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Post by myboysnme on Feb 5, 2017 17:32:33 GMT
I am a hoarder of scrapbook paper. I know many of us have huge stashes of paper, but my paper obsession has grown such that I now have bags of paper, stacks of paper, bins of paper, some actually organized paper, and piles of paper on my dining room table, my living room sofa, my bed, around the perimeter of my bedroom and I have a completely unusable scrapbook room!
This weekend I have been on the hunt for some photos I can't find, a piece of paper I can't find, and an empty album I can't find. That is why I have stacks of paper on my bed.
I used to sell off paper at scrap yard sales but since LSS have closed I don't get rid of any paper. I have enough paper I think to scrap the lives of everyone on this board.
I actually reward myself when I am at a crop and someone brings in a huge stack of free paper and I let other hoarders go through it first. But I have to block out thinking that someone is getting paper I would want.
OK so I obviously have a hoarding paper problem. And I don't really know what I'm asking. But do you think we can have too much paper? Is it possible to actually organize all this? If I did get rid of some, what would I choose? I think getting it to a place where I actually know what I have and where it is is never going to happen.
This is the number one reason why I only scrapbook at crops. I take to crops what I have collected to use for the photos I've brought along. I have no idea how I actually find it either. I just make stacks of what I might use for certain projects and hope for the best.
Is there any hope? Has anyone successfully tamed this type of hoard?
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Post by jtmom on Feb 5, 2017 18:08:07 GMT
Sitting on the bench next to ya! I am overwhelmed by paper.
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Peamac
Pearl Clutcher
Refupea # 418
Posts: 4,218
Jun 26, 2014 0:09:18 GMT
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Post by Peamac on Feb 5, 2017 18:31:20 GMT
I have a lot of paper, but I pared down a bit last year. I'm a sucker for those 180 sheet packs when they're on sale for really cheap. I don't care that the paper is thin b/c most double-sided paper I have, I like both sides and don't want to use either one.
When I went through my stash last year, I got rid of a lot of doubles/triples. You know those 180 sheet pads have at least 3 of each pp? So I got rid of one or two of each pattern (sometimes all three if I didn't like it). If I thought I would actually use more than one sheet of a print (the pp with solid/distressed looking print that's good for backgrounds) I usually saved two. The pp with more obvious patterns I only kept one (unless I really loved it).
I think I gave most of the extras to the Salvation Army, but I probably gave some to my sister and mom.
Another really helpful thing was to watch a bunch of nicole911's youtube videos about how she prepped for last year's Calvinball. I put together a lot of pp and cardstock into "kits" (not really kits with embellies, just coordinating piles), and for some I added photos. They're all stored in a couple of Iris containers, so when I want to scrap, the papers already go together, and I can sift through my embellies to find what I want to use. I was pleasantly surprised how many photos I was able to scrap doing it that way. There were some pictures that worked so great with the pp combinations I'd put together, that if I had done my normal routine (find pictures, pick out pp and cardstock from my huge stash sorted by color) I wouldn't have used the pp I did (does that make sense?).
I've often thought that the perfect job for me would be at a thrift store, putting outfits together to hang in the window. Of course, it wouldn't matter if the skirt was XXL and the top was XS, they'd look great pinned onto a mannikin. Or at a LSS, putting together kits using different manufacturer's items. So I like putting kits together with my stash, but run out of steam for the actual scrapping. Now that my photos are organized better, I get more scrapping done, though.
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Post by hopemax on Feb 5, 2017 18:48:21 GMT
For me, it was recognizing that how I want to scrap and how I actually scrap are two different things. I actually scrap when things are sorted by line or theme. I would love to be able to mix lines or grab random papers that I just like, and have everything look great, but that ends up with hours spent looking at stacks of paper and never finding what I really want. Having a small packet of matching paper makes it so much easier for me. Or grabbing the plastic box that is just Halloween papers. What also works for me, is to start with paper I like and find photos I think would go well with it. Instead of starting with the photos, and then spending hours not finding that right piece of paper. This means I never scrap chronologically. Not even for in a vacation book.
