Amy Kingsford

The Organized Stash: Let’s Get Organizing Those Paper Scraps

I’m excited to announce that I will be featuring a new blog series throughout 2012 called “The Organized Stash.”  It will post on Thursdays–beginning today!  We’ll be tackling a new supply each month–and don’t worry digi scrappers we’ll cover topics that apply to you too!  I’ll begin the month by introducing my own method for organizing the supply that we are focusing on.  Then we’ll hear from other scrapbookers about how they organize their supplies and they’ll share tips for making their systems work for YOU!  Finally we’ll wrap the month up with some creative organizing solutions before we move onto the next supply!  And hopefully by the end of year you will be a proud owner of an “Organized Stash!“ 

So let’s jump right in with our paper scraps–this month will be a little special because we will not only be looking at ways to organize your paper scraps and leftovers but we’ll be exploring some fun ways to use them as well.  If there’s one supply that can get out of control in a hurry its those paper scraps if you’re not putting them to good use!

Got Scraps?!

• Do you keep them…or do you throw them away?
• Do you organize them by size and color…or do you throw them in a pile and vow to someday revisit them.
• Do you make use of your scraps…or do they simply sit and collect dust?

Let me begin by saying my scraps weren’t always organized…

I’ll admit that I used to keep each and every scrap of paper, every piece of leftover ribbon and each tiny remnant of fabric that was generated from my crafting. And after awhile my “scrap pile” began to look more like a “scrap yard.” I began to wonder what I was saving it all for. I rarely used my scraps, mostly because every time I looked to them, I was quickly overwhelmed by their disarray. That was when I knew I needed an organizational system that aimed to organize my scraps as diligently as the system I used to organize the rest of my supplies.

 I began separating my paper scraps based largely on what I might use them for on a layout.

I find it useful to not only separate my paper scraps by color, but also by size.  Typically I sort them into three different size groupings:

• strips to use for paper weaving, journaling strips and borders 
• mats for use as foundational layers and photo mats
• pieces to use for die cuts, handmade embellishments and mosaic effects.

 I keep my paper scraps easily accessible and visible to me at all times.

For me the trick  is to constantly remind myself of what have.  In order to do so, I use clear pouches for my larger paper scraps that I hang from the wall in front of my scrap table and an office tray that holds color-sorted bundles of paper strips on my table as well. Having my scraps in front of me helps me to remember to utilize my paper scraps before cutting into a brand new piece of paper.

A few other things I do to make my scraps more manageable:

1. I remove overly jagged pieces from my scraps to help make them easier to store.
2. I keep my scraps from certain projects or kits that I am currently working with close by so that I can incorporate them into other pages using the same product.
3. If I look at something and can’t conceive a possible use, then by all means I’ll give it a toss.

The quest to find an organizational method for paper scraps that works for YOU will continue next Thursday with more ideas from special guest Tami Taylor!  Hope to see you there–until then good luck with your organizing efforts!