Supply Organization | Breaking Up My Story Kits™
A week or so ago I responded to a question in the Craft The Story™ Facebook group (open to anyone who wants to chat about my products and memory keeping projects) about organizing my past Story Kits™ and I wanted to share them here as well.
Lately, these are the two things that I'm focusing on in regards to organization: (1) be the boss of my supplies and (2) have less stuff. I'm of the belief that having more stuff doesn't mean I will tell more stories. Telling stories and celebrating life through the combination of words + photos + some fun products is my goal. Too many choices can sometimes be a barrier to actually using the products to get memories documented. I actually go into more detail about this topic in my Storytelling With Project Life® workshop - I'll run that class again next January but if you really want to take it now you can start a conversation with my Customer Service Team now and they can get you set up.
Each month in the Story Subscription classroom (included with the subscription) I share a couple layouts and a Project Life® spread using the products. When the month is over I've found that breaking up the kits vs. keeping the leftover products in their cute little envelope works the best for me.
Here's how I'm organizing those products at this time:
Each month the kit usually includes a sheet of word/phrase stickers and a sheet of chipboard pieces. I store those together in these small wood boxes (Dragan) from Ikea. They can be found in the bathroom organization section and work great for 3x4 and 4x6 cards.
Having them out and available on my table makes them easy to flip through and incorporate into my projects.
4x6 cards are kept in the same boxes and labeled with Index Tabs (now available in my shop). I keep all the Story Kit™ cards in one section. Other sections include other journal card sets from my shop + the Everyday Core Kit.
3x4 cards are stored in the smaller of the two box sizes. One box for the Everyday Core Kit and one for cards from the Story Kits™ and in my shop.
Extras from the kits (chipboard pieces I've punched out but not used, etc) I'm just storing in the lids of the Dragan boxes at this time. Again, if they are sitting on my table like this I'm more likely to grab one of them to add to a spread.
You might also notice I store my pens laying down. I've found that they last longer and stay in better working order that way.
The wire basket you see on my table here is from West Elm.
I store my Story Stamps™ in a yellow container from West Elm (purchased a few years ago on clearance). I'm in the process of labeling the sides of the stamps using the Index Tabs.
These are generally stored in one of the large drawers of my table (also from Ikea and no longer available - it's actually a kitchen island). You can see more about our Office Projects (tables, etc) here.
I also store my shop stamps on the top of my table (also in a yellow box) in a yellow basket. I'm in the process of labeling all the edges of these stamps too to make them easier to identify.
How about you? Are you keeping them together or breaking them up? What's working for you right now?
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I love how you've stored your clear stamps. I'm always looking for clever storage ideas and this one is about to make its way into my craft area. Love the tab.
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Lots of great ideas! I didn't know that about the pens so I am going to do this now also. :)
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Man oh man do I wish I had an IKEA close! Ha! ;) Love the tip about the pens! Going to start doing that! Love that yellow tin, too! Yellow is my favorite! I'm obsessed with the index tabs, too! Thanks for all of the great ideas! XO!
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I want to be you. I love that you have ONE Project Life core kit (which is my current favorite one at the moment) and that's it. And you just... have everything all organized and ready to go. I love your island. I want to be you. We are building a house in a few months and I am getting my own office & scrap room. Your scrap room is my inspiration. <3
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Since I'm getting the digital story kits I have been printing out a few of the 3x4 cards that "speak to me" each month and storing them right in the back pockets of the 6x8 album I'm using this year for PL. I can flip through them and pick one when I need one. So far I have about 6 3x4 pocket pages of cards so they're not too overwhelming.
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I also get the Studio Calico documenter kit. How would you organize those kits? Break apart or keep together?
I break those apart too.
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I keep mine as cards together because I think theme when I scrapbook. I however broke up my chipboard pieces and have them in a letter tray. I love rummaging through this and I find all kinds of things that would work. My stamps I stored Jennifer McQuire style (love her organizing videos). I go back and forth on organizing but I have learned if it is in front of me, I am more apt to use it. Now to find a better way to organize ideas.
I love Jennifer's organizing videos as well.
Where do you find her videos? I'd love to check them out
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Breaking up the kit up is my method too, makes finding things sooo much easier. I use a little plastic container with 5 drawers for all the little bits and little plastic buckets for the cards, both from the container store in their bathroom section.