And yes, organization is possible. I am sure my paper stash, if stacked would be taller than my husband. But it is very tightly organized. Cardstock and patterned. This is the easiest place to start. I have a cube with shelves for all my stacks and kits. Then I have project boxes for the big themes: Christmas, Halloween, Disney, and paper I bought specifically for a specific vacation. So right now I have a Hawaii box and a Spain box. Then I have envelopes with smaller themes: Zoo, Hiking, Universal Studios, Lego, etc. Or envelopes with manufacturers sorted by line. So all my BG, Echo Park, October Afternoon papers are together. I only have about 2" of paper that are leftovers that are simply sorted by color.
The key is you have to be committed to sorting it. Don't even attempt to do it all at once. 10 minutes a day, until it's done. And do it fast. Some things will be easily sortable, some won't. Can you think of 5 types of photos you want to scrap (school, sports, vacation, holiday, etc.) And go through the stacks looking only for those types of papers? Skip all the harder to classify stuff until the end. So if you find yourself asking, "where do I want to put it." It goes in the "later" stack and onto the next piece. My first sorting boxes were priority mail boxes, but the shopping bags would work just as well to help keep things separate if you don't already have a bunch of paper storage options. If you get your "Wants" organized, it will make it easier to scrap those things at least, and then either might find yourself more motivated, or you can ignore the rest of the mess until a later time, while still feeling like you are making scrapping progress.
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Post by sleepingbooty on Feb 5, 2017 18:53:21 GMT
Can you have too much of one thing? In all seriousness, yes. Can you clear out your hoard successfully? From everything I've read, yes. Is it possible to do it in just a couple days like on those hoarding shows? Probably not. Especially if you're going to go about it the "healthy way", meaning you have to take each paper into your hands and make a decision: keep or donate. If you have so much that it has taken over your scrap space and now living space, I think you must feel like it's getting out of hand. If you have so much that you're actually not able to locate things (and I'm assuming it must be difficult to remember every paper you have and where each of them is located either), it sounds like you'll benefit from getting rid of some. Ah, the good ol' paradox of choice. My guess is that you're going to need a game plan before you attack your hoard. Come up with colour schemes and themes you wish to achieve so you can sculpt your hoard to match those. And then make harsh decisions. You'd have to only keep your very favourites. And that can be hard! My former shoe collection knows it all too well... Organising your papers will be far easier once you've cut your stash in half (or less, or more). My sincere advise is not to try to organise before destashing. It'll be mission impossible. And don't buy any organising bins/boxes before you know exactly what you need to organise and what will fit your space (after it has been cleared). Beyond this, I can't give you much more advice regarding the specifics of papers as I live in a small space with probably the smallest stash on this board. Seriously, I just finished making a few of mini albums and now only have 11 papers left. Yep, 11 papers (plus some cardstock).
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Post by Delta Dawn on Feb 5, 2017 19:25:49 GMT
I am donating about 1000 sheets this week to my son's former school. There is no market for it now. The paper is mostly flimsy, single sided paper. They will love it and I am happy to get out of of the basement. I still have pretty paper that I love and will use. This is just other stuff that came in kits and things. I have to let go of it. There is more than I can use.
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amom23
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,329
Jun 27, 2014 12:39:18 GMT
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Post by amom23 on Feb 5, 2017 19:45:48 GMT
Yes, you can have too much of anything.
Are you wanting to purge some of your paper or be justified with keeping it all? If you have a dedicated scrapbook room and your supplies are flowing out into the rest of the house then it's definitely time to declutter.
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Post by LisaDV on Feb 5, 2017 20:44:58 GMT
You can NEVER have too much paper!! What if you started going through it in small amounts of time and start organizing how you will use it. With all the paper I have, I don't feel bad for organizing it in different ways either. I keep kits/collections together. Then I have types together - wood grain, polka dot, tone-on-tone, graphic, graph, etc. In the same vein, some moods: feminine, masculine. Then some by themes: Christmas, love, (I want to add the seasons in here).
