If you are a scrapbook enthusiast, then you know how those scrapbook supplies can add up quickly. Before you know it, you will have a variety of papers, embellishments, tags, stickers, adhesives, and punches. The problem is, when you accumulate a lot of the necessary supplies for making your scrapbook pages, it can become very frustrating if you have to hunt around to find where you stored your stuff. The answer lies in making an organizational method for your supplies, so that when you are ready to make a scrapbook page, you can find what you need easily. Here are some ideas to help you organize your scrapbook materials.
Use stackable paper trays. These are perfect for storing those 12 x 12 sized papers. These units are expandable, so you can add more as you need them. You can easily see what papers you have, and they keep the papers from being bent or otherwise damaged. These units are not expensive and are a definite need for the serious scrapbooker.
Invest in a pen caddy. This organizational unit is the perfect solution for those journaling pens. These units have lots of room for all your favorite pens and keep them within reach for quick journal entries. They are a great way to organize writing tools for your scrapbook pages.
Collect some divided compartment boxes. These are perfect for storing your embellishments. You can find these at any scrapbook store or even any craft store. You could also use a fishing tackle box which will work just as well. Just make sure the dividers are sturdy so that the compartments stay in place. You can find divided compartment boxes that lay flat or are tower type units. Make sure you have multiple drawers and compartments for storing your ribbons and other embellishments. Depending on how many supplies you have, you may want several divided compartment boxes where you can organize your supplies by theme or even by brand.
Depending on your scrapbooking needs, you may want to invest in one of the large wall units specifically made for storing scrapbook supplies. These units feature shelves for stacking your 12 x 12 paper, drawers where you can organize your stamps and punches, as well as book shelf space to store your completed scrapbook albums. Many of these units are easily customized, as you buy them as separate pieces and can arrange them in various combinations until you have achieved the desired effect.
With the hundreds of thousands of scrapbooking papers and embellishments available on the market, it is easy for your craft area to become overwhelmed by scrapbooking supplies. This becomes an especially difficult challenge for scrapbookers who live in small spaces such as apartments or dorm rooms. Never fearwith a little effort you can follow a few easy steps to create a space for your things that is organized, clean, and beautiful.
You will likely need the most time and space to organize your papers. A good option for this is a paper saver, as made by most of the larger scrapbooking companies. Usually made from plastic, these folder-like portfolios are large enough to hold hundreds of papers and include tabs to separate your pages into categories for easy organization. If you find that you do not have enough room in a paper saver, you might also find it useful to invest in a filing cabinet or one of the sets of drawers made especially for scrapbooking. These are available at all craft stores and online.
Once you own a tool for organization, the next step is to decide how you want to categorize your supplies. The option most often used is color, but you can also separate your paper into themes (holidays, wedding, etc) or by marking, such as solids and stripes. You can also use this system to organize flat embellishments, such as die cuts or stickers.
You also need a place to store your tools and embellishments that are not easily filed. One good way of doing this is by using baskets and a shelving system. Store cutting tools in one basket, glues in another, markers and paint in a third, and so on. By buying baskets in bulk, you will save more money then if you use photo boxes, and the display will be uniform and attractive. Remember to label your baskets so you save time when youre looking for a particular item.
If you need to save space, however, a basket and shelving system may not work for you. Instead, keep all your tools and supplies stored somewhere safe and out of the way and keep a kit of your most used items close at hand in a photo box, basket, tote bag, or other container. That way when you only have time to do a quick page or two, you can use your kit to complete it and then quickly clean up. On the other hand, when you can devote an entire day to scrapbooking, you can pull your supplies out of storage to complete many pages of your album.
Try to remember that keeping your space clean and organized will make scrapbooking easier and more enjoyable in the future. By labeling your storage containers and sorting your papers, you will be able to quickly find the tools you need. Organization is the key to stress-free scrapbooking and creating beautiful albums.
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