How do you sort your scrapbooking papers?
Since we covered what we do with our paper scraps, it seems only right that we discuss full sheets of paper too!
How do you sort and store your scrapbooking papers?
My biggest suggestion with storage systems is always to sort by the way you think when you create. If you think ‘I need something blue’, then sort by colour. If you think ‘Where are my birthday papers?’, then sort by theme. If you wish you had a small pattern to work with, sort by pattern. And if you think in terms of ‘that Amy Tangerine paper would be just right for this’, then sort by brand and collection. If you store things by the way you think, then it’s far easier to go straight to them while you’re crafting or when you’re planning a project.
So my answer is that I sort my papers by brand. I keep my full sheets on two wire paper racks, with one brand per shelf, and in a few cases further subdivided if the stack is impractical for one shelf. At one point I had additional paper racks and kept a lot more cardstock, but I found I didn’t use nearly as much cardstock as I was keeping around, so I now only have solid cardstock at the bottom of one rack, over about six shelves. That is plenty, as I tend to use the same colours repeatedly rather than all different shades.
This system works for me because I think by brand, style or collection while I’m crafting, but I don’t suggest this system if you don’t think that way. There’s a funny thing that happens if you gather a group of people who have worked in a scrapbook store at some point – we all memorise papers! And some crafters do too, but plenty don’t, and if you don’t memorise papers by brand, you could miss the very best papers for your project because you can’t remember where they are… making it easier for you to find them by colour, pattern, theme or something else.
I’d love to hear your answer: how do you sort your scrapbooking papers? What does and doesn’t work for you? If you’ve tried various methods over the years, we’d love to hear your evaluation!
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15 April 2012, 12:08
in two different ways – the only consistacy in Art bins. I have one for brand and all the papers from a range are in 12*12 plastic bags with matching bazzills are in one (SO page kits in a way. And a second bin with single papers some in topics – all my christmas, halloween etc together the rest just in the box. I am dreadful for just picking a sheet of paper I like but not thinking ahead that I might need 2 or 3 co-ordinating ones
15 April 2012, 12:08
In theory, and most of the time, by manufacturer. But a while ago it became apparent that I didn’t have enough drawers for all the manufacturers. So now, some of the drawers such as Basic Grey and G45, remain, but other stuff is loaded into two or three drawers which are overflowing. This isn’t actually a problem, because I tend to go through everything anyway. Even if I know there is a certain collection I want to use, I rarely stick to just one. So it suits me to flip through everything in the drawer. This way, not only do I find unexpected combinations, I’m also reminded of whatever scraps might be lurking in there (see previous question on ‘how do you store your scraps?’ lol)
15 April 2012, 12:17
Hi!! First of all, I just found out your blog, and I REALLY love it!! Although your style is completly different than mine, you really make me feel like scrapbooking again and I find tons of inspiration in your work, thank you so much for that!!
I store my paper by brand and collection, all together in one big box so I can flip through. I once tried to store them by color, but I freaked out with all those multi-coloured paper, didn’t know where to put them.
So that’s why…
Greets, Sandra
(the Netherlands)
15 April 2012, 12:24
I sort my papers in two ways- first by theme. If it has a specific theme- sports, school, christmas, etc- it goes in a drawer with like theme items, including stickers and embellishements. All other paper is sorted by color in paper racks. I mix patterned paper and cardstock, although I am thinking of separating the two.
Thanks for the fun weekend, Shimmelle!
15 April 2012, 12:46
Oh boy
Paper scraps were easy – this is hard
I have all of my cardstock in vertical cropper hopper magazine type files. It is all colour coordinated with 7 hoppers for greens, blues, pinks and reds, lilacs (to blues) yellows and oranges, browns, black and white. I also have extra packs of black, white and cream which I use most of.
I thn have 8 further cropper hopper vertical stores of papers and they are generally in 12 × 12 bags according the collection. For example I have two basic Grey files with each collection in its own bag in the hopper.