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breetheflea
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,884
Location: PNW
Jul 20, 2014 21:57:23 GMT
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Post by breetheflea on Feb 5, 2017 21:55:45 GMT
I purged a couple inches last year. Had it been in my stash since 2008 (when I started scrapping) then I was probably not going to use it. Did it have gloss or glitter? Probably not going to use it (since no glue will stick to it). Was it ugly? Probably not going to use it. Did I have multiple sheets? I kept one.
I then let it sit in my closet for a couple of months, "just in case" then donated it to the art teacher at my kids school (asked first, she said she'd take it).
Take it one sheet at a time...
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Loydene
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,639
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Jul 8, 2014 16:31:47 GMT
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Post by Loydene on Feb 5, 2017 22:37:55 GMT
Hello. My name is Loydene and I'm a paper hoarder. I totally hear you. I totally understand what your are saying and what you are feeling.
I don't have a clue what to do about it ... and I'm probably not going to do anything about my hoard ... yet. But I know I will have to.
Good luck!
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Post by impearia on Feb 5, 2017 22:51:14 GMT
I completely understand this...I have no dedicated scraproom these days, and my paper is in bags, boxes, piles etc etc too. I have loads of it in boxes under my bed! I have gone through it a number of times and I make 3 piles:
1) Keep (anything October Afternoon, Sassafras Lass or New shiny stuff) goes there 2) Purge (old stuff, especially very distressed papers) goes here...I give this to my kids to craft with 3) Unsure (papers I am unsure about) These go in a box in my garage. If they are still unused the next time I purge they go immediately into the purge pile.
For me, it helps to keep my papers sorted by Designer, Manufacturer and collection. For example I have all my Shimelle papers together in one box, separated by collection. Another box has October Afternoon sorted by collections. That is how I remember where the supplies are in my mind. Maybe though, you prefer to look through papers by colour so you want all your yellow papers in one area and all your blues in another. Find what works best for you. The easiest way to figure this out is to think about when you scrap do you say: "I need some yellow paper..." or "I need that floral paper from Shimelle's last collection".
Thanks for reminding me because I think I need to purge again. Good luck!
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Post by mom on Feb 5, 2017 22:57:32 GMT
OK so I obviously have a hoarding paper problem. And I don't really know what I'm asking. But do you think we can have too much paper? Is it possible to actually organize all this? If I did get rid of some, what would I choose? I think getting it to a place where I actually know what I have and where it is is never going to happen.This is the number one reason why I only scrapbook at crops. I take to crops what I have collected to use for the photos I've brought along. I have no idea how I actually find it either. I just make stacks of what I might use for certain projects and hope for the best. Is there any hope? Has anyone successfully tamed this type of hoard? Yes, you can have too much paper. And I really think you are there. If you have so much that you can't find what you need, then its time to donate some. I would start by picking a pile, and however big that pile is, tell yourself you need to only keep 1/3 of it. Pick 1/3 of it to keep and either donate, trash, burn, etc the rest. Get rid of it immediately before you can change your mind.
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Post by myboysnme on Feb 5, 2017 23:15:20 GMT
I have gotten some good ideas here. I know by just asking the question it means some of it has to go.
I am going to try making 3 piles of each bag or stack to decide what can actually get donated/tossed/whatever. I am not going to buy any organizational boxes until I know what I need.
This is my start.
The mental illness hoarder part comes in like this: I collect Air Force stuff for years. I finally scrap all my Air Force pics and papers. 3 albums worth. I have a bit of stuff left over so I save it in case one of my sons or grandchildren (which I don't have) go in the Air Force or I have some need for additional Air Force stuff someday, like if I go to an air show, because I can't get it anymore. Because you know - someday maybe I will need it.
Please keep commenting with ideas or thoughts - I appreciate it!
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Post by dewryce on Feb 6, 2017 0:16:29 GMT
Beyond this, I can't give you much more advice regarding the specifics of papers as I live in a small space with probably the smallest stash on this board. Seriously, I just finished making a few of mini albums and now only have 11 papers left. Yep, 11 papers (plus some cardstock). Color me impressed! I always start a new hobby with the intention of only buying for a particular project and finishing that up before buying more. The closest I have come is jewelry making, and even that doesn't compare to 11 pieces of paper for Scrapbooking.
