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The organizing tips are very helpful. But I don't understand what you put the rubber stamps on after you have taken off the wood mount. Also, what do the plastic drawers look like? Do you just store the acrylic stamps in the DVD/CD containers? Stamping the stamps on paper and placing them in a binder sounds very helpful, too.
We (mom & I) have about 5000 stamps. We separated most of the sets 5+ years ago during a total room make-over.
When a new stamp/set comes in - it can't be used until it's put into the INDEX (a 3-ring binder with apx 300 stamped pages by section: scenery, sayings, plants, etc).
Each stamp is given a number (sets are give a number & letter) and listed on an MSWord doc (so I can search for things later).
Stamps are store in various drawer/cabinets (metal) per category (such as "Thank Yous", General Words, General Sayings, Trees, Butterflies, Baby, Sea/Shore etc). Some categories have multiple drawers so those are sub-categorized - like Christmas: Holly, Sayings, Trees, Santas, Ornaments, etc.
Some of our sets are stored together if they can't really be broken up logically.
I'm a little neurotic about organization so our paper and ribbon are usually stored by color, too.
Do what works for YOU and your style and/or business. (I would do things different if I was a SU rep.)
We (mom & I) have about 5000 stamps. We separated most of the sets 5+ years ago during a total room make-over.
When a new stamp/set comes in - it can't be used until it's put into the INDEX (a 3-ring binder with apx 300 stamped pages by section: scenery, sayings, plants, etc).
Each stamp is given a number (sets are give a number & letter) and listed on an MSWord doc (so I can search for things later).
Stamps are store in various drawer/cabinets (metal) per category (such as "Thank Yous", General Words, General Sayings, Trees, Butterflies, Baby, Sea/Shore etc). Some categories have multiple drawers so those are sub-categorized - like Christmas: Holly, Sayings, Trees, Santas, Ornaments, etc.
Some of our sets are stored together if they can't really be broken up logically.
I'm a little neurotic about organization so our paper and ribbon are usually stored by color, too. Do what works for YOU and your style and/or business. (I would do things different if I was a SU rep.)
I loved reading all the tips in this thread but felt I had to say that the part I bolded above is THE best tip of the bunch.
No matter how well-designed a system is, if it doesn't conform to how you think/work it will not be efficient for you. It isn't always easy to acomplish (budgets and space issues are two of the biggest obstacles) and I am not there yet (actually, far from it but I have learned what I don't want so I am closer to getting out of chaos).
Location: along the bluffs of the Upper Mississippi River
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Originally Posted by Vitt
I must be partly OCD because when I go to garage sales and see a lonely SU! stamp, it makes me crazy. I wonder where is the rest of the set? LOL Since I have classes I like to use one set on a card and my customers are more likely to purchase the items for it.
Oh, I think the same thing when i see them all broke up at flea markets, second hand stores, etc. It gives me anxiety!
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
I have also unmounted all my wood stamps and have broken up many sets that included several holidays, or seasons, or themes, etc. I had stamps from many sources, sets, singles, kits, garage sales, etc. so it made sense for me to group by theme or occasion or whatever. I have an index book divided into categories where I stamp my images and the number the cd holder so I can find it on the shelf. I found that one of the hardest categories for my system is sentiments. The basics, such as thank you, happy birthday etc. are easy to separate, but some phrases are not. In that case, if it fit into more than one category, I would just stamp it on the index sheet of a set in each category I might look for it and write the number of the cd holder it was in. Also, most sets have phrases and images. If I don't want to split the set up, I still want to have all my sentiments together in in by binder by category. So if I have a cd case with all birthday sentiments, I would stamp them at the top of my index page. Then any set that wasn't split up which contained a birthday sentiment, I would stamp that sentiment on the page and write the number of the cd holder in was in next to the stamped image. This system is working really well for me and I am glad that I have split up lots of sets.
I love that you cut apart your sentiments, and you really align beautifully - but I don't think I'd be able to cut them all that straight so as to align as nicely.
Do you put a stamp that has been unmounted on an acrylic block as one does for acrylic stamps? Thanks for all the ideas about organizing these stamps---now I am overwhelmed but will take the advice of Julie. I can't imagine keeping track of 5,000 stamps!!!
Do you put a stamp that has been unmounted on an acrylic block as one does for acrylic stamps? Thanks for all the ideas about organizing these stamps---now I am overwhelmed but will take the advice of Julie. I can't imagine keeping track of 5,000 stamps!!!
Yes, You would use thme just like acrylic stamps. They save so much space this way. I am in the process of unmounting mine, but got distracted a few months ago and never finished. Now I have a real mess.