But then it all goes awry and I have some in bags which were bought together and have no connection other than that, some themed for example travel papers, texture effect papers etc. I also have a shelf for all of my collection books and pads like K and Co and DCWV 12 × 12 pads etc. Then I have art bin satchels with themed papers like I have a Christmas themed box (OK 2 of those LOL)
Plus I have 12 z 12 paper racks with new papers that I like to stroke LOL
Oh my – I have way too many papers and I scrap digitally at least half my time!
I need help
15 April 2012, 12:48
I used to sort by manufacturer, but I found I always used the same manufacturers and some stash just sat there.
I now sort all my papers by colour. I love it. I’m using up lots of older lines as a result, too, as I’m not just reaching for the package containing the latest release.
15 April 2012, 12:51
I am using A few different systems right now…I have a theme bin for Christmas papers, Halloween collections, a Boy Bin and Girly papers bin. All the rest is by manufacturers..MME, BoBunny, Authentique, Simple Stories, Pink Paislee, Bella Blvd, Studio Calico etc. I prefer the collections together. Love your blog and ideas.
15 April 2012, 12:59
Currently, my paper sorting system is the least useful. I have it in 3 drawers. The top is full of patterned paper, the 2nd full of solid sheets of cardstock (both 12×12 & 8×8), and the last drawer has all the 12×12 letter, border & embellishment sheets. No further way of sorting. This “system” is literally the most painful for me since it takes me forever the find the sheet I’m looking for & I need to constantly pull out stacks & go through them instead of just flipping. The only reason it’s set up this way is because we just moved & the fiancé & I have yet to set up the office which will eventually become my crafty space so the current little square of land I have for scrapping is very small indeed. But once I do get my bigger zone, I’d love to sort by colour & obvious patterns for my eye (multi polka dots & stripes). Just patiently waiting for that moment. Haha! =]
15 April 2012, 13:07
I have mine sorted by company name alphabetically.
15 April 2012, 13:10
I have a horrid method of storing my whole papers atm. I have those 12×12 pockets and they are jamm packed with brands and colors all over the place. Though it does add some excitment when finding papers, like this weekend for instance. I found papers I didn’t even know I had and they worked so well. Love your Blog Shimell. It’s 3 am and I have been scrapbooking all weekend with little room for anything else and I feel like I am in scrapbooking nirvana XD
15 April 2012, 13:21
I sort two ways. My collections are sorted by manufacturer in Cropper Hopper upright folders. When I’ve used most of them I then sort them by color in 12×12 paper trays. My cardstock is also sorted by color in the trays. Like Shimelle, I am finding that I’m using solid cardstock less and less except for card blanks, so I am thinking of downsizing that part of my stash by probably 2/3. I’m just not quite ready to make that commitment yet!
15 April 2012, 13:21
LOL! I guess its true what you said about if you’ve worked in a scrapbook store previously because I did and I store mine like you, by brand or collection! Although I gather mine in zipper top bags and hang them on a rack (see this post: http://millermall.blogspot.com/2012/03/im-baaack.html.
15 April 2012, 13:22
I separate by brand as well. I used to do it by color but it’s easier to use papers that coordinate with each other.
15 April 2012, 13:35
After taking Pretty Paper Party I started to re-sort my papers. After sorting them into cream or white based patterns (plus a pile that contains white AND cream, argh) I then spent quite a few days off seeing which papers worked together (one pile at a time), sometimes I’d be lucky and find two collections that worked together but otherwise it was a sheet at a time. This way I knew that any of the papers would work together if I’m scrapping when it’s dark (ie no natural light). My cardstock is sorted into colour families currently, but soon I will be adding relevent colours to my kits too.
15 April 2012, 13:38
I don’t have enough paper to bother storing it in any particular way! I like to scrap from page kits I put together which are stored in spare albums, but then all the rest of the paper is just stacked in one pile on my shelf. Every so often I’ll go though the pile to see if I can make any new page kits with new papers I’ve bought, but if it’s sat in the pile for too long without getting used then I find some way to get rid of it (eg eBay, swaps, or into the recycling!!)
15 April 2012, 13:39
Mine is rather a mess as well. I have 5 14×14 bins. 1 holds cardstock in all sizes. 1 has loose pp that I’m not sure where it came from (but I still like). 1-1/2 hold themes (holidays, boy/girl, people-daug, me, bro, etc.), 1-1/2 hold by brand. Those last 3 are sorted in those 12×12 pockets. Then I have a basket that holds 8-1/2×11. This has been my system for years, but now I’m starting to rethink – just can’t think of how to redo it so that it will make sense to me.
