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I really need a better way of storing my scraps other than throwing them into a plastic container and having to shuffle through them to find the right piece of paper that I need.Any suggestions for a more efficient way to organize my scraps?--Karen
My scrap storage works with my whole paper storage. I have all my 8 1/2 x 11 in hanging file folders. In each folder is a clear plastic bag I purchased a bunch of from Stampin' Up a few years ago. I don't know if they still sell them; or if it was a demo only thing. I think you could find something similar at Clearbags. com....or maybe even use gallon ziplocs.
Anyway, all my scraps go into the clear bag in the file folder of that particular color. The bags I have from SU are big enough to hold a full length scrap of 11" and still leave some to fold over the top of the bag to keep out dust.
You could also use a manilla file folder inside the hanging folder for scraps.
I just throw mine in a box too. I thought about somehow organizing them, but I think that would take me forever. Maybe I should put my scraps into color families. I'm curious as to what some others have done with their scraps.
I just did this last week, after finally having enough of the scrap basket! I was at my friend's house and was impressed with how she had hers.
Use a large or medium ziplock bag, depending on how big your scraps can be. I decided on large. I sat on the floor and made piles around myself of the main colours: white, black,red, pink, orange, yellow, etc, and a bag for metallic/sparkly. I decided that I could manage all the variations in one bag-light, dark and everything in between.
I stood all my bags up, unzipped, in a deeper basket and they are so easy to get to now. I was inspired to make 4 or 5 cards last week just from seeing what scraps I had. I think I have 12 bags in total, and that is working well for me.
And I haven't decided what on earth to do with my patterned paper scraps yet. That is another basket, and another problem... another day.
I just throw mine in a box too. I thought about somehow organizing them, but I think that would take me forever. Maybe I should put my scraps into color families. I'm curious as to what some others have done with their scraps.
My above post -- took me less than an hour to sort. And at the same time I had the garbage can nearby to deal with wrinkled, tattered, and otherwise unsatisfactory pieces.
I keep all my full size sheets in their original packs on a shelf and then when I cut a sheet all scraps go into the bottom drawer in my file cabinet next to my desk. I have a file folder for each color and each color family is in a hanging folder. So I can go right to that family and then into the folder for that color.. If I get down to 1 or 2 sheets left in a pack of card sock I will put the full sheet in there too.. I also do this with DSP that matches the colors as well..
I currently have 2 LARGE boxes for scraps (basically they are two photo storage boxes in one) each box is divided into two parts, and in each there are scraps of lights, darks, brights and other (sparkle etc).
A BIG HUG box filled to the brim. Soooo not working. But then I also have not one but TWO accordian folders filed by color that I always forget to even look in them. So seeing the scraps in the ziplocks might be the way to go. ooooyyiiiieeeee......
I use gallon ziplock bags & sorted into main colors: white, black, reds, oranges, yellow, etc, and a bag for metallic/sparkly. This works pretty well but I need bigger bags. I do find that I use my scraps more now that they are sorted.
I use 2 accordion files and do it by color ROYGBV then neutrals. They are actually sold in the scrapbooking section and are plastic with handles so they fit 12 x 12 and smaller I also have one for patterned paper, 1 for licensed (disney, harley, etc), 1 for dots/circles, 1 for lines, 1 for flowers and then holiday (with each holiday paper clipped together)
__________________ Samantha Crafty Chick's Corner Store Blog
I put mine in page protectors in a binder. I use Stampin' Up cardstock so it is sorted by colour family, but each colour has its own page protector. I keep them in a large binder on a shelf with the spine of the binder towards the back of the shelf. That way, I just move the pages and select my scraps. Very accessible! My designer paper scraps are just kept in a 14 X 14 cello bag with the 12 X 12 sheets. Each bag is labeled with the coordinating colours.
I have two of these drawer units from Ikea. As I mostly use SU cardstock, each family has two drawers assigned to it. Once I can't put more cardstock in, I am not allowed to cut into a new sheet until the scraps go down. It works for me.
