How do you store your leftover scraps?

Sigh. Just collected a ziplock bag full of leftover scraps from a Valentine card. I have no clue how or if I'll ever use them and less of an idea of how to store them. Filed in filing cabinets? Yet another plastic tiered drawer sytstem? Any ideas? How do you store yours?

I use plastic drawers. Picture in my gallery if interested.

http://www.scrapbook.com/galleries/122083/view /3859705/...

I use a plastic file tote that is stored next to my desk. I used scraps a lot and weed through them once in awhile to get rid of tiny or damaged pieces.

I use a clear accordion file for all my scraps, arranged by colour. Each pocket also has a little plastic bag or 6"x6" page protector for the tiny bits, otherwise they disappear to the bottom. Then when I want a small piece I just pull out the bag.

I have a rule that I won't cut into a 12"x12" sheet of paper to make a card. Any paper for my cards must be from scraps or 6"x6" pads. It works for me. I like challenges.

Thank you! These are wonderful suggestions.I'm reorganizing my scrapspace from an accordian folder to drawers and stuff, so maybe I can repurpose my accordian tote for scraps. Great idea Katie Jo & Red Squirrel.

I also love the challenge of not cutting into 12x12 cardstock for cards. I cringe everytime I have to cut one of those up.

And Scraphica, where did you get those drawers? Are they 6 drawers to a collumn? I shopped around town and the best I could do was a 3 tiered set of drawers for 5 bucks. I was hoping to get a few more drawers for my fiver. But maybe I'm just stingy.

Thanks again everyone. There is always so much to learn here!

Scrapchica's drawers look 8.5x11 or larger, 3 drawers to a set. I use a similar system, but with drawers about 5x6.5, available in sets of 3 or 5 drawers.

The drawers I have I got from Target. Sterlite brand 3 drawers to a thing for like $15/$20 and then you can stack them. 14.625 L x 14.5W x 10.625 H each. I got them that big to be able to hold 12 inch long strips. My full 12x12 sheets are in another area. I like it because I can pull out the color drawers that match my LO and set them on the floor next to me to pick through and have right there for matting and things. Good luck!

The first thing I do with my scrap paper. I cut then into small piece and put then in a bin.

I keep mine in a 12 X 12 plastic bin. I just recently separated the colors into individual zip lock bags and am now so much happier with this system. I have been using my scraps more and cutting into my 12 X 12 paper less!

I just started keeping all my scraps in a drawer in again one of those three drawer plastic sterlite carts. sucks right now though bc I have a TON of scraps and the drawer is stuffed!
I am open for suggestions?

I found it in my Gallery:

My concertina scraps file By RedSquirrel

I have an older creative memories 12 X 12 storage system that I have the scraps in organized by color, theme and event. I am a tad OCD about organizing so have many subcatagoires!

I store my solid color paper in hanging file cabinets, then I put the scraps in clear 12x12 page protectors. I have a drawer I just flop my patterned paper in and just dig around in it.

• RedSquirrel Said:

That is pretty much what I do; although some scraps I sort by theme (i.e. Christmas) and manufacturer. Cardstock goes by color and I keep it next to my Pazzle for die cutting.

If I have scraps that are large, I cut them into a size that I can use to mat the front of a card. Those I store in a drawer. Anything smaller than mat size, I store as shown below:

Scrap Storage By Dwelch

Dwelch, I love that idea. You have inspired me on how to store my metalic and glitter scraps.

I have two sets of scraps. I have one set in drawers labeled by color and I have a second set in a file box with dividers labeled by color. The second set I take with me to crops and the first set in the drawers stays in my craft room. I never put a scrap away that isn't cut into a rectangle......when I'm done with a page, I cut all of the uneven edges off. It just makes it nice to start with a clean piece. I save my extra small pieces in a small photo box and I use those for flower punches. I love my scraps and I always make all of my cards from scraps or the small mat paper pads.

I'd add one suggestion - as soon asyou finish your scrapbooking page gather your scraps and make up a card right then. It will save you searching for matching papers, embellies, etc. And it will cut down on the scraps that you have to put away. You can make generic card fronts and add the appropriate sentiment later if you want. Next time you need a card - woohoo! The main work is already done!

smart ideas dwelch!!!!d what is your first name??

Dwelch, that's brilliant! I am tottally going to start using that!

I keep a storage zip lock bags atop my individual stacked trays, one for each color family.