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Post by Linda on Feb 6, 2017 0:27:03 GMT
I collect Air Force stuff for years. I finally scrap all my Air Force pics and papers. 3 albums worth. I have a bit of stuff left over so I save it in case one of my sons or grandchildren (which I don't have) go in the Air Force or I have some need for additional Air Force stuff someday, like if I go to an air show, because I can't get it anymore. Because you know - someday maybe I will need it.[/] There's a reason that you scrapped 3 albums of Air Force and didn't use those items - they're the leftovers, the ones that didn't make the cut. Pass them along to someone who WILL use them and love them. IF a family member ends up in the Air Force in the future - then you can buy new Air Force stuff - uniforms change, planes change, you'll want the current stuff then.
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Post by infochick on Feb 6, 2017 0:33:01 GMT
I don't really purge my paper because there isn't anyone here who really wants it, and I am really hesitant to toss out something that I paid good money for (I know this is flawed logic and I am trying to get over it).
I think the key over the last year or two for me is to stop seeing the paper as so precious and just start using it. I have some paper that I love and I know I will scrapbook with it. I want to see it in my albums with my photos. I don't mind hanging on to this paper and try to keep it organized (but I have a LOT). I do have some other paper though that I don't really want to scrapbook with...it looks dated, ugly, doesn't go with my photos or style, etc. A lot of this is paper from paper pads or collections that I bought without really thinking. I have been making a real effort to just make a dent in this portion of my stash. I have started using it to make cards and envelopes, pillow boxes for gifts, using it for backing sheets on layouts where I want to layer more precious paper on top, making dividers to organize my project life cards, etc. If the paper is ugly and single sided I am content to use the backsides when I need a sheet of white paper.
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Post by meganliane on Feb 6, 2017 1:28:12 GMT
I went through and purged paper and other supplies at the end of last year. I just went through my paper and decided to stay or go... now it needs to be reorganized but I haven't done it yet. I have also not gone through all my paper pads.
The way I organize my paper is: 1- I keep my kits together so that paper stays with the kit until I have used the kit as much as I want to as a kit. After the kit is done I decide if I want to keep the paper or give it away. 2- I store papers by collection and manufacturer. If I haven't completely used a collection, I keep it together until I do not want to keep it as a collection anymore. 3- Lastly I store by color or style. This is for the miscellaneous papers that I bought one offs of or did not use with a collection/kit. The styles are those that don't fit colors - like background papers (grids/wood grain etc.) or cut a part sheets.
I think the key is to first go through it and figure out what you want to keep and give away and then decide how you want to sort it.
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Post by canadianscrappergirl on Feb 6, 2017 2:20:15 GMT
I can't judge your paper stash because I have a ton of paper too! I did purge some paper today. My criteria for what I purged was the following do I love it/is it still my style (no to any distressed vintage stuff)/is it in color palettes I tend to scrap in. For my stash I sort my 12x12 by a few different ways. Halloween/valentine's/christmas/travel/school/hunting/boy are stored with their embellishments. I use those 3 drawer 12x12 sterilite units for them. All my October Afternoon paper collections and embellishments are stored in the plastic 12x12 pouches from Michaels and then placed in canvas cubes in my kallax unit. I store my oa stuff separate because oa needs to be worshiped lol. I have pretty much every collection! 12x12 collection packs(ones with papers and sticker and alpha sheets) that aren't any of the above are stored on a shelf on my kallax unit. For loose 12×12 papers that aren't themey I store them my color. They are stored in the sterilite 3 drawer 12x12 units. I have specialty papers in the top drawer this includes glitter/corragated/grunge/vellum/window sheets 2nd drawer has acetate/patterned vellum multi colored pp/woodgrain and brown 3rd drawer has red/pink/aqua Black/grey/grid Yellow/green/blue I have a drawer of just new patterned paper I bought this past 6 or so months. It's a mixture of different companies from various LLS. This stack of paper alone is embarrassing lol. My 6x6 pads are in 2 plastic baskets from target arranged by company unless christmas/valentine's or Halloween.
