Many of you have seen my stamp room and on the whole it works well for me. I know where most things are, but keeping it organized is a constant struggle for me. So, I’m not going to profess to be an organizing expert and will only share a few tips that work for me. And then I'm going to give you some resources you might enjoy if 'organizing my craft stuff' is on your list of New Year's resolutions.
1. Get Rid of Stuff
This might sound crazy from the person who sells you half of the stuff, but you need to be honest with yourself. If you bought 4 pieces of scrapbook paper with wood grain on it (yes, I did) and you haven't used them in 5 years, it's time to let them go. You don't have to throw things away. You can donate them, sell them or swap with a friend.
2. Develop Your Own System
Organize using a system that makes sense to you. Books, magazines and blogs are full of wonderful ideas, but one person's method of organizing her craft supplies isn't necessarily the right one for you. Experiment with different systems and find the one that works for YOU. I’m always tweaking mine.
3. Store Rarely Used Items
This includes holiday stamps, paper, embellishments etc. Put them away until you really need them, so they won't clutter up your space. Are you really going to stamp your Christmas cards in July?
4. Keep Everyday Tools Nearby
Figure out the tools you use most often and keep them grouped together in one container. When you find those precious few minutes to stamp, you don't spend them hunting for your tools.
5. Store Things Correctly
I know it would be a little scary to add up all we have spent on our inventory of stamps, tools, paper etc, but it's fair to say it's a pretty hefty investment. To protect your investment, store your things correctly. Here are some examples:
· Don't store anything in extreme temperatures (Don't leave stamps in the car!)
· Store paper and cardstock out of sunlight to stop fading.
· Store Stazon, Versamark and Stampin' Spots upside down to keep them inked. If you're unsure about another brand, get clarification from the manufacturer. This doesn’t apply to full size SU pads because they are already designed to store the pad upside down.
· Clean your stamps. If you use Stampin' Mist, it will condition stamps too and to stop them drying/cracking over time.
· Store markers and blender pens horizontally - not in a cup.
6. Break It Down
If you’re doing a major overhaul, don't plan to re-organize your whole craft area or supply stash all in one go. It's too overwhelming and frustrating. Break down the whole project into smaller bites.
7. Clean Up
I have that annoying song our kids sang at pre-school "clean up, clean up, everybody clean up" running through my head! At the end of each stamping session, take ten minutes to put everything back where it belongs. You'll be able to hit the ground running when you start your next stamping session.
8. Buy Containers Last
We’ve all done it! You’re in Target and see these great storage containers (usually on sale), buy them and when you get them home, you realize they just don't fit your needs. Sort and evaluate all your things BEFORE you decide what containers will work best in your system.
9. Play
Don't spend all your time organizing. Once you've completed the organizing task you set for yourself, reward yourself with some stamping. Then you won't lose sight of why you're doing this in the first place.
10. I can't think of a number 10 - I guess I can't be that organized!
Stampin' Up!'s offers a few storage items, which are specifically designed to hold their products. If you're a newsletter subscriber, you'll get 10% off all of them in January. I have a few of them on my wish list myself. You can find them all on Page 193 of the new catalogue.
Go the Organizing Tips on the right for a list of interesting organizing links.
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