15 April 2012, 13:43
I sort everything by brand and collection. I put new collections in 12×12 plastic bags and store them on a shelf and for the more messy stuff and single sheets and themes like Christmas I have some paper trays. But that is not a perfect system … I always need a long time to find matching papers, especially when I want to combine different collections …
15 April 2012, 13:49
I tend to store mine by collection until I’ve used most of it up – then it goes into a mixed pocket. Collections are either stored in 12×12 pockets or 12×12 hanging files. I keep my card stock altogether in a separate pocket. I don’t know if it is the best system but it stops the papers from getting too dogeared.
15 April 2012, 14:04
In my Scrapbox drawers I have two drawers of misc patterned papers, two hefty (almost never touched!) bins of cardstock, and then the rest are sorted by “Christmas”, “Animals” (pets and zoos), and a drawer each of white, black, and kraft cardstock. My most ingenious drawer of paper, though, is my “I’m working on this” drawer, labeled current project. It may be anything from one to several projects, or even just a paper I don’t want to forget to use soon. I grab that drawer if I only have a few minutes, and not a lot of time to create from scratch.
15 April 2012, 14:11
Currently I sort my cardstock by color and my PP by brand. Well, actually, my PP is sorted by “where can I fit this?” But just yesterday I was searching through all of my PP looking for something light pink when it dawned on me that I need to redo how I store this. I’m going to switch it up to color soon.
15 April 2012, 14:15
I sort them by brand too, then by collection and I tend to keep my scraps with the main papers too. I don’t have shelves mine are now in some nice 12” boxes :)
Loving all your prompts thank you soooo much for doing this for all of us :)
15 April 2012, 14:19
I sort by manufacturer, then by collection. If I buy a collection kit, then I keep it separate until its down to just a couple of sheets. I tend to only buy a few brands which have fairly distinct styles so know where to go. I am a b-side scrapper mainly so i store my papers with the with the side facing being the one i am most likely to use. However, I quite like the idea of storing papers by colour so may give that some further thought.
I used to belong to a kit club and used to keep my kits separate but I found that I wasn’t using them do I split them out into my regular stash.
I have three sets of theme papers which I store separately – Christmas, Halloween and Disney!
Love reading what everyone else does!
15 April 2012, 14:36
I store my papers in 12×12 Crop Hopper vertical files organized by manufacturer and then subdivided (if necessary for that particular manufacturer) by collection. There are certain manufacturers (Basic Grey and Echo Park are two stand-outs) where I need to sub-divide by collection. A manufacturer only gets its own section if I have 10+ sheets from them. Everyone else goes in the miscellaneous section in alphabetical order.
15 April 2012, 14:40
I sort my cardstock by color. When it comes to pattern paper, I’ve tried to sort by theme and failed. I’ve tried to sort it by color and failed. What finally worked for me was sorting by brand. That’s how I think about my papers – by line, by mfg. It really works for me and I can always find what I’m looking for. I store all of my paper in cropper hopper holders.
15 April 2012, 14:42
I used to just store by colour, but then I got to the stage that I wanted to enter challenges on some manufacturers blogs, and posting to their facebook pages etc. So now I have a few of my favourites (pink paislee, crate paper, my mind’s eye) stored in their own boxes so I can easily put their products together – I store these in pizza boxes so that I can store the brads, trims, chipboards etc all together with the paper.
This also makes it easy when I’m scrapping somewhere different – I can just pick up a pizza box and some adhesive and photos and I’m good to go (useful for me at the moment as my baby is currently sleeping in my study so I keep grabbing things to scrap at the dining table). All my other paper is still stored by colour, in vertical cropper hoppers. It works for me at the moment, but I re-evaluate quite often and change things around to what fits in with my style of scrapping at the time! x
15 April 2012, 14:48
I sort my papers by color and store them in plastic drawers. For each color, I have solid cardstocks on the bottom, solid papers, then patterned papers from light (top of stack) to dark. When I’m ready to scrap, I pull out the color I want and thumb through the stack. I do have one small expandable file that holds my few themed papers, also.