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Post by natlhol on Feb 6, 2017 3:08:49 GMT
I do have some other paper though that I don't really want to scrapbook with...it looks dated, ugly, doesn't go with my photos or style, etc. A lot of this is paper from paper pads or collections that I bought without really thinking. I have been making a real effort to just make a dent in this portion of my stash. I have started using it to make cards and envelopes, pillow boxes for gifts, using it for backing sheets on layouts where I want to layer more precious paper on top, making dividers to organize my project life cards, etc. If the paper is ugly and single sided I am content to use the backsides when I need a sheet of white paper.This is exactly what I do! I often use a thin, white mat behind my photos and the backs of single sided paper is perfect for this. Also, using ugly paper as a back piece that is going to be totally covered works really well. The other thing that I do with these kinds of papers is to make test cuts with my Silhouette if I'm unsure of size or if I'll even like the cut. I also use them to make patterns with my Sil that I later use to cut out construction paper for preschool projects. (I find that the Sil blade doesn't really cut construction paper well. I think it's too fibrous.) SaveSave
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Post by natlhol on Feb 6, 2017 3:12:27 GMT
I am really struggling with my paper storage. I have been trying to pay attention to how I am thinking when I am looking for paper, but in just one project, I was looking for a red piece of paper-striped or dotted would be fine, a Shimelle camera print, a ledger background paper, and something "fun" that suited my daughter's personality. This makes it hard because sorting/storing by color, manufacturer, feel and type were all covered in a single project! As a result, my room is a mess and new product doesn't get put away and just sits in piles. In addition, it takes me forever to find paper for a LO.
There really is no one, or even double, system for to use that I can think of that won't require some kind of handbook and training to implement!
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Post by hopemax on Feb 6, 2017 3:51:42 GMT
The mental illness hoarder part comes in like this: I collect Air Force stuff for years. I finally scrap all my Air Force pics and papers. 3 albums worth. I have a bit of stuff left over so I save it in case one of my sons or grandchildren (which I don't have) go in the Air Force or I have some need for additional Air Force stuff someday, like if I go to an air show, because I can't get it anymore. Because you know - someday maybe I will need it. I'm not going to be one to tell you to purge it, because you're done with it. There have been times I thought, I should get rid of X but don't, and then years later I do end up using it. And I HATE rebuying something that I threw away. I am not bothered by trends, so I hardly ever look back of my paper and think it's too old to use now (exception: the very oldest paper stacks I bought) My rules are: is it organized, and do I have space? One of my essential bits of my organization are the Cropper Hopper Sticker Envelopes and Paper Files. Michaels used to carry these, but I haven't seen them in awhile but I did find the Paper Files on Walmart's website. www.walmart.com/ip/Advantus-Advantus-Paper-File/26762936 I use the envelopes for kitting. They hold about two dozen sheets of paper, and the sticker envelopes can hold both paper and matching flat embellishments. If I were you, and in this situation, I would put them all in ONE envelope. If I have more than would fit into one, I would purge until it fit comfortably in the one. Label it with a date. If you find paper in that theme you like better, then something from the envelope has to go. If you use something from the envelope the date resets. Then sometime in the future, when space is an issue you can say, "I dated this 3 years ago and I haven't used it, maybe it is time for it to go." I'd say Ziplocs would work too, but I think you can stuff more in a Ziploc which might defeat the purpose of using the envelopes. The envelopes provide a workable but FINITE storage solution.
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Post by mikklynn on Feb 6, 2017 3:52:23 GMT
You can NEVER have too much paper!! What if you started going through it in small amounts of time and start organizing how you will use it. With all the paper I have, I don't feel bad for organizing it in different ways either. I keep kits/collections together. Then I have types together - wood grain, polka dot, tone-on-tone, graphic, graph, etc. In the same vein, some moods: feminine, masculine. Then some by themes: Christmas, love, (I want to add the seasons in here). This is roughly how I have my paper, too. I started purging whenever I grab a theme or collection. If I don't love it, can't imagine how I would use it, or wouldn't buy it again, it goes in my purge box. There are always "ugly" papers in a pad or collection. I purge those right away. I have never regretted or missed anything. I still have a large stash. I am far less frustrated digging through my stash looking for a great paper to use. I donate to SIL who manages a senior living center or to my neighbor to take to the elementary school she where she works.
