Betsy Veldman
It seems every time summer rolls around I’m in the mood to clean and purge.
The kids are home all day and there’s generally more “stuff” around…baseball stuff, swimming stuff, toys, summer rec crafts, etc.! I don’t deal well with clutter, so I really get the urge to organize things!
Today I thought I’d share with you one of my recent organizational projects: my dreaded (but well-loved!) scrap basket.
Do you have an over abundance of scraps like me? Every time I think I’m going to do a project using my scraps, I feel like they actually multiply! But today is a new day.
I was inspired by some of the ladies chatting on the Papertrey Ink board. They were cutting their papers into 6×6 blocks. Oh, the genius! I also scrapbook, so I could never do this to all of my paper, but my scraps go pretty much exclusively to card making. So why not?
So that’s what I did. And when I finished trimming them neatly, I couldn’t just toss them all back in a bucket. So I sorted them by color. If a piece was double-sided, I tossed one piece into the pile that coordinated with the front side, and the second piece went into the pile that matched the back side.
Oh, sweet mother of scraps…I think I’ve died and gone to heaven.
I picked up these baskets at the dollar store. They fit the 6×6 pieces perfectly. I used my die cut machine to cut the dividers out of cardstock.
This first basket is sorted by color.
This second basket contains neutrals (cream/white, brown/black) as well as stripes, florals, dots, and Christmas.
Lookin’ good, don’t you think?
Oh, but wait. After cutting everything down to 6×6 blocks, I was left with…
THIS.
Will it ever end?
I had a little devil on one shoulder saying, “Just throw them away!!!”
But a little fairy, aka my 7-year-old daughter, sat on my other shoulder saying, “No, keep them! They’re soooooo pretty!”
How could I resist? So I issued myself a challenge. They need to be used by the end of the year or they need to go. I told my little fairy that she was welcome to dig out of that basket anytime she pleased.
So to get started on my challenge, my little fairy and I sat down together to work on a project to try and whittle down that stack of strips (the photo really doesn’t do it justice…there is A LOT of paper there!).
I decided to pull strips that worked well together. You know I love to mix patterns and colors, so I really enjoyed this process. I covered an 8 ½” x 11” sheet of cardstock with adhesive and filled it with strips. I trimmed off any excess even with the edge of the cardstock (and yes, threw it away! Go me!).
Here are the sheets I made…
And here’s one my daughter made. She loves blue, so she mixed and matched a bunch of blue pieces…
My thought is these sheets can be cut down to create card sets. I gave it a try and it was FUN! Here’s a set I made using a sheet from the photo above.
I grabbed the Essential Sentiments stamp set from A Muse Studio, which contains tons of great everyday and holiday sentiments.
This allowed me to quickly put together cards for lots of different occasions. I just added a few die cuts, a little twine, and some buttons. This would also make a great on-the-go project to take along on vacation or to a crop.
To get a better look at these cards, stop by my blog!
I’m on an organizational roll, so keep me going! Share your best tip here and I’ll pick one winner to take home the Essential Sentiments stamp set (seen above). All comments must be received by midnight (MDT) on Thursday, July 28.
Happy crafting!
Betsy Veldman,
Paper Crafts Go-to Gal
P.S. Just a reminder…you have one more day to vote in Round 3 of Gallery Idol! Click HERE to view the Top 10′s cards and cast your vote. Voing will end at noon (MDT) tomorrow!
WOW I really need to do that! for me I try to go through my stash every mth and see what I haven’t used yet and try to pull them out into a MUST need stash if whatever I haven’t used is still in that bin then I donate it to either my local Children’s Hospital or I make cards to donate w/it so I will use it.
What a fantastic idea on the storage of scraps and on the use of the smaller ones too! I always have too many scraps and just cant throw them away! I came up with a solution for my ribbon scraps/non spooled ribbon. Its a scarf hanger from Ikea, its super cheap and super handy. You can see it here http://nicoleqmullen.wordpress.com/2010/11/02/ribbon-storage/
I’m the one that needs all the help and someone to do it for me~
These are great ideas! I love them! Thanks for sharing your tips with us! I need to do the same with my scraps!
I’m in the midst of taming my paper monster too. I recently viewed a webinar about paper organization. I started last night working on my colors (ROY G BIV) and finished through green.
One tip offered was to decide the minimum size of scrap you will keep, then trash the rest. Yes, it’s hard because I know I always think I can punch some shapes, or use that small bit on a card…but I never do.
So after finishing my rainbow, I’ll move on to holidays/seasons then themes. After the paper, I will attempt the ever growing mass of embellies!