15 April 2012, 14:56
I do a little of each. I have some favorite collections that I keep together and other than that I go by color.
15 April 2012, 15:05
work in progress folders are great you can see the papers and you dont risk ruininng them or getting them wet if i have collections i put them together, as the folders are cheap this works well
15 April 2012, 15:20
I have tried so many different ways but now I have so much paper that I sort them by collection/kits, by theme and then what is left over is by colour. ALthough my favourite manufacturers are sorted by brand. So I guess I use all of the categories! thanks for the fun posts!! siggy
15 April 2012, 15:24
I store my papers in 12×12 plastic bags in a metal crate under my desk with a different range in each bag. When I have only scraps left then they get divided up into scrap bags by colour. My cardstock is sorted (roughly) by colour and stored in a 12×12 RUB, also under my desk.
15 April 2012, 15:28
I just like reorganising them in different ways on a regular basis – I am a bit addicted to storage solutions and organising!
15 April 2012, 15:36
I have a hanging file system. I have sorted by color with exception of major holidays, ie Christmas, Halloween, etc. I need another rolling file cabinet to include my sticker letters by color too.
15 April 2012, 15:46
Mine are all in a couple of the storage squares of the Expedit, how do I organise them…………I don’t!
15 April 2012, 15:49
I actually do not sort my paper. It is all in one big file. My solution is simple: keep the pile as small as possible. I try not to buy too much paper, and when I do it is commonly a collection that comes as a notebook, that I keep together for very long periods. The pile lies on a shelf and when I need a paper I take everything out and choose.
15 April 2012, 16:32
I sort my papers by colour, patterned papers as well as the card stock. I have two wire paper racks, and I use one for the card stock and one for the patterned papers.
15 April 2012, 17:44
Like you I throw all my scraps in a box and use them as embellishments on my layouts. I’m going to have to try grouping them for page kits.
15 April 2012, 18:16
I sort cardstock by color. Patterned paper by manufacturer or color. If it is a favorite or I have several, by manufacturer. Otherwise by color. The only “themed” storage is my fall…thanksgiving paper and embellishments. These are in their own box as that is really the only theme I scrapbook. I use cropper hopper vertical storage. I sort through my papers a couple times a year. I make kits to use for crops. I also at this time sort to take out papers i no longer love to pass them on to others.
15 April 2012, 19:00
I sort the Bazzill solids by color. They’re on wooden shelves. I don’t buy too much patterned paper—I’m mostly a card maker. The exception is Graphic 45, which I love so much I gave them their own shelf. The patterned stuff I do buy gets divided by event (Americana, beach, travel, camping, etc.) and then resides in expandable file envelopes. The non-event papers (like American Craft or Crate Paper) have their own file envelope. I have the order of those memorized by now. :-)
15 April 2012, 22:28
I sort cardstock by color. Patterned paper is a different story: if I buy more than 1 pattern of a manufacturers line it gets filed by manufacture. If I only buy 1 pattern it gets sorted by color. If I buy matching cardstock (paper kits) I keep it in a seperate cropper hopper file so I usually look there first when I’m looking for pp if I don’t already have a pattern in mind.
15 April 2012, 22:55
I sort my cardstock by color, and my one sided patterned paper is also stored this way. All my double sided patterned paper is stored first by manufacturer, then by collection. I store them in the Cropper Hopper paper storage bins (look like magazine holders). This seems to work for me at the moment.
15 April 2012, 23:23
I have tried many ways over the years and owning a Scrapbooking store has meant that I have LOADS of patterned papers! I used to sort by Company and then by collection because I knew what they all looked like, but I found that I was constantly looking for a particular paper and then often leaving other ‘not so favourite’ papers wallowing in dispare at ever being used! So one day I spent the whole day sorting EVERY page into colour stacks including everything that came in books and pads (I had way too many of those that I never used!). It was a mammoth task but I have found it much better for myself.
