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I use the clear plastic scrapbook project folders. I'll try to find a picture, but they have one deep pocket and then two smaller pockets on each side. They're open on one side and they have tabs on top.
I have about five of them. I keep small scraps in the small pockets and large scraps in the larger pockets. I also have them sorted into color families:
- One for Neutrals (one small scrap side is vanilla/white, the other is colored neutrals)
- One for Blues and Greens (one small scrap side is blue, the other green)
- One for Reds, Pinks, Oranges, Purples, Yellows (this one is a little bit more haphazard)
- One for SU In-Colors (retired on one side, current on the other)
- One for Patterened paper.
Some things that work and some things that don't:
- I LOVE using the folders for smaller images, sentiment stamping, punches, etc. It works well for me.
- I make cards and I use colored bases. I've noticed recently I wasn't very good about checking the large scrap folders for card bases. I've now moved all 5.5 x 8.5 inch pieces onto my desk. If it's bigger than that, or smaller than that, it stays in the scrap folder. It at least prevents me from using an entire sheet just for one punch.
- The patterned folder gets full pretty fast. The colored folders are easy to use because they're sorted and I know what I'm after. I'm not as great about using the patterned pieces, but as it gets full, I do sometimes have a "patterened paper scrap night" and try to sort through it and focus on making cards from my scraps.
- I also am not great at putting new scraps away while I'm working. I have a tendency to let them pile up on my table. At the end of the night (or every couple of scrap sessions), I stop and sort the new scraps into the folders.
-I keep them right beside my desk at the foot of my chair within easy reach when I'm working. If I used the drawer method, I think I'd never use the scraps because I can just as easily walk across the room for a new piece of paper as I can to search for a scrap. Keeping them close by prevents me from needing to get up, which means I think of them first instead of second.
- Also, the drawers have a tendency to get REALLY full and then you can't find anything. The folders have limited capacity, so when I see one getting fat, I tend to think of it more.
Found them! The product is called Cropper Hopper Scrap Storage. Look at that, I totally thought they were project keepers. Who knew I was using them for their intended purpose!!
My cardstock is in a file cabinet, hanging folders. Scraps are just kept with the full sheets - that way I use what I can before cutting a full sheet. Works great for me.
I have a Really Useful Box that I use. I made folders for each color and my scraps go in the folders. On the top of each folder I have written the color name and glued a sample of the cardstock that I punched from the word window punch. The box sits on my work table. If the 'scrap' is a half sheet or larger, it goes in the file drawer with the full sheet.
All I have is two small pizza boxes. One has scraps that are 12" long (for scrapbooking projects). The other is for scraps that aren't 12" long. It takes a little digging to find something I want to use, but on the up side, the pizza boxes are easy to pack in a tote when I go to crops.
I put my scraps in plastic page protectors and put the protectors in the cardstock shelves on top of the full sheets. I can check the scraps easily before using full sheets. Jeanne
Hi,
I see you are in QLD. I bought a desktop hanging file box from Officeworks.
I organise all my scraps by colour, one hanging file for each. If I need a green piece, I just pull out the green file and open it out on my desk.
For me, it wasn't a matter of storing them- just getting in the habit of REACHING for them every time I make a project. Make sure that wherever you store them is close by your craft table so you will reach for them. And then get in the habit of checking your scrap area before you cut new cardstock.
I try to make them NOT scraps. After a project, I trim 12x12 into letter size. Letter size into a card base (from 5x7 to 4.25 by 5.5), then postcard size (4x6 or 3x5) and then ATC size (3.5 x 2.5). Anything smaller than ATC size, quite frankly I try to toss.
The exception is imported or specialty papers. Example: I have for bookbinding and bookmaking some sheets of Italian paper (for fly leafs) that runs upwards of $10 for a 12x12 sheet. Suede and velvet and book cloth. That all goes in a Scrap and Stash 12x12 box.
I have boxes that hold the self made matte stacks and bases. It makes it easier to use, because it is pre-cut for a project. I often get more than one type of base out of a piece left over from a project.
I have a 3 drawer plastic thing. One for cool colors,warm and neutral. Pattern scraps get put in the drawer that as its primary color. I use to keep every scrap then realized I never used tiny ones so now the scraps must be 3x3 to keep. I then force myself to purge twice a year -- any scraps that I know are old get recycled. I also sometimes force myself to make something using only the scraps, very challenging and rewarding.
__________________ Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.
what I've learned now is use it up before starting a new paper.
Only unless i'm working o na certain project that I need to use other colors.
But this has helped me so much not to keep so many scraps. If I do have extras, I just have them in a small box and try to use them up as much as I can before throwing out
I cut down some priority shipping boxes in a magazine holder shape and that's how I store my cardstock and printed paper. I have one of those boxes for my solid cardstock scraps, too. I keep the scrap colors separate by sorting them into 13"x13" ziplocks. Tomorrow I'll be sorting my printed scraps by color, too. The plan is to pull out my two scrap boxes and see how much I can accomplish without digging into my uncut paper.
I went ahead and sorted my print scraps. And they also fit into the ziplocks with the solid scraps in the single box. I guess I didn't have as much as I thought. The good thing is that my paper is completely sorted! Woo-hoo!!
__________________ Melissa59 ♥
Last edited by melissa59; 12-16-2011 at 08:36 PM..
Reason: Finished my sorting
I'd fill, maybe three of those containers. Right now my scraps are in ziplock bags in a Cropper Hopper holder. I try to go to my scraps first and see if anything is usable for the vision I get in my head before I cut a brand new piece of DP or cardstock.
__________________ Leslie Harnish
Sambro, Nova Scotia
Canada
Maybe I just hate waste- straight cut scraps I can kind of deal with - the scraps from my Cricut drive me insane... I have set myself a challenge to use them, even if I have to get a cheap blender, some mesh screen and make some paper.
