Does anybody store their stamp sets SIDEWAYS?
 

I'm trying to clean up and organize my stamp area (YEAH!).........and I can fit a LOT more stamp sets on my shelves if I store them on their SIDES. Does anybody else store their sets this way? I thought I read somewhere that the rubber slides down if they're stored sideways, so wanted to see if anybody else stored their sets this way if they had any problems.

THANKS!
Deenie

I store some of them flat and others on their side.

Have been stamping since 2000 and have had no problems.

Thanks for the response Julie! Didn't want to have a DUH moment after I got organized!! THANKS!

Deenie -

I store mine sideways like books and have for 13+ years I've been stamping. I've purchased SU product since 1995 and have never, ever had an issue with SU; however I store my non SU loose in scrapbook keepers - like books - and have seen the rubber slide off on a few of those. Easily fixed though!

Thank you Donna!! The reassurance is SOOOO helpful!! THANKS!

Some of the rubber in my SU All-Around Alphabet has slid partway off the foam, but it's easily fixed. I've never had that problem with any larger stamp images.

I bought a used stamp set from someone and it looked like some of the pieces of rubber had slid off the foam and the block. I don't know if they were stored sideways or not, but that was my first thought.

Thanks PH! I swear......this place is sooo cool! I mean, 15 minutes ago I was in my stamp room and thought........"hmmm......I wonder if I should be storing my stamps this way......." Hopped onto SCS, and look, I got THREE responses already!! You gals are awesome!! (OH.....and sorry for the typo in my THREAD HEADING........it should say "DOES anybody store............":)

Deenie

Thanks Heather!! Darn that gravity!!

Deenie

So exactly how are you going to store them?

I store mine side ways but I've wondered about this too.

Hey Krista! I'v always stored mine FLAT until now........but since I've outgrown the dining room table (ha ha) I am TRYING to consolidate things as much as possible. SOOOO....I think I'm gonna try storing them on their sides and see what happens. If I see MR. GRAVITY doing his thing, I guess I'll have to find a new system!! But SOOOOO much more fits on the shelf if their sideways............so I'm gonna try it!!

Deenie

If you would like a fourth opinion :), I also store mine sideways with no problems.

Hey amrita!

Thanks.........the more opinions THE BETTER!!

Deenie

Before I unmounted all of mine, I stored them all sideways without any problems.

I still have my BG's mounted and they are sideways!

I'm soooo glad I read this!! Thanks Deenie for asking the question.. I had never considered doing the sideways things, but since I have a ton of stamps and I too am running out of room I'm gonna try it.. Now I just need to print new labels for all my sets so I can read them on the side..LOL

thanks again for all in the information!! YOU ALL REALLY ROCK!!

Carla

I've stored all my sets 300 plus sideways and have not had any problems. You will want to keep them away from a heat source, such as registers/heat ducts etc.

I store all of mine sideways, DH built me shelves specifically to fit the boxes that way. Different size shelves for the different boxes basically 3 sizes mostly.

Another "on the side" storer here...have always done it (years) and never had any problems! I love it!

Oh my! Why didn't i ever think of doing this. So i think i will move my stamps, more space for more stamps.

I also store all of my stamps sideways. No problems yet and it makes finding them and reshelving so much easier when you have hundreds. Mine are stored alphabetically with no regard to box size.

I store all of mine sideways. I use my DYMO label maker to label the side that faces up, and one other side in case I have to turn it to make it fit differently. That way I can see the name at all times. I have mine in rolling carts. I have 1 drawer of Christmas & Winter, 1 with other Holidays, 1 with Birthdays, Sayings, Get well, etc., 1 with Flowers, 1 drawer has all of my clear stamps, and another has my Wheels. I'm going to be needing another cart soon.;)

OMG.............you all ROCK!! THANK YOU sooooo much for all the responses!! I felt kinda silly when I first posted the question................but all of your responses have been SO helpful have RELIEVED me of ANY apprehension I had about storing my stamps this way. AWESOME...........now that I have more room on my shelves.................you know what that means............I can get MORE STAMPS.............ha ha!!:D

THANK YOU LADIES!!!
Deenie

Deenie...NO silly questions, lol! I mean, there ARE no silly questions. Feel free to ask whatever you want to know, I doubt you'd be able to stump everybody in this crowd.

I am one of those who's always stored mine book style, BUT there is one caution. One summer I was doing some work in my craft room and a lot of my stamp cases had to be stored in the garage. It often gets above 100 degrees for several days in a row during Spokane summers. Some of my stamps did start to slide off their blocks, I'm sure because of the heat softening the adhesive.

