

Welcome to Week One of the Organize Your Stuff Challenge! Let's get down to the nitty gritty - today we're going to do a space audit. Let's see what you have that works for you and what's bogging you down in the scrapping process.

This week I'm going to start off with scrapping. What a GREAT Challenge, huh? Seriously, tho - I want you to complete a layout. Any layout, it doesn't matter. And I want you to have a pen and notepad nearby when you do it. Scrap how you normally would, and at each step, I want you to make a note about your supplies and how it's helping or harming your process. So suppose you start with photos. Can you easily locate the ones you want? Great! Why was it so easy? Or does it take you half a year to find that one photo of your neice in the pink swimsuit? Then that's obviously a problem area. On to paper. And journaling. And embellishments. Et cetera. You should go through most of your supplies in this process, making note of which ones are easy to find exactly what you need and when you need it, and which ones make you want to give up scrapping altogether. If you don't use certain supplies on the layout, or if you have piles of stuff that need a home, then take note of those separately once your layout is done, but use the same guidelines. And hopefully you will start to see a trend in those supplies that work well in their current storage setup. Maybe they're close to your workspace. Maybe the boxes are labeled clearly. Maybe it's in a divided cart. Regardless of the reason, you've already found a system that works for you, and you can start to apply this type of storage to the problem areas in the future.

As this week goes on, I want you to post your lists - the good, the bad and the ugly. You can then compare your list to the Challenges and see what weeks you might be interested in, either by re-vamping your storage system or offering advice to others if you've found a great solution that works for you. Keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all in organizing - even if you have the most bizarre way of storing ribbon on the ceiling using small bits of chewing gum, it may be the perfect solution another scrapper is looking for (but I hope not. Really. I do. It's unsanitary).

As promised, here is my list from the scrapping audit:

What works:

Photo selection - easy to pull from photo binders

Layout ideas - notecards filed by number of photos in Cropper Hopper boxes

Finding tools - tool caddy near work desk

Choosing embellishments - items in labeled containers, which are in labeled drawers

Journaling - pens in caddy by type and color

Finding stamps and stamping supplies - organized by theme in Rolodex, stamp pad rack

Alpha organization - labeled drawers by color

What needs help:

Finding coordinating paper lines - all are mixed in by color, it takes too long to sort through

Choosing die cuts - some of my containers are too small, they need more space

Sticker/rub on organization - love my PSBs, but the shelf they're on is a nightmare to navigate

Kits - if I take one out, they all fall over. I don't want to even touch them!

From my lists, what seems to be working for me is containers, by theme or color, and labeled. So I will make sure to incorporate those features in my new storage systems for my "problem area" list.

In the meantime, I'm going to make note to check out the weeks on paper organization, die cuts, stickers/rub ons, and kits! Post your lists, and I hope to see you next week, when we'll don our thinking caps for a brainstorming session!

Stacy

Let the Challenge Begin! Overview.

2009-05-25T08:00:00.002-05:00

Thanks to all those brave souls who decided to join me on this task - let's overhaul our scrap spaces so we can get back to doing what we LOVE instead of tripping over piles of paper and brads. I love organization, but my space can always use a little tweaking, so I will be joining in on the fun as well. Once you get organized, it is SO much easier to scrap and scrap effectively. Which is what we all want, right? I won't lie to you tho - this will not be easy. There is no magic Scrap Fairy who will come and make your space Becky-Higgins-worthy overnite. You're going to have lots of ugly boxes, some trips to Walmart, and many thoughts of hurling small objects out the window (your cats and kids may want to steer clear of you during these episodes). But I PROMISE you, if you keep plugging along on this, you WILL have an organized space at the end. Just envision what your dream space will look like...minus David Duchovny in the Speedo....and repeat to yourself, I CAN DO THIS!

Here's an overview of the Challenge and what you should expect each week. I will post the new Challenge every Monday morning. I strongly suggest you keep your Sunday newspaper ads around - you never know what Target or Hobby Lobby may have on sale that week that you may need, and you really don't want to go digging through the garbage on Monday night looking for those ads (or if that's your idea of fun, have at it). Please bear with me if you all have any comments or questions after I post the Challenge, tho -I have 2 kids (ages 3 and 1) and the only time I really get to sit down with my beloved computer is at 4 PM CST, when they both go down for a nap (sans drugs, I swear!). So if I don't respond by noon, I'm not ignoring you, I'm just usually cleaning ravioli off the walls or scrubbing finger paint off the poor dog. Anyways, I figure a Monday start will give you plenty of time to read through the Challenge, figure out the solution that's right for you, buy your supplies, and be ready to organize by the weekend.