I have been breaking up sets since I started stamping about 15 years ago because I think and stamp by category. I have 3 drawers of animals and then types of animals are grouped together---butterflies, dragonflies and bugs are in one drawer each separated into their own box or boxes. I use clam shell boxes fro SU as most of my stamps are from there, but if I have some from another company, in it goes with the other bees or lady bugs. I have a drawer for birds, one for safari animals etc. but each type f animal has it's own box within the drawer. Same goes for flowers---all roses are together, all daisies, all tulips in their separate boxes. I always write the name of the stamp set on the side of the wood --- no I do not unmount as I like the feel of wood in my hand and want to be able to stamp right away, not take time to get out the stamp, get out the appropriate block and then position the stamp. I also like to see what the stamp is and if it is unmounted from it's original wood, then I cant tell what it looks like. This way I can get rid of the occasional image or sentiment in a set that I don't like or need. I don't feel compelled to keep something that I won't use. I sometimes cut up a sentiment into parts, but with a stamp positioner, I can usually make use of the stamp in any way I need. I do, however, cut off all greetings that are attached to an image. That releases me from using that image as a thank you or mother's day card. I do not write on the clam shell box as my grouping may change or I may need a bigger or additional box for a certain kind of stamp. My sentiments are all divided as well. I have 2 boxes of thank you, 2 boxes of birthday, 1 box of get well/sympathy, etc. I don't worry about putting the stamps back into their original set as I won't sell stamps that I don't want/need, but will give them away to a newbee or someone who needs it. Again, this works for me as it is how my mind works, but it may not be everyone else's cup of tea. I learned this years ago with clothing---not to hang things as out fits, but separate into pants, skirts, tops etc. so they can be mixed and matched to get more combos and therefore more use out of them. Works the same for me with stamps.
I WOULD NEVER EVER break up my stamps!! I could never do that. I have copied all of mine onto 8.5 x 11 paper and put them in a 3 ring binder in page protectors. I page through my binder to find stamps I want to use. All my cases are labled on the sides in large print using a label maker and stored in a large cabinet. My clear stamps are in smaller SU stamp boxes you can buy and labled. And I can't get rid of any of my stamp sets either. I've grown very attached to them. It would be like giving one of my kids away
I have been breaking up sets since I started stamping about 15 years ago because I think and stamp by category. I have 3 drawers of animals and then types of animals are grouped together---butterflies, dragonflies and bugs are in one drawer each separated into their own box or boxes. I use clam shell boxes fro SU as most of my stamps are from there, but if I have some from another company, in it goes with the other bees or lady bugs. I have a drawer for birds, one for safari animals etc. but each type f animal has it's own box within the drawer. Same goes for flowers---all roses are together, all daisies, all tulips in their separate boxes. I always write the name of the stamp set on the side of the wood --- no I do not unmount as I like the feel of wood in my hand and want to be able to stamp right away, not take time to get out the stamp, get out the appropriate block and then position the stamp. I also like to see what the stamp is and if it is unmounted from it's original wood, then I cant tell what it looks like. This way I can get rid of the occasional image or sentiment in a set that I don't like or need. I don't feel compelled to keep something that I won't use. I sometimes cut up a sentiment into parts, but with a stamp positioner, I can usually make use of the stamp in any way I need. I do, however, cut off all greetings that are attached to an image. That releases me from using that image as a thank you or mother's day card. I do not write on the clam shell box as my grouping may change or I may need a bigger or additional box for a certain kind of stamp. My sentiments are all divided as well. I have 2 boxes of thank you, 2 boxes of birthday, 1 box of get well/sympathy, etc. I don't worry about putting the stamps back into their original set as I won't sell stamps that I don't want/need, but will give them away to a newbee or someone who needs it. Again, this works for me as it is how my mind works, but it may not be everyone else's cup of tea. I learned this years ago with clothing---not to hang things as out fits, but separate into pants, skirts, tops etc. so they can be mixed and matched to get more combos and therefore more use out of them. Works the same for me with stamps.
I learned to the same thing with my clothes years ago as well. The only thing I do group by in my closet is color. I like seeing what I have in a specific color (not that I have oodles of clothes or anything like that) but it helps me pick things out more quickly.
Keeping stamps together has led to me forgetting what I have and then not using it so I'm loving separating my stamps. I've found way more sentiments than I ever knew I had!!
I recently read on Stampin Up's demo site that people are using An app called Evernote.
I am now using it and it is wonderful! I and making a notebook with all my stamp sets. The best thing about this program is that you can add images and tags. If I have a stamp set that has greetings included, I just add a tag. For an example, the stamp set called Lacy and Lovely, I would add a tags: Hello, Miss You, Thank You, elements, circles, etc. If I am looking for a Hello stamp all of my sets with "Hello" come up. I am still learning the program, but so far I really like it.
I don't have time to read all of the replies, but I sell some of my older sets on ebay, so taking the sets apart seems like it would be a bad thing, but you've all got me thinking about it. I did take most of my wood sets off the wood, as long as all the set would fit into a cd or dvd holder. It sure helped with having room.
__________________ Ginny , A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be. -Douglas Pagels
I have purchased individual stamps - broken up from a SU set on ebay, and months or years later wanted to buy the entire set that I see for sale on ebay (never knew what set it was from).
Also, when I have one individual stamp that I unmount, I stamp it out, and keep the image and the stamp in a teeny zip lock baggie - I have some that are 3 x3" and 4 x 4", etc.
__________________ Ginny , A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be. -Douglas Pagels
It's funny to imagine my hundreds of stamps any other way than by category.
I have tons of individual stamps that have no companions in the set and I also
have quite a few SU sets having belonged for about 7 years now to a SU group.
So ALL of mine are by category including word sets. I don't have enough room in
my stamping room so many categorized boxes are stacked on top another in shelves
and others are on the wall on 3 inch deep shelves in categories. Can't imagine any other way.
My clear stamps are in groups in notebooks by categories. The problem is that I
really have too many stamps but am not good at purging! That's another column!
Leftcoastcrafter, I am intrigued by your comment about Evernote. Could you please tell us a little more about how you use that to organize your stamps? Or does anyone else use that and could explain how it works? Thanks!