I really need a better way of storing my scraps other than throwing them into a plastic container and having to shuffle through them to find the right piece of paper that I need.Any suggestions for a more efficient way to organize my scraps?--Karen
If you have the room, my way really works for me because I can actually dig through my scraps and see what I need - so I do tend to use them. I bought large clam shell like boxes from Michael's when they went on sale (they go on sale all the time) for $5.00. I got some in clear and a bunch in every color they had (pink, red, blue, yellow, green). Then I grouped colors (pink & purple, red & orange, etc) Each box color was coordinated with the paper color when I could. Scraps got put in the box with the most predominate color. This is GREAT. I can open the shell that I need and actually see nearly all the scraps. Digging down into the the pile doesn't damage the scraps. I can put large (shells hold a full sheet) or small scraps in the box. They stack, locking to each other, so I just keep them in one large stack on a dresser in my craft room (formerly my son's bedroom). It really does work great.
~Blesings
__________________ Louise Bergmann DuMontAuthor, Speaker, Serious About Her Coffee, Lover of all that is Chocolate...Worshiper of El Shaddai (The All Sufficient One)
I keep all my paper sorted in hanging file folders as well. Each color gets it owns folder and I have them arranged in alphabetical order. All my scraps go in the front and the full sheet in back. That way, when I need a color to make a card I can find it easily, then look through the scraps that are right at my fingertips to see if I have a piece that will fit my needs.
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For the most part, I keep my scraps with the paper it came from...like some others, full sheets in the back and scraps in the front. I started this some time ago and really like it.
For the most part, I keep my scraps with the paper it came from...like some others, full sheets in the back and scraps in the front. I started this some time ago and really like it.
I do this too. Out of sight out of mind. If they are not together I just don't use them.
As a SU Demo, I try to keep my card stocks very well organized. I have found it works really well to keep each color in it's own hanging file, and those are placed inside Sterilite Containers that can be found at Walmart. They are made for hanging files, and the covers have a handle, so it makes it easy to travel to classes or crops. I have one for each color family with one file for each color. I put the whole sheets of Cardstock in the back and the scraps in the front. I keep them under my desk so they are easy to get to and small enough to store quickly.
I use the scrap page keepers (12x12 envelopes) for all my scraps. I have them sorted by colour family. I keep both pp and card stock in them. I really should start using up my scraps. I have so much of it and I just sent my niece a whole whack of it in her "craft kit" I made for her birthday and still have enough to last forever.
I just did this last week, after finally having enough of the scrap basket! I was at my friend's house and was impressed with how she had hers.
Use a large or medium ziplock bag, depending on how big your scraps can be. I decided on large. I sat on the floor and made piles around myself of the main colours: white, black,red, pink, orange, yellow, etc, and a bag for metallic/sparkly. I decided that I could manage all the variations in one bag-light, dark and everything in between.
I stood all my bags up, unzipped, in a deeper basket and they are so easy to get to now. I was inspired to make 4 or 5 cards last week just from seeing what scraps I had. I think I have 12 bags in total, and that is working well for me.
And I haven't decided what on earth to do with my patterned paper scraps yet. That is another basket, and another problem... another day.
I really like this idea. Right now I have three wooden paper trays (from walmart) one for neutrals: whites/cream/black/kraft, one for colored (which is the one i should organize using this system) and one for pattern papers. Thanks for the ideas, I'm definitely wanting to reorganize now. :-)
If you have the room, my way really works for me because I can actually dig through my scraps and see what I need - so I do tend to use them. I bought large clam shell like boxes from Michael's when they went on sale (they go on sale all the time) for $5.00. I got some in clear and a bunch in every color they had (pink, red, blue, yellow, green). Then I grouped colors (pink & purple, red & orange, etc) Each box color was coordinated with the paper color when I could. Scraps got put in the box with the most predominate color. This is GREAT. I can open the shell that I need and actually see nearly all the scraps. Digging down into the the pile doesn't damage the scraps. I can put large (shells hold a full sheet) or small scraps in the box. They stack, locking to each other, so I just keep them in one large stack on a dresser in my craft room (formerly my son's bedroom). It really does work great.
~Blesings
Since I am a visual learner, I would love to see a pic of this!!