Even though there will be a new challenge every week, I do NOT expect some of these challenges to be completed in that time frame. For a few reasons. First - some tasks are obviously bigger than others. You can organize your paints in an evening. That's simple. But organizing your photos will take much, much longer (I'm still working on mine, and I started in February!). What I want from you in this challenge is not to complete the task per se, but to get started and KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING. Does that make sense? So at the end of the week, you should know exactly how, what, when and where you're going to store that scrapping item. And having that off your mind is a HUGE start - you just have to put in the work to make it happen, and that really is the easy part. Second - I am a huge, huge proponent of planning. I think if you plan your space and think it through first, you won't have to re-do it months down the road. So I would rather you find the absolute 100% perfect no-doubt-about-it this is MY stamp pad holder that takes 2 weeks to save up for and another 2 weeks to ship, and miss the 1-week "deadline", than scurry over to Walmart and get something that will "do" just so you can say you organized your stamp pads in a week. This challenge is going to be about learning about all the options out there, which ones will work best for YOUR space, and making them stick. I have been there - I took 4 months to plan my scrap space. And in the 2 years since I've had it, I might have changed 3 things. Which has been great (ok, a little lie there....I MISS organizing!!!).

For each Challenge, I will do a few things. First, I bare mine, you bare yours. Which means I will post a photo of my storage solution for that item - and if it's in-progress, in all it's mess and glory. And I want you to post yours - if you're looking for a solution, post your problem area. If you've found a solution, post it so others can benefit. In addition, I will be posting links galore to sites and solutions I've found over the years. I'm hoping to have at least 10 different storage ideas for you per Challenge - for small and large spaces, sitting and standing scrappers, big and little budgets, you name it. So hopefully everyone can find something that works for them. I'm essentially going to do all the brainstorming and idea gathering for you. In return for spoon-feeding you organizational goodness, you'd better get your rear in gear and get organized, or I will find you, and I may not be so pleasant.

One thing I'm doing differently than the previous challenge - I like Shannon a lot. But I think you must be smoking crack to find any uninterrupted time during the day to devote to organizing. If you had free time to organize, then you'd be teaching this challenge, not taking it. My philosophy is that 5-15 mins can do WONDERS. Think of what you can do around your house in just 5 minutes. Go through the mail. Put away the dishes from the dishwasher. Pack a lunch for school. Make the bed. Each one of those tasks makes a huge difference in the household, right? Well, cleaning up your scrap space is no different! Got something simmering on the stove? Then sort your scraps! 10 minutes until the kids get home from school? Then file those new rub-ons! If you keep on taking little chunks like that, you WILL make progress. I guarantee it. But you are going to have to force yourself to migrate towards your scrap space during this challenge when you find a chunk of time. Not towards the remote, or the bag of Hershey's kisses, or the new hunky gardener at your neighbor's house. Organizing MUST become a priority.

So....drum roll, please! Here's what you've signed up for - no regrets! Just do it!

Week 1 - Space Audit
Immerse yourself in your space - what do you love? What annoys the daylights out of you?

Week 2 - Brainstorming
If the Scrap Fairy DID exist, what is your idea of the perfect space?

Week 3 - Clean Slate
Get out the boxes ladies, it's moving day!

Week 4 - Paper
We're all guilty on this one. I know my stash could wallpaper the White House.

Week 5 - Scraps
What to keep, what to toss, and where to store them.

Week 6 - Photos (print and digital)
Solutions for your most prized possessions.

Week 7 - Ideas
What to do with that 3' stack of layout ideas under your bed.

Week 8 - Projects, Incomplete Pages and Kits
I found a system to help you get these off your table and into your albums!

Week 9 - Embellishments
Containers galore!

Week 10 - Alphas
Stickers, chipboard and rub on storage.

Week 11 - Non-Alpha Stickers and Rub-ons
When a giant box just doesn't work anymore.

Week 12 - Ribbon, Thread and Fibers
My pretty little things!

Week 13 - Stamps
Know what you have and where they're located!

Week 14 - Crop Supplies
How to keep the sanity in your space when you're always on the go!

Week 15 - Ink, Ink Pads and Embossing
How to deal with these little things that take up so much room!

Week 16 - Paints and Glitter and Stickles
Oh my!

Week 17 - Punches
Not the boxing kind.

Week 18 - Tools and Adhesive
Keeping them handy

Week 19 - Chipboard (raw)
Sheets or die cuts, let's get them in place!

Week 20 - Die Cuts
By theme and by color

Week 21 - Pens and Pencils
The basics we can't live with and can't live without!

Week 22 - Dies for Die Cutting Machines
Quickutz, Sizzix, Cuttlebug, and more!

Week 23 - Templates
Plastic and metal

Week 24 - Memorabilia
How to store your glorious collection of ketchup packets for that layout you're going to do...someday....really!

Week 25 - Negatives
Yeah, we probably will never use these again, but they need to be stored safely!

Week 26 - New Items and Keeping it Neat
How to avoid re-taking this Challenge

Week 27 - Fonts
First step....stop downloading!

Week 28 - Cards and Card-Making Supplies
What DO you do with 300+ birthday cards?

Week 29 - Room and Space Decor
Time to make all your hard work look pretty!

We can add on to this list if I forgot something - no deadlines here, as long as there is continued insterest, I'll be happy to keep hosting. So welcome, and let the games begin! On to Challenge Week 1, ladies! See you on the dark side.

Stacy