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right now my craft room and craft table are such a mess, that I had to make a card and I had to do it on the floor. my 4ft x 6ft table is heaping. where do you draw the line with paper scraps? I just want to throw them away, they are such a mess I couldn't find a piece I needed if my life depended on it.
and please do not let me buy anymore patterned paper, I rarely ever use it. I swear I have some from the early 90's. ugh.
so what is a good rule of thumb?
__________________ lori b. my gallery
"if you judge people, you have no time to love them."
They're all good rules of thumb if you follow them once you decide what they are.
First thing I'd do is get a dedicated container for them, whatever size you feel like, but make the rule that if it doesn't fit in that container, you either have to cut it down or put it in the container it DOES fit into (the trash or recycle bin). No stashing half sheets back in the full sheet bin.
Then, you have to make a concerted effort to use the scraps. Maybe that means sometimes you go through and group them into a couple of piles you could use on a card (matching the papers). Maybe it means you take the box with you to a crop or two-- I sometimes have done that and it's fun to share scraps.
Then, you have to commit to going through them regularly, or at least occasionally agreeing with yourself that today you're going to go through and purge. I just did a brief cleaning of my box and tossed things because I couldn't remember why I kept them. (Sometimes, I remember that I liked the colors, or I love the pattern, so then I put the scrap back. But if I look at it and wonder why in the heck I kept it, it goes in the recycle bin.)
i have my scraps sorted in accordion files/baggies by color/theme/manufacturer. it gets sorted depending on how i envision myself using it.
like emily/nacho said, you gotta make a effort to use them up though. i always pull from my scraps first when designing. i don't always find what i need in there though, so it's not like all my cards look the same all the time! lol.
i try to keep my punches handy too... if what remains is too small to be a card front or a mat for an image, it gets punched and then tossed in the bin. punches get tossed into a separate bin that goes to my kids, and when it gets too full, gets donated to their classrooms.
at some point you have to figure out what kinds of paper you need to keep. i know someone who doesn't keep anything smaller than 4"x6", and others who will keep every little 1/2"-wide piece because they can work it into a background. the question is will you use it? if the answer is "probably not," then just learn to let go! regardless of how badly you feel about wasting or getting rid of it, i promise it feels so much better to be able to rid yourself of the little scraps and things that make you feel guilty!
I have scrapbook paper that is 15 years old, I hate it. i think i may have even hated it then, maybe it was one of my kids that wanted it! I will donate to church sunday school or the prayer and care team (they make cards) and if they want to throw it out, they can. everything else in life i can part with.
my husband is getting snarky because he throws nothing out. i clean out the fridge and put the stuff in the bottom of the outside garbage can because he will pull stuff straight out of the trash and put it back in the fridge. i probably should not have shared that i was giving stuff to church.
truthfully if i had my way i would throw out all pieces under card front size and if i discover i need it back i will run the mile to the craft store and fork over the 49 cents for another sheet. i see no sense in keeping all this stuff. we have more mismatched little screws that we have spent a lifetime sorting and storing and organizing and they would cost a nickel to just go buy one if IF you ever need one.
__________________ lori b. my gallery
"if you judge people, you have no time to love them."
....I am generally very organized, but the one thing that does stack up is card stock scraps. I took a deep breath one day and went through them all and just threw half of them away. I did it quickly, and took it all right out to the recyclng bin in our garage. I haven't thought about it since. It's long gone. The one thing I feel badly about is that it did not occur to me to donate it to a church or a school. I will next time.
So that's my advice....take a deep breath, go into robot mode and just get rid of as much as you can. Then, set some guidelines for yourself, and stick to them.
Good luck!!
Hugs,
Jo
__________________
Jo
Proud Fan Club Member
...sure it�s got a catchy beat, but can you stamp to it?
life is something that happens only when you run out of cardstock
can you purge and donate...
1. what you don't like
2. want will never use
~ DON'T THROW IT AWAY. SOMEONE CAN ENJOY IT~
few places to donate to...
1. women's shelters. they have many kids there. need things to do/make
2. schools. art teachers can always put it to great use
3. nursing home. many have art activties
Okay, by bin, you mean trash, right? (As opposed to when I used "bin" and meant "thing I picked up to be a storage space.")
haha yes, to me bin means trash .. didn't think of that I love how words can be so different in different places. I'd also say garbage.
I use a concertina folder for card stock and each colour has a separate file and I just make sure I use the smallest piece first instead of cutting into a full sheet.
