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How do you organize your dp? Mine's a mess, and I need some way to get it under control. I thought about sorting it by color, but so many papers are multi-colored. Any suggestions?
How do you organize your dp? Mine's a mess, and I need some way to get it under control. I thought about sorting it by color, but so many papers are multi-colored. Any suggestions?
mine too! I can't wait to hear about suggestions cuz it drives me crazy!
Art is intended to provoke an emotion from a total stranger. If you�ve succeeded in this, consider yourself an artist. Paper Shanks Blog. Love me or hate me, you are still talking about me
My latest attempt at organization: leaving it in the outer cellophane (slit the top to open) with the identifying backing sheet and putting it in a 12x12 cropper hopper. Yep, the category name: designer paper. This may be a bit easier for me, though; since becoming a SU demo, I use their paper/CX for 98% of everything. Have an extra 12x12 cropper hopper label "other" for those papers that I just have to have.
I have one tray for printed and one tray for printed by color family (ex. yellow plain/textured one tray with all the yellow printed).
too often I'd buy beautiful paper and then couldn't find a color to coordinate. Now when I buy paper I buy coordinating paper at the same time. These I keep together and put them in the tray for the core color choice. I still have to search through the paper, but at least its organized.
Location: In my stampin' cave...when I am not at Disney!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by steubner
Mine is in a big giant pile on my desk.
I actually have two piles! I tried using the 12x12 SU clear file holders but it just doesn't seem to be working. Too many papers not enough dividers. Smaller pieces are hard to reach down and get. I just gotta find something that works better!
Stampin' Annie - Glad you asked this question!! Maybe we will all find a workable solution!
__________________ Makin' cards, watchin' NASCAR & planning our next trip to Disney!
I thought about sorting it by color, but so many papers are multi-colored. Any suggestions?
I believe that most of those colors tend to fall within one color family, though, so I've been able to divide mine up that way. Right now it's in those 12x12 Iris cases, but I'm in the process of taking the leftover panels from my wire cubes (Target) and fastening them inside one cube with plastic cable ties to make shelves. I confess I didn't come up with this idea myself -- saw it here in the forum a couple of years ago, and my DSP collection has now grown to the point where I need to try this storage method out myself! If you do try an open system, you need to take precautions to protect your paper from dust as well as potential fading if it's located near a window.
__________________ Rachel Proud SU! demo and Sci-Fi Geek!
My Stampin' Up! blog "I'm a time traveler -- I point and laugh at archaeologists." 10th Doctor, "Silence in the Library"
How do you organize your dp? Mine's a mess, and I need some way to get it under control. I thought about sorting it by color, but so many papers are multi-colored. Any suggestions?
Mine are in a double white wire rack like your LSS has. Someone gave it to my daughter. I put plaids and straipes together, florals together, Crhistmas, Beach, burgandy/reds together, blues/greens together. Now these are all designed. The solids I have in the white wood shelves from Mikes.
I don't have any of the SU! DP, but I have a ton of other prints to organize. What I'm doing is using the CropperHopper upright files--not just the 2" wide ones, but the also the 1/2" wide ones. These smaller ones are labeled by category--mostly holidays, mirror, vellum, plaids, etc. So far that's working for me.
__________________ Yes, I am aware that I have glitter on my face! My Gallery My Blog
The above are scrapbooking albums I am working on so I like to pull out all my stuff for which ever album I am working on that day.
I do this too, only have Travel in place of Hawaii and then Pets, Babies.
I use the cropper hopper vertical 12x12 vertical storage, then use Container Store pouches for SU dsp or other coordinated kits.
I organize the rest of the papers by color (sometimes hard to do!). Always looking for a better way...
Like Stamphappy1650, I buy coordinating papers at the same time. Then I store them together in a 2 gallon snap and seal bag. I store any coordinating embellishments in the same bag. I keep it all in a covered storage tote sorted into categories...SU, CTMH then colors.
I try to keep it by color family, but it's hard to tell with some papers where they belong. I just spent some time sorting and organizing my 8 1/2 x 11 papers by color. They were just is a big messy bunch.
__________________ Mary Ann GALLERY Fan Club member since 4/08
The small amount of DS paper I have collected is contained nicely into a Cropper Hopper 12 x 12 vertical storage paper holder. I have each set of DS paper in CH Page Planner's with a label at the top and the coordinating colors in the front pocket of the planner - don't want to spend lots of time researching what matches.
