Spring Cleaning Day 5—Paper
So far this week we've cleared our space, organized ink pads, markers, punches, and embellishments. Today is the final day of our spring cleaning and the space is looking awesome! We have just one more product to organize, and it is one of the most challenging. Yep, we are talking about paper. Paper organization comes down to considering your personal preferences since it can be sorted by color family, theme, brand, pattern, etc. You have to choose which way to organize paper works best for you. Don't be afraid to try a few of our paper organization tips until one feels right.
The first thing we are going to do is separate our paper into five piles (12x12 colors, 8.5x11 colors, 6x6 paper, scraps, and designer paper).
We started with our solid color paper and sorted them out using the same color chart as for the ink pads.
We are sorting our paper horizontally in the 8.5x11 and 12x12 Paper Holder for IKEA®. There is a lot of debate regarding storing your paper horizontal or vertical. Ultimately it comes down to personal preference. We keep ours horizontal to avoid warping and bending. Keep in mind, our papers aren't being used for projects, they are used for display, and we need them to stay flat for a long period of time.
For 8.5x11 Paper you can also use the 8.5x11 Max for IKEA to store your paper in the IKEA Kallax unit. The Max makes use of the entire cube's space.
Next we'll organize our design and pattern paper vertically in a 12x12 Paper Holder for IKEA®. Storing them vertically allows us to easily flip through the designs/patterns, finding the correct paper. Also, many design pads have heavier cardboard covers and backs to keep the paper from bending when standing vertical.
Taking organization one step further, the Paper Holder Label System is a great way to label your paper. You can label colors like the photo below, patterns and designer paper. This will also be a benefit if you decide to add more then one color or pattern in a slot.
Now it's time to organize your 6x6 Paper. The 6x6 Paper Holder is a great option for keeping the colors and pads organized and easy to access.
Last comes the fun part...paper scraps! Sort your scraps into two piles (1. Keep it, 2. Toss it!). We know this might be the most difficult part of spring cleaning, no one wants to throw away those scraps. We are organizing our scraps in the Stamp-n-Storage Paper Sleeves. These handy sleeves not only have tabs for labeling, but they fit inside the Stamp-n-Storage Paper Holders so you can keep your scraps with the matching cardstock or patterned paper. This helps you make the most use of your scraps!
Mission complete! Okay almost. We want to add a few finishing touches to our space. For us it's a favorite card or two, quotes that inspire us, and a place for our stamps (we'll take on organizing those later this summer). Now step back and ooh la la! You have a completely organized craft area that maximizes space, keeps everything visible and easy to access, and looks beautiful.
30 Day Challenge to Organize your Space!
If you need a little more time, check out our 30 Day Challenge to Organize Your Space Booklet. You'll find daily tips over a 30 day process to organize your space.