Learn the easiest and most organized way to store scrap pieces of vinyl and paper so you can use them in other projects and save money on supplies.
During the first round of my Organized-ish Craft Room E-Course sessions, the one thing my students mentioned the most was how helpful it was to tidy up their scrap vinyl and paper in their craft room. Think about it, we spend quite a bit of money on materials and usually only use 75% of it. The rest ends up in a scrap pile, thrown in a container, or scattered around in random places. AKA, never to be used again.
Sure, you have intentions of using your scraps later on, but the reality is that if you can’t find them or they aren’t easily accessible, you’re likely going to just open a new roll of vinyl or tear out a new sheet of cardstock. So if this sounds like you, read on, because we’re about to change that. I have a hack that helps you organize your scraps so easily that you’ll be looking for projects to use them in.
The Best Way To Organize Vinyl & Paper Scraps
You ready for this? The best way to organize scraps is in a scrapbook. Say whaaaa?!! No, this isn’t a sarcastic joke, I’m totally serious. That same kind of scrapbook that you’re using that paper and vinyl in is also an awesome way to store scrap pieces.
Supplies You Need
- 12×12 Scrapbook (buy the cheapest clearance scrapbook you can find)
- 12×12 Sheet Protectors (the kind you’d slide a scrapbook page into)
- 12×12 Slotted Photo Album Pages (optional, but super handy!)
- Stick-On Writeable Tabs
How To Organize Paper & Vinyl Scraps In A Scrapbook
Start by dividing up your scraps into categories. I personally like to divide mine into main categories (vinyl, paper, and fabric), then divide them into subcategories (solid colors, patterns, HTV, glitter, etc)
Once you have your categories, you can create separate sheet protector pages for each type of scrap you have. You can get as specific or as broad as you’d like, and there’s really no wrong way to do this.
My personal scrapbook starts with solid colored vinyl scraps since that’s what I use the most of. Then it goes into patterned vinyl, textured vinyl, and HTV. Then it flows to paper in solids, patterns, and holiday/event-specific.
The final step is to add adhesive tabs to keep each category separate and make it easy to find what you need. Again, you can be as broad or particular as you want. This organization system is all about what works best for you and what will help you find scraps in the fastest and easiest way possible.
Related Post: 10 Projects For Leftover Vinyl
Want More Craft Room Setup And Organization Tips?
The next semester of The Organized-ish Craft Room is open! This is my self-paced workshop-style training for how to plan, set up, organize, and maintain your craft space, no matter how big or small it is. If your craft room (or closet, or dining room nook) needs some serious organization, this course is for you. Enrollment fills up quickly, so grab your spot while you still can.
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