Storage and workspace
Organising your stash and making a nice place to work. The questions scrappers ask most often, with a short, honest answer.
How do I organise my digital kits so I can find things quickly?
Choose one fixed folder structure and stick to it. That works better than trying to tag everything perfectly.
What works well in practice:
- Unzip each kit straight away and put it in a folder per designer or per kit, with the preview image alongside it.
- Put new downloads in a 'New' folder first and sort it once a month.
- Give files clear names that include colour and type, so your computer's search function can find them.
- Only tag the previews or the things you use most. Tagging every element is almost impossible to keep up with.
- Give kits you've used a colour label, so you can filter them out.
A program like Adobe Bridge reads your folders without a separate catalogue and can search by keywords.
Read also: How to organise and back up your digital kits, pages and photos
How do I store my sticker sheets?
Store sticker sheets flat in sleeves in a ring binder or folder. That way they stay flat and you can see what you have at a glance.
Sort them in a way that suits how you work: by theme (holidays, birthdays), by collection or by colour. An A5 ring binder with sleeves is handy for smaller sheets. If you have lots of loose sets, an accordion file works well.
If sheets stick to each other or to the packaging, take them out of the bag and put a sheet of silicone baking paper between them. Don't stack them loosely on top of each other, and keep them out of the sun and away from heat, because that makes the adhesive go soft.
Read also: How to store scrapbook supplies: paper, stickers and washi tape
What's the best way to store my paper and cardstock?
Store paper vertically in a rack or in boxes with dividers, or flat in drawers. That way it stays straight and you can grab any sheet without searching.
If you store your paper upright, make sure the slots are well filled or support it with a sturdy divider, otherwise it will bend. Stacking it flat works too, but the bottom sheets are soon forgotten.
Sort cardstock (sturdy, plain-coloured paper) by colour, and patterned paper by colour, collection or theme. Keep everything out of direct sunlight, because colours fade. Choose a dry spot without big swings in temperature. Loose sheets are easiest to store in clear folders or boxes of 30 x 30 cm (12 x 12 inches).
Read also: How to store scrapbook supplies: paper, stickers and washi tape
How do I scrapbook in a small space?
Use the height. The more you can fit on the wall and in towers, the more table and floor space you have left to work.
Ideas that often work:
- shelves or a pegboard on the wall or on the inside of a door
- a rolling cart with drawers that you push out of the way afterwards
- drawer units under your table or flat boxes under the bed
- hooks under the tabletop for rulers and scissors
- small trays inside larger boxes, grouped by type of supply
If you scrapbook at the kitchen table, keep one portable box ready with your basic tools and the project you're working on. Setting up and tidying away then only takes a few minutes.
Read also: Setting up a scrapbooking space, even without a craft room
How do I make a good backup of my scrapbooking files?
Ideally, make your backups automatic and keep them in at least two places. In practice, manual backups often get forgotten.
A well-known rule of thumb is 3-2-1: three copies of your files, on two different types of storage, with one of them away from home. For example, that could be your computer, plus an external hard drive and a cloud service that backs up automatically.
No single method is foolproof: drives break and subscriptions end. So combine them, and check now and then that you can actually restore a file. And don't count on always being able to download kits you've bought again. Add them to your backup as soon as you've got them.
Read also: How to organise and back up your digital kits, pages and photos
Where do I put small loose stickers?
Stick small loose stickers onto a sheet of silicone baking paper or onto the empty backing paper of old sticker sheets. They'll peel off easily again later.
Other options:
- a sticker book with smooth pages that stickers don't stick to permanently
- small zip bags, by theme or colour
- a pill box or organiser box with compartments, or an ice cube tray for larger stickers
- a small photo album or business card holder with pockets
With compartment boxes, pay attention to the size, because stickers are hard to get out of compartments that are too small. If you want to take them with you, choose a flat booklet or folder that fits in your bag.
Read also: How to store scrapbook supplies: paper, stickers and washi tape
How do I store washi tape?
Store washi tape somewhere dry, dust-free and out of the sun. Dust on the edges and heat make the rolls less sticky.
At home, a drawer with compartments, a clear box or a rod you thread the rolls onto works well, so you can see all the colours. Sort by colour or theme.
For on the go, wrap a length of tape around a straw, a clothes peg or a piece of sturdy plastic. You can also stick strips onto a sheet and cut from that later. A small accordion file works too, but a full one soon gets thick and heavy.
Read also: How to store scrapbook supplies: paper, stickers and washi tape
Does 30 x 30 paper fit in a square cube shelving unit?
Yes. Cube units with compartments of about 33 x 33 cm, such as the popular Kallax, will hold sheets of 30 x 30 cm (12 x 12 inches) and most paper pads.
Do measure the outside of the boxes or paper holders you want to put in it, though. Many boxes for 30 x 30 paper are slightly wider than the paper itself, and a box 35 cm wide won't fit.
Choose holders that keep the paper upright with dividers, or letter trays you can stack. Leave some space above the paper so you can get the sheets out with your fingers.
Read also: How to store scrapbook supplies: paper, stickers and washi tape
Should I keep all my supplies on display?
Not everything. Keep what you use often on display and store the rest out of sight. Many scrappers find that what they can't see, they don't use either.
Open storage does have downsides: paper and ribbon fade in the light and everything gathers dust. Clear boxes with lids are a good middle ground. You can see what's inside and it stays clean. With closed boxes, a clear label or a photo of the contents on the front helps.
Think about how you work, too. If you scrapbook at a table you also use for other things, storing everything away is often the only option.
Read also: Setting up a scrapbooking space, even without a craft room
What should I keep within reach at my workspace?
