Hot Topic: Organizing your ever expanding stash for Project Life

Hello!

I've been having "fun" (undergoing self imposed torture) trying to organize my scrapbook supplies.
I suffer from the delusion that items are easier to remember and retrieve that way.
So far I'm failing miserably due to lack of space and an inability to decide how to organize.

My first attempt at paper organization is a compromise.
I am using manufacturer, favorite color and pattern categories.

I found a plastic bin that was 13 inches wide and three feet long.
Yes I have enough paper to fill it up entirely.
Yes I am aware this might be a problem.
At least now all the paper is in one place so I can retrieve it "faster" so far that just means
I leave paper everywhere as I try to decide which prints I want to use most

So far I have the following categories:

• grid
• woodgrain
• red
• yellow
• neutral (kraft, black, grey and white based papers)
• Sassafras Lass
• Crate Paper
• vellum
• cardstock

This all came about after a conversation I had several months ago with other scrapbookers right in the comments section of this very blog.
I made the bold statement that organizing paper into ROYGBIV is too time consuming and obsessive.

Then a favorite scrappy friend admitted she loves playing around by organizing her stash and that it it's her favorite way to get page inspiration.

Well alrighty then. I'll give it a go.

2x3 inserts- oh so cute!
And SO time consuming when you have to cut them out yourself.

I spent two hours shifting paper from one folder to another and admiring prints.
Not the best use of my time.
It's good to review what I have but the basic problem- too much crap- hasn't been solved.

Also- the first 4 boxes finally made their way over to Materials For The Arts- a great local charity that does just as the title says.

Enough yapping.
Here are my first 2 Project Life pages for 2013.

This took 3 days. Deciding what papers to use,  cutting the cards and printing the photos this project is a MAJOR challenge. Maybe you can tell- I had a printer mishap. The black cartridge was almost done but still had enough to print 1 last page. I used the photos anyway. Getting a dedicated Project Life kit is a great idea but then my PL will look like other people's- it's hard enough to get bloggy readers to pay attention as it is! One thing is certain- I LOVE looking at the final pages! It's so great to see these little bits of life all strung together! Yes it's a ROYAL PAIN but I love the final product.

I like this spread more- more color, more fun with Scrap Fx chipboard, and the colors matched a bit more since I stuck to Glitz Color Me Happy. I'm about to tackle another 2 spreads- think I'll just stick to 2 12x12 pages cut into pocket size- it might be a bit boring but you have to get into the swing of things with this type of project.

So- how do you organize your scrap space?

Thanks for stopping by!
Michelle