…and still not a single organizing tip or idea from me!
Unless you go here…where I share use-what-you-have storage ideas for scrapbook supplies. Go there if you’re interested in this type of info from me…and then, come back here and share *your* favorite ideas. What super cool, re-purposed, found-at-home storage ideas do you have for your scrapbook space? I’d love to hear!
(As I’m sure would others…since this here organizer isn’t forthcoming with too many organizing ideas on this blog as of late…sheshh…) 😉
My absolute favourite storage system is the binders I use for flat embellishments. Just normal three ring binders – the secret is what you put inside! Card holders (business, baseball), photo sleeves, cd sleeves – basically a whole lot of plastic pages made up of different sized pockets originally designed for other stuff! It is so easy to flip through and take out what you need. I have created themed binders so it is really easy. And I use my embellishments, because I can find them AND they are protected!
Check out your local office supplier and also places that sell pages for kids collecting cards – like Pokemon etc!
There are some photos on my blog.
This isn’t a re-purposed item, but it was the best thing I ever did to get myself organized. I bought 2 of the carts made for scrapbooking (got mine both on sale at Jo-Ann) that have not drawers, but closed cases that can be pulled out. I use those for transporting to crops, etc. or for when I scrap in another part of the house. Drawers never worked for me well because my scrap area also houses the washing machine and dryer and I always ended up with lint dust in my paper!
I think I spent about $85 for both arts (left the top off of one and stacked them, making a “tower” that is 12 containers high) but it was money well spent. No more ruined paper and enough space that I have all my paper sorted by design and cardstock sorted by color, plus a holiday bin and a few empty ones for current projects. Hope this gives others ideas.
Sorry -this is so long….I bought a wire window flower basket at a garage sale a few years ago with the intention of planting herbs in it and setting it in the kitchen window behind the sink – well, the window ledge is not deep enough for the box so I ended up putting the wire basket in the garage to use later…flash to last month…As I was pulling the glass vase of red pens out of my wine rack on my desk I thought ‘it would be so nice to have all of my pens standing up and easier to get to rather than having to dump out a vase whenever I wanted a specific pen’. While I was actually using the pen I remembered the wire basket I had put in the garage…I immediately went out there, found it, grabbed a piece of blank chipboard from my stash and some chicken wire. I covered the bottom of the open wire basket with the chipboard and a piece of shelving cover (kind of rubbery) so the pens wouldn’t slip, then added the chicken wire across the top and wrapped the ends around the upright wires of the basket to hold it in place.
I stood up all of my pens in ROY G BIV colors in my new pen caddy. This is narrow enough to sit along the back edge of my desk and has handles along the narrow edges so it is portable too. It doesn’t have the pens laying horizontal like my wine rack set up did but it takes up less space and makes the pens easier to get to.
Since then, I have also covered an antique drawer (very narrow) with the chicken wire (secured with a stapler along the edge making sure the chicken wire edges are inside the drawer) and added my colored pencils! Love this new set up! So do the twins– they can use the pens & pencils without worrying about dropping a glass vase from the old wine rack set up.
Two words – Ikea Expedit.
🙂
I use Gallon size ziploc bags to organize my stickers… then I put them all in a small white rubbermaid basket I had – I used my labeler to label the bags & I can just flip through them in the basket.
Other than that I am afraid I use a lot of scrapbooking containers… nothing else is really repurposed.
I did buy two tool boxes – one for scrapbooking tools & the other for my stamps & ink pads, chalk, etc… this works nicely and is portable.
Haven’t logged on much so I had to play blog catch up!!! I don’t have any solutions…isn’t that why I hire you???? hehe I just started scrapping so I’m in survival mode at the moment but all the suggestions are helpful….as always.
Thanks
Since I have so many flower blooms, I removed them from the stems and place them by color into ziplock bags. The trick is to ‘burp’ the bag from air, so that they somewhat flatten. I then have them “filed” into a Cargo box nice and tidy which is easy to sort through.
I have an antique tool box on my desk…perfect! It’s my style, has little holes for markers and scissors, and cubbies big enough for my ribbon jars. I also store my favorite adhesives, tags, and ink. I couldn’t scrap without it!
Aby, you crack me up! I’m enjoying a snowy MN day off from school and came to catch up on your blog. Here’s my ‘repurposed’ idea (might be the only original idea I have that’s not from your book!)…my kids for years have loved STRAWS and IKEA sells them for peanuts so we always have had straws on hand. I bought one of those ‘straw dispensers’ (what are they called?) that has a lid with a knob that lifts up the straws from a glass container. Pretty cute! Anyway, I reorg’d the pantry recently and moved the straws into a drawer (the demand has lessened over time) and I thought AHA! I can use that straw dispenser in my scrap space–so I put my colored pencils into it and tied on a cute little tag. 🙂 I also made myself a knock-off Clip It Up out of a towel bar, which is pretty great. 😉
I also covered a Republic of Tea canister with cute paper & ribbon and made a holder for my “start here” popsicle sticks from Stacy Julian’s LOM class! At 5″ tall it’s a great height for lots of things…I’m thinking I could make more for favorite pens, etc!
I love funky storage that i find at thrift stores and garage sales. My favorite: an old seventies kitchen organizer. It was this big avocado green metal thing (about the size of a microwave). Top row had 4 drawers for coffee, tea, etc. The bottom had one big space for bread. I scrubbed it, painted it white…Ta Da! It’s perfect for punches, stamps, etc. It’s awesome. When i brought it home i think my husband was dumbfounded…but i say definitely worth $3.
I just found this post, but wanted to share an idea. I use an old style wooden cassette tape wall storage container for my stamp pad storage. It hangs on the wall, my pads store upside down (keeps them juicy) in sight and out of the way. I have found them at yard sales for $5 or less ( I keep and eye out for my girl friends too)