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Post by hopemax on Feb 6, 2017 3:57:49 GMT
I am really struggling with my paper storage. I have been trying to pay attention to how I am thinking when I am looking for paper, but in just one project, I was looking for a red piece of paper-striped or dotted would be fine, a Shimelle camera print, a ledger background paper, and something "fun" that suited my daughter's personality. This makes it hard because sorting/storing by color, manufacturer, feel and type were all covered in a single project! As a result, my room is a mess and new product doesn't get put away and just sits in piles. In addition, it takes me forever to find paper for a LO.
There really is no one, or even double, system for to use that I can think of that won't require some kind of handbook and training to implement! How do you shop? Do you buy with a particular project in mind or just because it's pretty? If you buy by project, keep all those pages together. Based on what you posted I might suggest sorting by "Basics" - for the Ledger and dots/stripes, and whatever else you would consider a go-to basic, "Manufacturer" so you can keep Shimelle papers together, and "Daughter's Name" - papers that when you look at them, you think "this would be great in her book" vs. papers you would use to scrap other family members or events (and that might be sub-sorted by basics, manufacture, color, whatever).
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Post by crazy4scraps on Feb 6, 2017 5:04:57 GMT
Have you ever gone through one of the free organizing classes you can find online? Places like Scrapbook.com and ScrapRack offer some pretty intensive organizing classes that really make you stop and think about how you scrap and the best ways to sort your stuff so it can actually be used.
Patterned paper is a particular devil to sort because many papers could be categorized in multiple logical ways which makes it tricky. The easiest way to start is to first go through ALL of it, pattern by pattern, and decide if it's something you'll honestly ever use. Anything you really won't use put it in a box to get rid of one way or another just to whittle what you have down to what you're actually wanting to keep.
Because I mostly scrap by theme, when I was going through it all (what I call a pre-sort), I set out about a dozen empty Iris bins labeled on the fronts with the themes I actually scrap or know I have photos I want to scrap. (Included with my theme boxes were things like specific themed kid birthday parties, specific vacations we went on, etc.) When I was going through the stacks of paper (and some of it was literally 15 years old) it would either go into the purge box (paper with themes I knew I'd never use, anything just plain ugly) or it would go into one of my theme boxes, or if I wasn't sure about it I had a "misc" box. If I knew a paper was bought specifically for "DD's 3rd Birthday" it went straight into that box. I discovered as I went through this process that some new categories popped up that I hadn't considered initially, so I was glad I had a few extra boxes on hand that I could add. For example, I had a stack of baby boy paper that I'd gotten in convention classes, etc. and since I have only a daughter I originally thought "I'll NEVER use this..." and had it in the purge box. But after doing a bit more sorting, it occurred to me that I have a HUGE stack of DH's childhood and baby photos that I want to scrap at some point for DD, so I started a new box specifically for those photos.
By the time I got done going through most of it, I had a stack of neat labeled bins for all of my logical themes I might scrap, a good sized miscellaneous box, and a HUGE box of paper to purge. At some point I could go through the miscellaneous box again and decide if I want to sort it out by color or some other way, but at least I had gone through it all, every single sheet, so my memory was newly refreshed on what I had and where it was.
As for your comment RE: hesitating to get rid of your extra Air Force papers and stuff, I think that kind of thing I would probably be inclined to hang onto. Even though you are done scrapping your own photos, like you said it's highly likely that you might have a use for some of it again in the future for a related event based on your history, so it's easier to just keep it than it will be to try to replace it later. But something like my DD's themed 3rd birthday? When that group of photos is scrapped I doubt very much I will need any of the specific 3rd birthday stuff again so it will be easier to purge the rest when I'm done with it. Any generic birthday stuff could go in the general birthday box, anything with generic patterns that didn't get used (if I still like it) can go in the miscellaneous box or get purged.