__________________ Stop paint chip abuse. Act now!!
Won't somebody think of the paint chips?
Oh, boy, do I relate! I have learned from experience that if it's a piece smaller than a card (5.5 x 4.25), I will not go back to find and reuse it. I keep anything that's at least card-sized and let my club pick through the rest. I have one lady especially who is tickled to death to get any pieces, even if it's just extra punch shapes!
Funny how you started this thread just as I started trying to organize (again) my craft room. I am lucky to have a dedicated room but it is small.
I used to be a decorative painter and then did a lot of altered art so I have so many pieces just sitting around that could be altered one way or the other. Some I have had for years. Plus all the extras that go with altered art.
Now I just do cards and a few other paper crafts.
But paper is a problem for me. Especially scrap pieces. I have always kept a box under my cutting table and it was full - over full.
So yesterday I tackled it. Divided it into 3 smaller containers 1 for large pieces card front or bigger, 1 for smaller pieces to be punched or used as matting images or sentiments and 1 for DP. Big box is gone.
I also organized my full sheets. They were a mess and all mixed together. I was amazed at how many different colours I actually have. Found some beautiful specialty papers I had forgotten about.
Still a long way to being "organized" but it feels good to know it may be doable.
I am not going to buy any more DP because I really don't use it and I own a lifetime supply.
Now to find the courage to purge all the decorative painting stuff and surfaces to be altered.
Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner have some good ideas for paper scraps. Jennifer will attach some that go well together into piles with a binder clip and make a card out of it.
Both of these talented ladies will use thin strips that go well together and glue them to a piece of paper and cut that into strips. Here is a link to a similar video:
I agree...toss it away if it is small. But the best thing you can do is to clean up your space before or after you have completed a project. To try to creat in clutter is impossible.
I have a ceramic pot on my desk that I throw scraps in, I clean this out about every 6 months; use these scraps for small things like tags, punch flowers etc. larger pieces I put in by color into plastic envelopes I had from curtains or tablecloths, these are in a disposable ice chest. I just put together a huge box of scap papers for my daughters third grade class. I really miss those because I had quite a selection of papers from years of cardmaking, you know when you just need a little piece.
I agree...toss it away if it is small. But the best thing you can do is to clean up your space before or after you have completed a project. To try to creat in clutter is impossible.
I like to tidy up after I finish. It has a bad effect on my creativity when I open the door and everything is messy. And I am messy when I create.
I am in the process of re-organizing and purging right now. Only half finished but I feel better about the room already. This was brought on because after the last big session I did not tidy up. And have a big project to start with a deadline for finish.
I use only SU cardstock mainly because it is easier for me to keep organized as well as because I like it. I like Bazzil and some others too, but having a sheet or two of lots of different cs didn't work for me. I did a major purge a few months ago. I have all my 8 1/2 x11 cs in upright magazine file type holders in roygbiv order with a piece at the front of each color with a tab with the color name on it. I cut the holes off page protectors and put one at the front of each color. When making a card I pull the ones for the colors I want to use. I then use scrap pieces if I can and if I cut into a fresh piece the scraps go into the page protector. It's easy to put them back in their spot when I clean up because of the tabs with the color name. I don't have any "rules" about what size scraps I keep, I just keep the pieces I think are large enough I will likely use.
For my 12 x 12 papers I have similar paper holders I got from cropper hopper. I want to get some plastic envelopes for them sometime but for now each different paper is in a 2 gallon baggie. I don't have as many of each paper as the 8 1/2 x 11 so I didn't do tabbed dividers for these. The only cs I have are core'dinations. I have a fewsheets of each SU color Those are in roygbiv order with any scraps in the front of each bag. For patterned papers I have each stack in a baggie. The SU dsp has the coordinating cs colors written on the bag along with the name of the stack. Again, any scraps go in the front of the bag.
I hope the rather detailed descriptions of my system haven't put anyone to sleep. It works really well for me. I used to just have a big baggie for cs scraps and one for patterned paper. I never used them.
I have kept my CS in a file cabinet for quite a few years. I am a SU demo so I have a file folder for all of the current CS colors plus all the retired colors I have kept. In each file folder I have a page protector that holds all my scraps - even small pieces (pretty much anything that I could punch something out of). I cut the top of the page protector (where the opening is) down to 8 1/2 inches. That way it fits in the front of the file folder and I can easily drop scraps into the pocket.
