Day 3... Wholy Toledo Batman look at all this Paper..

I confess... it's not just paper.. It's Paper and Stamps... But what do we do with it all??????

Let's start with Paper..

This was my paper scraps pile BEFORE I started to organize. I think it was about 6 containers worth and all were almost full. Can you say.. A little over whelming???? Last week I emailed Nicole Hardy and asked.. What do you do with all of your paper scrap and she had some really great advice. It went something along these lines... "If it's anything less than 1/2 a page... she gets rid of it.. ".. (again that is what works best for her).. So Saturday evening after a little bar-b-que I went upstairs, turned on Law & Order & tackled this monstrosity of paper scraps..

Here is my organizing solution...

1) all full sheets of paper went in these fabulous Cropper Hopper 12" x 12" paper organizers. I picked them up at Tar'get for about $6.99 each. They only had 4 so I had to make due with what I had with the other 4. Their organized by color and then I have 1 separate holder just for designer paper. Again, these are kept 1) all together 2) where I can see them and 3) where their easily accessible (on the top shelf right next to my stamping spot). When I find 4 more I will replace the smaller plastic holders.

2) Now I tackled the scraps.. low and behold look what I found... An entire plastic shoebox full of neutrals, 1/2 sheets of card stock, 1/4 sheets of card stock, cards already folded, already cut pillow boxes and cards that just need to be put together. How can I get rid of these? Not in this life time.. My solution.. put them neatly and organized in a clear plastic shoe box which fits neatly on the corner of my desk.. why.. so that they are 1) all together 2) where I can see them and 3) where their easily accessible (.... are you starting to recognize a 'theme'???? ) Now before I reach for a brand new piece of card stock I'll check my box first to see if it's there..I'm sure your asking what I did with all of those scraps... I got rid of everything smaller than 1/4 sheet of card stock and all are organized in the green scrap booking keeper on the floor next to my shelf. I picked these up at Wal-mart for around $5 or $6 each.

Now Stamps..

Again, keeping these grouped together, so you can see them and easily accessible.. I have have organized my SUP stamps on shelves based on categories.. floral, shapes, nature, animals, sentiments, background and holidays. All other stamps are organized based on type. My individual wood stamps, clear acrylic and bella stamps are grouped together in the black metal photo boxes. (NOTE.. the clear acrylic and bellas are neatly stored in clear cd cases inside the black metal photo boxes.. this way I can easily see which stamp I want to use).. By keeping them organized by category I can easily go to the individual pile and pick which stamp I want to use.

Tip #3.... Fight the paper scrap war.. Realistically a sheet of card stock is roughly .25 cents.. a 1/4 sheet is roughly .0625 cents.. if if too small to use and to store.. GET RID OF IT.. For the amount of $$$ it costs you to keep it and move it around is it really worth it?