What did you use to create the tab dividers? Loved that and want to make some for the kids as they get ready to go back to school.
My storage solution is to put all the seasonal paper, stickers and stuff together in a lined basket divided by the cardboard sheets that come with the plastic sleeves for finished pages.
I keep my scraps on binder clips with full sheets so I am sure to use them up before I cut a new sheet.
I absolutely love your creative storage idea for scraps! I may have to try this! Of course, my craft room needs a good clean-up as well! I had separated mine into colors and into folders, but I think those bins would help greatly!
Thank you for sharing! Your cards are beautiful too! Very original and eye-catching!
Great idea for the scraps! I keep my colored cs scraps in folders by color but I love your pp organization. Love what you did with them too!
I could just squeeze you for coming up with such a wonderful idea. Not only for the mini crates but for the strips!! I try so hard to use my scraps and not to just waste the leftovers, and this has got to be the greatest idea yet!!! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.
I keep my scrap papers in different drawers depending on the dominate color. It makes finding the right scraps SO easy.
I save even tiny scraps because they can be used for paper punches or stamping small images on them. I keep them in a 12X12 plastic container so the edges won’t get bent.
I have a similar system for my patterned paper (stored in crates cut down to 6×6). It works great for me! I also am a huge fan of ribbon rings for me ribbon! They looks so luscious on the wall
amazing – just love what you came up with! thanks for sharing.
I store my scrap pieces of decorative paper in plastic containers. I hate to throw away even small pieces because they can all be used eventually. It’s funny that I save them, because I hate to save/store anything else in my house. I love to throw away things…but my papers are precious. I store my white and off-white papers separately, because I use those most often.
Love this idea!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I’m about to embark on a scraps-sort-out and didn’t know where to start. Since I’m a cardmaker MOST of my scraps are leftover bits smaller than 6×6 so quite a challenge!
None of my storage tips are as good as this one but one thing I’ve started doing in the last several weeks is keeping my white, cream and kraft cardstock scraps seperated from the rest of my scraps with a magazine holder/box that you can get at an office supply store. It makes finding a little slice of a basic easy to find.
I love this idea! I do more scrapbooking and ATC making than card making, so most of my scraps are strips that are 1 – 1 1/2″ x 12.”
I love the striped paper with scrap strips, and I think I will do that!
I am constantly re-working my organization as new storage products come out or my supplies increase. I have started saving the glass spice containers to store brads and eyelets. I can store over a dozen of these in a plastic shoe box (easily stackable), but you can always use a decorative basket. I like the plastic shoeboxes because they have lids and I can see what’s inside (brads, ribbons, etc.) while it’s on the shelf.
I started cutting my 12×12 paper down to 6×6 too. And here I thought I was the only clever one, LOL!!! I’ve been using brochure holers to store 4×6 stamps. They are clear and tiered and has really helped me stay organized.
Brilliant!!! I can’t wait till my little one naps later to tackle my unruly scrap pile. I swear it grows while I sleep
. My favorite org tip is to clean up after every crafting session so I start with a clean slate next time .. It doesn’t always happen but when it does it is great for the mojo!
LOVE it! I have a “scrap drawer” but it’s not accessible and visible like this. This is my next organizational project!! Thanks.
Love your storage idea and your use of PP strip to make cards. One thing I just did recently is – sorting out the buttons by color and put them into ziplock bag by color.
I love the IKEA Bygel rails for punches and the baskets that go with them rails for ribbon. I love to be able to grad the entire spool and lay a piece across my project to decide if I like it before I cut it. This way I have less pieces of cut ribbon gathered up in a container!
I also need lots of help with organization in my stamp room. This is a great idea that I will be using.
My only tip is that you need to clean up after each craft so that things don’t get crazy messy! I have to clean up after each card/project–even if I know I will be using the same materials later! I never know when “later” will be–so when I’m done, I put it all away!
THANKS for sharing–gorgeous cards!
I hate throwing paper away and keep most scraps (I don’t have a definition of how small is too small, but I have been getting better about throwing 1×1 pieces of paper away!). My tip for you Betsy is at the end of the year what you don’t use, do a give-away on your blog! One persons trash is another person’s treasure! You probably have papers we have not purchased and would be inspired by.
Great idea. I only seem to use 8 1/2 x 11 paper and I keep them in plastic page protectors and then file these into cardboard magazine holders from the stationery store. Keeps them nice and clean.
