Taking the plunge...unmounted question

[ellie]

I have been thinking of ways to increase my space in my stamp room for so long. Most of the time, all I do is move the stuff around and try to re-organize. I have realized that there is no more room to store any more stamps no matter how I arrange things. I KNOW I won't stop adding to my collection of almost 22 years so I have decided to un-mount all of them.
I have mixed feelings about throwing away some of the blocks but I have to remind myself that I will really appreciate all the room I am going to have. I have done about 6 photo boxes so far and I have about 20 more to go. I am stamping them as I go along so I will have an inventory. Most of my un-mounted are stored in cd cases. Do any of you have a better idea on how to store them?

[jazzypurple853]

I hear your pain! I'm always sorting and re-arranging! I started storing some of my stamps in evelopes, like the clear ones. Where as before, I would take off the backing of the clear stamp and them put it in a cd case. I ended purchasing so many cd cases. I even started to raid my cd collection, just to get a case! So I just started, using envelopes for my clear stamps.

Some of my stamps that were unmounted, I did keep the blocks. I don't like to throw anything away, cause once I do I'll find a need for it. I'm afraid Murphy's law will happen!

I still keep my unmounted in cd cases, but that is how I like them stored. I started sorting the stamps by theme, some stamp companies I've kept together.

Good luck as you continue on organizing. I'm sure at the end you'll be happy you did it! That way you can add to your collection!

[Paula Carden]

I have not unmounted my wooden stamps but I have organized most of the unmounted ones in envelopes. I take those 6X9 envelopes, cut'em in half, stamp the images on the outside and then place them in the envelope and then put them in the photo boxes (I have 11 full). Then I organized them and added dividers in the boxes. It works for me, the binders didn't work for me, the cd cases were cumbersome for me to store too.
I haven't been able to bear to take the ones off wood yet but I am like you guys it would be hard to throw away the blocks, esp the colored ones. I do buy unmounted now if it is a choice.
I do have my a-muse stamps in the dvd cases they come in and I have all of them in one photo box (so that makes 12). I really need to purge some of the old stamps but like you Ellie I have been collecting for more than 20 yrs.

Good luck and let us know how you progress.

[HeatherJ]

That is a plunge! I find it hard to part with stamp sets I don't even like!! I will try to get rid of a few sets at the Relay for Life fundraising stamp day I am hosting later this month, but as you can imagine, it won't put a dent in things unless I get serious about purging.

[Patty]

I haven't unmounted anything yet, but I have been buying unmounted exclusively whenever possible. I use those boxes like pretty shoeboxes from Michaels', ACM and J's. I use those 5x7 envies cut in half for the um's, and I just write on the top edge of the envy what they are. I never thought I would like that, but I LOVE it. Don't know why it took me so long to go to that method 'cuz ISN'T WHAT THEY USE AT THE CONVENTIONS???? I finally decided if it works for them why not for me. Ellie---you got me into this--I'm soooo happy to see you here. Anyway, I began to use the cd cases but it didn't take me too long to decide they took up too much room. I've also organized a couple of other things....my edgings/trims from companies like K& Company etc..the straight, almost cardboard weight trim like flowers, etc, about 12" long straight trims....you get about 5 or 6 in a long skinny pkg. I took them all out of the packages and stood them up in a pretty vase that looks like cut glass (really plastic from the dollar store) I have 3 of them up on a shelf. I find I use them a lot more now that I can see them and thumb through them.---What other ideas are out there???????

[cindi]

oh man..I feel the pain. O must say though,..I do prefer my unmounted stamps. I need to do the stamp them and make a catalog of what I have,.,. it just seems too big a job. Good luck!!

[lakeslady]

You are so brave. I don't think I could take any off of my wood mounts. However I only ever purchase in unmounted now, and my favourite way of storing them, is not in a CD box, that takes up too much room!
I use the CD sleeves that you can buy very cheaply in packs of 50 . I stamp the image on white card, cut to fit the front of the CD sleeve and then store them in various boxes or compartments of a trolley I have.

Have you ever seen the nursing trolleys they use in hospital units? They are on wheels, and have about 5 big drawers with various dividers in side.

Well I manage to aquire one that had a damaged drawer. So I just removed that and allowed more space between the drawers left ( you can choose which grooves to put them in) and that left me additional "head" room" for larger supplies. I love it. Will try and find a picture of it so you know what I am talking about.

[Patty]

oh man..I feel the pain. O must say though,..I do prefer my unmounted stamps. I need to do the stamp them and make a catalog of what I have,.,. it just seems too big a job. Good luck!!

Cindi....it wasn't that bad...I put my stamps on the glass plate of my printer and copied it. then I wrote the price on each stamp. Now I have a picture of each one. Now I can scan each one onto a cd (or get my grandson to do that), but at least I have the pictures.

[ellie]

I threw away my first pile of wooden mounts and it only hurt at the moment. I really feel relief. I have decided not to unmount my Mary Englebreit collection because they are so happy looking, and the stamps I purchased in Ireland just for sentimental reasons.