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I read a thread about re-organizing Stampin' Up! stamps and grouping them by category rather than keeping the sets together. I liked the idea and decided to make this change to my stamp storage. Since making the change, I've been constantly trying to clean up my stamp storage and trying to find the perfect storage solution. I've been trying to build up my supply of the jumbo stamp boxes to tighten up my storage. But They I had a wonderful idea....actually, I remembered something that I had seen years ago on Carol DuVaul or Kitty Bartholemule, don't remember which one. Anyway, I was at Michael's last night and picked up some 9x12 acrylic box frames. I popped out the cardboard inside and used them to store my word stamps. I filled an entire frame with my "one word" stamps. I love the idea, this will really condense my stamps and make them easier to find. I'm planning on doing all of my word stamps for starters and possibly my holiday stamps. I haven't decided yet if I want to do this for all of my stamps yet. But I thought that I would share the idea. What I remember seeing on TV years ago was that they were putting a piece of foam, cork or something near the corner of the frame so that when they stack them, they kind of hook inside each other.
I've been debating about taking all the word stamps out of the sets they came in. I plan to mark them so I know which set they came out of mark the set somehow so I know what stamps are missing from the set in case I needed to put them back together. I can't imagine every selling any of them and I'm not a demonstrator so I don't have that concern. It seems I spend more time trying to find the right organization system than I do stamping. I've heard the idea of the acrylic frames before. May try that. Thanks for starting the thread.
I stamp with a Gal who uses the 'acrylic frame system'. She uses the paper from the frame to stamp the stamps and places them in that order. Labels them on the end of 'tray'. She uses felt pads on corners. Works quite well.
They are stacked/stored on a bookcase.
Guess what I'll be doing when I go home???
I actually have most of mine divided by category in small plastic containers on shelves but I use the "trays" from my "stamp and go" for word type stamps. I have actually bought many additional trays just to store my trays.
I have combined orders with friends to save on shipping and they do go on sale at times.
Forgot to mention...the trays actually stack and almost "interlock" on top of one another and the stamps sit further down on the tray so they do not get smashed
I use this method for all of my non-SU stamps. In fact, until I became a demo, I had my SU sets pulled apart and stored this way as well. I LOVE this system. I actually used the white box insert as the base box and the acrylic frame as the lid. That way I could store them on their sides, like books. Then the frames were just labeled by category. VERY simple system to use and maintain.
The only problem I've ever had with that is one time when I did have an SU set I decided to sell, I didn't realize I was missing a stamp out of it until well over a year after it had sold. I felt TERRIBLE after I came across the stamp and realized what had happened...
Over all, though, I'd say that's been my favorite way of storing stamp images.
The acrylic frames sound like the perfect solution. Could you elaborate a bit on the 'cork' thing. I'm having trouble picturing it.
Are you familiar with the acrylic box frames? They are smooth, not a problem if they are stacked in a confined area, but if you are stacking multiples they would easily slide. Most plastic storage containers that are intended to stack have some way of semi-locking them on each other. The small piece of cork or foam would be stuck on the front of the frame so that when you stack them one on top of the other, it would fall right in the frame walls of the frame below it. I hope that this helps to make sense. If not, go to JoAnn's or Michaels and look at the box frames, it may make more sense after seeing the actual frames.
Does anyone know a good place to purchase these cheaply? I've purchased the size 9x12 and really like that size, but they are $4.99 at Michaels. I looked at the Dollar store but didn't find them and tried Walmart too and couldn't find them there either. Any other suggestions? BTW....great suggestion to use the cardboard inside and store them on end like books....Wish I read this before I trashed my frame guts last night.....
I would love a photo too. I am really not sure what you mean by acrylic box frames. Picture frames?
Then I thought about the system they sell either on QVC or HSN, where if you slide out one of the acrylic boxes, it leaves a space so it can be slid back in. This would be a cool system, but probably pretty expensive.
I have been thinking about this very thing for a few weeks now because I have had all my stamp sets stacked on top of each other and grouped by size. Invariably when I sat down to stamp I would always want the one near the bottom and I would have a wreck going on. Today a lightbulb went off in my head as I looked at the stackable letter trays we have near our computer. So I went to Staples this evening after work and purchased 3 boxes of six trays. I have them stacked 5-6 trays high times 3 rows and can get 4 stamp sets on each tray, stacking 2 on 2. It only cost me $20 to get all my stamps organized. Staples has boxes of 6 trays for $7.98 and I had a $7.00 reward coupon for frequent buying.
Stamp Storage