I absolutely LOVE your idea of using scraps to make one big sheet and cutting it up for card fronts…now that is really “re-use, reduce and recycle!!! Brilliant!!! Also how time efficient is that??? One of my best craft storage ideas is to use a file drawer for the paper I use the most…I am lucky because my craft desk has a file drawer in it so the paper is always right at my finger tips. I also use the top shallow drawer for the tools I use the most and again right at my finger tips…
What a great idea on organizing!! I just went through and purged many of my scraps and the smaller ones I knew I wouldn’t use, I put aside in a box for my little crafting companions to use…..they love it!! I think I should make some cards from scraps this weekend……thanks for sharing and inspiring!!
My best tip–or what’s worked best for me–is to buy some stackable racks from Walmart. I think they were in the kitchen section and were meant to add space to cabinets. They have holes that work perfectly for placing punches upright. Easy, inexpensive, and keeps the punches organized and easily accessible, too.
Loving the dividers made from card stock! That’s a clever and useful way to keep patterned paper designs you really like. The cards are so fresh looking! What a wonderful way to use leftovers.
I don’t have a dedicated work space, so my tip is using rolling tool boxes. DH bought me a “Fat Max” tool box from the home improvement store that fits all of my die cutting tools and accessories, plus my punches fit in the top compartments. When not in use, “Max” has a pretty piece of fabric draped over him, and my die cutting machine sits on top with a coordinating piece of fabric keeping the dust off of him. My stamps are in two smaller rolling tool boxes. I love that they can be set up where ever I need them and I have easy access to the compartments.
WOW! I’m totally inspired to dig in & organize my scraps now!!
I use a spinning spice rack with clear spice jars to hold my brads, decorative clips, mini safety pins, jump rings and other misc embellishments. This keeps the little baubles organized in a compact way & with one easy spin, I can spy anything I need.
Brilliant idea, Betsy! but then your ideas always are! My scraps are always in drawers so I never find them!
great idea! especially the card made by scraps! I currently keep all my scraps in a 2 inch binder…right now I’m only using A Muse Studio paper (i’m a consultant) and keep them organized by color.
thanks for the tips!
Wow this was a great idea. I have tons of scraps, but also tons of 6×6 pads that I’m struggling to store. I hate every way or place I put them!!! I might use this idea for them too! And I love the dividers! Makes me wanna organize!!! And make a dollar store trip
What a great idea! I am on my way to the dollar tree!
I am not a good organizer but your idea makes me want to be one!.thanks for sharing!.
This is an amazing idea! I have been trying forever to organize my abundance of scraps as well as all my 6×6 & 8×8 papers. I have hanging files sorted by color that work very well for 8 1/2 x11 papers, with sep files w/ page protectors filled w/ scraps but its hard to find what I want so I usually don’t even touch them.
I will HAVE to run to the dollar store at lunch LOL! And the strip papers- genious! I have envelopes of strips threatening to overtake my desk as I type this..
what a great idea, thanks………off to my studio to have some fun doing just that !
Oh, I love what you did with your scraps! The 6 x 6 idea is so great! About every six months or so, I sort my scraps and make up little card kits that I will use when I attend my monthly Operation Write Home card group. When a meeting comes around I just grab these kits, some basic supplies and I’m ready to go.
Carol B
ciaoitalia2007(at)gmail(dot)com
Great idea for paper scraps! My tip for crafters is to unspool your ribbon and wind it on recycled cardboard about 2″x5″. Similar to seam binding size. These fit perfectly in a shoe box. I was amazed at how my overflowing box of ribbon spools consolidated down to such a convenienent storage size.
Betsy, I’ve told you before that you’re a creative genius and this is just another example of why. Oh my! Love it.
What great tips! I store my mists in a Keurig coffee pod carousel.. works great!
I like to stamp a bunch of images to have ready to color when I have time.and then I have a folder for them and a folder for colored images. Then when I find time to create a card I have things ready to use my spellbinders and cut out for cards.
I have my scraps in hanging file folders, sorted my colour. I also have a box with folders (also organized by colour) which I take with me when I meet up with my crafty gals! Thanks for the chance to win.
That’s brilliant! My scrap drawer is waaaaaaaaay too full and needs some serious attention. Thanks for sharing this!
thanks for the great ideas!!! just the info I needed!
I love this idea. My favorite storage solution is Ikea Kasset boxes. Not a revolutionary solution but I love how they look all lined up on shelves each storing something different. They have the perfect size to store finished cards too!
I’m a big fan of track shelving and fabric bins. It keeps me organized, but not too organized. Sometimes I get bogged down with “the system”, but my bins are a perfect no-clutter solution!