Week #2...Defunkifying my paper scraps

 We all have them, we all love them and we can't part with them...yup, I'm taking about our paper scraps.

I have a few ways of dealing with my scraps and how I store them.

First off I share them!

When I have my Friday Night Scrapbooking nights...I would encourage my friends to use my scraps. I would even keep pieces of white and black cardstock on my large table for my friends to grab easily.

But sadly we haven't been able to get together since last March, so my scraps have been accumulating.

My scraps are actually spilling out of my holder.

I use coloured  hanging file folders, each colour of paper has its own file.

Once I took out the file folders the bottom of the holder was also full of papers.  

While I was on our virtual Friday Night Scrapbooking, I asked my friends if they wanted my scraps. My friend Lynne was up to taking them...so bonus, here comes a curbside drop off to you soon Lynne, teehee.

Now how pretty and organized does this look 💕

I have a few other ways I keep my scraps organized.

I like to keep the scraps with the paper pads if possible.

So I keep them in a bag with the paper pack...both 6x6 and 12x12 papers.

I have also added envelopes on the back of the paper pads to put the scraps in there.

I also do this with my 12x12 paper packs.

But now that I have a lot of the bigger clear bags, I like the bags even more so than the envelope method.

I just had to share my nicely organized files again...it just makes me happy.

I have been storing my scraps like this for many years and it works perfectly for me.

I do go through them at the beginning of each year and give away or recycle my older scraps.

But the best way to organize our scraps is by using them up 😁

I will post a video I did a few years ago on organizing my scraps for more detail...just click on the link.

Defunkifying my paper scraps.

I hope you all have a very safe and creative day.

Tracy

❤️❤️❤️

Tracy's Quick Tip…more ways to store our paper scraps

I shared with you how I store my paper scraps in my legal size file folder.
"Paper Scraps..Defunkified"
But I also have another way I do this.

 I like to keep some of my paper scraps, from my paper pads, together.
So here is how I do it.

I usually use my 6x6 paper pads to make my cards.
I like to paper piece some of my images for my cards, so I save some of the smallest pieces of paper.
And because I like the paper piecing to match the cards, I like to keep them with the paper pads.

I take an envelope and adhere it to the back cover of my 6x6 paper pads.
As you know, I have my fair share of these paper pads, so I could go through a lot of envelopes.
I like to use envelopes from junk mail..or the envelopes or return envelopes that come with bills.
I just cut them to size to fit the back of the paper pad.

I like to make mini albums and my own matching embellishments out of the same papers.
So I again, want the paper scraps to stay with the 12x12 paper pads.

Again, I use envelops for this.
I am sure you can also use scraps of paper, but I like to use envelopes.
The reason I like to use envelops is because if I have a 12x6 piece, I need the paper to go right to the bottom of the paper pad or the paper scrap won't fit.
With an envelope the paper scrap can go right to the bottom…..with a scrap piece of paper the adhesive used to adhere it to the back of the paper pad will take away some of that space I need.

So there you have it all the ways that I store my paper scraps.

I hope this tip helped you out and you all have a very Creative Sunday.
Oops…almost forgot, I also did a video :)
If you would rather watch it on my YouTube channel, just click on the link "Tracy's Treasures24"

Sadly the Walking Dead is finished until the new season in October…so we are filling in our zombie sundays with Fear the Walking Dead.
Not as intense, but still not a bad watch…so it is a zombie marathon today :)

Tracy :)

Defunkifying my Scrap papers..Again

I am going through my craft room once and for all!!!
But this time, I am going to complete it!!

I mentioned in my "Messy Room Tour pt 2" that I am following a couple of challenge prompts.
The first few are to do with papers.
So I went with the easiest of my papers, and that is paper scraps.
We all have them..I know we do, but to store them so we use them is another issue.

Here is how I have been storing my paper scraps for the last 3 years and it is still working for me!
Here is an older post I did on how I store my "Paper Scraps"
But I thought I would tweak it a bit.

Each colour of paper gets its own hanging file folder.
I tried to match the paper scrap colours to the same colour folder.
Blues go in the blue folder, reds go in the red folder and so on.
I put both pattern paper and card stock scraps together in these folders.

If I didn't have a coloured folder for a certain colour of paper (such as my black & white papers or my Christmas themed scraps, I just used a regular brown hanging folder.
I also added a coloured tab I made to the tops of the folders.

Since this was an easy challenge for me, I figured I would redo my tabs as they were looking a little ragged.
I used the Stampin' Up tag punch. I was thrilled to see that the tabs actually fit into the tabbed slots inside the folders.
Now how pretty does this look :)

This time I added the tabs on either side of the file folders.
This way no matter which way they are put back, they can't be put back wrong :)
I store them in this hanging file holder.
They slide easily in here and are so easy to take out and put back.

Lastly I put the whole thing in a tote bag.
There are a couple of reasons why I do this.
1. The metal hooks on the folders would snag my sweaters.
2. Keeping them in the bag makes them easier to move or tote around.

In order to keep my paper scraps from getting out of hand there are a few things that I do.
I share them with all of my friends
If anyone needs a small piece of paper or card stock, I ask them to go in my scrap bin and take what they need.
I go through my scraps once a year.
At the beginning of the year, I try to go through my scraps. I will make card sets to give away as gifts or to hospitals. I punch out shapes out of the smaller pieces and give them away to those that scrap for causes.

Not only is it important to organize your scraps, but it is also important to keep on top of them and use them up.
I also did a video on Defunkifying my Paper Scraps.
If you would rather watch it on my YouTube, just click on the link "Tracy's Treasures24"



Here are my tips to defunkifying/organizing an area:
1. Remove - Take all of your scraps and put them in one area.
2. Sort- Sort all like items together…in this case, all the same colours of papers.
3. Purge- This is my hardest part. Get rid of the papers you will no longer use and donate or recycle them.
4. Organize- Figure out a way that works for you.
File folders work for me, but I have put them in pull out drawers by colours before.
I also keep an envelope in the backs of my paper pads for the scraps for that set of papers.
Everyone is different find out your way…and this may change as you work.

If you are following me along on my mission to get my room in order, I would love to hear what you are working on :)

I hope you all have a very Creative Day :)

Tracy :)