How to store and organize

your scrapbook paper and cardstock

You will quickly begin accumulating large amounts of paper and cardstock. The question is….how to organize it? There are so many different ways to organize your paper, no one method is going to be exactly right for you. Let’s look as some of the more popular ways to sort your paper.

Determine the amount of space you have for your scrapbooking area. This will help you decide on which method will work best. Whatever method you choose, it is a good idea to start your system early. As you accumulate more and more paper it will be much easier to manage.

Here are 4 of the more common methods of storage for scrapbooking papers:

Portable Storage: You will find there are many types of portable paper carriers available. They will range in size from being able to hold only a few sheets of paper to the larger models that will hold a massive amount of paper. Unless you plan on doing a lot of mobile scrapbooking, I would recommend holding off on this purchase until you really know if this is the right choice for you.

Vertical Storage: When paper is stored standing on end, it's considered vertical. One thrifty method that I have used is to sort my papers into page protectors. I use this method now while my supply of each color or pattern is small. I gathered up old 3 ring binders that I had around the house, then I put a label on the outside spine to tell me what is in the binder. I put my yellow cardstock in one sleeve, red in another, blues in yet another, etc. This has allowed me to easily experiment with different sorting methods until I find the one that is right for me. (See the section below on sorting methods.)

Horizontal Storage: When your paper is stored laying flat it is considered horizontal. Paper trays are the most common way to store paper horizontally, however wire cube shelving systems are also popular with scrapbookers. Storing your paper horizontally is a way to save space in your work area because you're using the height of your room as storage. Remember the professional organizers tell us to "go up" with our storage and take advantage of the available space above our desks or on shelving units. The disadvantage to this method is that it can be difficult to pull out a single sheet of paper without pulling out the entire stack of paper in each category. There are many thrifty ways to store your paper horizontally. Unused pizza boxes are great! Next time you order a pizza, ask them for an empty box (one that has never had a pizza in it.) Label the outside edge with the paper you store inside. Your paper will be free from dust and tiny sticky fingers that might find their way to your scrapbook supplies! Another method is to buy plastic envelopes, with a string or snap closure, designed to hold reports. You will find these readily available at any Dollar Store. They are a thrifty, economical purchase at a $1 each. Most report folders will hold a couple dozen sheets of paper. I have also used the USPS priority mail boxes in a pinch! I had extras from a large mailing I did, and commandeered a few to store paper in until I switched to the page protector method.

Drawers, Files and Totes: Use Scrapbook storage cubes like those mentioned on the "Setting up your workspace page." You can also use file folders (sized 12x12) to sort your paper into a filing system that works best for you. Simple clear plastic totes are also a great way to store your paper.

Paper Sorting Methods:

By type: Most scrapbookers keep their cardstock separate from their patterned paper. By keeping your cardstock in a different section than your patterned papers, you can easily choose the background color that coordinates with your patterns. Cardstock is also commonly used as photo and journaling mats, so having it in a different section makes it simple to pull the exact shade of cardstock that you need. I keep all my 12x12 cardstock in its own holder, and also keep my 8.5x11 cardstock sorted separately too.

By color: A common way to sort cardstock is by color. Using the rainbow system (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet) is the most popular. Use whatever order works best for you. I use this system, and then add other colors in where they seem to belong - pink next to purple, brown, grey, black and white after all the brighter colors. You can also sort your patterned paper using this method by simply filing your patterned paper into whichever color is the most dominant in each sheet. This method works best for geometric and generic themed papers.

By theme: For special theme paper it is best to keep them sorted separately. i.e. holiday, baby, wedding, pet, outdoors, etc. When you are working on a particular theme you will find it much easier to find the paper you want. If it is mixed in with the various colors you will have a difficult time knowing what you have.

By manufacturer: Eventually you will find that you prefer a certain manufacturer of paper. Since their color varieties will probably differ from your other papers, it is nice to have all the coordinating papers together.

By kits: You will, at some time, purchase several sheets of paper with a specific project in mind. I had a great idea for a scrapbook page when I was browsing through a magazine. I purchased 4 sheets of patterned paper that all coordinated and also picked up 2 sheets of matching cardstock. I decided to keep these together so they were put in their own plastic sleeve.

No matter how you decide to organize your paper, create a system that works for you. Then stick with it!

Happy "Thrifty" Scrapbooking!

Be sure to visit The Thrifty Scrapbook Store for economical scrapbook products.

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