Scrapropos

As scrapbookers many of us suffer from a slight addiction to paper. Asking us to throw away even the smallest piece of paper can bring on a bout of panic and anxiety. So what do we use these paper scraps for? Well, if they’re not organized, they’re probably not being used at all.

So your Weekly Wednesday Challenge is to get those paper scraps organized!

Save only “worthwhile” scraps.
My rule of thumb is to save paper only if it is at least 3″ X 3″. Smaller scraps head to the recycling bin. Make your decision based on what size scraps you’d be apt to use in upcoming layouts.

Organize your papers for ease of use.
There are a number of different ways you can organize your papers. I prefer to organize by color. You can also organize by the type of paper: card stock, vellum, patterned paper, etc. If you have a lot of patterned paper scraps you might want to organize them by theme.

Gather necessary tools to help you organize.
Figure out what organizational system will work best for the type of scrapbooker you are. If you’re an “on the go” scrapper you may want an easy to carry expanding file that can travel with you to crops. If you have a scrapbook room you may want to use a filing system. I use a plastic file box that accommodates hanging files. If you are using files you will need to pick up file folders that work in the system you have chosen.

Label, Label, Label
I wouldn’t survive without my labeler. Labels help you remember where things go and just makes you feel more organized. Label your files or the sections of your expandable file box and sort your papers into their proper places. As your scrap pile grows, into their files they go.

Now that your scrap papers are organized, think of ways you can use them.
I use my scraps in a number of ways. I like to make greeting cards and scraps are perfect for this. They’re also great for cutting out letters, as mattes for photos and for punching or die-cutting page accents. Sometimes you just need a little extra “something” on your page…maybe it’s a border strip, some punched squares or circles, or a tag. In all of these situations, page scraps are often just enough for what you need. Why cut into a 12 X 12 sheet of paper when you have all those scraps laying around?