It's neat and tidy and I always pull out the scrap bag first when I need any small pieces for punching or layering. This has worked really well for me and I do find that I use my scraps this way.
I was able to buy the page protectors at the $1 store so it was quite inexpensive to do this.
You are not terrible at organizing! It's a skill set to be learned just like any other.
I'm great at organizing, and still find myself working on my lap, or moving the cuttlebug to the dining room table temporarily because I have no room on my desk. My problem is putting things away after I finish. I usually leave everything out, in disarray, until I need to work on something else. Then I clean the remains of old project before starting the new project. Unless I'm in a rush, in which case I will shove the debris to the side and work on top of the old project. Or on my lap. Or on the floor. On on the dining room table (clear across the house).
For scraps, I keep the scraps in the folders with the full size sheets of paper. I'm fairly good at using scraps first, but I know when a scrap is simply too small and then it goes into the recycling bin.
I rarely use patterned paper, figured that out, and stopped buying it. I purged most of what I had and only keep a limited supply. I still need to use it more, but at least I don't have to worry about storing it.
__________________ aka Sue. Or Sue-odd.
No blog for me. My gallery chronicles my card-making successes and mishaps.
I still can't throw out paper scraps; but, have them organized the way I like.
Here are a couple of photos; one for colored scraps, and one for pattern on slack hangers in 12 x 12 bags. A nice organization helps to keep it that way. Not so with a lot of the rest of my room. Both are done by color organization. Small scraps fit well into ziplock bag in magazine containers with larger scraps.
__________________ Carolyn
my avatar: (such desparation), Dear God, if you can't make me thin; make my
friends fat"
My clothes closet doesn't look that nice! good job. I really like the color scrap idea. I may need to see if I have space for that. I assume those are magazine holders, but what kind? you bought them where?
__________________ lori b. my gallery
"if you judge people, you have no time to love them."
they are not my projects; but have done the same. Any magazine holders should work; I've had mine for years, and restored them for this purpose. These ideas came from pinterest. You can find a ton of organization ideas. You have to be invited; if interested I can send that email to you; most everyone has heard of pinterest. No body makes anything for joining for free; but, such a collection of ideas shared there on everything, cardmaking, recipe, home decor
__________________ Carolyn
my avatar: (such desparation), Dear God, if you can't make me thin; make my
friends fat"
I am in the process of 'thinking' of tidying up :-) I was looking for a way to store die cuts that you cut and don't use immediately, how do you store them ? any help/advice would be appreciated. At the moment they are in a little box all jumbled together and never used, it is easier to just cut a new one than trying to find one I made earlier :-)
I have the same problem as you, Lols! Since my stamps are all unmounted, sorted by type of image or saying, and stored in pouches in drawers, I am thinking of taking the stamped and diecut images and putting them in a little snack bag in the drawer where the stamps would be. This would also work for diecuts that don't have an image on them, but fit my classifications of stamps.
That takes care of SOME of the collection. Now for an idea for the diecuts and punches that are plain...no stamping on them...just basic shapes...
I found that the scrap pieces of paper collected next to my paper cutter. The pile would grow to gigantic proportions. I bought a metal mesh tabletop hanging folder box with two outside slots. I slip my useable leftover quarter or half sized card stock into red, orange, yellow etc. marked folders. The DP fits into the outer slots by quarter and half sized pieces. The crumbs and bits get swept into a waste basket under the cutting table. It works most of the time.
I sorted all my scraps- I had compiled an enormous box full- when I moved rooms, I could not really believe the size of some scraps I had kept! I'd have been lucky to even punch something out of them. I have them in an accordion type folder in a drawer directly behind my desk, so now I do swivel round and check there first.
For storing die cut shapes, now I use the cellophane card bags- one for each die shape, and stand them upright in a Really Useful Box, with a label at the top so I can flick through.
I never have stamped images around. i rarely have time to do a card that is not being sent out. its a goal of mine just to have some to have around to send out when the need arises. the only cut out i have are ones that i couldn't jockey the paper around on the die and they got cut by default. i am giving them to sunday school. i may go thru those tiny scraps and punch out random things, the sunday school coordinator said the kids will use those for crafts. i do not "dig" with much patience. same way with clothes shopping, to dig thru the racks at tj maxx or marshall type stores is not in the least bit fun for me. my daughter loves it and will call me and say "mom there is stuff on hold at tj maxx in your name, you should go up there and try it on"
__________________ lori b. my gallery
"if you judge people, you have no time to love them."