As long as your room is somewhat climate controlled, I don't think you'd have any problems. Even if you do have it happen, it's no big deal. The rubber can just be put back with no problem.

Thanks, Deenie for asking this question. I have been stamping for two years now and have been storing my sets in drawers- most of them on their sides. It never once ocurred to me that the rubber would slide off the blocks. I am glad to know that it isn't likely! whew! :)

All of my mounted stamps are sideways. I guess if they slide I'll just convert them to unmounted!

I store mine sideways, on the long edge. So, I have made second labels for the long side, and as someone else said, I can either turn it on the short edge or long edge and still read a label to find them. I just did this a few weeks ago, as I got some new craft drawers. This is SO MUCH easier for storage and being able to find something. Previously I had to take down a whole stack of boxes and grab the one I needed. i was always knocking over the stacks, and it annoyed me!

Thank you EVERYONE for all your responses!! I am putting my stamp sets on my shelves SIDEWAYS........I decided to make my "new labels" on the ends color-coded - ex: for flowers, christmas, birthdays, sentiments, alphas..etc...... - and I gotta tell you -- they look sooooo PUUURRRTY!!!:)

THANKS!
Deenie

I also store my stamps on the side. I found out the hard way since I had a fav Christmas stamp that got squashed and distorted because of the layer on top of it. It was not SU but I wasn't going to take anymore chances. They all got filed on their sides the very next day!!

I do - the SU boxes on on end in the drawer. Never had an issue about them being on their sides.

Sideways storer here (for years) - have had no problems.

Hi Deenie,

I'm also trying to organize my stamps. I have made labels for all 4 sides and the bottom because I want to see them without having to take them out. Plan to store them on their sides also. (my domo does hers that way) and I'm going to store them in filing cabinets ( I have them coming out of my ears from teaching). I figure I can get 40+ sets per drawer and I have 4 and 5 drawer filing cabinets. The filing cabiets are full suspension so they should hold the weight besides being compact. Used excel to list them and gave each of them a number. Then, I made a copy of the stamp set with the corresponding number to put in a 3 ring binder. Haven't made up my mind whether I'm going to store them by number or subject, but either way I should be able to find them quickly and easily. Just a thought for you. Limited on space as to where to put things. Just wish I could do the same for all the punches I have. Thought about that. A friend bought the eZ mount things that you can put on the wall and remove without a nail. She then put a dail between 2 of them and hangs her SU punches on the dail (sp) She can instantly see the punches which is nice. Just thought I'd pass it on.
sam

I store mine sideways on a bookshelf also. It is a great space saver on the smaller shelves. I've never had a problem. Looks like this is the way alot of girls do it by reading on here.

WOW! I can't believe you ladies are still giving me great advice - thanks! And Sam.........you sound like one ORGANIZED gal!! ummm.............did you want to come to my house after your done organizing your stamps?!?;)

Deenie

I started storing mine sideways just this summer. I bought some nice CD racks, and all but the two largest cases fit on them sideways. I love it, although I do need to re-label some of them. (I started a binder about three years ago, and never finished it.) I posted a picture this summer. I'll see if I can find it.
Oh, so far no problems, but it hasn't been that long.

I've always stored mine on their sides for the same reason you're thinking about it. Stamps sliding down...I say it's a bunch of hooey!

I ran up to my craft room and took two pictures. Now I just need to figure out how to get them in a thumbnail.

As you can see, it's time for me to buy another one.

Oh LYNNE!

You are TOO sweet to have taken those pictures!! Those racks look PERFECT!!

Thanks!
Deenie

I also store mine sideways and have never had a problem with sliding.

Well, I've tried 4 times now to rotate that first photo. But, when I do, it says the photo is too big to upload. My daughter showed me once how to re-size, but I can't figure it out, and she's at work right now. So, you'll have to turn your head sideways, I guess.

I just recently switched to storing mine book style. I LOVE IT! I can buy a ton more sets now! I will post a picture tomorrow, but will tell you for now what else I did.

I made a Dymo label for the side that I see. This makes it much easier to see what the set is when I look in the cabinet. Then I made a label for each of the shelves the sets are on, dividing them by the catagories in the catalog (Growing Up, Hostess, Greetings...etc). By each of these labels I placed a circle of cardstock, a different color for each group. I used my small circle punch to make these. Then I made a circle for the case of each stamp set in the catagory in the same color, and placed those on the "spines" of the stamp case. This way when I go to put sets up, I know by the color coding where they go.

I hope that makes sense! I will post a pic tomorrow if it doesn't.