So I now have very themed products in separate containers with embellishments (I don’t have many of those) and the rest are stored in Artbins according to colour with one being for multi-coloured papers. This is my fav bin and usually my starting point as I LOVE colour. From there I then select other papers that co-ordinate from the other bins, and then get started. I have found that I am using so much more of my stash now as I do think by colour even though I often know the exact paper I want to start with. All cardstock that I own is sorted by colour in vertical paper holders near my desk. (I know that most papers are now double sided and if both are patterned I put one in each colour as I almost always buy two sheets. If only one side is patterned I file by that side)
This is one of the hardest things to get right as everyone finds a different way that works for them. Just keep experimenting and see what works and then stick with it! I am not changing it again as I have finally found the way that works for me.
16 April 2012, 01:09
My paper is “sorted” by manufacturer, although at the moment it’s scattered all over my craft room in different piles. But the collections or kits stay together in their respective piles. I’m needing to do a pretty major overhaul of my stuff and my organization because my stash grew way too fast for my room! I love reading everyone’s ideas. The sorting by manufacturer/collection really works well for me, I just need to get the paper organized into one area! =P
16 April 2012, 06:12
By brand for me. Most recent purchases are in a box divided into plastic grab bags. Older ones in hanging files and buried so they hardly get used. Occasionally I mix the odd page in with another collection because I ‘feel’ like it belongs there.
** Kate **
16 April 2012, 08:21
I LOVE the system that I have come up with. I have a shelf that has new products and/or things that I am loving right now. I generally reach for these first then supplement with other stuff. I then have a Basic Grey shelf as I find that their product (especially older) is consistent in the look and I know when it will work and I use it a lot for backgrounds. These three racks sit on my desk. I then have 12 shelves further away that are sorted by colour. The top shelf is stuff that I want to use up or it will be donated. I check here often to start a layout. Then journalling/ledger papers, then pink, purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red, brown, black & white mixed and then colour mixed on the bottom. If I am going through a stack and see a paper that really inspires me, I pull it and put it into my favourites tray. It often will then get used on the next layout or so.
16 April 2012, 09:05
Roughly by colour, in 12×12 boxes, occasionally by collection – especially when they are brand new. Hate bent corners, so the boxes are a must!
16 April 2012, 10:26
I used to sort my papers by pattern! Like, completely. Stripes, dots, flowers, vines, paisley, sort of plain backgroundish, and “crazy pattern”. It worked, like, the first MONTH, when I didn’t have a lot of papers, because then I could flip through my papers in a matter of minutes. Five years later, not so much. Back when I first sorted my papers like that I didn’t know what kind of a scrapbooker I was, or even that there was such a thing as different kinds of scrapbookers!
But I can say this: Besides Polka Dots and stripes I have almost never ever gone to my stash looking for a specific pattern. Today I have a revamped version: Half my papers are sorted after specific brands I love and use a lot of, if I have a good number of them. I have one pocket for brands I love but maybe only have one or two papers from. I still have polka dots and stripes sorted, but after that I sort them in three categories: Papers I love, papers that are definitely usable, and the “Hm, what was I thinking?” (I’m glad to say this category is not a very big one, but good cardstock can always be used as a sturdy background). Works well for me :)
16 April 2012, 17:32
I tend to store mine by collection or theme. Right now they are in vertical Cropper Hopper folders on my bookshelf. Mt stacks are in the garage and I do not seperate them to put in the vertical files. My theme can be specfic, ie Christams or non specfic,ie flowers. I just kinda make a tab as I think of new catagories. I have recently been going by color, so honestly I might change the whole system again.
17 April 2012, 00:54
I moved last year and so currently have most of my product in storage. When I’m fully operational though, I normally store by product line. I then like to mix and match with 12×12 bins.
17 April 2012, 11:08
I tend to scrap by collection for the most part so I have all of my PP stored in the 12×12 plastic envelope thingys (I can not remember what they are called!) Any leftovers from the collections get stored by color in my scrap drawers.
17 April 2012, 16:26
First my papers are in 12×12 plastic bags in a box by collection or kit. Once I’ve used some of them, they go into a divided folder by colour – and that’s it!
18 April 2012, 00:15
I had originally sorted by color, but lately, it seems to be more SC kits, then assorted new papers, often by manufacturer with the older bits still by color… so, in short, a jumble.
