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I was wondering if you divide up your stamp sets into "themes", which themes they are. Do you follow the catalogs themes or do you have your own "method to the madness"....
Trying to figure out the best way to divide and conquer!
General Stamp sets - organized alphabetically
Background & Filler stamps - ditto
Word & Phrase Stamps - ditto
Frame Sets
Hostess Sets & Current Mini Catalog sets
Retired
I used to keep my hostess sets in with my regular sets, but since I don't use them to demonstrate (except for Fresh Fillers...use that all the time!), and I was running out of room, I had to extract them to a separate shelf. I also keep any mini catalog sets there, since I use those a lot until they go into semi-retirement...they come back out if they end up in the big catalog or the Memories catalog.
I stack my cases on closet organizer shelves that I've put on a desk. I use those because I had them and they work. I'm starting to outgrow what I've got, but the retired list will be coming out in a couple of months and I'll be able to weed out some of what I have.
For my non-SU! stamps, I sort them by theme: Birds & Bugs, Animals, People, Mystic, Christmas, Other Holidays, words, Country, Angels, Christian, Celestial, Scenic, Alphabets, Kids, and Stuff (stuff covers a lot, lOL!) I keep most of my loose stamps in a toy organizer that I got at Target for one of my kids rooms. They never really used it...I was the one sorting Barbie shoes and other toys into it, so I decided it really belonged to me for stamps. It works well, since you can lift the whole bin out. I can layer them in there with plastic box photo frames...the small ones fit right in the bins so that I don't have to dig. I keep other stamps in more plastic box photo frames on a shelf nearby. They are the perfect depth for most stamps and stack nicely.
My system is very much like Jan. I do have a few big plastic totes for the major holidays. So that come January, I slide those under the bed for a few months just to give myself a little breathng room. I also have a tote for mini catalog sets that slides under the bed. They're still easily accessible if I need them for a card for friend or family, but out of the way when I'm planning demonstrations, making set samplers, etc.
First of all, I am not a demonstrator so I am the only one that uses my stamps. I have a 3 shelf cabinet that I keep my sets in. I organize them by box size and then alphabetically. It's not a problem for me to remember what set is in what size box so it's works for me. I tried organizing them all alphabetically but it looked so messy. This way looks much neater (although, I'm not sure why it matters - the cabinet has doors! :? ) That's my method!
Hello everyone! I'm not a demonstrator as well. What I have done is converted to using acrylic blocks which I love and should have done a long time ago. So I store my stamps in CD cases, however, I know of someone who stores there's in a binder with sheet protectors which I plan on doing when time permits. I'm sure you can imagine how much space I have free by doing it this way. When I made the change I removed the rubber from my wood mounted stamps by microwaving them for about 4-8 seconds then peeling them off from the wood. It works great.
I am not a demo either, but here is how I organize/inventory my stamps. It is a little overkill and it does take time, but it works for me!
Whenever I purchase a new stamp set and before I put them together, I make a copy of the sheet that has the stickers/labels on them and I assign it the next page number and file it in the binder. I have a list at the beginning of the binder that lists all the stamps I have purchased and they are listed alphabetically, along with the corresponding page number. My stamp sets are organized alphabetically as well.
Whenever I want to look for a particular stamp, I browse my binder, find the stamp set it is in and then go find the stamp set. This really works well if you are trying to find a particular image and don't remember which set it is in. You can just browse your binder instead of looking at each stamp set directly. It also works great as an inventory to help you keep track of which stamp sets you have purchased!
Like I said, this works for me, but I know it might be too much work and a hassle for others. :lol:
Reading Kris's post reminded me that I forgot to mention in my post that I keep a similar notebook as an inventory. It does work great. The inventory is arranged alphabetically and as I get each new set, I stamp it on a page. As Kris said, it's much easier to browse the notebook than pull out all the boxes.
This is very interesting to see how others organize! Thanks for sharing everyone!
Hi Everyone,
I'm not to splitcoaststampers, but I am very excited about it. This is a great site.
I organize my stamp sets pretty much according to the catalog. I have many drawers with labels on them. In addition to the labels I have colored dots. Then I put the appropriate colored dot on the stamp set box. That makes it much easier to when it comes to putting things away. I also have a notebook with all of my stamps sets (like others have mentioned). I have the coordinating colored dot on those pages also. I love being able to find my sets very quickly.
I love the notebook idea for keeping an inventory of all the sets. I am going to do this really soon. I keep my sets on a shelf unit, sorted by container size, with seasonal sets seperated from the rest. I recently had to move them to a larger shelf, which is quickly being outgrown already!
I am another who used the size of the box to organize stamp sets.
I'm afraid I don't have any better suggestions to help get organized, but I do really like the idea of a binder of images to look through.
Two friends have done that with all their sets, so I guess I better get on that too, since I have found that some stamps in certain sets are hard to find. :oops:
Thanks for all the info, it helps.
Carol in Canada
I created a word doc at the same time, listing what was in each basket so that my class members would know what they had to work with in advance of the class and exactly where to find it and put it back.
