Information

[1scrappymom]

So my scraproom is in desperate need of an overhaul.  I feel like I have stuff randomly thrown in every draw and space there is with little organization.  Now to let you know what I am working with...I scrap in my basement next to my washer and dryer.   I have a great set of shelves and then a bunch of rolling drawers.  My paper is organized by manufacturer.  I think it is the embellishments that gives me fits.  Do you have a system that works well for you for embellishments?  Do you organize by theme?  I've noticed I have a hard time finding the supplies when I want to use them so maybe if I had them by theme I would actually know where to look.  

Anyway...thoughts?  Ideas??

[joannie]

I have 2 rolling iris carts that I have sorted embellies by color. Altho I have those snap boxes that I brought to the crop where I keep embellies that I use more often. I also sort my thickers/alpha stickers by color. I also have a hardware organizer that I have eyelets, brads, and buttons by color. It has helped me to organize that way. hope this helps Shannon.

[1scrappymom]

I have 2 rolling iris carts that I have sorted embellies by color. Altho I have those snap boxes that I brought to the crop where I keep embellies that I use more often. I also sort my thickers/alpha stickers by color. I also have a hardware organizer that I have eyelets, brads, and buttons by color. It has helped me to organize that way. hope this helps Shannon.

That's a good idea to sort by color.  I think stickers and all the little paper embellishments are what gets me.  I started sorting last night as I unpacked so we shall see.  I'll post a before and after picture...

Everyone feel free to offer advice! 

[DN in MN]

I sort all of scrappy supplies by color and theme   I tried organizing by manufacturer but it didn't work well for me.

[christinec68]

It's best to go about how you pick things you want to work with.  If you say I need a blue button...sort by color.  If you know you want that My Mind's Eye chipboard element, sort by manufacturer.  Same for theme.

When I am doing a layout, I tend to go from step to step...

1. First I pick paper which I have in a cropper hopper paper holder (there's not much so it's not sorted).  
   
2. Second, I choose lettering based on color so I have them in a basket sorted by color.
   
3. Third, I look for embellishments.  This part is a little trickier since there are so many sizes but here it goes:

• 12x12 sticker sheets are kept with my patterned paper since it's just easier.  
  
• My medium sized embellishments (journal cards, 4x6 or 5x7 sticker sheets, packs of enamel dots, tags, etc) are kept in a medium sized photo box.  They are just arranged so they are neat but not in any order.  
  
• My smaller embellisments (buttons, brads, veneers) are sorted by color or theme.  They are stored in one of those desk top three drawer units in divided containers.
  
•  There's another drawer for washi & twine.  
  
• A third drawer holds loose die cuts and border strips
  
• I keep mists in a small square basket

It sounds all koo koo krazy but everything is within reach and I pretty much know what's where.  I should also note, except for letter stickers, I don't have much of a stash so it's easier for me to have everything kind of together like this. 

[beachlover]

I am the LAST one to offer advice here!  When I make purchases, I tend to buy a whole 12x12 collection kit, matching cardstock AND embellishments all together.  Then I store these "kits" in the large clear plastic baggies that ACOT ships our goodies in (THANK YOU!!!) - most of my newer stuff has been stored like that lately, then from there I keep them in CM Daisy Wheels (have 3) or 12x12 boxes and sort by theme.  If I decide on a themed LO, I grab a bag!  A lot of the older stuff though is either tossed in plastic containers by size or a few things are in containers by theme.  Either of those last two are more time consuming and messier though!  To truly organize myself, I need to first decide on ONE way to organize, then spend a week doing nothing but!

[sdwhru]

I organize by theme first - animals, birthday, crafts, etc.  Then calendar year - then by color.  If it doesn't fit in the theme or calendar year then it goes by color - no matter what it is.  All orange brads, flowers, bling, etc the like go together.  Hope this helps.  If you have any questions, send me a PM.

[Jenni328]

I can't do the whole manufacturer thing. i wished I could but my organizing is limited to type. All my cardstock sorted by color is in one plastic crate..the half size used for lockers and my printed and collections are in another. My washi tape is all in one FULL to the brim bin, stickers in a binder, stamps in three binders..yes three...i have a problem...shhh...,brads, eyelets etc are all stored by color in plastic boxes that have individual small plastic cases I got from harbor freight. You get the idea. I like having it within reach. Works so much better and the rarely used that i think i need to keep to use one day are on a shelf in front of me so I can give them the stare down drag them out and use them once and a while so i don't feel guilty.....I might need therapy...just sayin........

[stateless]

I don't have much advice but I can totally sympathize!  My scrap area is a giant mess. Anything I've bought in the last 8-9 months is just shoved wherever it will fit, which is obviously not working for me, lol. 

I might give some thought to organizing by color... Except what do you do with things that are multi-colored? I think a lot of things I have are multicolored.

I tend to keep all the parts of a collection together because it makes it easier when I go to use that collection. Then later it frustrates me that I don't think to use some of those embellishments on other layouts that don't use that collection. But if I break the collection up, I won't be able to easily grab all the parts of the collection when I do want to use it. Not sure how best to deal with that.

