Need organizing advice

[directmailscrapper]

I'm addicted to beautiful patterned paper (don't always know what to do with it, but I do know how to buy it!). I'm trying to get organized (yea, right) and I'm having trouble.

Do you put all of the Christmas paper together? What about green and red paper that COULD be Christmas, but not necessarily? Does the winter paper go with the Christmas paper?

Halloween is easier -- Halloween is Halloween is Halloween.

Then what about all of those 1/2 completed scrapbook pages? Card leftovers (bigger than a scrap -- but smaller than a sheet?)

Anybody want an all expense paid trip to the Washington DC area to help me organize? I'm thinking about it.... :arghh:

[hutchink]

Oh Nancy...I would love to come help you! I'm still trying to firgure mine out too! I only buy paper for the project that I'm working on at the time...I usually do not have any extra...I only have about 25 pieces...

I'm working on organizing everything...got some of my unmounted stamps done last night!

~K

[Vintagegal]

I organize my paper by color, not by theme. It's just easier for me to do it that way. I use Sterilite stackable drawers for 12 x 12 papers. I've found them at Hobby Lobby for $12.99. There are three drawers per unit. It's best to use a 40% off coupon and get them for $7.80 each.

As far as the scrap paper, I've just thrown them into bags. Call me the bag lady. I know. It's terrible. I have four FULL bags of scrap paper. But then again, when I'm making cards, that's the first place I'll go for background paper.

[firefly]

I also organize my paper by color instead of theme/holiday. I use the Art Bin square boxes with lids and snap closures to store my paper. The scraps go into a separate Art Bin box.

[Paula Carden]

I do colors and holiday themed-example if it is Christmas theme I put it together-but red and green I keep in the green or red stacks.
I bought one of those Literature organizers that holds stacks of paper for 8.5 X 11 and the 12X12 I have in one of those Mobile Scrapbook carts and have it by theme or color.
Scraps are in a big plastic tub unless it is close to the size of a sheet of paper -then I put it back with the color it belongs too.
I have trouble with all of those stamped images that you stamp out when doing a lot of cards and don't need them all-so I just got some of those plastic drawers and have started arranging them by theme too.
I still have a ways to go with organization.
Paula

[mcourtney]

I got the 12 x 12 snap together boxes from Oriental Trading. My paper sorting catagories are Warm colors, Cool colors, Holidays, Kits, and Scraps. I usually keep the scrap box open on or by my desk and grab pieces as I'm working on different projects. My cardstocks are sorted by color groups and textures in hanging box folders in the file cabinets under my desk.

[ellie]

I sort my paper by color also. I keep the solilds seperate from the prints. When sorting the prints, I sort by the predominant color in the design. I bought several 12x12 stackable units at Target. Almost all of my paper is in those. I also have iris carts to hold my 8.5 x 11 papers that are sorted the same way. For scraps, if they are smaller than a half sheet of 8.5 x 11, I put them in 6 x 9 envelopes by color. This is the best system for me. It helps me to make use of my scraps before I cut the larger sheets. Hope this helps!

[craft a latte]

Lots of great advice.
I wrote an article on organizing and it was just featured in a Ezine.
I love the vertical storage containers for organizing by color
and my manufacture.
I file my scraps by color in a expandable file folder.
If your in a hurry a large zip lock bag is great until you have time to sort it.
Here a link
http://www.faithfullyyours.net/Tips-on-Scrapbook-Organizing.html

[teabear]

What a great article, Sabrina! I love the beachtowel sorting system :) I organize everything by color regardless of the season or theme. I have buttons in jars by color, metal embellies-eyelets & brads in glass spice jars, paper in drawers, and scraps & other embellies in ziplocks. My color divisions are: pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black, white, brown, metallic (silver, gold, copper).

[suzi_f]

I store my pattern paper in a 12x12 CIS Paper Taker. It has pockets for small scraps. I used to store it by color but I started storing it by manufacturer. I do store winter & Christmas together. If it's not clearly Christmas, it goes w/red and/or green. (Unless it's under its manufacturer). I really need to redo it all (again). I have so much PP and keep buying more (I'm starting to become addicted to SU Designer Paper)

A suggestion for storing 12x12 paper (that's really better than my stinking paper taker) is 13x13 Priority Boxes from the post office. They are free and, if you cut them diagonally down the side, you get two store boxes (think magazine boxes) from one mailer. If you want to make them pretty, you can cover them w/paper or paint. I'm going to get some more and redo all my pattern papers. If I could just stop buying MORE!!

Oh yeah, I don't know that I'm going to save my scraps anymore. I find I NEVER use them. And, when I try to use the, it cramps my creativity. I will still keep the big pieces but, I don't think I'll keep anything unless it's bigger than like 3x3 (since I seem to also be addicted to 3x3 cards :)