[quote=cardmaker2;17093798] Use a large or medium ziplock bag, depending on how big your scraps can be. I decided on large. I sat on the floor and made piles around myself of the main colours: white, black,red, pink, orange, yellow, etc, and a bag for metallic/sparkly. I decided that I could manage all the variations in one bag-light, dark and everything in between.quote]
This is what I do with my SU CS scraps then stand them up in front of the rest of my SU papers. The non-SU scaps go in a file folder as I don't want to get them mixed up with my SU papers. HTH.
I have one of those 8.5" x 11" clear envelopes from Michaels (they sell for $1 each on sale) for each color family and then one for neutrals and one for current & retired in-colors. Then, inside each of these larger clear envelopes, I have a quart sized ziploc baggie with smaller scraps inside of that. that is really about it for my scraps and it has saved me a TON of time when working on color challenges and during VSNs. Hope this helps!
I labeled a sheet of scratch paper with the name of the cardstock, such as Always Artichoke etc., folded it in half, scotch taped one side and put them in a box on my desk right in front of me. Any time I have a scrap, I put it in the "envelope" I made for it. I find I use those scraps first now instead of reaching for a full sheet. If it is not an SU cardstock, I just stick it in the envelope that matches the closest.
A picture is worth a thousand words so check out a picture I took and posted on my blog so you can see.
Thanks so much for all your great suggestions. I knew you great ladies on Splitcoast would have many ideas on how to tackle this problem----Thans so much--Karen
I have that tall wire thing for all my 12x12 papers--you can get it at Hobby Lobby and it has 24 slots. My scraps are in the 12x12 hanging folders in the file drawer I got years ago when Joann's carried the system. I have 24 folders with the scraps...just like the divisions on the paper tower thingy...red, red print, green, green print...and so on. I just did this less than a year ago and I LOVE IT! I use more scraps this way! If I am doing something with brown, I can pull out the brown print folder and find what I need OR realize I don't have a scrap to use.
so far? I have used more scraps and I am actually low on them right now!
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I have sorted my scraps into colour families- using ROYBGV plus brown/neutral, black/grey/neutrals, white/creamy neutrals, metallics, and other-than-SU. I haven't sorted my patterned papers, I just sort through them when I need a bit to see if I have one to match my project. Since I did this, I use up my scraps much more often. In fact, I am now often disappointed that I don't have a scrap of a colour and have to cut into a full sheet. Oh, I also have one baggie that holds precut cardfronts.
All of these are placed upright in a pretty wooden box, it's easy to move to my workspace and then pop it back under the desk.
Oh, I also have a separate drawer in my storage cabinet for larger pieces- full 12" strips for example, or pieces that are 1/2 sheet or bigger.
My daughter works in a shop that sells shoes, so we have loads of shoe boxes. I divide my scraps (I tell myself they are recycling boxes) into large medium and small and just throw them into what I feel is best size. I don't mind fossicking through my boxes, because often as I go looking for one thing, I will get inspiration for somethiing else. I keep really small pieces in ziplock bags and promise myself one day to make punchies out of them, but I haven't yet. lol.
I also keep mine in large baggies with like colors...these are in a basket so they stand up with the tops open...anytime I have a scrap say yellow it goes in that baggie....then when I need a color I just pull it out and match it up...it works great for me..soooo easy!!!
I have two Iris drawer units that I got on sale at my local Staples. They have 5 drawers each. Each drawer has 2 color families. ie: yellow/orange.
It's a great for me when I need "an orange type of paper" or whatever. The drawers help keep the little scraps from going all over the place. It's almost full, now.
It makes the most sense to store the scraps right with their full-sized colors. You will use them up much quicker than if you put them in a separate place. Just like some of the posters above, I put my scraps in ziploc bags and place them in front of the full sheets in my file folder. I always check the scraps first to see if I can use those sizes. It's easy to just file the scraps away as soon as you're finished making your cards. I used to throw them in a box and that was too frustrating~
I store my scraps in large plastic baggies in colours red/pink, mauve/purple, black/gray/brown etc. They sit on my work desk in plastic magazine holders from staples right at my fingertips. I always reach there first.