I've got mine in two iris carts, so I've broken it down as follows:
Sentiments, Greetings and Alphabet sets
Holiday Specific (Sets for only one holiday)
Multi-occasion (Greetings Galore, Little Hellos)
Backgrounds
Sets with Greetings (Paris in the Spring, A Little Love)
Sets without Greetings (Botanicals, Fresh Flowers)
I'm trying to keep the wheels with the type of set, but I'm running out of space with backgrounds, so I'm gonna have to figure something else out before too long. And I really need to get off here and start working on a book to hold pics of all my sets.
Organize?!?! Well, right now mine are in three huge rubbermaid containers. Retired, Current and Words/alphabets. I am interested to read what people have to say for when I get my room together....NEXT WEEK!!!!
Okay - am I the ONLY one who sorts them by the size of the case? I really only have a vague idea of where each set is, so it works on sort of a CHAOS theme. But this is an improvement for me - they used to be in the storage tubs and I found that there were too many times I'd get distracted while looking for a certain set because of having to dig thru the bins. Now I have them all on a 5 shelf bookcase. I allow myself 1 shelf for retired sets/wheels. (It's now overflowed to the floor )
I have recently been working on my stamping area in the loft and and have three of those plastic drawer things from Target. Most all the stamp sets will stand up on one edge in there and I can line them up. I also write the name on the box in Sharpie if I have put the label on another edge. This seems to work very well and I can certainly get a lot more stamps in the drawer that way and I dont have to move any to see what is underneath. I have a separate drawer for Christmas ones, other Holidays, general sets, flower sets, kinda old sets, word sets, and the dreaded singles who have no friends. Oh and also the small four stamp sets. I do wish I had started a binder with a lists. I have all the catalogs and doubles on some so I could still do that and cut out the pictures and paste them in. That would eliminate a lot fo stamping. Sorry, just thinking outloud there.
Anyway, I have found this works very well. It is always a challenge and someday I would like to have those storage cases like they use for maps and the like so I could do one layer and just pull open the drawer and see them all. Wouldnt that be wonderful!
__________________ Sherlie..... aka Surelyyoustalktoo? Just living is not enough, one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower,and a few stamps, of course, www.splitcoaststampers.com/go/Sherlie
My dh built me a 10 ft shelf along one wall in my craft room so I have mine stacked 5 to 6 high along that. I seperate pretty much like jantink however I go a little farther. Like I have alot of floral, then vintage, all holidays except christmas... christmas lives in the closet till next year. This works for me because I usually work by themes and I'll pull several down when I'm creating, it helps for me to see them.
__________________ chercher My Faith will Not be greatly shaken.
Cancer can not define me!
Angfab, you are not the only one! I organize mine by size also. I have a five shelf bookcase which is also overflowing on to the floor, a four drawer IRIS cabinet and room on another bookshelf for all of my background stamps. Even when I get my cabinets built I will still organize by size but will also break them out by theme/category (pretty much along SU lines).
I am a demo but I still like to use all of my sets for my personal cards and scrapbook pages, so I keep my retired and mini catalog sets in with all of the others. Otherwise it is out of sight and out of mind.
Thank you for all of the ideas about setting up and keeping the inventory. Right now, I just have them marked as "have" in my catalog. This way I won't order anything twice (again)!
Hey maybe I'm not in complete chaos after all! Mine aren't alpha (that's a good idea, but can I be trusted to maintain that? LOL!) but they are grouped into alphas, BGs, little BG's, and word sets. So as it turns out, there is some sort of method to my madness!
Course I'm going to be switching rooms soon, so that all could change!
I store mostly Alphabetically, its the easiest and fastest way. I do have my Christmas seperate, there are so many of them, and of course my hostess sets and other specials that I cannot demo all the time.
I don't have much organization to mine at all other than at least they do all have their own special place and are not on the floor LOL I too have a 5 shelf bookcase and place them on it by the size of the case. No other organization to them at all. It would be almost impossible to do since my 15 year old daughter stamps too. I already harp at her to have the boxes all facing the same direction and lined up all nice and tidy; if I told her they had to stay in some sort of order she may just quit stamping altogether which would not be good at all. Oh well, the chaos may end one day when I have a big house and my own stamping room...and she has her own house and stamping room too :twisted:
__________________ ~Mel~ Nurse in Special Care Alzheimer's Unit SU Demo since 2004
I store my stamps in two drawer stacking shelves that fit in my closet. I have broken my drawers into the following:
Winter- christmas, winter and valentine's
Spring- Easter, St. Patrick's, Mother's Day
Summer- Patriotic, Tropical
Fall- School, Halloween, Thanksgiving
All Occasion and Birthday
Floral and Nature
Backgrounds, borders
Phrases and Alphabets
I also use plastic silverware drawers that stack to put single stamps, wheels and punches in. I label the outside of each.
I keep a book with each set stamped in abc order. ( I originally did this so I could tell my husband that I've used all my stamps)
Stamp Sets - how do you organize yours
