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I think there is a thread somewhere about this, but I can't seem to find it. I need help in setting up my craft area. We moved recently, and the office and craft room are having to share space :( . My DH has converted the large closet in that room into a workspace for me, with built-in shelves and a good-sized desk area. It's actually pretty cool, with lots of space overhead for stamp sets, etc. My problem is how to store my 12x12 paper; I've only recently begun using it as I used to do mainly cards and have just ventured into scrapbooking. I have all my 12x12 paper stacked in plastic drawer-type bins, but they have gotten quite heavy (from all those visits to the LSS!), and I'm finding myself frustrated by constantly having to rifle through the various sheets trying to locate just the pattern I need, plus the paper is getting damaged from all the handling.
I would love to see some suggestions on how to store a quantity of 12x12 paper that doesn't take up a lot of space, yet protects the paper and is easily accessed. If anyone has pictures or ideas they can share, I would really appreciate the help.
I've put all mine in a drawer of the filing cabinet. It fits if you put it in on a slant and because I have so much (red face) the whole drawer is full and it doesn't get bent. There's a pic in my blog, if you'd like a look.
__________________ Leigh in Oz Leigh's Blog
SCS Fan Club member
This is the link to the page that has these wonderful paper containers I got from OT. They hold about 50-60 sheets of 12 x 12 paper. I have about 30 of them lined up on the shelves in my cupboard. I love them, they are cheap, keep my paper perfect and from fading if in the sun. They are made of the same type of plastic/vinyl as the Cropper Hopper snap boxes.
__________________ Karen
...My life is like a stroll on the beach...As near to the edge as I can go...Thoreau...
I store all of my 12 x12 paper in a plastic tote box. (It can also hold hanging folders) I purchased the 12" DecoFile Folders from Creative memories,
( $15 for 6) and have them separated by colors. There are tabs at the top to label. They are heavy duty clear plastic, and it has a small pocket in the front. So it can actually hold the 12x12 sheets in the back, and a smaller size in the front.(8.5 x11) The papers stick out over the top, but thats fine for at home. If I want to take it with me, I just tip the papers forward, and put on the lid.
__________________ Cindy Please visit my BLOG I'd love to know what you think!!
This is an upclose look at the tabs on the 8.5 x 11 cardstock storage: Gallery at Splitcoaststampers
(this is standing up inside rubbermaid paper trays that have plastic epoxy holding them together on a shelf)
I keep my 12 x 12 papers in mailing boxes (I bought scrapbook paper and saved the boxes). I was watching Lisa Bearson on QVC and she was selling cropper hopper boxes. I cut my mailing boxes to the same shape as her cropper boxes. (The top is cut off so they are about 11" tall. I angle the cut so it is a little lower in the front.) I stuck contact paper around the boxes to make them look nicer. Now my paper is all standing upright. All I have to do is thumb through until I find the paper I want.
I keep my 12 x 12 papers in mailing boxes (I bought scrapbook paper and saved the boxes). I was watching Lisa Bearson on QVC and she was selling cropper hopper boxes. I cut my mailing boxes to the same shape as her cropper boxes. (The top is cut off so they are about 11" tall. I angle the cut so it is a little lower in the front.) I stuck contact paper around the boxes to make them look nicer. Now my paper is all standing upright. All I have to do is thumb through until I find the paper I want.
--Jane
This is what I do too. It's just like the cropper hopper upright storage system. I file the scraps in a large envelope right with it.
I have a friend who uses the mailing boxes for her paper storage too. She took the boxes apart, turned them inside out, painted them, cut the tops to look like the Cropper Hopper, and then she glued them back together. It looks so cool.
Me, being the dummy that I am, tore into my boxes when I received paper orders in the mail, LOL, so I have to get new boxes from the P.O.. Someone told me that they are free for the asking, but I'm not so sure about that. I'm going to the P.O. tomarrow, so will ask. Even if they do charge for the boxes, it's still cheaper than buying the Cropper Hopper.
a long time ago when the idea of recycling the po priority boxes first came along i took a PH tester pen to one of mine that had come in the mail and it was not acid free.
so its seems kinda funny to me that people who pay big bucks for acid free products store them in things that will transfer acid or allow for faster what is it the acid does break down the fibers of the paper?
( you know like unprotected wood or cardboard)
just a thought.
I've also seen rooms where people get plastic stacking trays like the local scrapbook stores have too.
If you plan to get boxes from the Post Office ----
They are supposed to have a NEW box that measures 12 x 12. I have not seen or used it yet. My son is in the service - the box is intended to shipping to overseas bases.
I finally gave up with my 12 x 12 paper stored in a paper taker. I could never find what I wanted. I bought a rolling 12 x 12 file. I put dp and cs in by color with the scraps stored in a separate folder behind the mail folder. With everything in file folders it is really easy to go thru and find what you are looking for.