Okay, I have a major wall of paper in my scrapbook room. I use the 12 x 12 paper holders that you can get from Stampin Up (see page 226 of the catalog). Each of these paper holders has 2 colors of cardstock (one pack of 8.5 x 11 and a pack of 12 x 12) The example I show in the picture below is of 2 blues.... then in between those papers, I have 2 Cropper Hopper Scrap Storage bags, one devoted to each color. I file all scraps in it. In the center section I file large pieces (maybe left from my Cricut cutting or parts of a 12 x 12 page), and the side pockets are for smaller pieces. I usually put square scraps on one side and rectangle scraps on the other. When I need a scrap I use these pieces in my Scrap Storage bags and I don't cut another piece of cardstock.
Here is a blurb from Amazon on the Scrap Storage bags..... Organize scraps of all sizes together. A center pocket holds scraps up to 12 by 12. Smaller pockets on both sides hold smaller pieces of paper. Expandable sides 1/3 cut index tabs for filing. Organizer is clear. http://www.amazon.com/Advantus-Cropp.../dp/B0009WFWV6
Thumbnail 1 -- is a photo of the 12 x 12 paper storage with my 2 blue families.... there are 4 packs of cardstock. Each color has a 8.5 x 11 and a 12 x 12 pack of cardstock in the container. I place the Cropper Scrap Storage in between to divide the colors.
Thumbnail 2 is a photo of the Scrap Storage bags pulled out of my 12 x 12 paper holders.
Thumbnail 3 is a photo of a closeup of 1 bag with the 3 parts opened to show you.
Hope this helps someone. It has been the very BEST organizational investment I have made. All my paper stays together and when I want a mat or a punch of a certain color I grab my scraps!
Oh and I also have the same system with my patterned papers, except I use the dividers sold on page 226 instead of the scrap bags. I put the scraps back with the patterned paper each time.
Find myself using ALL my paper instead of wasting it or losing it or misfiling it.....
I went for something free and handy: Ziplock sandwich bags by color groups-reds, pinks, etc. All kept in a Sterlite drawer. Larger pieces are kept with the full sheets of same color in large capacity page protectors. DSP scraps are kept with the same collection in 12 by 12 scrapbook page protectors.
I have 3 of the 3 drawer sterlite containers. I place the scraps by color in them. It really works for me. I have one for white, brown, black, red, blue, green, pink/purple together, yellow/orange together, and one for patterned paper. Not only to I reach for these first, but my darling granddaughters know that these drawers contain paper that they can use. I've often wondered how girls that are 5,3,2 can pick out the stampin up cardstock over the HL/J's/M's paper. LOL
Hope you find a system that works.
Kathy T
I do the milk crate/ file holder thing...each color (blue, red, green, etc) had a manila folder inside a hanging folder, in the manila folder goes any scrap smaller than a card front, in front of the manila folder goes anything smaller than a full sheet. I reach for that before I cut a sheet...works wonderful, also, if i punched something and didn't use it, i throw it in there too....gives me a chance to pull colors out and see how they work together. It all fits into one milk crate and when I see one folder getting too thick (like right now, the brown ones is bulging) I try to use it up and thin it down.
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Thanks for the idea that's my project tonight
Quote:
Originally Posted by JadeOnline
I use the clear plastic scrapbook project folders. I'll try to find a picture, but they have one deep pocket and then two smaller pockets on each side. They're open on one side and they have tabs on top.
I have about five of them. I keep small scraps in the small pockets and large scraps in the larger pockets. I also have them sorted into color families:
- One for Neutrals (one small scrap side is vanilla/white, the other is colored neutrals)
- One for Blues and Greens (one small scrap side is blue, the other green)
- One for Reds, Pinks, Oranges, Purples, Yellows (this one is a little bit more haphazard)
- One for SU In-Colors (retired on one side, current on the other)
- One for Patterened paper.
Some things that work and some things that don't:
- I LOVE using the folders for smaller images, sentiment stamping, punches, etc. It works well for me.
- I make cards and I use colored bases. I've noticed recently I wasn't very good about checking the large scrap folders for card bases. I've now moved all 5.5 x 8.5 inch pieces onto my desk. If it's bigger than that, or smaller than that, it stays in the scrap folder. It at least prevents me from using an entire sheet just for one punch.
- The patterned folder gets full pretty fast. The colored folders are easy to use because they're sorted and I know what I'm after. I'm not as great about using the patterned pieces, but as it gets full, I do sometimes have a "patterened paper scrap night" and try to sort through it and focus on making cards from my scraps.
- I also am not great at putting new scraps away while I'm working. I have a tendency to let them pile up on my table. At the end of the night (or every couple of scrap sessions), I stop and sort the new scraps into the folders.
-I keep them right beside my desk at the foot of my chair within easy reach when I'm working. If I used the drawer method, I think I'd never use the scraps because I can just as easily walk across the room for a new piece of paper as I can to search for a scrap. Keeping them close by prevents me from needing to get up, which means I think of them first instead of second.
- Also, the drawers have a tendency to get REALLY full and then you can't find anything. The folders have limited capacity, so when I see one getting fat, I tend to think of it more.
I use gallon sized ziploc bags by color (blues, greens, reds, etc) I need to go through and recycle the smaller scraps.
I love Arlene's idea, I started doing that a couple of months ago with the 12X12 patterned paper collections I have more than a couple of sheets of (or buy the kit). I also place my 6X6 pads in 7"X 8" ziploc bags. I keep the cover in the front so I can see the collection, then I put the scraps pattern facing out on the backside. I have a couple of smaller tubs I keep them in.