What is your supply buying strategy?

What's my strategy? I see it, I like it, I buy it.

As far as organizing - It's all by color. Patterned paper in one grouping, plain cardstock in another grouping. For a long time I had it all in a wire cube tower. Recently I switched to the Totally Tidy line from Michael's. Embellishments are stored in 4x6 photo storage boxes by color and then by "topic", Birthdays, Halloween, Christmas, etc. Those sit on a shelf above my workspace. Page kits and special papers are in a small rolling cart that holds 12x12 hanging files.

I also just buy what I like, but only if I think I'll actually use it. That includes a lot of JoAnn's AC papers that I bought for the B-sides for 17 cents apiece. I'll be honest; the price of something might make me like it just a little more.

Sometimes I'll mix and match on my pages. Other times I'll stick to just one designer, kind of as a challenge, as I'll have fewer materials from which to choose. For the most part, though, I don't make too many rules for myself. And my craft space reflects that too. It's a bit of a mess at the moment.

For buying, well, I generally buy what I love now. I used to just buy whatever was cheapest, but after a big clean up a few years ago, I got rid of everything I bought just because it was cheap. But I am with msliz, lol...the price might make me love it a bit more! Nothing wrong with buy what you love on having it be on sale!

For organizing because I don't scrap by kit here's my way:

Solid cardstock, ROYGBIV order in Jetmax cubes
IRIS cases (2) of "Random Story Paper"-this is paper that "tells a story", so it should be a theme-ish kind of paper
IRIS case of "Random patterned paper"-no story
Beach paper-Ocean
Beach Paper-Lake
Seasons-Fall. Spring, Summer, Winter
General Holidays (not Christmas)
Food related
Birthday
Kits are all together in their kit in 12x12 sterilite containers with drawers
Embelishments are in photo holders labeled with what they are, like "Birthday"

I don't know that I've ever made a page from within a single collection or designer so my buying strategy is very much in the "do I like this?" camp. I feel like I've got a pretty good grasp of my style so I know that while I might really like the cutesy doodlebug stuff, I need to have a very clear plan in place on how to use it because it's not a great fit for my style overall, but I can throw all the slightly distressed tone on tone polka dot papers in my cart without a second thought because I can use these on just about any page I make. I gravitate towards certain colour tones, so I know I can confidently buy papers in those tones as they'll go with things I already have in my stash. If I'm drawn towards something outside my normal colour range, I try to really think through the purchase.

My storage is a mix of super organised and definitely not organised. Cardstock is sorted in rainbow order, patterned paper has no organisation other than if I own multiple sheets of a paper I try to keep them together. Most of my embellishments are sorted by colour. I have a separate drawer for what I call sprinkly bits (enamel dots, small wood veneer, brads, etc) which are stored by type then colour. Once I've used my sticker or chipboard sheets or die cut packs a few times and am no longer reaching for them on every layout I break them down and store by colour which has helped me use things up that I would otherwise not have found. I keep all my florals together in one place, and have separate containers for all my travel, Christmas, and birthday themed supplies. Anything else that is super theme specific (clocks, tents, trees, school/work, weather, animals and butterflies) are all stored in a container on my desk that I use often.

I find this really works for me because if I'm struggling to find yellow enamel dots or navy small print papers, or whatever in my stash, then I know I need to be on the lookout for that type of item when I'm shopping. Colour palettes often match really well across manufacturers so I can usually find something that will work.

I'm in the "I see it and like it, I buy it" camp. Cardstock is organized in ROYGBIV, including those that have shimmer, glitter, or texture. That way I only have to search through one area. Printed cardstock is sorted by company, and by theme. I agree, that manufacturers use similar color palettes throughout their lines, so printed embellishments usually are stored with the collection. I have also been around long enough the I have three Paper Sticker binders with stickers and page toppers/etc. Those are stored by theme. Small embellishment like brads, buttons, pre-made flowers are stored together by like items. If I really like a collection I buy the entire thing, as some b-sides are perfectly matched mostly solid colors.

As I have been scrapbooking for 25 years . . . I have quite the stash. In sketchtember I was using paper from 20+ years ago and loving combining the patterns for layouts with an "evergreen" quality. The papers don't look dated especially when paired with glitter, new washi, and other fun embellishments. I am honestly at a point where IF I never bough another sheet of paper I could scrap for 10 years! But there will always be something fun and needed for a new project. For example, we just did a Hawaii trip, so Hawaii themed paper shopping was in order. None in the stash at all, but i could have substituted something else if I needed too. Scrapbooking and shopping for scrapbooking brings me joy. My DH and I are in a place right now (finally) that we are able to do those things.

As a digital scrapper, 99% of my purchases are kits or bundles. Kit usually have between 15 - 56 papers and from 50 - 170 elements which all co-ordinate. Some also have alpha and/or journal cards. I usually stick to one kit for each layout, but sometimes I might mix and match from different kits if they match. 


That is pretty much the same way I did things when I was a paper scrapper. I would usually buy most or all of the papers in a particular line, then some matching Bazzill, as well as embellishments if the line came with matching embellishments. But most of my embellishments would have been a mish mash of random stuff.

I used to buy everything I even remotely liked….and now I have a bunch of stuff I’ll never use. I mean if it was trendy I grabbed it. Then I started down the minimalist road and I’ve been more intentional about what I buy. For the most part now I need to have specific pictures or events in mind before I put it in the cart. And even then I let it sit before buying. My goal is to enjoy what I’m using and being realistic as a boy mom that I don’t need every pretty floral I see. Occasional is fine but k can only use so much with their daily adventures.

I’ve also stopped most subs. I’ve just stuck to Elle’s studio since it’s versatile and works together well throughout the year. And I occasionally will grab other things to supplement that. Once I’m caught on albums, then I’ll reassess.

I have 2 strategies. 1.) go to the clearance section, see what is there and if I like something and think I will use it, buy it. 2.) Search for a specific theme in mind (recent themes I have needed are baby, baptism, dogs, etc).

I have no qualms about mixing and matching designers, collections, etc. I store things by theme, like summer, fall, winter, etc when I have just loose paper that isn't part of a collection. But if I buy a decent amount of a certain collection, I try to keep that together. My stash is small enough that I pretty much know what I have so I don't need to organize so deeply.

This is mainly what I do, if I like it I buy it, I don't necessarily buy full lines anymore because I don't always like all the paper. There are a few exceptions to this but not very many anymore (I used to buy all the Disney-themed lines but now I have a glut of them so I haven't bought a new collection in a long time).


Lordy help me if something I even sort-of like is on major clearance, I will buy it. I have had to stop going into my LSS because they always seem to have good clearance sales on things I don't need but want. LOL