21 April 2012, 12:43
I sort my paper by colour. I don’t buy whole collections so it doesn’t make much sense to group them by manufacturer, and I’m much more likely to think ‘I want that blue swirly paper’ than ‘I want that Basic Grey paper’. Having said that, I do keep packs or pads of paper together, but I don’t have a huge number and I know what colours are in them.
Storage-wise I have a cropper hopper and another 12×12 expanding carrier.
22 April 2012, 06:17
I store mine in artBins as well. One for Cardstock which I’ve got sorted into colour groups. Then another Artbin which has all my patterned papers simply sorted into collections. Nothing overly organised but it works for me!
22 April 2012, 06:56
I currently sort my scrapbook papers according to brands and then by collection. Some stay in their collection pack while others are in my cropper hopper or other 12×12 paper storage container :) I always would like to try having them mixed up into colours, or mixed up the collection (just sort by brand) but i haven pluck up the courage to do so yet ><
22 April 2012, 07:01
I am going to read through everyone’s answers as I don’t really like my organisation! Currently I have kits (eg a manufacturers set or ones I have put together myself) in 12 × 12 bags together. Books like DVWV are on the same shelf, then in a RUB box and a huge folder I have papers divided into colours and seasons/special events. I wish they were more accessible and easier to see.
22 April 2012, 07:30
I am so envious of your paper organisation Shimelle! Those wire racks where you can actually see the papers…heaven! My current system (well I wouldn’t even call it a system to be honest!) involves the majority of my paper bundled together in a 12×12 plastic box. It’s so hard to find anything, and it takes forever to go through the big stack to get to the bottom of all the papers… Need.To.Reorganise!!xx
22 April 2012, 07:41
I have 4 of the 7l RUB boxes. One has cardstock, sorted by colour. One has “new” papers, as in full sheets, not organised in any way. One has my kits that I am still working on, each in its own baggie & the fourth has my scraps.
22 April 2012, 08:18
I sort cardstock by color and store it in vertical containers. I sort most patterned paper by manufacturer, or in some cases by pattern type (dots, stripes, etc.)
22 April 2012, 08:45
As I mostly buy new papers in a collection kit I store them together until only scraps are left. Then they are sorted into A4 drawers by colours: yellow/orange/red/pink, blue/green, white/grey/brown/black
22 April 2012, 08:55
Prompted by this discussion, I spend all of yesterday afternoon sorted out my stash ! I have vertical containers for my paper, all sorted by colour & then into plain or patterned – the big sort out seperated full sheets from scraps.
22 April 2012, 09:48
Upright in 12×12 bins by color.
22 April 2012, 10:06
I have a 5 slot paper holder. Each slot has it’s own purpose. They hold… – my baggy full of scraps – my 6×6 paper pads – my cardstock – my pattern paper – my stickers/cardstock embellishments
My pattern paper is organized by company. I was considering throwing a few dividers in there but I honestly haven’t had any reason to just yet.
22 April 2012, 10:16
Right now I have stacks and collections lined up on a shelf, and single sheets in organizers, but I have been thinking I need a new system.
22 April 2012, 10:50
My cardstock is sorted on shelves in color order. My patterned paper is in two different spots, organized in two different ways. One shelf has papers by theme…sort of. Some themes that I notice I scrapbook a lot (or at least use themed paper from a lot) are love, Christmas, and vintage. So those are on their own shelves, with the last holding the newest stuff I bought (every so often, this gets cleaned out moved into it’s appropriate spot). The rest of my patterned paper is stored in another bin with shelves by color.
22 April 2012, 11:21
I belong to a kit club“Apron Strings Designs”:http://www.apronstringsdesigns.com/-that I love!-and so I keep the kits together in a paper-taker. After I use up the parts I want I store the rest of my paper by color. I don’t (gasp) have a lot of patterned paper, other than the kits. I do have a modest selection of cardstock.