I won't lie to you, I have a LOT of paper too (seriously, like A LOT a lot) and it took me many weeks to get through it all. (Disclaimer, I was also going through all of my embellishments too so that did add some time.) I set up the labeled bins along my counter and used my center island as a "triage center" of sorts so I had a place where I could stack things while I worked on getting it sorted as I unpacked the various containers it was in. If I wouldn't have had an open space to work where I could just walk away from it, I would have had to clear an area (even if it meant stacking other stuff up temporarily so it was out of the way) and using a folding table or something if necessary so I would have a place where I could leave it undisturbed until I was totally done going through it.
Good luck, you can do it and you will be SO glad you took the time to plow through it once you do. I found so much great stuff going through all of my treasures that I had completely forgotten about, and now it's all in labeled bins that I can easily go back to once I'm ready to sit down and actually scrap something. And don't feel bad about letting stuff go. Think of it instead as blessing someone else who will actually use it and love it.
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Post by natlhol on Feb 6, 2017 5:11:24 GMT
I am really struggling with my paper storage. I have been trying to pay attention to how I am thinking when I am looking for paper, but in just one project, I was looking for a red piece of paper-striped or dotted would be fine, a Shimelle camera print, a ledger background paper, and something "fun" that suited my daughter's personality. This makes it hard because sorting/storing by color, manufacturer, feel and type were all covered in a single project! As a result, my room is a mess and new product doesn't get put away and just sits in piles. In addition, it takes me forever to find paper for a LO.
There really is no one, or even double, system for to use that I can think of that won't require some kind of handbook and training to implement! How do you shop? Do you buy with a particular project in mind or just because it's pretty? If you buy by project, keep all those pages together. Based on what you posted I might suggest sorting by "Basics" - for the Ledger and dots/stripes, and whatever else you would consider a go-to basic, "Manufacturer" so you can keep Shimelle papers together, and "Daughter's Name" - papers that when you look at them, you think "this would be great in her book" vs. papers you would use to scrap other family members or events (and that might be sub-sorted by basics, manufacture, color, whatever). I usually just buy paper cuz I like it! And I like lots of papers! I also have a bunch from warehouse boxes. Although I don't like all of the papers in warehouse boxes, I'd say I like about 80% of them. I also do double page LOs often so having more than one of a paper is okay with me. I like your suggestions and had briefly considered them a while ago. I just don't know if it's too many categories. I've thought of having "backgrounds" where papers like the ledger papers would go (or subtle patterns) that I would use as a base for a LO, then I would have Shimelle, Amy Tangerine and Dear Lizzy papers separate because I often think of them specifically as in "I need a Shimelle camera paper here", then Christmas, Halloween, and then a spot for my daughters (would probably use similar papers for each of them) and then for my son. And then a separate spot for Stampin Up. The rest I don't know how I'd sort...color? By color with my cardstock or keep that separate from patterned paper? I think I need to create for a little bit longer and keep paying careful attention to my thought process while I am thinking about what kind of paper I need or what I am thinking while I am looking...what do you think? SaveSave
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Post by natlhol on Feb 6, 2017 5:18:45 GMT
Because I mostly scrap by theme, when I was going through it all (what I call a pre-sort), I set out about a dozen empty Iris bins labeled on the fronts with the themes I actually scrap or know I have photos I want to scrap. (Included with my theme boxes were things like specific themed kid birthday parties, specific vacations we went on, etc.) When I was going through the stacks of paper (and some of it was literally 15 years old) it would either go into the purge box (paper with themes I knew I'd never use, anything just plain ugly) or it would go into one of my theme boxes, or if I wasn't sure about it I had a "misc" box. If I knew a paper was bought specifically for "DD's 3rd Birthday" it went straight into that box. I discovered as I went through this process that some new categories popped up that I hadn't considered initially, so I was glad I had a few extra boxes on hand that I could add. For example, I had a stack of baby boy paper that I'd gotten in convention classes, etc. and since I have only a daughter I originally thought "I'll NEVER use this..." and had it in the purge box. But after doing a bit more sorting, it occurred to me that I have a HUGE stack of DH's childhood and baby photos that I want to scrap at some point for DD, so I started a new box specifically for those photos. How long ago did you complete your big sort? Would you mind telling us how hard it is for you to find paper? If you are scrapping a birthday, do you just grab your birthday box and use whatever is in it, or do you rummage through the other boxes to find something else you might decide to use? Are you using just Iris boxes to store your papers? If so, how are the boxes stored? Your sort method intrigues me, and I'm asking questions to help me visualize if this sorting method would work for how I scrap. What I am doing now is obviously not working! I do scrap everyday sort of photos so I don't know if a themed approach would necessarily work for me, but it might... I hope you don't mind my questions and appreciate your time in answering them! SaveSave
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Post by hopemax on Feb 6, 2017 5:43:23 GMT
I think another key is that you don't have to find *THE* solution all at once. It's not an all or nothing thing. If you can figure out what works for 40% of your papers, then get those taken care of. If something doesn't work out, then you haven't wasted too much time doing it one way and then having to start over. And also, don't be afraid of having a small group that is really random. 1" of random paper is a heck of a lot easier to page through than 1 foot of random paper.