[ajkulig]

So my scraproom is in desperate need of an overhaul.  I feel like I have stuff randomly thrown in every draw and space there is with little organization.  Now to let you know what I am working with...I scrap in my basement next to my washer and dryer.   I have a great set of shelves and then a bunch of rolling drawers.  My paper is organized by manufacturer.  I think it is the embellishments that gives me fits.  Do you have a system that works well for you for embellishments?  Do you organize by theme?  I've noticed I have a hard time finding the supplies when I want to use them so maybe if I had them by theme I would actually know where to look.  

Anyway...thoughts?  Ideas??

Do you have an extra wall space? Or maybe on the sides of some other storage containers. You can put everything into baggies and do something like this: 

This was from 3 scrapbook rooms ago when I first moved into my old house. I am actually redoing my scrap room currently. It's a HUGE chore because I am drastically changing the way I organize everything again LOL

[blbabe1234]

I have a huge iris container for all alphas. Hardware containers (that used to have screws, nuts/bolts) hold my buttons, brads, sewEasy heads. Large "shoebox" size containers (with lids) hold embellies separated by themes. Dogs for one. LOL. Followed by Holidays, Celebrations, Summer, Military, etc. Ribbon is in one too. As well as Washi.

[CarrieG]

I sort embellies by type in Rubbermaid shoe box containers.... ie: bling, cork, enamel, labels.........works pretty well for me
 

[emmapaige]

I am in the process of reorganizing AGAIN!!  I know my problem is that I have way too much stuff.  I have started tossing some stuff and some of the older / "WHAT WAS I THINKING" paper, I've been trimming and using as scrap paper for grocery lists, etc.

Also like Ann, I've been purchasing more collections which I have been storing in the bags so generously donated by ACOT.   I've been doing this more often since I've started hosting the monthly Manufacturer Challenge because it's easier to have all the goodies in one place for a particilar collection that I want to use for that month.

I will be following this thread closely. 

[blbabe1234]

I am in the process of reorganizing AGAIN!!  I know my problem is that I have way too much stuff.  I have started tossing some stuff and some of the older / "WHAT WAS I THINKING" paper, I've been trimming and using as scrap paper for grocery lists, etc.

Also like Ann, I've been purchasing more collections which I have been storing in the bags so generously donated by ACOT.   I've been doing this more often since I've started hosting the monthly Manufacturer Challenge because it's easier to have all the goodies in one place for a particilar collection that I want to use for that month.

I will be following this thread closely. 
 

Ha! I do that too! Isn't it great! Recyling so to speak!

[killarney_rose]

With heavy trash pick up this past weekend I'm having to get use to where everything is now that it's put back....so to speak because I have no real storage at H-town home in comparison to Scrap Building at ranch.

Christine explained it to a tee how I organize by how I scrap.

Paper:  Cardstock by color and I only use Bazzill.  I usually by a huge box via HSN.  Purchased two and sold out before I could by the third in the last six months.  Then if I but an entire line I usually buy some of the colors.  When doing a mini album I buy a large amount of the neutral that matches the line then buy some of matching colors.  By Company if I have the whole line or a most of a single line in their ACOT bags. Embellishments are kept with that line of paper.  I then have a stack of single papers together organized by pattern of the paper (stripe, floral, circle, geometrics, and image (example: map papers).   I also will put my own kits together and those are stored as a kit along with embellishments I place with the kit.  Get tired of the kit it goes back to where everything belongs originally.

Alphabets stored together by color.

Embellishments.  There is no rhyme or reason to it.  I am an embellishment hoarder.  I always know where any embellishment is at any given time.  Why?  Because I love to go through all of my embellishments.  It's like a kid in a candy store trying to decide which candy is the one I want.  1 out of every 5 layouts I partially or completely go through my entire stash!  I probably have close to 400-500 packages of embellishments.  There are somethings I keep together in boxes with a project I'm working on like my mother's cruise album.  Brads are all stored by color and size as an example.  Buttons have their own jars.  I do not use a lot of buttons so one jar is an antique canning jar filled with black and white buttons mostly men's shirt size.  The other is colored buttons.  I don't use many buttons so dumping some of the 150 or so buttons out on the table is quick and easy to chose if not close to the top.

Embellishments that don't belong with the above.  Somewhat stored by type like bare chipboard, other chipboard, flowers washi tape and heritage as examples.

Equipment:  Stored by type, Punches, Stencils, inks (stored upside down), etc.

[average_kim]

I sort embellies by type in Rubbermaid shoe box containers.... ie: bling, cork, enamel, labels.........works pretty well for me



 

Most of my embellies are organized in clear shoe boxes, too.  Some things are thrown in together, but they somehow go together in my mind, lol.  Some embellies don't need a whole shoe box--like my enamel dots.  They are in a blue metal pail.  And I have a basket of other newer embellies that I want to use up soon.... but just hasn't happened yet, lol.