I have a two-drawer hanging file cabinet, one is for thin paper and one is for cardstock. They are divided into color families. For small scraps, I staple an envelope to the upper rear of each hanging folder, that keeps the small pieces from accumulating at the bottom and making the folders excessively bulky.
These have been fantastic ideas - thank you all! I keep changing my method of storing scraps (right now I am using accordian folders) but the scraps just never seem to get used! As heretical as it sounds, I have been on the verge of just chucking them all in the bin, but then I come to my senses! Hopefully, what I've learned here will help me.
God Bless
__________________ Robin
Live simply, love graciously, care deeply, speak kindly, pray daily and leave the rest of God!
These have been fantastic ideas - thank you all! I keep changing my method of storing scraps (right now I am using accordian folders) but the scraps just never seem to get used! God Bless
I think that is why those clam shell bins I got from Michaels work for me. It is really easy to sell a lot of the scraps and it is also fairly easy to shift the top layers and see what's toward the bottom. I've really used a lot of my scraps up since I bought these.
__________________ Louise Bergmann DuMontAuthor, Speaker, Serious About Her Coffee, Lover of all that is Chocolate...Worshiper of El Shaddai (The All Sufficient One)
I have hanging folders for all of my cardstock, including 12x12. Each color has its own folder and I put the scraps back in there. Oh, and I don't save anything smaller than 1/4 of a sheet.
In my file cabinet the full size sheets go into the bottom drawer. The next drawer up has two plastic shoe boxes. One has half (full card) and and quarter sheets (card front)in quart zip bigs in alphabetical order. The other box has scraps in quart size zip bags in alphabetical order.
The box idea I got from my former upline. I can take both boxes out for travel if I'm making cards with the girls from church and they will fit in the bottom of my suitcase when it's upright.
I recently organized my scraps as well. It was that chore looming in my stamp room for months and it feels so good to have it done. I weeded out my retired SU colors (I still have plenty of full sheets If I need them, but as a demo this made more sense to transition to the new color collections)
I have a nice little box to donate to my ladies who make cards for church and soldiers.
So here is my new system. I cleaned out a row of 4 drawers right beside my paper cutter on my cutting table. Top shallow drawer has smaller DSP scraps. Larger pieces go in a folder on my stamp table.
Next drawer has half sheets sorted by color collection at the front of the drawer and a box with white and vanilla scraps at the back
Next two drawers each have 2 boxes of scraps with one color collection in each box.(neutrals are minus the white and vanilla) Right now I am using plastic shoe boxes, but I am looking for boxes that will fit the drawers a little better. If I need the room, I can actually fit 3 shoe boxes in a drawer but for now, this is how I have it set up.
It is so much easier to whip open the drawer and quickly put the scraps in the appropriate box and then grab a box and rifle through it quickly for the scrap i may need. The smaller boxes make it easily manageable and when they start getting too full, I force myself to plan camp cards around the color that has taken over. That usually wipes out quite a few scraps at once.
I have a clean trash can beside my table for the smallest scraps and I grab from it when I need a tiny piece, but when it gets full, i allow myself to dump those scraps in the trash without feeling guilty. That keeps my boxes cleaned out. I love that everything is right there by my cutter and its an easy enough system that i will actually take the time to file them, plus it's quick and easy to grab the box and see what I have and what is running over. In the folders, it was out of sight, out of mind for me and it only took a couple of stamping sessions for the dreaded sorting pile to overwhelm me.
It makes the most sense to store the scraps right with their full-sized colors. You will use them up much quicker than if you put them in a separate place. Just like some of the posters above, I put my scraps in ziploc bags and place them in front of the full sheets in my file folder. I always check the scraps first to see if I can use those sizes. It's easy to just file the scraps away as soon as you're finished making your cards. I used to throw them in a box and that was too frustrating~
Just wanted to say, I save ALL the scraps that I know can be used for a strip across a card or anything that can be used with a punch.
Storing scrap cardstock
I have brought the cropper hopper 12 x 12 hanging files and my father has converted a set of drawers so the last two hold the folders. In those there will be each colour I have and the scraps at the front of it 