If it's a solid color of cardstock, I put it back with the other card stock. I have a hanging file folder for each color of SU card stock and I have full sheets and partial sheets/scraps in there. That's the first place I would look if I wanted to use that color, so having everything in the first place I'd look keeps it right under my nose.
I love patterned paper, but I don't have much. It's all SU designer paper and it takes up about 3 or 4" of one shelf. I keep my patterened paper in the clear plastic it came in, I just cut a slit in the top to access the paper. My partial sheets and useable scraps go back in with the rest of it's "family." Again, that keeps the scraps right under my nose next time I want to use that pattern.
I make myself look at the partial sheets or scraps before cutting into a new sheet. That keeps them used up and under control.
If it's a small scrap, I throw it away.
If it's a solid color of cardstock, I put it back with the other card stock. I have a hanging file folder for each color of SU card stock and I have full sheets and partial sheets/scraps in there. That's the first place I would look if I wanted to use that color, so having everything in the first place I'd look keeps it right under my nose.
Same here exactly, my solids are in one location only so I see right away when I go to that color's folder if there are scraps to use. I also keep extra die cuts, border strips that I punched but only used a little bit of, punched stuff, etc. with the color the same way. Just one place to look, is about all I can handle. I know this system works really well for me because my rolling cardstock cart is one of the few things in my craft room that is always perfectly organized no matter what. I save scraps that are larger than a couple of square inches.
DSP, though, that's another story. I have each pack in a large cello bag, and I keep the bags in a 12x12 magazine holder. Those are the current SU ones, which I keep separate from the rest of my hoard because I'm a demo, and for these it works great.
All my other DSP are in one container at least, but it's not remotely organized. I take out the stack and shuffle through them all whenever I want to use one. NOT A GOOD SYSTEM FOR ME! At least I do throw away scraps smaller than about 4x4.
I'm starting to cut back on my printed paper purchasing -- it's clear that I don't use nearly as much of it as I somehow think I do.
For decorative paper, I keep it in 12x12 bags by collection. I really try to use up a collection before storing it. If I don't love it, I don't keep it. If I think I'll use it again, I put the bag in a hanging folder.
I have a 6 drawer 12x12 unit that I put my solid cardstock scraps in. The drawers are labeled: Blue/Purple, Yellow/Green, Orange/Red, White/Gray/Black, Offwhite/Tan/Brown. The final drawer is for individual pieces of decorative paper that either needs to be sorted by collection or there was not enough of the collection left to keep the whole zip lock.
I try to go to my scrap cardstock before cutting full sheets. Like some of the others, I only use one brand of CS to keep it simple -- mine is Close To My Heart which I love. It is heavy, cuts well on the cricut and has a white core which is great for distressing.
I use Cropper Hoppers and page protectors too. When I have lost my Mojo I take all my small scraps and paper punch and die cut them into shapes. I then take my card front size scraps and make two hole on the side and bind them with binder rings. This creates a small album and I then send this off to my niece with all the paper cut shapes along with leftover stickers. She has so much fun making her own books.
"The question is will you use it? if the answer is "probably not," then just learn to let go! regardless of how badly you feel about wasting or getting rid of it, i promise it feels so much better to be able to rid yourself of the little scraps and things that make you feel guilty!"
Great advice above. Do what works for you. I save only scraps larger than about 2x3, sorted by color in ziplock bags and stored in one plastic 12 x 12 container. I throw the rest away and never look back. Every once in awhile I take all those sorted scraps and donate them to a primary classroom; starting over with scraps is so freeing.
I store my cardstock in a file cabinet in hanging folders by color. At the front of each folder is a sheet protector where I keep the scraps for that color.
This way I have a place to store a particular scrap when clearing my work area plus when I go into a color folder, the scraps are the first thing I see.
A good organization plan, however, I see the scraps but rarely have a need for them.
I finally got organized with my scraps. I have a realy cheap hanging file folder cabinet. Each hanger is a different color Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Black, White, Off White, Brown, Orangey, etc. A small pc of that color is in the tab. Inside the folders, I have 2 gallon zip style bags (unzipped) that I toss all my scraps that are large enough for a flower, punch out or whatever. I really TRY to not keep the tiny pieces. When I am done with a project, I file the scraps in their respective bags - even pattern papers scraps. They are a bit harder to figure out the color scheme so I wing it. I even have a bag named FILE for when I don't have the time or will to really file. I try not to use that one.
