How to Organize Tiny Scrapbook Supplies

Scrapbooking can often mean tiny supplies such as stickers, brads, and other embellishments. How can you organize these items and still keep them close at hand?

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• glue
• sharpie or marking pen
• corkboard, binder clips (optional)
• caps and lids to spray cans, or
• styrofoam cups, or
• envelopes

1. First, start at a place where you can spread out all your small scrapbooking supplies. If you don't have an actual designated scrapbooking area, use your dining room table. You need to have an overview of those small supplies so you know what you're working with.

2. It might take some creativity to think of what you can use for storage for small items, but once you put your mind to it you'll find options everywhere. Consider the lids to spray cans such as hairspray or cooking spray, or plastic margarine containers. Even empty pudding cups can work, so don't let the kids toss them out! Be sure to wash these things out very thoroughly and allow them to dry before using them.

3. Knowing what you have inside the container is a big part of the problem for organizing scrapbook supplies. So use your hot glue gun or some regular glue and attach one of the embellishments to the outside of the container. Or use a Sharpie or marker to write a description, such as "seashell embellishments" or "silver brads." It doesn't matter what you write as long as you know what you're talking about!

4. If you can, install small shelves above your scrapbook desk and simply line up your new storage items. If that's not possible, consider putting up a corkboard and place pushpins into the board; dangle binder clips from these push pins and clip your storage containers to them. This way you can easily take down, put back up, and swap out your storage containers.

5. You can also use styrofoam or paper cups for this type of storage. These work well because you can cut them down to size and because you can put a pushpin or tack right through the cup to the corkboard. However they're not quite as sturdy as plastic items so be prepared to replace them often!

6. Envelopes work well for stickers and flat items. Again, glue a sample to the outside of the envelope or write out what it contains. If you can use the corkboard as mentioned above, turn the envelope around and remove the flap; attach the larger part of the envelope under the removed flap to the binder clip so that it hangs freely.

Tips & Warnings

• Office supply stores sell corkboard strips which work just as well and are easy to attach to your wall. They may work better for you since they offer plenty of space between each strip.
• Remember to use pushpins and not thumbtacks as tacks are flat and don't give you something from which you can dangle those binder clips.
• Binder clips come in a variety of sizes; use larger ones for larger storage cups and the smaller ones for envelopes and small storage cups.
• If you're constantly tipping over your storage containers, consider purchasing styrofoam cups with lids. These are usually available at any party supply store. They will of course cost a few cents more but might be worth it if it means keeping all your items off the ground!
• You might be tempted to just tack your storage items directly to the wall but remember that this will leave unsightly holes. It's better to put up real shelves or an actual corkboard instead.