Traditional scrapbookers have a lot of stuff. There’s all that paper that needs to be stored. And then there is all the pens, markers, inks, ink pads, stamps, embellishments of every shape and size. It can be overwhelming when you are trying to figure out how to store or organize it all. Not to mention it can be expensive.
Recently I have undergone a massive overhaul project of sorting, purging and organizing my stash. I own my own home business, so I need the space to make room for the new stuff I must carry and create with.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you are working on organizing your mess.
Tip #1: The first thing I always teach people, is not to spend money on organizational methods until A) You’ve taken stock of what you have and what you need to store, including not only how much you have of the items but how much you might eventually wind up with. B) Get other people’s opinions. Find out what they like about it or what they dislike about the organizational method they chose. Spending money on items that might not eventually be used is truly a waste. Trust me, I know.
Tip #2: Give everything its own place. Label it. Labeling it is a visual reminder that this item belongs there and can make the practice of actually putting things away much easier. It helps to be organized because this makes you more productive.
Tip #3: Be innovative. Instead of going out and purchasing all the latest and greatest new organizational tools and supplies, try using things you already have first, and try finding comparable things and discount and dollar stores. If you have a handy husband or friend see if they can create a visually pleasing item that functions in the way some of the other items on the market function. This will save you tons of money on supplies. Just this weekend I went and bought a new style Iris cart which mimics and is similar to a “scrapbooking related” product that is on the market. I got it for $30 less than I would have spent if I had purchased the one that is marketed for scrapbooker’s yet its the exact same thing just a different company.
Keep your eyes peeled, ask lots of questions and be sure and check out what you have first before you attempt to buy anything.
Nicole Humphrey writes articles for the Scrapbooking Blog and for the Frugal Blog. She also guest blogs on a variety of topics. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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