Coming up with a system for scrapbook embellishment storage is essential to making the most of your cropping time. If you can't find your supplies when you need them, creating a layout is sure to become a frustrating experience.
Ways to Sort Embellishments
As you're looking through your options for storage, it may be helpful to think about how to you plan to sort your supplies. There are several different options to consider.
Product
Sorting items by product type is the most popular way to organize embellishments. Keeping like items together is a quick way to sort supplies, whether you're interested in using eyelets, buttons, charms, beads, or chipboard.
Color
If you scrapbook using lots of different embellishments on one layout, sorting by color makes it easy to create an eclectic look for your page. With this system, you can quickly pull out blue buttons, ribbons, and chipboard swirls to accent a page featuring your son at the beach.
Theme
Scrapbookers who work on specific themed projects, such as a vacation or wedding album, may find this sorting method to be easiest. You will want to include one container for non-themed embellishments, however, since you're likely to have at least a few items that won't fall into a particular category.
Manufacturer
If you tend to scrapbook with coordinating paper lines from one or two different companies, this is a good way to keep your supplies organized. Sorting by manufacturer is also useful if you plan to submit your pages for publication, since you'll need to have this information readily available.
Frugal Scrapbook Embellishment Storage
Many people think you need to spend a lot of money in order to get organized. Although it's true that there are a number of specially made boxes and storage containers marketed to scrapbookers, there are plenty of items you probably already have sitting around your home that could easily be put to work storing your scrapbook supplies.
To store buttons, brads, eyelets, and other small embellishments, try:
- Prescription bottles
- Baby food jars
- Glass spaghetti sauce jars
- Tic Tac containers
- Altoid tins
- An old spice rack
Sturdy cardboard shoe boxes make good storage containers for chipboard accents, silk flowers, and other larger embellishments. Decoupage the boxes using some of your favorite patterned papers if you're planning to keep your supplies stored out in the open.Keep scraps of ribbon, embroidery floss, and decorative fibers neatly organized by wrapping them around wooden clothespins or scraps of heavy cardboard. Stack spools of ribbon on top of a paper towel holder to keep them neatly corralled.
Store rub-ons in clear plastic sandwich bags, then place the bags in labeled file folders.
Sort stickers by slipping them into plastic page protectors tucked inside a 3-ring binder.
If you can't find suitable storage containers around your home, another good source of materials for frugal scrapbook embellishment storage is your local dollar store. These shops often have a large selection of bins and baskets in various sizes, so you're sure to find something that fits your organizational needs without breaking your budget.
Maintaining Your Organizational System
There is no "right" way to set up a scrapbook embellishment storage system. Some crafters like to have a detailed system with a precise location for every item, while others only have a few general categories for various supply types. By necessity, a crafter with an entire room filled with supplies needs a different organizational strategy than someone who can fit all her scrapbook embellishments into one small tote.
Regardless of what embellishment storage system you choose, however, it's important to make staying organized a priority. If you get in the habit of promptly putting away new supplies after a shopping trip and picking up any items leftover from your cropping session, you'll find that scrapbooking becomes much more efficient.
