Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
Let's start a discussion that will help everyone out as we all seek to get more organized and have more time for stamping! Here are a few tips:
I store my SU cardstock in Rubbermaid plastic file boxes, each in their own hanging folder. But I also cut quarter sheets of all my colors, and I put them in a photo storage box, with dividers for White, Vanilla, and the 4 color families. I keep this box right by me, and I don't have to get up to get pieces of cardstock to cut when I'm starting a new project. I'm a demo, so I use mostly quarter-panels for card fronts. But you could have one photo box for 1/4 sheets and another for 1/2 sheets (put the other way).
I store my wheel ink cartridges in an empty SU plastic stamp case - I use the one that has the partitions for the alpha sets. The jumbo cartridges fit the long way in the middle sections, and I have the regular ones lined up in the outer sections.
Pampered Chef Tool Turn-Around - for scissors, pencils and pens, handheld punches, stipple brush, blender pens, bone folder, Aquapainters, etc.
I am a new demo but certainly not new to stamps or scrapbooking.
I love the idea of cutting the card fronts and filing them for use. I have been in and hosted swaps for card fronts because they are so much easier to send as well as gives the layered look to your finished projects.
*My tip*
I purchased a "Stanley" black and orange large plastic tool box at WalMart in the tool section and this works perfectly for my stamps (until I make enough to purchase the "Stampin Up" carrier. The containers of stamps fit perfectly in the bottom of the toolbox (I put mine in file like with the stamp group name facing up) and there is room for enough card fronts (precut) and the cleaning pad and mist in the bottom and the ink pads and scissors and etc lay perfectly in the top tray. It locks down and actually sits very nicely on the top of your "Crop In Style' so you can roll it right in or carry it either way. I paid less than $10 for mine and it is the best thing I could have found for my stamps.
I also keep all my paper/scraps in hanging file folders according to color family...each folder has its own color.
I also keep a metal letter holder (looks like a bunch of circles) on my desktop to put cards that I want to copy while I'm working or just put cards in progress for when I can't finish them.
I put my decorative scissors/paper snips in a pretty glass decorative jar on my desktop and my sharpies are also on my desktop in a pretty green pail I got from the dollar spot at Target.
I got a pants hanger, one of those wire things that you can hang 5 pair of pants on with the arms that move out, from Target. I cut off the rubber on the arms and store all of my wheels on it. I used to keep them in a plastic tray, this works much nicer and I can hang it up out of the way. I also store my ribbon on cafe rods hanging between shelves. I have lots of ribbon! 7 lonnnng rods full, and 2 drawers.
Oooh Caboodles! I remember those. I think I still have one in the back of my closet that maybe should see the light of day again!! I never would have thought of that for stamping!
I have most of my stuff in photo boxes that are labeled (ribbon, eyelets & accesories, etc.) the labeling really helps. I also have several binders that I 3 hole punch stuff I find and print off of SCS and file like techniques and cards I just have to try. It inspires me to look through it!
You can fit quite a few regular size stamping wheels into Crystal Light (or Pringle's chip!) canisters. If you roll each on plain paper or cardstock you can cover the can and know exactly where each roll is. (You do have to dump the can to get anyone but the top roll, but it is cheap and cheery looking!) Anita
I decorate coffee cans, and have a few little pails from Target. Since I do not have a stamp ink pad holder yet, i leave them in the cardboard cases they come in, and pull the tops back to create a "shelf" for all the Stazon, and various other pads i dont have space for. I have 2 very banged up file cabinets in the closet i got at a yard sale, and i have them empty for loose things. :lol:
Try the fishing section of your local store (WalMart, etc). Tackle boxes are wonderful for accessories storage (beads, wire, scissors, punches, etc). They make ones with removable dividers so you can make most anything fit. They are clear also so you can see what's inside. I have one for punches, one for beads and wire, one for other miscellaneous things. They store upright so they take up less space.
I also use cheap pencil boxes (like for gradeschoolers) to store my blender pens, aquapainters, stylus, and scissors I use regularly. They also make these in clear durable plastic.
I got it home depot. It was $99. it is 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide and about 20 inches deep. it had shelves in the lower part but I took them out to fit in the plastic drawers and wire shelves. i have all my old magazines,old stampin' Success' and old catalogs behind the stamppad holder.
my DH put peg board on the back wall of my desk. It's great I have 2 shelves and all my most used tools right at hand. I have all my punches heat gun eyelet setter etc. right in front of me on hooks and pegs. I love it.
I use 35 mm film cannisters to store my hemp, linen and floss. I poke a hole in the cap (with the the stylus) and feed the hemp through the hole. I never have to worry about colors getting mixed up. I like the see-through cannisters if I have them. Otherwise I just ask at the one-hour photo counter. They have a ton.
I keep all my scraps in hanging folders in a big plastic container and I got my brother in law to make me a ink pad and paper holder which is costing me a dinner for he and his wife. I store all my eyelets etc in those plastic drawer sets that you get your husband for his screws and nails. I love my turnabout for all my watercolor pencils and markers that I use on a regular basis.
I keep all my patterns etc in binders on the counter in my stamp room so that they are easily accessible.
The best thing I have is the wall behind my desk. It is a little taller than a backsplash in a kitchen and eight feet long. I bought 12x12 sticky-back cork tiles from a home improvement store, and covered this entire area. I then screwed in little hooks every so often. I bought cheap dollar store plastic drinking glasses (about 8" tall), and drilled a hole in the side. I store a lot of my supplies in these and just lift them off the hook when I need them. Any ideas I have or bigger tools like rulers, I thumb-tack up on the cork or hang from a hook. Clean up is really fast this way. Just throw everything back into plastic cups and hang them up.
Whew...that was longer than I thought it would be.
My favorite organizing tool is an over the door shoe rack. Mine is fish net material so that I can see everything in it. Enough room for 12 shoes (yeah right) I keep my hole punches, scissors, sizzix templates, etc. Pretty much everything that doesn't have to be stored flat.
I found what I want to add to my stamp corner soon. It is not expensive at all. And matches with what I already have. A big black grid to hang on the wall.
My wall space can hold a 4x4 grid and just hook what I want where I want. There are several different options for hooks, shelves, document holders and much more. The accessories are very inexpensive. My space used to be a men's workbench in my garage but then we remodeled our garage into a game room. I was lucky to get the long corner to myself. I uploaded pictures of my stamp area but it is still waiting for approval. Here is the link just in case it goes through.
I can't wait to get it and start organizing. I love to organize, I know some of you might think I am sick. I just think I have a little OCD. "That is my story and I am sticking to it."
__________________ Sincerely, Stephanie
Enthusiasm can't be taught, it must be caught. - unknown