I do keep half and quarter sheets in their full size cardstock file because I don't consider them scraps. It's great to have a card base or card front already cut to size.
Everything else may be mess, but my scraps are down to a low roar.
Sue
I have 4 drawers of scraps - and I only looked through them once looking for denim paper for just that right look - couldn't find it. My plan is to go to one source of cardstock - either SU, Bazzill, American Crafts, etc. I think that will keep me better organized and all the reds will match, etc. And the pattern paper collecting HAS TO STOP for me - I love pretty paper, but I too rarely make cards with the 12 x 12, but probably have 100 stacks. I have started a mini hoard of 6 x 6 pads - it's a sickness. I do like the idea of punching out shapes with scraps. Will try this idea. Great question!!
To clarify, I don't consider myself organized. I use mostly 8-1/2 x 11 CS. I have whit bins, each bin has 4 shelves. I have a shelf for each color. I used a Post-it LABEL, not note, to label each shelf, and since it is SU I arranged it by color family. If I have 12 x 12 CS in a color, it goes on the bottom of the shelf, the whole sheets of 8-1/2 x 11 are on top of the 12 x 12 CS. I bought pocket folders in packs of 25 at staples for my scraps. Each color has a pocket folder. I adhered a whole sheet of CS on the front, as opposed to just writing the color name on it (makes it easier and faster to clean up for me). The scrap folder goes on top of my 8-1/2x 11 CS. It reminds me to check for scraps before I cut into a whole piece of CS. When the folder gets too cumbersome with scraps, I sort and discard unusable pieces. I throw out the worst and donate the rest. Don't worry too much about organizing just like someone else, just find a system that works for you and the way YOU do things! Good luck!
I keep my paper pads in polypockets and put my scraps from that pad in with them. That way I can see if I have an appropriate sized piece before cutting into a new sheet. I keep all my scraps apart from tiny slivers that I know won't get used.
But I am equally as untidy and need to get some shelves put up so I can get stuff off my table. My actual work area is tiny!
I was transferring my scrap CS from one container to the next and from one corner of my craft room to the next for years. Being an organization freak :-) I was ready to just throw everything in the recycle bin and start over.
Then this idea occurred to me. Why don't I make small paper containers, cut the light color scraps ( white, ivory, yellow, light greens, blues, etc.) in 2.5x2.5" and use them as small note cards? It took me a few evenings to complete, but it helped passing the time between TV ads.
I completed 15 little containers and gave them away to a seniors group. They were thrilled.
I do have 4 small containers dedicated for scraps. One for layering cards, one for narrow long CS used for decorative edging, one with designed CS, and one for scraps not smaller than 1".
You don't have to take my advice but I'll say it anyway. :-)
For the younger ladies here, please make an effort to organize, because when you become a senior, you will be forgetting frequently and it will be much harder locating items.
Personally I'm stressed out right now, because I can't locate my original cricut George and basic shapes plate that goes over the keys and a pricy Nestabilities Ornament die cut. I have taken my craft room apart since early January and I'm still looking.
I would love to hear other suggestions on using scraps other than card making.
Good luck to all with organizing your scraps.
__________________ Irene I have learned one thing from our ancient Greek ancestors- PAN METRON ARISTON- "Nothing In Excess"
To help you with having a card on hand and ready to go you might consider doing what I do. When I make a card to mail out, I now make at least two or even four. I leave the sentiment off but stamp and punch them so they too are ready to be mounted and voila! I have a quickie card.
por eso amo el punch art, porque no desperdicio asi nada de mi papel, perforo bordes, corazones, circulos scallop etc. y hago unoas bolsitas, algunas regalo a mis amigas y maestras de mis hijos y las otras las guardo para mis proyectos.
no es bueno quedarnos con todo, hay que dejar ir alguna cosas para hacerle espasio a cosas nuevas ;) ...suerte!!
I have a two drawer plastic unit that has hanging file folders on top of the two drawers. I have it next to my cutting table and file in the folders my solid colored scraps by red, blue, pink, black,etc. I use the next drawer in line just to store the patterned scraps. It's large and I haven't run out of room to date. The files I do purge often and throw out the smallest of scraps so they don't get too fat. LOL I like that I can pull the file of a color and open it to look for a certain shade of color and then pop it back into the slot. It's working great as long as I don't try to keep every scrap! The real bonus is that I use lots of my scraps!
i am terrible at organizing.
