Tuesday, March 10

Organize your Cardstock SCRAPS!

Ok, so I don't have a card to show you. Instead of joining in the SCS challenge for the day yesterday, I decided to tackle my stash of cardstock scraps! Originally, I had a three drawer rolly-cart (you can see one of the plastic drawers in the top photo); one drawer was for warm colors (red, orange, yellow) and white/cream, another one for cool colors (green, blue, purple) and browns/blacks. The third drawer was used for patterned papers.

Well, my friend Tiffany shared this idea of using an expandable filing system. I had seen it at her house before, but didn't give it much thought. THEN she had an extra file, so I bought it, I think it was $19.00 or something like that. I separated out each drawer (this is just the warm colors) and put the like-colors together. Since Stampin' UP! uses the same 48 colors all the time, along with temporary colors (6 each year), it was easy to sort through them. I can clearly see the colors that I enjoy using the most! HAHA! I don't even think I had a YoYoYellow or Only Orange scrap at all!!


I removed all of the NON-SUP! papers and will keep those in the rolly-cart still, but just in one drawer; I usually keep other lines of papers (Basic Grey, My Mind's Eye, etc) in their original packaging and I have four stacks of 12x12 Bazzill that I keep on the tops of my shelves, with their scraps going in the one drawer. {The other two drawers I plan to use for easy access to loose ribbon (not on a spool) and my Nesties and Quikutz Revolution since I use it alot, but don't want to keep it on my desk.} I then put the stacks together in groups of three or four colors per file section......



And if you know how I roll.... I don't keep my colors sorted in the Groups that Stampin' UP! has them divided into. I usually go with the rainbow system....

Once I got them divided up, I punched out a 1/2" square of the color, and glued it onto the tab of the file section. In the back, I have neutrals: White, Cream, Grays, Blacks, Browns, Kraft....
Then from front to back: Patterned papers in WARMS, Patterned papers in Cools and Neutrals, then Rainbow'ed from Red to Purple..... I have two sections you can see in the middle that aren't being used. I thought I would keep these open for the next "In-Colors" coming up in July. I will add the warm-colors to the 'K' file section and the cool-colors to the 'L' section! I have 56 colors here, PLUS 8 Neutrals.
Unlike other SUP! Demonstrators, I like to keep my InColors for a while. Gives me more selection!! So, I still have More Marigold, Vintage Violet, Purely Pomegranate, etc... So, I have more colors in here than the current ones. AND whenever I run out of one of the retired colors, all I have to do it glue over the 1/2" square with a new color!

What is really cool is that when I go to crops, I can just take this along and have ALLLLLL of my colors with me! I usually do take some full sheets of cardstock that coordinate with the Patterned Paper sets that I am planning on using, but bringing this along, allows me to have at least a little bit of ALL the colors! Thanks, Tiffany, for the idea! NOW I am ready to travel!!


Have a Super Tuesday!!!!

3 comments:

Chrissi said...

Monica,

This is a wonderful idea!! I'm trying to decide how to go about organizing scraps. Most of mine are patterned though--any ideas? I've used a lot of CTMH papers and just have kept them in their original packaging as well. But now, I'm getting lots of paper from Beverly and can see the paper scraps in my future!!

BTW, I love your jewelry! They are so beautiful!!

Lori said...

This is a great idea! I need to get me one of those files. My scraps are just mixed in together in a drawer also.

Roxie said...

Wow what a great idea. I don't think I would have the patience to sort through all of my scraps. I applaud and support you.

Howdy!