I use the Cropper Hopper vertical sorters. My SU! and Papertrey paper is by collection name - I like to have all the coordinated pieces together. My Non-SU! Paper is sorted by color.
__________________ ~*~ Clara ~*~ If you can think it, you can ink it!
I have found that organizing by color or by vendor just doesn't work for me. Most papers have more than one color and I mix my vendors and rarely use just one vendor for anything. Instead I organize in hanging files by the design on the paper. I have circles or polka dots, stripes, flowers, "pictures" (paper with animals, objects, people, etc.), and patterns (paper that has some sort of geometric pattern but isn't a stripe or dot). I do also separate out my holiday only paper (Christmas and Valentine's Day). My friend Kilcha further separates her stripes and polka dots into male and female but I haven't found the need to do this and feel that many of my papers can be used for both. This can be tricky on two-sided paper but I usually like one side better than the other so I categorize by the side I like the best. Anyway, I have had this system for about 2 years or so now and find that it really works well for me.
I have my CTMH papers in the bags they came in, with scraps too. I used mailing labels folded in half (like tabs) on the ends of the bags with the names of the design on them. I store them in the Target cubes, with shelves made with the plastic ties. For the other papers like Basic Gray, etc that I collect (and horde, not use, heaven forbid,) I store them in the priority mail boxes from the USPS and write the company or category, such as boy, Christmas, travel, Anna Griffin, etc on the sides of the boxes. Actually I have my discontinued papers and CS and my random stamped pages in these boxes too. They are free, stack nicely, and can be written on.
I buy the 3 drawer (12 x 12) plastic containers from Walmart and then I sort my papers into colors and then types. For example: Blue, Blue Circles and Dots (this depends on the color of the circle only) Blue Stripes and Plaids(stripes must be blue) and Blue Florals (flowers must be blue). And then I have the main color, circles, stripes and floral for each basic color. It's been working really well for me.
I use string tie plastic envelopes and put it in a group:
Western
Snow
School
Baseball
figure if I buy it as a group it should stay together.
I don't buy current dp if it is flowers or spolches because that isn't my style.
so it has to have a recognizable theme/design---
Otherwise patterned paper is sorted by color family and with plain cardstock.
__________________ c-mouse-If you can't say nuttin nice--don't say nuttin at all. Thumper. Pansy
Card Sketch Challenge 1-227 done only 396+ to go to be caught up!!!!!
I use the Cropper Hopper File Folders for my 12x12 DP and sort as KimmieSue indicated before (by stripes, polka dots/circles, floral, patterns, pictures, baby, kid, wedding, Christmas, Valentine's). All scraps go back in the file folder.
For solid cardstock, we (all my stamping stuff lives at her house) have three plastic file folder tubs that sit on the floor under our stations (tables). Each color has a separate hanging file filder and is organized by color family (according to our stamped color chart of all SU & CTMH stamp pads--yes, we are BIG geeks!) with the color name on a file folder tab. One tub is for SU cardstock (scraps go in the front of each folder, whole pieces in the back), one is for CTMH paper, and one is for Bazzill. Kim also has the DCWV & other random solid cardstock in her DP tub.
We used to keep all the paper in the ziplock bags that CTMH came in (instead of hanging file folders), but found that we rarely filed it away beacuse of the extra step of having to open the ziplock. Now it's much easier and we hardly ever have big stacks of scraps waiting to be filed back in place!
We each have rings of the SU & CTMH cardstock color swatches at our stations, which makes matching/coordinating colors to DP very easy. My swatches are 2x2 (Kim's are 1x2) and have a label on the back side with the color name. They're easy to tell apart since CTMH has a white core and SU doesn't. We share a ring for the Bazzill colors we own, and just cut a swatch for any new ones that we get.
Also, our Bazzill cardstock is only sorted by color family per hanging file folder.
Last edited by kilcha; 04-23-2008 at 10:01 AM..
Reason: another tip
I bought an extra photo album that holds the extra page protectors in you album then I kept the lable from each design as I am a new demonstrator and I don't want to get my papers messed up. I then put them in the album according to color. the page protectors hold half a stack of the 12 x 12 card stock and a whole collection of the 2 sided papers ie: berry bliss etc. I devide my collections in half and use one half for my demonstrations the others for my projects and demos. I do however like many of the other suggestions. I have the rolling cart that has the 12 x 12 plastic containers (you can get these at Michaels or Joann Fabrics with a 50% off coupon at times) and I love them ... all my papers are in there...
