I'm so far behind....

NavyWifeArmyMom · 07-14-2005, 10:18 AM

I'm really not sure where I am in this process! However, I HAVE been working and have accomplished a few things.

1. I've devised a fairly decent card stock and paper storage solution. I have a bookcase that sits at my right hand. I had some old paperboard magazine holders that I laid on their backs with the open (top) end facing front. I separated all my card stock into individual file folders - labeled on the tab AND on the bottom with name and color family. Each color family's folders went into one of the magazine holders. I also have one for Neutrals and my whites and confetti papers. I can see the papers and can get at them fairly easily.

Larger papers (Simply Scrappin' kits, some CM paper and card stock as well as other scrapbook store papers) I've stored in a "literature organizer" that fit perfectly inside one of the shelves on my floor to ceiling bookcases. I also keep my pastels, watercolor pencils, tool kit and other supplies on the shelves of the literature organizer.

2. I've finished (almost) sorting through all my scraps. I separated them individually into labeled baggies. I've kept the store boxes that my cat's food pouches (Friskies, Wiskas, etc.) came in - they are similar to the magazine holders only smaller), and made card stock dividers for each color family and for other categories. The baggies store well behind each divider. I'm not sure I like this (the baggies slip and slide a lot), but for now, it works, they're sorted and I can see (therefore USE) them easily.

3. For my ribbons: I purchased 2 small spring tension cafe curtain rods. On one I threaded all my SU! ribbon spools (this was HARD because the rod was just a tad bigger than the spool holders so I had to cut the holes out a bit). I threaded all my non-SU! ribbons on the other rod. The two rods are placed one on top of the other, one slightly to the front of the other as well, within one of the shelves on my bookcase. I have a LOT of SU! ribbon from swaps that are not on spools. I took the SU! white bookmarks, labeled the top with the ribbon name and size and then wound the ribbon onto the bookmark. I purchased cheapo shower curtain hooks, punched out the hole on the top of the bookmark and placed the ribbon bookmarks on the shower curtain hooks which I then hung from the SU! curtain rod. To save space, I grouped colors together - all the 7/8" greens are on one curtain hook, etc. I still need to do this part with my 3/8" organdy and grosgrain ribbons.

4. I have a desktop letter/bill organizer on the case at my right hand where I am able to keep folded cards and projects that I am currently working on.

5. I purchased 2 of the "milk crate" file boxes and rearranged all my files. These work a bit better than the heavy cardboard file boxes I was using.

6. I removed a LOT of things from my desktop so now I have more room to actually work here!

I still have much to do, but I feel more organized now and think I can work a little easier.

Thanks for reading - I'm open to comments or advice on what I have done! I'm always in search of a better way to organize everything and make my space more efficient and useable.