22 April 2012, 11:47
My paper storage protocol could probably use some help as it is kind of all over the place. For the most part, I store collections in plastic envelopes or bags, and random papers go into thicker storage envelopes with dividers. All of those sit in two baskets. Card stock goes in one of two other places: 12×12 in a cube with shelves that sits on top of a file cabinet where the 8.5×11 card stock lives. Not very organized, I realize. But for now, it works for me.
22 April 2012, 11:55
I store mine by manufacturer, then by collection in Cropper Hopper 12×12 files in a drawer. I have another drawer for cardstock.
22 April 2012, 14:46
I have all my papers in… piles! :) But I think that when I finally do something with my piles I will try to sort my papers in colour, since I mainly look for a “red-ish” or “some sort of blue” paper when I search.
22 April 2012, 15:44
I don’t really sort my patterned paper. All of the full sheets go into an extra large magazine holder that is 12 inches. I don’t have a ton of full sheets so I guess I don’t really need to sort them because I can just flip through them to find the one I want. All of the scraps are in a fabric bin, those aren’t sorted either.
22 April 2012, 15:52
I have most of my newish pp still in the kit club baggies they arrived in. If I purchased it separately, I usually sort by manufacturer/collection. My older stuff goes in an expanable file folder sorted mainly by color or what “feels” like it should be together. It is definitely sorted according to how my creative brain works.
22 April 2012, 16:18
Card stock is sorted by color and organized on a paper rack. Patterned paper is organized by holidays/theme, but general paper is just all mixed together. Works for me. :0)
22 April 2012, 16:22
I use magazine files to sort my papers. I have some for solids and then a couple for patterned papers. I used to sort my patterned paper by theme, but not so much any more. I do like to keep collections together.
22 April 2012, 16:41
Cropper Hopper vertical paper holders by color. In the past I was primarily a cardstock scrapper with little pattern paper. Though that’s changing. I have a few paper lines that get stored by manufacturer/collection. But my other pattern paper gets stored by color with my cardstock. I do keep 6×6 paper pads in a drawer. I’ve been buying pattern paper in that format more recently.
22 April 2012, 17:03
Haha, I’m constantly looking for the best way to do this! Right now I’ve got part sorted by color, part by theme, and several still in the collections or kits I bought them in. I am always changing it up. Maybe the next way will be the right way.
22 April 2012, 17:52
I just bung it all in two/three two-inch deep 12×12 drawers and rummage through them each time to find what I want. Sometimes I have an idea of which paper I want to use (if I can remember what I have) but most often I just rummage until something jumps out at me. This can sometimes take quite a long time. Maybe if I got more organised I would scrap quicker. Hmmmm.
22 April 2012, 19:09
I don’t have loads of papers so one drawer for the pattern papers and an other one for the basics. My little blocs are disposed on the door in a kitchen organizer by Ikea^^
22 April 2012, 19:39
I have a wardrobe with slide out shelves that I use to store paper. I sell CTMH stuff, so I keep my CTMH patterned papers on one shelf, solid cardstock on another, neutral cardstock on another, and then other patterned papers on two other shelves.
22 April 2012, 21:00
As I jut started scrappin’ in November 2011 (I was a daigi-scrapper before then) I don’t have that much papers. They all go in two big pizza boxes. One is with all the random papers sorted by brand – from A to Z. So it starts with American Crafts and ends with Webster’s Pages. The other pizza box contains all my cardstocks sorted by colour from white over yellow and so on to black – like a rainbow. Then there’s some themes inside – Christmas, Summer Holidays and Sports. Then on top of that box there’s Teresa Collins. I just love all her stuff and I have so many papers from her collections that they just don’t fit into the other box. So I sort my papers here in Collections – TC Collection Crush to World Traveler – from A to Z.
Did I mention that I simply adore sorting things in a way or another?
22 April 2012, 21:38
I keep collections together until there are only a few pieces left and then they are sorted by color groups in 12×12 trays. solid cardstock is sorted by color and stored in vertical 12×12 files. scraps are stored in a basket ala Shimelle’s method!
23 April 2012, 00:59
I store most of my patterned papers by manufacturer and collection (even though I usually only buy a few sheets of each collection). This just seems to be the way I remember what I have and think of my stash (by manufacturer). I keep them all in wire racks I purchased some years ago when a SB store was going out of business.