Working with kits - promise not to laugh!

I don't use kits personally, but one of the scrappers I follow online has a set of videos about working with a kit (she doesn't usually work with kits either, but got one from the mfr). Her name is Katie Scott, and she does Youtube videos.

Here's the first one she filmed about using the kit: How to get started Part 1

I like watching her videos; she films her videos in real-time, so it's kind of like scrapping with a friend.

I had about 20 unused kits piled up by the time I quit. Oh, maybe I had used a few things, but they were basically unused.

I labeled the end of each box with a brief description of the contents, then when I was ready to scrap, I'd grab a kit that seemed to fit.

Once I had used more than half the kit, I would break it up and put the contents with my other scrappy stash.

At the same time, whenever I came across a paper or embellishment I didn't love and would almost certainly never use, I added it to my donate box. I always keep a donate box going for this purpose.

I think you have to ask yourself why you get/got kits and sort of work from there.

Do you get them 1) to make it easier to scrap (pull a kit and get to work) 2) to get pretty new goodies every month 3) for the challenge of using different products than you usually pick, a combination of these, none of these or ? Do you feel too limited working with kits? If so add some of your stash to the box and use them together. Some people also just break up their kits right away and add them to their stash. Do you get bored of working with the same supplies for more than a layout or two? Then maybe rotate between a few kit boxes at a time, or scrap a kit layout then one from your stash.

I like kits a lot these days since I am busy with 3 kids, 2 under age 4. I like to get a co-ordinated box I can just pull and go. I also set up my own kits from time to time out of my stash. I like to have box set up that I can basically pull out and go to town. I found, in the past, a lot of my scrap time was wasted looking for just the right this or that for my layouts. So now, I get a kit I use that kit with a few things I pull AHEAD of time from my stash, and I try really hard to limit myself to the items in the kit. (Aside from things like paints, mists and inks, of course). I keep everything in a big clear plastic box (in the US Iris makes a good one for this purpose and you can even get a divided insert with is great for embellishments). After the kit reveal I think about what photos I might want to use with the kit and either pull them from storage or get the printed if necessary. I just got a Selphy for Christmas so this might change slightly...

I also have a personal set of goals of how many layouts I want to make before I consider the kit killed and allow myself to move on. Usually that is a certain number of layouts and that number depends on if I got any add ons, how I feel about the kit in general, and whether I have things that will work with the kit in my stash. Lately, I have been getting Cocoa Daisy kits and the last kit I killed I did 8 layouts I think? That was October's kit and I actually skipped January because I have a couple if kits spare due to lack of scrap time during the holidays. I am getting ready to start scrapping again ... I have my kit prepped sitting here staring at me on my desk.

Very well put! Have a great scrappy year, all.

I usually wanted to use the kit when it arrived  because I was excited about the products.  I also would look at the blog or design team projects for the kit and get inspired by those.

I start with a picture first and then find the paper. Sometimes the kits will work, sometimes they dont. I was focused on building up my stash so I would keep the papers grouped together but I put my embellies with other similar types of embellishments. If washi tape is included, I throw it in with all of my washi tape. Now that Ive built up my supplies I might keep the kits together because it is easier.

2 kits Im getting are focused on Valentines day, I doubt Ill have a V-Day page so those will just be divided up into my supplies

One great way to use kits is to take only kits to a crop or someplace away from your workspace (along with your basics).  I do this when traveling and find that I get more accomplished because I'm not looking through all my supplies for that one thing.  I'm forced to use a kit.  If I really remember something from my stash that would be perfect for a layout I will add it later, but I find that is forces me to use my kits, my layouts usually turn out better than I expected and most importantly, they're DONE!  Then I can make cards or other little projects with the kit leftovers.  I also use inspiration from the kit company's designers if I'm stuck how to use part of a kit.

i wonder if you are just subscribing to the wrong kit? I use almost exclusively kits and my process is basically to choose photos and match it to whatever current kits i'm working on, usually about 5 or 6 from various months. Sometimes i'll look for pictures to match a kit but not usually. I often use sketches to get started if i'm feeling frozen.

Maybe this is your answer judyc that most kits aren't themed enough for your style!  A couple of ideas...you could add some themed items that go with those kits OR you could look for a kit club that tends to run more themey.  I can suggest, perhaps Scraptastic as they have 2 kits per month and one tends to be fairly themed if there is a holiday or a season happening.  In the last year or so they have had: a couple beachy kits, a Halloween kit, a birthday kit, boy kits, fall/autumn/Thanksgiving kits, Valentines/love kit, Christmas/Winter etc.  They might be a good fit for you.