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I was just wondering how everyone stores their stamps. I have them on a book shelf, but it is terrible to try to find the set I am looking for not to metion that my shelf is overflowing unto the floor. I read somewhere that some people store them in CD cases and use the acrylic blocks. How does this work. I think that CD storage would be much easier then my book shelf. If I used the CD idea I could put the sets in alphabetical order and could easily find them instead of putting them on a shelf by size. With the CDs do you use the foam that comes with the SU stamp or what? I am going to be remodeling part of our basement into a stamping room and I am looking for some storage ideas.
Also, how do you store your 12x12 paper. I would like some type of filing cabinet that would hold that size, but I haven't been able to find one. I don't like laying the paper flat because I can never find the one that I need.
Personally, I'm just getting started on collecting stamps and my collection is still pretty restrained. My sister works in a newsstand and she brought back home a bookcase made out of heavy cardstock (in which they displayed books at the store). It's divided in six cases, so I've put my various stamp sets by theme: sentiments, alphabets/backgrounds, winter/christmas, small case stamps, big case stamps and various nicknacks in the last one. Before that, I was using a big box I bought at Winners. Since my collection's growing, I think I will add the name of the set to the front of the case with Dymo tape. It will make it easier to reach for a particular set more quickly.
As for unmounting, if you haven't worked with unmounted stamps before, I'd suggest trying out one set and see if you like it before going for the whole lot. I've bought unmounted stamps and had to familiarize myself with the whole process. I'm not exactly sold on it yet. It was very time-consuming to mount everything and the alphabets I mounted were too big to fit into a CD case, so I chose to organize them on static sheets that go into a binder. Let's just say that it put some perspective on unmounting all of my SU stamps!
Hope others can provide insight as well. Good luck with your organization!
I have some store bought acrylic stamps, and I really don't like them all that much. Im going to have a Close to my Heart party, and they went to acrylic, and they have a soccer set I might get, so I will see if they are any better.
I keep my set in 3 different areas of my stamp room.
Used ALOT are in the dresser - 1 drawer hold about 25 sets
Seasonals are in the china closet drawer, and the ones I only use occasionally are in the china closet cubbard.
I rearrange and reorganize a least every other month, so Im sure the above will be different real soon.
I use a fabric shoe holder hanging in the closet for some of mine. Also a tip given to me was to put my address label inside the plastic storage box they come in, right behind the set label and I can see the name of the set much easier now - of course you neet to make sure you put the set label on the short side!
The sets I am currently working with are just in a plastic shoe box up on their end - not glamorous, but it works well for me!
I picked up some three drawer plastic storage cases at Target. I'd say they are about 3 feet tall, and maybe 12-15 inches wide. They are also on wheels, so it's easy to slide them around. In one drawer I have a row of the medium-sized sets (like happy healing size for example) next to a row of small sets (smile for example). I have probably 20 sets in that one drawer (just to give you an idea of what it can hold). I have one drawer dedicated to large sets (like Fine Vine). You can get about 10 large sets in a drawer. Then I have a drawer dedicated to holiday sets, one for not-yet-mounted sets, one for envelopes, bags, etc... you get the picture. They're very handy and I think they were only maybe $10-15 a piece on sale.
Hi, I am new to the discussion board and have been a SU demo since January.
I only have 16 stamp sets, but I didn't like stacking them on top of each other, then having to pull one out of a stack. So, I purchased clear acrylic letter holders from the office supply store and can slide the sets in their containers in the slots on thier side. I then labled each stamp set on the end on white paper to read easier. Now I can pull out a stamp set without others coming crashing down!
I just stack mine up in the closet on some shelving. However I label two sides of the case with the set name using my trust label maker. I also stamp each set on a sheet of paper labelled with the set name and keep that in a binder. That way when I'm stamping I flip through the binder to figure out which set I want to use then just go to the closet and pick it out. Since the cases are labelled on two sides I always know which set is where regardless of how I have them arranged.
__________________ Jennifer, SU Demonstrator
"Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment" -Ben Franklin
I use new 13 x 13 pizza boxes to sort and store my 12 x 12 paper. I have sorted it by colour and occassions. I then only need to slide out that box to go through that paper thus not damaging any other. I got my boxes at a grocery wholesale club but I'm sure your pizza joint that you patronize would sell you a few boxes. Hope this helps. Jo Yuke
Thanks for all the great ideas. Does anyone use the CD cases for storage? This is what I am truely considering because I have well over 200 sets (I just can't part with any of them) and they are overtaking everything.
Yes, I use a cd case for some of my unmounted storage. I love it. I bought a cd stand and it sits here next to my computer. It has several TAC stamps in it. It sure does make for easy storage.. I just have to make myself start using them! I find that I am getting to lazy to put them on the blocks now that I have found SU!
They have so many cool things you can use to store any and all stampin and scrappin supplies you can think of.
Some of the items are a little bit pricey, but they are handmade and are specifically for SU and CTMH stuff as well as paper, pens etc. from anywhere. It's worth a look.
OH, and I just discovered DEK development thanks to mamak and her new awesome "power tower" but I've always used a few cute baskets that have liners.....just the ones that you can get anywhere.
I guess it depends on how much space you have to work with, and of course how many stamp sets you have, but there are a ton of options. I've never tried the CD cases.
Storage of SU sets
12 x 12 paper storage