My patterned paper is in the Iris 12x12 containers with 6 spots, and it's organized by theme--birthday, Christmas, Spring with it's holidays, summer and 4th of July, and then some don't fit in a particular theme--again my crazy brain--so I have boxes for "family," "Stuff I like," and "trendy stuff." If I buy a collection pack, it all stays in it's pack and goes in it's box.  If I buy separate embellies like brads that go with a collection, they go in the brads embellie shoe box so they don't wrinkle the paper.  But I have forgotten that I have matching stuff before, so that's not a great solution.  I have since been writing on a post-it if I have a matching embellie and putting the note with the paper.  My cardstock is separated by manufacturer first then color in it's Iris box.

[redsonic20]

I keep my paper sorted by kit sub or collection.  All of the coordinating embellishments that go with the kit or collection are stored with it.  I buy 13x15 zip top bags off of eBay and use those.  The remaining are sorted in a few ways (I'm still working on rearranging it all to make it more usable).  Some things that are packaged to a sheet (like small stickers) that are smaller than 4x6 are kept in a TJENA box from Ikea (I keep the top off and fold back some of the panels to give me a 6x3 slot instead of the provided 3x3 slots).  Loose things, like labels, cut apart, resin, etc are sorted by color in 4x6 Iris/Advantus photo boxes.  Bigger packaged things that I want out to use are kept on my pegboard.  I keep packages that are similar size together.  I also have spaces on my pegboard that are for varying sized flat alphas (I keep my Thickers stored elsewhere by font, but I will soon be changing that to being sorted by color and by size within each color) and even more in my Project Life organizer that I designed and had custom made for me by Stamp N Storage (they now sell it in 3 sizes as part of their product line...I should really have negotiated a way to get a percentage of what they sell, but oh well, I'm just happy to have my design in my room).  Washi is stored in K-cup drawer units (3 drawers, 9 slots, I have two of them full...each unit holds about 150 rolls) and the roll over is kept put with tension rods that I got from Sears...rather than threading them through, I just use the rods to act as spacers to keep them from rolling all over in the drawers.  This works for overflow, keeping my favorites at hand since they are kept in my craft desk drawers, or for holding the rolls that don't fit in my k-cup units (some are made with 20m versus the typical 10m and others just have extra large spools in the center and neither fit very well in the k-cup drawers without catching or getting indents in them).  I keep twine, mists, buttons that are in Ikea jars all on something like this from the container store:  http://www.containerstore.com/shop?prod ... +rack+elfa  My baskets aren't the mesh ones as those are new, but I'm pretty sure I'll be changing them out because my baskets sometimes make it difficult to keep things upright.  And then, if it's in a package that can't be stored easily, I have some baskets that I got on clearance at M's and I put them in order of shortest to tallest so I can more easily sift through them.  I will be separating out holiday items soon as the basket initially had a lot of extra room but now is pretty full (and it's all recent purchases and I've only done ONE layout this year...SCARY) so that flipping through will be easier.  Veneer is kept in Art Bin boxes (they are glittery that I got on markdown at Joann's a couple of years ago, but I also have some clear one that were supposed to be for loose chipboard that now hold the overflow...I love veneer but have yet to finish an entire package of anything and want to keep the packages separated).  Kit veneer, large words or other pieces that don't fit inside of those small compartment I keep in more of the 4x6 photo boxes.  I bought this (http://www.harborfreight.com/24-contain ... 90243.html) from Harbor Freight (need another one) for sequins.  I bought some empty stampin up dvd sized cases and bought some magnet (I now buy it in big rolls online for dies, but used to buy the magnet covers for vents at Home Depot and would cut them to size and then run through my xyron 5 inch) to stick on either size...that's how I store my metal backed flair (I make it more often than not so I make it with metal backings in spite of it being thicker because they are easier to store until I use them with the metal backing).

Not sure if any of that is helpful, but I organize constantly...if I scrapped as much as I organized, I'd have no stash left that needed organizing.  

[debamas]

I sort papers mostly by theme. Some w/o a theme are by type...flowers, stripes,circles, misc. Set aside in ziploc exlarge bags are kits with their embellies with them.
Embellies are not organized other than hanging on one of those hang it up thingies. I have one for jewel/pearl types, one for stickers
Alphas are in a narrow drawer cabinet and sorted by one or two colors per drawer.
Solid cardstock by color, in a drawer cart, one color/shades of in each drawer.
buttons by color in clear jars
ribbons in a pretty dish
twine in another dish
washi lined up in narrow baskets so I can see each one. I hate digging through deep containers to find something
stamps....ugh...need help!
inks visible on shelf
ink pads in a container, stacked.

Always a work in progress as supplies grow and I change my mind about where, how and ease of reach/use!
 

[suslvgeo]

If there is an obvious theme such as school or sports then I sort by themes but if not I sort by color. I have bins that have slats used to store paper but instead I lay them differently so I can drop large baggies (I purchased from ACOT) that I have filled with embellishments sorted by color. For me when I need something for a page--going to my color scheme never fails. Organizing scrappy stuff can be so fun and I swear each time I do it I find something I forgot I bought. LOL. Hope you have fun doing it and find a system that works for you!!

[Retiree3]

I sort all of my embellishments by categories in various containers.