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If you plan to get boxes from the Post Office ----
They are supposed to have a NEW box that measures 12 x 12. I have not seen or used it yet. My son is in the service - the box is intended to shipping to overseas bases.
Barb
Just got back from the P.O. and they didn't have the 12 x 12 you mentioned, but they did give me 8 of the regular priority boxes for free. I think I will do what thompsj did and cover them with contact paper, except I'll take them apart, cut the tops, and then cover each one inside and out with contact paper. Never thought about the boxes not being acid-free.
My Stampin' Up paper is stored in rolling hanging folder carts that I can store under my countertop out of light. The rest of my patterned paper is stored in the stand up vertical paper holders in a shelf so it is also covered by light. When I began, I wanted the stackables so my paper was in view at all times and quickly realized it faded my paper. I am so glad I did not spend money on a complete system of that before I realized I didn't like it. This also gives me more wall space to hang everything else I have purchased like my stamp pads, punches, ribbon, etc.
I bought those 12 x 12 paper savers at Michaels when they were on sale for $1 each (normally $1.99). I sorted most of my paper by theme into each one, ie: birthday, christmas, halloween, boy, girl, school, Disney, baby, etc. The rest of my paper I have in a plastic 3 drawer storage container that I got at Wal-Mart for about $8. Now when I need say, Halloween, I just go to that envelope. It makes it so much easier to find things. Now the drawer one, let's just say that I do still have to flip through every piece to find what I'm looking for.:lol:
Tammy
Most of mine is 81/2 X 11. I found two white wooden storage cubes (like you'd use in a closet. I put one on each end of an old buffet we got at an auction. Painted a board white and made a bridge between the 2 cubes ( did the same thing for tool storage on my dad's bench) I store all my paper on end in the cubes and under the bridge between the two. In top on the bridge I put some fabric and display current cards I'm working on.
Card size pieces of paper are kept in 2 plastic shoeboxes, one for patterned and one plain, all arranged according to color. Smaller scraps are kept in a kleenex box and I try to use them up first.
Just got back from the P.O. and they didn't have the 12 x 12 you mentioned, but they did give me 8 of the regular priority boxes for free. I think I will do what thompsj did and cover them with contact paper, except I'll take them apart, cut the tops, and then cover each one inside and out with contact paper. Never thought about the boxes not being acid-free.
Buffer the inside of the boxes with scrapbook paper, use the hideous pattern that you know you'll never use but can't bear to throw out;)
I use a large record cabinet for my solids it has 20 divided cubbies and each section holds 200 sheets, I group the paper by color. I got it at a flea market for $10! For patt paper I use the crop in style P3 tote.
1. My BEST original idea was to purchase 2 sets of 12 12x12 Keepsake Keepers (Micheal's w/coupon of course), label them w/masking tape and a Sharpie, and sort as much of my patterned paper as possible into themed groups that suit me! I even include the stickers and any other FLAT embellishments for that theme, and make a ziplock for those that are not flat. Then made envys by color for non-themed patterned paper.
Cardstock and whatever doesn't fit in those is filed by ROYGBIV in the CropperHopper Vertical Paper Holders divided by post-it-note flags. Metallics, Vellums, Textures, and Laces have their own 1/2" Cropper Hopper holder that came in the set.
For Pages that are under-way, I use the envelopes to make a Kit for those layouts including the pics, journaling on an index card, and any cardstock or embellishments that I might want to use. I label these w/masking tape and a Sharpie so I can grab just the layouts I want to work on when I am headed to a crop or a store.
Amy C
Craft Keeper Themes for Patterned Paper:
Masculine (Fathers, Big Boy Toy type things, fishing, hunting)
Nature (Camping, botanical, garden theme)
Feminine (the minority at my house, could be subdivided)
Birthday
Big Boy/Teen
Toddler (stronger colors blues,greens,reds,yellows)
Baby (softer colors)
Fall/Thanksgiving
School
Summer/Water
Winter
Christmas
Spring/Easter
Soccer (or whatever sport for your house)
Heritage
Oriental
Romance/Love
Wedding
Alphabets
Reds
Greens
Blues
For Scraps: I keep these in my travel tote: Use the page sleeves from purchased Pioneer albums that weren�t true 12x12 for my scraps. Leaving the white cardstock in them, I put Yellow on one side, and Orange & Brown in the other, White opposite Black, Blue opposite Green, Red opposite Pink & Purple.
For the 8 1/2 x 11 I love the sterilite containers with the handle on the top. They hold a lot and they are very portable.
My 12 x 12 are in a big scrapbook paper folding file from the store and some that are still in the original packages are just in a milk crate, and the scraps are filed by color in some plastic envelopes with velcro closures that held puppy kits at work.
__________________ Kyloe
The lesson from Charlie Brown: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.
I use the 3 drawer sterlite containers that are made for 12 x 12 paper. I have several sets stacked on top of one another. My 81/2 x 11 paper I have in hanging file folders in plastic hanging file folder bins.
Need suggestions for paper storage