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Great storage. Really love what you did. I did just put the cards together. I've decided in the last couple days to transition into PL, in a way for it to work for me. And although I use the cards on 12x12 and other album projects, I don't have too many left. I still have the rest of the pieces of the individual kits left together, per kit, but there isn't many left and I should just combine, but haven't yet. I still haven't decided on a size, I'm leaning toward 6x8, but still looking into what I want to do. Anyway, great stuff. Thanks. Michelle t
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I really enjoyed reading how you break your kits apart and I think that I might give this a try. I find when I have stuff on my desk I use it as opposed to not using it because it is hidden away.
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Well now at least I know what to do with the tops of the IKEA boxes! I keep my story kits together until I use a good portion of them. After seeing what you do, I will start pulling them apart - again as I use them. I currently store them in refrigerator bins, labeled at the top. I put the stamps in Avery Elle clear stamp pockets, labeled at the top. One side of the storage bin is stamps and the other is story kits. It currently works for me. I'm always open to change though. Thanks for this post, Ali.
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I break mine up after a couple of months and keep them sorted in an iris box but I find that I don't pull the box out to look through it often. I love the idea of keeping them on my desk where I can see them!
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Great idea to look in the bathroom section for ideas. I have a huge plastic (I know, not so fantastic) container with compartments that stores most of my leftover kits. I also have a wooden compartmented box (from a gardening store) that has a handle, which makes it a great mobile holder of stuff to take along when the kids go indoor rock climbing for example, and I work on an album while keeping an eye on them. Another thing I will be doing is to separate products used in projects and keep them aside for when I eventually get to make the same pages (instead of using them elsewhere).
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I've been storing mine in those cute envelopes but you're absolutely correct that if I don't see them I don't use them. I will make the transition too. Thanks for the tips!
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Hi Ali! Oh how I love your office! I remember seeing the section where you store you albums (shelving on the wall) but for the life of me I can't remember what video it is. Could you repoint me to that tutorial? I'm looking for album storage and I really loved the clean look of your shelves. Have you had issues with max load weight on the shelf?
thanks again
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Hi Ali! I'm guessing we'll get to see that PL spread on the blog (or in a classroom) at some point, but I was wondering where the big yellow "NOW" card is from. Thanks!
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I JUST did something very similar with all my Story kit stuff and too an in the process of labeling my stamps !! I am hoping that this will make it much easier to to use and find what I'm looking for. Thanks for sharing - I'm always so inspired by you!
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Hey Ali!
I love this post...thank you! I have been subscribing for so long, I'm wondering how to store all of my beautiful kits! My question is, in regards to the Storytelling with Project Life class. I wanted to purchase it when it was offered, but missed the date and I'm definitely interested in purchasing it now. You said you would be offering it in January 2017 again? Does that mean it will be the same class as the one going now, or will this be a new version (separate purchase with new stuff for a new year of documenting PL)? If it will be the same, I just assume don't wait and buy it now!! Thanks for answering my question!
Hi Bethany - the one I'll run in January will be the same as the one I ran this year. Some people like taking classes when they are "live" because there's more action with other students. It's really up to you :).
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Thanks for the great post and suggestions. I had packed up my scrapbook room (and all my favorite things)and put it all in storage over a year ago in hopes of selling our house. Alas, that didn't happen, so I'm now UNpacking everything and starting over. While this wasn't what I had hoped for, it's a great opportunity to weed out and re-organize. I've given some things to my Mom, who I'm hoping will get inspired to create some stories, and I've donated over 8 big boxes of excess 'stuff' I can live without to a local children's hospital cancer wing where they have an art cart that travels to all the patients. I can't think of a better use for extra supplies. I'm feeling better in my less cluttered space and can't wait to get back into telling my stories! I didn't realize how much I would miss all my tools and things until they were packed and gone. Love the index tabs idea. I also find that having bits and pieces (but not too many) within reach on my desk helps me find/use my supplies more easily.
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I love seeing how other people organize their stuff because it gives me ideas! I love how organized you are!
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So you don't really have any paper, like colored card stock or patterned paper, huh? I know your style is very basic focusing on the writing and a few embellishments, so no patterned paper did not surprise me, but I am surprised to see that you do not have any colored card stock. Interesting.
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