How To Organize Cardstock Scraps

I have a confession to make...I hoard paper. I love paper especially floral pattern paper and pink cardstock. With my love of paper comes lots of scraps. I at one point had pizza boxes full of scraps and I was getting overwhelmed by the amount I had. I want to share with you how to organize your scraps so you actually start using them.

Colored Cardstock

When I finally started to organize my scraps of colored cardstock I sorted them by color into ziploc bags. But after a while I realized I still wasn't really using my scraps. I would just take a fresh full sheet of cardstock rather than look for a scrap that suited my needs. That was when I come across the #loveitchopit movement in the cardmaking world. This idea was created by Stampin' Up demonstrator Kylie Bertucci and essentially just encourages scrapbookers and cardmakers to cut the pattern paper and cardstock they love into sizes that they use so it doesn't just sit on the shelf. I adopted the #loveitchopit idea to my cardstock scraps. If the scrap was big enough to get a card base out of that is what I did. I cut a card base out of it and scored it so it was ready to go. If it was not big enough for that but was big enough to get a standard size layer I cut it to my standard size layer. I now keep them in a cute paper box that I made (though it may be getting to small..).

Then I went through was was left over and tried to be as realistic as possible when deciding if I could and would use the scrap. I didn't keep anything smaller that 1" wide with the exception of my white cardstock. I put the white cardstock scraps 1" and smaller in a bag of their own because they are great for stamping sentiments on. I only kept the white pieces because I am more likely to stamp on white then I am to stamp on a colored piece. Some people don't keep anything smaller than about 3"x3" but its really dependent on your crafting style and what you can see yourself using. After I sorted everything they went back into the bags.

If I find a piece of cardstock that I think is too small to keep I grab my favorite punch and see if its big enough to punch a tag or label out of before I throw it away.

Pattern Paper

When it came to my pattern paper I adopted a completely different organization system. Sometimes I do cut remaining paper into a card layer for use later but mostly I leave them as is. 

For each paper pack or collection I have I give each one an 9"x12" kraft envelope and every little bitty scrap goes in the envelope. If it doesn't fit in the envelope I just put it with the rest of the pad or set, and I make sure to check the scrap envelope and larger partial sheets before I take a fresh page.

 

Since adopting these two organizational systems I have seen my scrap pile go down and actually get used. But I cut my layers out of the cardstock right away and I put everything where it belongs rather than throwing it into a pile to be sorted later. I think that is the key. It has allowed me to do more crafting and less cleaning.

Happy Paper Crafting!

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