Keep your basic tools within arm's length, because you'll reach for them on almost every page:
- paper trimmer
- scissors, craft knife, cutting mat and a metal ruler
- adhesive: a tape runner, double-sided tape and foam tape
- pencil, eraser and your journaling pen
- bone folder
Put the small items together in one pot, tray or rotating organiser. That way you can get them onto the table in one go and tidy them away just as quickly. Big machines, such as a die-cutting machine or cutting plotter, can be further away, as long as you can get to them without lugging them about.
Read also: Setting up a scrapbooking space, even without a craft room
Do you tidy up while you scrapbook or only once you've finished?
Either is fine. What matters is that at the start of a new session your table is clear enough to get going straight away.
Some scrappers put everything back right away. Others let it get messy while they're making and then tidy up all at once. What helps either way:
- a fixed place for everything, so putting things back takes little effort
- a project box for a half-finished page, with the photos and paper in it
- a bin or tray for scraps right next to you
That way you can carry on straight away next time, even if you needed the table for something else in between.
Read also: Setting up a scrapbooking space, even without a craft room
How do I store my stamps?
Store clear stamps flat on their backing sheet in stamp pockets or sleeves, together with the card from the set. Stand those pockets upright in a box or folder.
Clear stamps (transparent photopolymer stamps) cling best when they're clean and dust-free, so clean them before you put them away. Keep them out of the sun, because they can turn yellow and stick less well. Store wooden rubber stamps in drawers or clear boxes with lids, also out of the light, so the rubber doesn't dry out.
Sort by theme, for example flowers, sentiments and backgrounds. Close ink pads properly. Many scrappers store them upside down, so the ink stays at the top of the pad.
Read also: How to clean and store stamps so they last for years
How do I store my dies without losing them?
Put dies on magnetic sheets, so even the tiniest shapes stay in place. Put those sheets in sleeves or slim boxes.
Cut the magnetic sheet to a size that fits your storage. Stand the sleeves upright in a box, sorted by category: flowers, letters, borders and card shapes.
If a set of dies goes with a stamp set, keep them in the same pocket so you grab them together. With a large collection, it helps to keep a die-cut sample with each set. You'll recognise a shape more quickly from that than from the metal itself. Embossing folders often fit upright in the same box.
Read also: Using a die-cutting machine: dies and embossing folders
Should I store my markers lying down or standing up?
Store dual-tip alcohol markers lying down. That way the ink spreads evenly to both ends and neither tip dries out. Well-known manufacturers recommend this too.
Sort them by colour in a drawer, a box or a rack with slots, so you can see the caps or colour codes. A cheap solution is a DVD case rack, with a row of markers in each empty case. Always put the caps on properly and keep the markers out of the sun and away from heat sources. For other kinds of pens, check the packaging for what the manufacturer recommends.
Read also: Alcohol markers: how they work and which paper you need
How do I sort out my stash without it taking up all my scrapbooking time?
Do it in small portions: one type of supply at a time, with a page in between.
For example, start with your pens, then your stickers and then your paper. Gather everything of that one type together. Throw away anything that has dried out or is broken, and set aside what you no longer like, to give away or swap. Then make a page with something you've just rediscovered.
That way you tidy up and scrapbook in the same afternoon, and you'll see straight away whether your new system works in practice. Only buy storage once you know how much of something you have.
Read also: How to store scrapbook supplies: paper, stickers and washi tape
What do I do with paper scraps?
Keep useful scraps in a folder or box per colour and set yourself a minimum size. Anything smaller can go, or into a separate tray for crafting.
Scraps are handy for:
- mats behind photos and journaling cards
- labels, little flags and banners
- die-cut or punched shapes
- cards, tags and pages in a junk journal
Put small pieces and leftover stickers together in one tin or box. When you want to decorate something quickly, you can dip into it and instantly have materials that go with your stash.
Read also: Scrapbooking on a small budget
How do I store cards and kits for pocket scrapbooking?
Give each kit its own box with a lid and a label, and sort loose cards by size and theme.
In pocket scrapbooking you use cards that fit into the pockets of a page protector, usually 7.5 x 10 cm (3 x 4 inches) and 10 x 15 cm (4 x 6 inches). A card box or photo box with dividers works well: one section per size, and within that, dividers for things like journaling cards, plain cards and holidays. If you mix your kits, it's better to sort by colour.
Keep a tray next to your album for the cards you've picked out for the coming week.
Read also: Pocket scrapbooking and Project Life: how it works
How do I label my storage boxes?
Write exactly what's inside on each label, not just a category. 'Letter stickers black and white' is quicker to find than 'stickers'.
Ways to label:
- a label maker, for neat, easy-to-read labels
- a strip of washi tape and a pen, easy to replace when the contents change
- vinyl from a cutting plotter; both removable and permanent vinyl stick well to plastic
- a photo or printed sample of the contents on the front
Colour coding helps too, for example one label colour for everything to do with stamping. Put labels on the side you can see when the box is on the shelf.
Read also: How to store scrapbook supplies: paper, stickers and washi tape
How do I store spray bottles and letter stickers?
Stand spray bottles upright in a shallow box, so you can see the caps and they don't fall over. Store letter stickers flat, sorted by colour.
In a deep box you have to take each bottle out to see what colour it is. A colour dot or label on the cap helps. Keep sprays and ink out of reach of young children.
Letter stickers (alphabet sets, also called alphas) fit well in flat drawers or in sleeves in a ring binder. Keep sheets with leftover letters together and, if you like, note which letters have run out. That way you won't get stuck halfway through a title.