I spent a "few" years digging through my patterned papers and getting very frustrated. Then I took a long look at what I needed to keep me organized and this is what I came up with.
Storage Cube + 1 spare rack
Electrical Ties
Hanging File Folders
Divider Tabs
Computer paper (cheap)
- Assemble the cube 13 x 13
- Position the rack to fit the hanging file folders and attach it with Electrical ties top, bottom and sides - this makes a 12 x 13 cube.
- Cut each File Folder at the bottom fold and attach a folded sheet of computer paper to make the depth 12" to accommodate the 12 x 12 paper.
- Lable file folders with categories such as:
Distressed; Christmas; Dots; Embossed; Kiddie; Metallic; School; Stripes; Travel; Wedding; etc, etc. Mine are in alphabetical order
This works for me - and I used materials that I had. Of course if you are lucky enough to find a 12" cart with 12" hanging folders -- it would save all the hassle of construction....... I did this years ago when there wasn't all the 12 x 12 storage choices that are available now.
I have some 12" x 12" drawers that I bought from Target. These stack so I have a fair amount of them. I store my Double Sided Paper from Stampin' Up! there. It keeps them flat & they don't bend over as they can when you store them vertically.
I have the drawers labeled:
Single Color (for those single color packs)
Current DSDP (I keep these separate partially because I'm a demonstrator and partially because the current ones use the current IN Colors that I use a lot)
Small DSDP for the 6" squares and small cuts
Retired DSDP
I separate the different kinds of paper with the cardboard that comes with them. I put this on the top of each one with the name at the front right of the drawer so that I can just pick through the cardboard & come to the collection that I want.
This was an inexpensive way for me to keep my DSDP and the best that's worked for me so far. Hope it helps.
I do exactly what katestamps716 does. Mine is a legal size rolling file cart. The 12 x 12 papers fit width wise easily. Vertically, they stick out the top of the hanging folders but that is the wonder of it all. You can see every color. You don't have to label anything. I sort mine by colors with all the DP in the front and the solid card stock in the back. I even throw my DP scraps right in the hanging file folder. I need to get one for my 8 1/2 x 11 paper too!
Oh and katestampers716, I love your Abba song!!!!
StampToIt
Quote:
Originally Posted by katestamps716
I have a 12x12 rolling file cart I got from Paper Wishes catalog. I have the hanging folders and dividers and sort it by company.
I do this too, only have Travel in place of Hawaii and then Pets, Babies.
I use the cropper hopper vertical 12x12 vertical storage, then use Container Store pouches for SU dsp or other coordinated kits.
I organize the rest of the papers by color (sometimes hard to do!). Always looking for a better way...
I like the idea of using one of those clear pouches for designer paper. So far I only have about 10 different SU designer series papers and I will place each design in one of those clear pouches. Then I will label it with the name, plus the name of the coordinating solid SU colors. That will make it so much easier, for me anyway!
I read all of these wonderful suggestions, but I am confused by the references to using ties (electrical or plastic) to assemble things. Anyone have a pic or diagram that might help me make sense of it?
Leah
its not the dp i'm having a problem with, like any good stamper, i throw NOTHING away. my scraps are taking over, suggestions welcome as to storing scraps:p
Okay, my daughter says I have a paper problem. I have gone through many transformations in storage for my paper. I've tried the rolling carts, the paper gets too heavy. I've tried the stacking drawers, you are still getting the pages dog-eared by rifling through the stack to find the one you want. I've tried the magazine holders (for 12X12 storage), outgrew those. It is best for the paper to be vertical, I think. I found a really cool tall skinny bookcase at Hobby Lobby that has slots in it. I separate them by colors, and then I break it down further within the color family: stripes, dots, cardstock, floral, lights and darks. Yes, I have WAY too much paper!!!
I actually just sorted & organized mine a couple of weeks ago
I have a Crop In Style - Paper Tote 12 x 12 size
and I organized by style (I guess?)