I shop at my local hobby lobby store or goodwills and walmarts and buy different things.

When hobby lobby is having a sale I buy photo boxes and use them to store my scraps and things that I buy double or triple of like pens or markers or even glitter packets anything small enough to organize inside.

I also buy plastic bins or plastic Tupperware with lids from my local goodwill. I also look at the clearance at the ends of the racks at goodwill for tall plastic or glass jars with lids. For small things like embellishments and small individual stickers.

I got a 5.00 jar that I can use for only .75 cents it was on clearance from Christmas and I bought it in march.

You can use clear jars for storing small items and photo boxes for small scrap papers and then just color coordinate them with cheap baggies from dollar store and then use note card for organizing baggies.

I use a computer armoire for my cricut cutting station and just found a big storage drawer at gwill. I put it on shelf down below and when I get thru cutting I put my scraps in there. It works so perfect for me because when I need a small piece of colored cardstock I just pull open the draw and there they are. I did not throw them away and am recycling them. I paid $2 for the plastic storage drawer and it sits on top of another one just like it I already had that I store my super8 punches in.

After trying numerous storage options, the simple solution of two stacking (PB) trays - the top for solid colors & the bottom for patterns - works well for me. I've found inspiration for my layouts in the random mix of colors & patterns. HTH

• *angela Said:

I know, right? My scraps are always inspiring me. I would love to spend days just scrapping with my scraps.

Love the idea of putting a box under the electronic cutting machine.

Thanks for the help everyone!

• mindygail Said:

I had one of those too and it also got stuffed...which lead to paper geting tangled up and tearing when the drawers were opened. So I purchased a few more (9 total) Then separated them by: red/pink, orange/yellow, green, teal, blue, purple/brown, tan, white/black/multi, and vellum/metalic.
The top drawer is "prints." (my favorites)
The middle drawer is "solids/cardstock."
The bottom drawer is "scraps."
This works our great because now I go to the scrap drawers just as often as I go to the full 12x12s. Plus because I don't have all the scraps together they aren't getting all tangled up and torn.

Check out all the drawers lining the bottom ofmy shelf. I made the shelf my self and set the specs to fit those drawers...it just lucked out that all 9 of them fit across the wall.
Scraproom & gallery wall By Notanavgblond

I've my scraps in a black basket I got from Wal-Mart. It works for me and the small space I've. I like digging through the basket to find a scrap piece of paper.

I use manilla folders with pockets/ flaps and organise by colour.

I have one of those rubbermaid 4 drawer roller cart things. The top drawer is for cardstock scraps. The second drawer is for pattern paper.

When I want a scrap or something smaller for a card, I dig in there first.

Rhoda

Scrap Storage By Dwelch
But first, any scrap that can be cut down into a 5 1/4 x 4" size (card mat size), gets cut down and stored by color. That way my card mats are ready to go and I don't have to sacrifice a whole sheet of paper to cut one. If you don't make cards, you can cut to 4.25x6.25 for photo mats. Smaller scraps are stored as shown above.

I like how you have your scrap organized. I need to work on a different system for this. Right now I use an expandable file for my solid scrap and a slightly bigger one for my patterned paper. They are both bursting at the seams. I need to go through it and throw out paper that is smaller than a card mat size, because really, if I haven't used it by now, I probably won't. Then maybe my files won't be bursting anymore and I won't need to do something different! Yeah, let's go with that. I DO like how you have it organized though. I usually take mine to crops so that is why I have it in expandable files.

Lots of good ideas!

I keep mine in a baggie with the larger sheets. Otherwise, my papers end up spread over too large an area for me to track while scrapbooking. I find it easier to grab my storage container for, "Nature," and pull the papers, scraps, embellies, washi, etc. that I need from one container. I found SB.com's videos on storage to be really helpful in getting my space organized.

I store my scraps in the garbage can ;-) I used to keep them all, never got around to using them, and then felt guilty when I pitched 'em all out at once. It's so much easier just to fling 'em was I finish my projects -- and I never look back!

If I'm working on a large project, or a batch or cards, I do keep scraps to hand in a little basket until I'm finished the album or card batch. Once I'm sure that I'm done though, out go the paper scraps with all the other bits of rubbish.

Yes, I am a card-maker and I make ATCs too, but even that doesn't motivate me to paw through scrap files looking for the perfect piece of paper. I've neither the time nor the patience anymore.