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Ink pads are stored by color family. I have the cases marked "B", "R"... (brights, regals, etc.) and I simply pull them out and put them back into the general category. No fuss with alphabetizing and I can see all of the color names clearly.
Ink refills are grouped by shades -- blues/greens, pinks/reds/oranges, etc. I glue a punched piece of card stock to the top of the refill to make them easier to find.
Paper - I used to have my paper in color family order and labeled alpha within family. A year or so ago, I switched to a strictly alpha system and find that I like that much better since I don't have to remember which family has which color. Yeah, way better for me.
I realized that rainbow won't work for my paper storage because the light isn't good in that area, meaning that individual colors don't really stand out.
Best bet: Pick the one(s) that work best for you. Good luck!
In don't have SU but my paper and inks are stored in rainbow order: R-O-Y-G-B-P, then neutrals, then metallics. One note, I sort inks by type first then by color.
I highly recommend storing scraps with the full sheets of paper. My colored scrap piles have gone down greatly since I started doing this because I remember to use them now.
I have done this many different ways over the years. Right now my pads are sorted by type and then color from lightest to darkest in that color family. My Stampin' Up paper is in a two drawer file cabinet........current colors in the top drawer and retired ones in the bottom drawer. Sorted into color families from light to dark.........each in a pendaflex holder with a label done from that particular color and within each pendaflex is the pack of paper and a cellophane bag the same size that holds the scraps for that color. My scraps are where I look first unless I am making a card base.......really gets them used up. Since I don't have all the colors, I will sometimes double up colors in one pendaflex........this seems to be the best system I have found........so far........lol
I store my inks by brand then color - ROYGBIV. Paper I store just in color order, on a shelf in vinyl pouches, job ticket holders I think they're called. I also store my scraps in with the paper and I keep patterned paper in a CTMH plastic stamp box all cut down to size.
__________________ "For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack" ~Rudyard Kipling my gallery
I store my inks by brand then color - ROYGBIV. Paper I store just in color order, on a shelf in vinyl pouches, job ticket holders I think they're called. I also store my scraps in with the paper and I keep patterned paper in a CTMH plastic stamp box all cut down to size.
I also store my inks this way!! I have 2 ink pad holders from Organize More that I store my SU inks in rainbow order, then misc. full pads, like Mama Elephant or Simon Says Stamp-those are also in rainbow order. I store my Distress Inks (regular ones) in the second holder in rainbow order. My black and Versamark inks are stored in my desk drawer since I use those 90% of the time. I store Distress Oxide in a drawer in small stacks, metallic inks and ink cubes are in drawers since I don't use them very often.
I also store my paper on a shelf, but instead of job ticket holders I use XL page protectors (they hold 50-100 sheets, much cheaper but thinner) also in rainbow order and that is all Stampin up, other company cardstock fits in one protector. I used to store my cardstock in a drawer which I really liked, but I would hardly ever use it. I tend to grab it more now that it is out in the open and it looks nice on the shelf. I still store my neutral in a drawer since I use those colors most often.
When I switched to storing my cardstock on the shelf, I was also asking myself "would I really use this color?" and ended up de-stashing about a quarter of my stock.
I have weeded down my SU colors and inks dramatically. I now keep color groupings that work together in colors that I LOVE. I can't see keeping colors that don't make me smile.
...They are stored by color in rainbow order.
...I keep quarter sheets of the colors (and scraps) and the ink pads and sponges for those colors in small drawers. So all of one color is together. Since I use mostly white bases for cards, I will only cut color card bases when needed.
...My full sheets are kept in rainbow order in the dark on a shelf. I also use the extra large page protectors. They were easier to find than the job tickets.
...Then I have a bin on my desk where I keep card bases already cut and folded. Mostly that is white and Neenah desert storm. Also some white woodgrain and white linen. There's a few light color bases as well.
If you want a rainbow order file of SU colors it is attached below...
...Then I have a bin on my desk where I keep card bases already cut and folded.
I need to do that! I keep threatening to and never do. I would probably do white and black for now because I'm fresh out of Crumb Cake which is my all time favorite. Speaking of which, I think I need to order up a new pack while I'm thinking about it!! ...and now you know why I haven't yet gotten around to cutting and folding card bases!!! haahhahahaha
__________________ "For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack" ~Rudyard Kipling my gallery
Thank you SO much for the color chart. I have been trying to rearrange my vast hoard of SU papers...some back from the early 2000's! I didn't keep them in their original plastic for a long time and am having trouble figuring out which green is which, etc. This chart will help me group!!
In don't have SU but my paper and inks are stored in rainbow order: R-O-Y-G-B-P, then neutrals, then metallics. One note, I sort inks by type first then by color.
I highly recommend storing scraps with the full sheets of paper. My colored scrap piles have gone down greatly since I started doing this because I remember to use them now.
This sounds very similar to my system. I too do not have SU cardstock but all my card is sorted in rainbow order in polypockets in hanging files, with all the scraps in the polypocket with the full sheets.
Alpha by SU color family
Alpha in general
Color coded rainbow style
Which of those options matches how you think when you need colors? That’s your answer.
I think “need yellow” so papers and inks are sorted in rainbow order, brands mixed together. For grabbing and putting away, I want them in one spot. (I have some but not much SU CS, no inks.)