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Post by joblackford on Feb 6, 2017 6:08:47 GMT
Is it really about the paper though? It's not usually. The paper might just the way the deeper issues express themselves in your life.
It sounds to me like this is way beyond too much paper. This sounds like it must be making it difficult to live in (eat, sleep, move, clean) your house comfortably. It sounds like you're holding on too tight to things out of fear that you won't be able to handle it if you can't find the exact right paper that you think you need. But if you have so much, how can you possibly know where anything is, or whether it's really the "best" option, not to mention how can you use it if all your space is taken up by your hoard?
Honestly, I think you should talk to a counselor/therapist about what's really wrong - the mental illness aspect, as you say -- the fear or the need to hold on or control things or maybe perfectionism. I'm not sure if you have trouble making decisions or if you've perhaps suffered a loss that's made you hold on too tight? But I'm guessing that this didn't come out of nowhere and that this isn't the only thing that's out of control in your life. (Obviously I'm just guessing here based on my own experience, and I don't know you at all, so forgive me if I'm completely out of line. This is all said with a big virtual hug).
In my experience, until you address how you're thinking and feeling about I don't think organizing advice is really going to help much. At worst you might just end up buying a whole bunch of storage solutions that end up taking up even more space...
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Post by myboysnme on Feb 6, 2017 12:50:37 GMT
Is it really about the paper though? It's not usually. The paper might just the way the deeper issues express themselves in your life. I'm not sure if you have trouble making decisions or if you've perhaps suffered a loss that's made you hold on too tight? But I'm guessing that this didn't come out of nowhere and that this isn't the only thing that's out of control in your life. (Obviously I'm just guessing here based on my own experience, and I don't know you at all, so forgive me if I'm completely out of line. This is all said with a big virtual hug). I agree completely with what you have said and thank you. Scrapping for me is preservation of my life and the lives of those I love. Each piece of paper is the potential to tell the story that I want to tell. Each piece of paper is possibility. Like I said above, my tight grasp on paper came about when the stores closed - when I felt I will never be able to buy it again - when the day comes and I will be thankful to have an ugly piece of plaid paper because it's all I have.
Any time I have hoarded in my life is because I feared that I would not be able to afford or replace something I would need. It is easier to let the paper stack up because it's just paper.
Lot to think about. I am going to go on a purge. Yesterday I did toss 2 paper grocery bags of misc scraps and used up sticker sheets. It's a start....................
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Post by Linda on Feb 6, 2017 13:15:37 GMT
Like I said above, my tight grasp on paper came about when the stores closed - when I felt I will never be able to buy it again - when the day comes and I will be thankful to have an ugly piece of plaid paper because it's all I have. I agree with talking to a counselor but something to consider is how many pages/layouts you can make with your existing stash of paper before 'running out' compared to how many layouts you make in a year...odds are you have more paper than you'll ever use and you'll never be down to that one ugly piece of plaid paper myall2.blogspot.com/2007/08/did-you-know-word-about-stockpiling.html?m=0
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