Organization Tips: Paper Scraps

Patterned paper, cardstock, stickers, die-cuts, brads, buttons, flowers, chipboard, tools, and the list goes on and on. Most scrappers have a huge stash of supplies. If you are like me, you buy supplies faster than you can use them. So, how do you organize all of these items? I know if I don’t have my supplies organized, I forget what I have, I cannot find what I want when I need it, I get frustrated and then decide it’s easier just not to do it.

Organizing all your supplies is a big project. I suggest doing it in baby steps, organizing one item at a time. Before you know it, you’ll have everything organized and be ready to scrap. First of all, decide what bugs you the most. For me it’s paper scraps. So today, I’m talking about scraps. I’ll give you some ideas of what’s worked for me. If they work for you, great! If not, or if you have an even better idea, please share it with me. I love new ideas and I’m sure some of yours are better than mine.

Organizing Scrap Paper

Every scrapper has scraps of patterned paper and cardstock. It’s hard to throw them away, but unless they are somewhat organized, you’ll never be able to find what you need and the scrap pile will just keep growing and growing. What should you do with them? What size is okay to throw away? How do you organize them? Read on for a few ideas.

First, I purchased an expandable storage case made for storing 12x12” paper. I keep a 12x12” sheet protector in each pocket, with the open side up so I can slip scraps in. This helps me quickly pull out an entire section to look through, without making a mess.

First, I separate cardstock from patterned paper. I don’t sort the cardstock. I just throw it all in a plastic bin set aside for cardstock scraps. It’s fairly easy to look through and find the color you need. Next , I separate my patterned paper scraps by color. Then I file each color in alphabetical order. It is very simple and easy to find what I need when I want to use scraps.

As a general rule of thumb, I keep any scrap over an inch wide. I use them for everything: die-cuts, accenting cards and layouts, matting photos, and journaling.

I also have a second plastic bin where I put scraps I know I won't use. This is for the kids. They love having their own scraps that they don't have to ask permission to use.

I’ll have a series of organization blogs coming up to help you get your scrap space organized. In the meantime, sort those scraps and come back soon!

Return to the Neighborhood.

Oodles of Artwork

Now that school has started does the front of your refrigerator look like mine? I already have six or seven pieces of artwork my two younger children made during the first week of school. They rush home, excited to show it to me and then we give it a place of honor on the front of the refrigerator. Unfortunately, the pieces start to pile up and soon there isn't any room left and everytime my ten year old slams the refrigerator door, half of them go flying. I've been researching some solutions and I'd like to share some ideas with you.

TAKE PICTURES

One of my favorite ways to keep the memory of every piece of wonderful artwork is to use a camera. Take a picture of your child with his or her art whether it is a painting, a drawing, or a 3-D project. Now, not only do you have a great visual of the art, but you also have a great memory of what your child looked like when they made that special project.

SHARE WITH OTHERS

Grandpa and Grandma would like nothing more than to receive original artwork from your child. You could even frame the best pieces so they can display them on their wall. Another fun idea is to use larger pieces as gift wrapping.

CREATE A SLIDESHOW

Throughout the school year, scan your childs artwork into the computer. At the end of the year, create a slideshow with the artwork from an entire school year. Also include pictures throughout the year and put it to music. My son watches his preschool video over and over. It's a fun way to compile a years' worth of memories in a small storage space.

MINIMIZE

It would be practically impossible to keep every piece of artwork your child creates. Yes, I admit it, I throw some of it away! I buy a large 3 or 4 inch binder for each of my children. I fill it with plastic sheet protectors and throughout the school year as they bring home art projects, writing assignments, 100% spelling tests--really whatever they think they want to keep--I put it in their binder. At the end of the school year, each child gets a 1 inch binder they can decorate and then they have to go through the larger binder and narrow their projects down to whatever will fit in the smaller one. This ensures that you only keep the most important items and helps to minimize the storage space required, and your child has a binder full of memories for each year of school.

FILING SYSTEM

Buy a portable file box from an office supply store then help your child create their very own filing system. Keep it simple--perhaps a folder for 1st grade artwork, 1st grade writing, 2nd grade artwork, etc. All the artwork will be organized and accessible and you'll teach your child valuable organization and filing skills.

MEMORY BOX

Each of my children have a memory box. It is a large plastic storage container that is flat enough to slide under their bed. They use it to put anything they want in it. (I even had a daughter who went through a stage of keeping all the tags she got off her new clothing.) They can fill it to their hearts' content. There's only one rule once the box is full. In order to put something new in, they have to take something old out and throw it away, donate it--you get the picture. This would be an option for saving the artwork that is most meaningful to them.

I hope some of these ideas have sparked your imagination and given you some storage solutions for all the precious artwork your little ones' bring home. If you have other ideas, I'd love to hear them.

Return to the Neighborhood.

I can't find my shoes

It's 7:10, the bus comes in 5 minutes and my child is screaming . . . Mom, I can't find my shoes. Sound familiar?

I always look forward to a new school year. I love the feeling of a new beginning. It's the perfect time to organize your home, get on a schedule, rethink the chore chart, and set goals.

I agree that it can also be a little overwhelming. Sometimes the schedules feel stifling, the homework endless, and the carpools neverending.

With a little planning and organization you can get the school year off to a great start. I think it's helpful for every family to have a master calendar in the kitchen or some other location where the family gathers often. When notes are brought home from school, soccer practice, dance class, and the myriad other places your children are going, transfer the information to the family calendar so everyone is aware of planned activities. If you have more than one child, you can use a different color marker for each one.

To make homework more fun, prepare a healthy snack and set aside time to sit down with your children at the same time each day. Create a homework center with a box that has extra crayons, scissors, glue, markers, etc. Having the supplies on hand you need makes homework easier. Another great idea is to create a reading corner. This could simply be a corner in the kitchen with a beanbag chair or blankets and pillows. Younger children especially like this idea. It makes reading time something to look forward to--even better if you snuggle up with them to read.

A smooth school morning actually starts the night before. There are many small tasks you can perform in the evening before bed to make your morning more pleasant. You can pack lunches and put them in the refrigerator. My kids eat school lunch, but I have a friend who has a great organization system for preparing lunches. She has a drawer full of snacks, a crisper full of cut up fruits and vegetables, and a cupboard full of drinks. She has each of her children get their own lunch bag and then pick a snack, a fruit and veggie, and a drink. Then all she has to do is make sandwiches. You can even make a whole bread sack full of PB&J sandwiches, put them in the freezer, and then just pull them out as you need them.

Make sure homework is done, notes are signed and everything is put back into backpacks the night before. Then put the backpack near the door, so it's ready to grab as the kids leave and there's no last minute searching for a homework assignment, or missing piece of paper. It's also helpful to have clothes picked out the night before, including socks and those pesky shoes that always seem to be missing. This is one area where your kids can feel empowered. It is important for children to learn to make decisions. For smaller children that may not have the ability to pick a shirt and pants that actually match, you can give them the choice between two or three complete outfits.

The most beneficial evening activity I've found is to have a 15 minute family clean-up time. If the entire family works together for 15 minutes a lot can be accomplished, and it puts everyone in a better mood to wake up to a clean orderly house. Sometimes, to make it more fun we put on a CD and agree to work through two or three songs. It helps small children to know there is a specific time when they can stop working

Take the time to sit down with your family and discuss changes that could make your home more organized. Now is a great time to start. Your children deserve to leave for school in the morning from a peaceful organized atmosphere. They will have a better day, and be in a better frame of mind to learn. So start simple. Pick one thing to change and you will be well on the road to a more organized home and family . . . oh, and find those shoes!