Any tips on Organizing WHILE scrapbooking?

Sounds like you should make up page kits and keep all the supplies you need in a page protector or folder. This may prevent you from dragging out loads of extra supplies and getting in a muddle. Here is a great article from Rockester on the process

The site also has great info on getting your supplies organised so you know whereeverything is. Rockester also has a yahoo group which is solely to help you sort out your scrap space to suit your scrappingneeds. It is not a chat group....just for organisation :o) HTH, Marilyn

HeHe...I think this is something that we are all guilty of. Thanks Marilyn for sharing these links :)

~Crystal

I know it can be overwhelming choosing what to use on your pages and once you have your supplies all dragged out on the table or desk, its like...OMG now I have to clean it up! haha I can give you some tips on what I do. I keep a little three drawer plastic unit on my desk, with my markers and pens, most often used scissors, and eyelet setting tools, and just general small tools I use all the time. I try to keep these items in their place, so I know where they are. Using Page kits are good to keep organized too. Get together all your pictures, choose paper and embellishments and put them in an envelope or file for those scrapbook pages you plan on making. Make up a bunch of these, and then when you are ready to scrap, just pull out one file at a time and scrap away! I also keep a shoe box that I put the extra stickers, and scrap pieces of paper in when I am done or not using them, and then when I am done I can sort thru it and put them away. Gotta have my trash sack right by my side, too! I use a very small plastic bowl on my desk to put the little blue tabs in that came of the backs of the adhesive tabs, and then dump it out when it gets full. I dont like them scattered all over the table..haha! Good luck I hope this helps you! I am sure some other ladies have some great tips to offer too!

Linda

LOL! I am there with you! I am messy. I have to move things around just to get to my layout. Once I get to the can't work on the layout anymore cause of the mess stage, I start putting everything that I can away until I can work on it again. I think Marily gave some really good tips on the page kits also. Good luck with your scrapping but just know you are not the only messy scrapper!!

--Tammy

Rest assure your not the only "messy" scrapbooker. It is a very busy hobby and thats because we need so many items to do one layout. I do something similar to a page kit. I have a notebook that I carry with me because I get card and page ideas at the strangest times. I "sketch" my layout and in my head as I'm "sketching" the page design off to the side of the notebook page I leave a spot to write in what embellishments I have that I want to use on that page. I don't always use the embellishments I write but it helps so that when I go to sit down and do that page I pull out what I need. Now that I have my own space I have so many projects going on at once, what I try to do is finish that idea (card or page) and then put that stuff away until I start the next idea, easier said then done. I have a trash can right next to me, which is helpful. I have a utensil holder (with the different slots that you would use in a kithcen) on my desk with my supplies that I use the most (scissors, tape dispenser, pencil, ruler etc) on my desk in front of me so that they are handy and they are the items I use the most. Thanks Marilyn for the great sites!

Chrissy

Don't drag EVERYTHING out at once - take out what you want to use and put it away as you go along. Instead of pulling out very single piece of paper you own, pick up the photo/s and choose three or four sheets that look like they go with them and leave the rest of the paper on the shelf. Instead of pulling out the whole basket of punches/rubber stamps etc, just pull out the couple that you think you want to use on that layout and leave all the rest in their drawers etc. And most importantly, have a small trash can or garbage bag at your side and toss all the awkward little scraps and bits of litter into the bag as you go along. If the junk is out of the way it's easier to see what you're doing...

If you can't get a layout finished in one go, at the end of your session carefully pick up everything that you're using for that layout and stack it neatly on top of the layout and put it aside so it's all together without spreading over the entire work area.

I'm a landfill scrapbooker myself. by the time the layout is completed my desk looks like a landfill.

I tend to keep things in those photo boxes you can get at AC Moore and group the embellishments by theme (I have Xmas and Halloween and Fall in specific boxes). The papers are sorted by color theme/wheel so I can quickly breeze through them. As much as I love my xyron 500 it gets annoying to throw out the extra paper, so I keep to my cheetah and glue sticks.

Realize I'm working on a modified dining room table with storage on top (see my miscellaneous folder in my webshots

Kate

I just LOVE this description! Somewhere or other I've got some photos I took of my desk when I was coming to the end of a solid week of creating - you can't see a quarter-inch of clear space in the whole room!

I have to force myself to paper scrap because I can't stand the mess that I make. I use to think the problem was not enough room but then I got a scrap room. After that I thought the problem was that I needed better stuff to organize my stuff but that didn't help at all.

I believe the problem is I have way too much stuff and I hate to part with it. I start scrapping and then I start pulling everything out and before I know it the room is a terrible mess. My table gets so cluttered with things that I pull out that within 10 minutes of starting a page I can't find the scissors or the pen that I wanted to use or the .... I can't stand a mess so I get anxious about it while I am trying to scrap.

I am thinking now I just need a scrapping assistant/maid.

I do most of my scrapping from page kits. Once every few months I sit down and reorganize all of my scrap supplies - go thru each box...drawer...shelf and refamiliar myself with exactly what I have. I guess you could say I fondle my stash. Then I get out a box of pictures and go thru them, thinking fresh in my mind what I have available. I make up page kits with paper, stickers, embellishments, making sticky notes about things like ink, stamps, distressing, etc. as I go so I know what sort of tools I need to get out for the kit. Then I re-organize again as I have made such a mess I can't see anything. I will work from these kits until they are gone. This process usually takes me a weekend to complete as I come and go and it gets really messy. I also find that doing this helps me also weed out things like "why oh why did I ever buy that sticker set I know I'll never use just because it was on clearance!" I always have a box on the floor for things like this so I can pass them on to either my DD's or DIL or the daycare. When ever I go to the LSS or Hobby Lobby (when the paper is on sale) and buy paper and embellishments that match I put them together in a kit bag right away along with the photos if I had them in mind when I bought the paper. This is how I am able to do several LO's at a time when I do get a chance to scrap or go to a crop. I was on a roll this weekend. Went to a crop for about four hours, then came home and scraped some more that night and on and off on Sunday. I also find that when I get one LO done I always put away everything I used (stamps, inks, CM cutting system, etc. before I pull out the next kit. I think the fresh start with a cleaned off work table helps me. I do keep a drawer system on the table with all of the basic tools and adhesives readily available. I find that this cuts down on distractions of having to get up and cross the room for things from the shelf or drawers there.

Good luck, you will eventually find a system that works for you. Sandy

"Scout Lady" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@mid.individual.net...

NOT to be the pessiist here, but IF you are a organized person to start, that makes it easier. You get out what you want or need, use it then put it away.

For example I am a pretty good orgaizer, OK I AM one of those people!! (most of the time!) I have all my scraps broken down into thre basic groups and then those three groups in two sizes for a toatl of 6 containers. When I cut something that piece goes right into its appropriate box. It is put away then.

For common tools that are used, well they end up scattered on th ework arae but something like stamps, I use them, clean them and put then back up. The less stuff out the MORE area you have to use. OK clutter up!!

But the bottom line is whatever is best for you or works for you. There is times that i leave my pieces or no used stickers, things till I am finished or not in the mood then put them away.

Good question and thanks for asking!!

((HUGS!!))

OKC Dave

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