Stampin Up (kept this together so I knew it was from SU
Stripes
Plaid
Polka Dots & Designs
Flowers & Nature
Holidays & Seasons
Birthday & Kids
Collage & Heritage
Vellum
Then a MISC file for tags & Die cut sheets or anything that didn't fit into any of the above categories
So far it's working great for me, I wish I could have a larger file that was easier to sort through, but I am working with minimum space and this holds alot without taking up alot of room.
I currently have my 12x12 DP in a plastic 12x12 3 drawer container. But the more paper I get, the tougher it's getting. I just recently got a cropper hopper vertical storage. I'm sure it'll be great for the full size sheets, but alas, I'm still up in the air about the scraps.....especially the little ones.
For my solid SU stock,(8-1/2x11), I have them in a plastic tote,(actually 2 totes), for hanging files. Each color has it's own hanging file with a color tab sticking up and a file folder in the front of the hanger with the scraps. My 4 color families are in one and my In Colors and neutrals are in the other.
My DH just looks at my stamp stuff, rolls his eyes and shakes his head. :-)
its not the dp i'm having a problem with, like any good stamper, i throw NOTHING away. my scraps are taking over, suggestions welcome as to storing scraps:p
Totally not my original idea but I use this method and have found that I love it!--I sorted my scraps into color groups and stored them in an accordian file. I used a lable maker to mark my tags. I even had room for vellum and acetate as well as for metalic (which i have so few of i keep all together). You could keep DP scraps with the solids or if you use a lot, do a separate file. I keep my accordian file next to my table and have found that I have a lot less waste since I can quickly look for the right size to punch, fold, stamp and glue. My file is just a brown one from Wal-mart with months on the tabs. I tried an opaque one with blue trim but that seemed to cause a blue tint to everything. BTW - if KV reads this -- it is her idea and ne of the best!
I have tried so many things in the past, but I love what I have now! It's called a Scrapbook Solutions by Storage Solutions & I got mine at Michael's with a coupon, so it was a great deal. This is a 13" cube (3 cubes per tower) storage system with 24 vertical slots (I have 3 sets of these & lots of paper ;-). As I've just finished putting the last two together, I haven't actually sorted all my paper, however, the plan is this:
One "tower" is for current DSP & I think I'll also store the coordinating paper with the DSP as several of you have already mentioned. The 2nd tower is for retired DSP & the 3rd will be for all my Simply Scrappin Kits and "other" paper that I have. Oh, and each one comes with a �cover� so if you aren�t using it, you can keep it covered & protect it from both sun and dust. I don't know if they have a website, but here is their toll free # in the US: 1-800-732-6303.
My upline, Carolyn gave us a list of each of the DSP with the names of the coordinating paper, so my goal is to have the list on top of the tower, the paper sorted alphabetically by DSP name and then the coordinating paper on the same slot/shelf. I also keep the DSP in the sleeve it come in with the carboard backing with the name of the paper.
I have tried so many things in the past, but I love what I have now! It's called a Scrapbook Solutions by Storage Solutions & I got mine at Michael's with a coupon, so it was a great deal. This is a 13" cube (3 cubes per tower) storage system with 24 vertical slots (I have 3 sets of these & lots of paper ;-). As I've just finished putting the last two together, I haven't actually sorted all my paper, however, the plan is this:
One "tower" is for current DSP & I think I'll also store the coordinating paper with the DSP as several of you have already mentioned. The 2nd tower is for retired DSP & the 3rd will be for all my Simply Scrappin Kits and "other" paper that I have. Oh, and each one comes with a �cover� so if you aren�t using it, you can keep it covered & protect it from both sun and dust. I don't know if they have a website, but here is their toll free # in the US: 1-800-732-6303.
My upline, Carolyn gave us a list of each of the DSP with the names of the coordinating paper, so my goal is to have the list on top of the tower, the paper sorted alphabetically by DSP name and then the coordinating paper on the same slot/shelf. I also keep the DSP in the sleeve it come in with the carboard backing with the name of the paper.
This is a neat idea, I will have to check out Michael's and see, I have some other storage solutions products so this might fit in well. I did not realize it came with a cover to protect it from dust. Thanks for the idea.
Until I can get a better system, I've been using Ziplock bags in the 2 gallon size. They are the perfect size for 12x12 paper, and they keep my patterned paper and scraps in one piece. I have them stacked in a basket for now. It's been working out great for me, and it's inexpensive.
Organizing Designer Paper
Patterned Paper Storage
ORGANIZATION OF DS PAPER
