Dear Oprah, would you kindly send your organizing guru Peter Walsh to overhaul my scrapbook space?
Clearly, the queen of talk didn’t receive my S.O.S. prior to ending her show because my scrapbook corner is as horrendous as ever.
I don’t have enough money to be a hoarder, but I could still use Walsh’s advice nonetheless. He’s got a show on Oprah Radio where he serves up general tips on how to de-clutter your home, but when it comes to specific scrapbook storage hints and tips, Walsh insinuates that there is no “right” way to organize your supplies. Rather, as long as you can find what you need in a timely fashion, then you should follow the same basic guidelines designed for all hobby spaces.
For starters Walsh puts the kibosh on impulse shopping. Before you fill up your basket with packs of new patterned paper, stickers, stamps and die cuts, spend a morning going through what you already have. Take inventory of your scrapbook supplies. Note what your stash is lacking and detail what you’ve got, making sure that you sort by theme or color.
Walsh is also big on repurposing. For example, if you are looking to organize your scrapbook space, cull through your home for storage containers before going out and purchasing new ones. Baskets, jars, plastic containers, bulletin boards, cabinets and shelving from other areas of your home can often be recycled for scrapbook storage. Consider using extra magazine racks for paper storage, old spice racks for embellishments and unused coffee mugs for markers and paintbrushes. My mom uses empty pill bottles to house eyelets, brads, buttons, and other small embellishments.
Once your overhaul is complete, Walsh suggests that you purge on a regular basis. After all, you don’t want all your hard work to go to waste by allowing your stash to take over the space again. Select a day each month to go through your supplies. Pass on items that no longer seem to suit your scrapping style to a fellow scrapper or barter with a friend for supplies that you know you will use on future layouts.
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