Exceptions: Distress Oxides are separate in rainbow order. Distress mini cubes are separate in a container, and other companies’ mini cubes are in a container. All rainbow.
What are XL page protectors and where do you get them?
<o:p<o:p<o:p<o:pYou can find these with the other page/sheet protectors at most office supply stores. Regular sheet protectors will hold just a few sheets of copy type paper so look for the ones that say they hold 50 or 100 pages. They're referring to copy weight paper, so won't hold as many sheets of cardstock, but they work great to keep my color CS together. Here's a link to some I found online that say they hold 70 pages, although I usually buy the store brand locally:AveryMulti-page Sheet Protectors<o:p
<o:p<o:p<o:p<o:pYou can find these with the other page/sheet protectors at most office supply stores. Regular sheet protectors will hold just a few sheets of copy type paper so look for the ones that say they hold 50 or 100 pages. They're referring to copy weight paper, so won't hold as many sheets of cardstock, but they work great to keep my color CS together. Here's a link to some I found online that say they hold 70 pages, although I usually buy the store brand locally:AveryMulti-page Sheet Protectors<o:p
</o</o</o</o</o
Thanks for the info! I just bought a package of 50 protectors at Office Max for $7.29. Cheaper on Amazon!
My stamp room is all about color, so I keep all my stamping supplies by color in a ROYGBIVish manner as well as neutrals and metallics. I have SU only cardstock in colors, but in neutrals and metallics I get from everywhere. After color they are named with the SU names. I do not use the grouping SU does and I have lots of retired colors that live happily and blend nicely with the newer colors. My paper is all in file drawers standing vertically so I can grab easily and also see quickly what color I'm low on. My ink pads and reinkers are first by type (dye inks, pigment inks, chalk inks, etc) and then by color. For dye inks pads I have a drawer for all greens, one for blues, etc. My pigment inks are all in two drawers (metallics in one, regular colors in another) with the colors separated in rows. Same goes for chalk inks and permanent inks. Reinkers are in two drawers---one for dye inks and one for everything else. Each color has a row and I put the color on the top of the bottle so I can see at least about what color it is before I pull them up.
I'm somewhat OCD (OK, a lot OCD), so you have to find what works for you. You may find your style is more of a mixture of the great ideas already mentioned. Good luck in finding the solution that suits you. You will be happy you took this journey.
I also store my paper on a shelf, but instead of job ticket holders I use XL page protectors (they hold 50-100 sheets, much cheaper but thinner) also in rainbow order and that is all Stampin up, other company cardstock fits in one protector.
When I switched to storing my cardstock on the shelf, I was also asking myself "would I really use this color?" and ended up de-stashing about a quarter of my stock.
I, too,have de-stashed a lot of paper.I really like the idea of oversize page protectors for storing my 81/2 x 11 cardstock. Where did you get the over size ones?
__________________ Just keep breathing...that's the key.
I,too,have de-stashed a lot of paper.I really like the idea of oversize page protectors for storing my 81/2 x 11 cardstock. Where did you get the over size ones?
I have weeded down my SU colors and inks dramatically. I now keep color groupings that work together in colors that I LOVE. I can't see keeping colors that don't make me smile.
...They are stored by color in rainbow order.
...I keep quarter sheets of the colors (and scraps) and the ink pads and sponges for those colors in small drawers. So all of one color is together. Since I use mostly white bases for cards, I will only cut color card bases when needed.
...My full sheets are kept in rainbow order in the dark on a shelf. I also use the extra large page protectors. They were easier to find than the job tickets.
...Then I have a bin on my desk where I keep card bases already cut and folded. Mostly that is white and Neenah desert storm. Also some white woodgrain and white linen. There's a few light color bases as well.
If you want a rainbow order file of SU colors it is attached below...
The SU rainbow order is interesting---almost identical to what I created, only in reverse! I start with neutrals, then yellows to oranges, on to peaches, pinks, reds, followed by red-purples, blue-purples, next the blues from purplish on to true blues then to greenish, and finally to the green with a blue cast to the yellowish ones. When mine did not follow closely (in reverse) with the list, I found they were quite a bit off. This may be that while I have all of the old retired colors, I have very few of the In Colors---retired or not. Anyway, it was fun to compare, and I actually made some changes where I thought the list made more sense.
Any color order that works is all that matters for the CS owner - and it’s fun reading other ways people sort.
For nerds (me!), rainbow order (remembered by the name ROY G BIV) is the color order in actual rainbows - how light disburses/breaks apart in a prism. Or a diamond. red-orange-yellow-green-blue-indigo-violet. But separating indigo from blue seems like splitting hairs.
I organize in rainbow order for both ink and paper. I love that method because it is easier for me to pick out the "right" red, or blue, etc. I also can more easily see what colors look great together.
Jeanne3579 LOVE the drawer cabinet. Where did you find it?
My wonderful husband, who was a wood worker and did all the furniture and cabinetry in our house, built it to my specifications. However, If I had to purchase something, I would buy a wooden file cabinet, or two (which I just did for my daughter who is starting to need housing for her cardstock). I will tell my DH about your kind words. He will be thrilled, especially since he is no longer able to woodwork. Can't find the exact same one, but these are similar.
Paper and ink organizing
