Scrapbooking How To: Storing Your Scrapbook Paper

The method you use for storing your paper will depend greatly on the amount of space you have available for your scrapbooking supplies. If you have a large room dedicated to your craft, then you might choose a different method of storage than someone who scrapbooks on the go and stores everything in a rolling scrapbook tote. Whichever method you use, it's wise to start a storage system early in your scrapbooking hobby so it remains manageable as you accumulate more and more paper. Let's look at some of the most common methods of storage.

Portable Storage: There are dozens of varieties of portable paper carriers available on the market today. Some will hold just a few sheets of paper, some will hold hundreds. You can buy plastic envelopes with a string closure designed to hold a couple dozen sheets of paper or large hard plastic boxes designed to withstand heavy use and can hold much more paper. The Cropper Hopper Expo is a paper filing system that is divided into 13 sections and can hold up to 200 sheets of paper. If you're a mobile scrapbooker, this is probably the best storage option for you.

Vertical Storage: When paper is stored standing on end, it's considered vertical. Cropper Hopper has a line of vertical paper holders that work perfectly for this method. Each container will hold about 400 sheets of paper and can be stored on a bookshelf or right on your desktop. Even scrapbook furniture makers are now incorporating vertical paper store into their designs. This method makes it especially easy to thumb through your entire stash of paper and pull out a single sheet of paper without disturbing the rest of the paper. I recently converted my entire paper stash to the Cropper Hopper Vertical Storage System (see photo) and love how convenient it is to choose paper.

Horizontal Storage: When your paper is stored laying flat it is considered horizontal. Paper trays are the most common way to store paper horizontally. However wire cube shelving systems are also popular with scrapbookers. Storing your paper horizontally is a way to save space in your work area because you're using the height of your room as storage. Remember the professional organizers tell us to "go up" with our storage and take advantage of the available space above our desks or on shelving units. The disadvantage to this method is that it can be difficult to pull out a single sheet of paper without pulling out the entire stack of paper in each category. The Perfect Paper Open Stackable paper tray system would be the perfect choice for this type of paper storage.

Drawers, Files and Totes: Scrapbook storage manufacturers have now begun producing drawer systems that measure 12x12 - perfect for storing paper. You can also use file folders (sized 12x12) to sort your paper into a filing system that works best for you. The Crop in Style P3 Tote has an expandable paper tray organizer built into the scrapbooking tote that allows space for over 2,000 sheets of paper. This horizontal storage system is convenient if you are a mobile scrapbooker.