Organizational Challenge - Week 3

[Charmed]

Organization Challenge - Week 3

Ok - so far, we have a clean desk (hopefully!) free of unnecessary 'clutter', an essential tool box, and a put away basket.

So now, we will start on the stamps.

How we each organize our stamps will vary, depending on how many you have, and the space available. For me, I have them all on end in one of my tall iris carts. But, it is sometimes hard to decide what I want to use for a card, so I end up going through all my drawers, looking at all my stamps - don't get me wrong, that is fun to do! - but it wastes lots of time.

So, this weeks project will help us organize so we can save our precious stamping time for actual stamping.

We are going to create an index binder of our stamps.So, get a binder, some plain copy paper and page protectors (optional).

You will then stamp each stamp set on one page. Lable that page with the set name, and any other info you want included - price, order number ect. For retired sets, you can do these on a different colored paper if you want.

Then, put all your stamped index sheets into the binder. You can put them in alphabetically, or in the order the stamps sit on your shelf. What ever works best for you. Follow the catalogue order even.

If you have lots of sets, you can even get tabed dividers, and divide the index sheets by theme - Christmas, Baby, Flowers, Nature - what ever way you want that works best for you.

I will post pictures once I have done this myself - off to go and get a binder first!


And, as promised, a bonus challenge with a prize for the first 5 people who do it and post it here!

I challenge you to post pictures of the following:

1- your essential tool box
2- your put away box/basket
3- your clean desktop
4- your stamp index binder

The first 5 people to post those photos will recieve an envelope of assorted goodies from me! I will PM you for your address!

Karin.

[Charmed]

Just a quick bump for the thread.

Remember - there is a prize for the first 5 people who complete the bonus challenge!

[stampinrobin71]

Hello....I've already done this so I don't expect to be a winner. But you can view how I organized my stamps at these links.....

Gallery at Splitcoaststampers

Gallery at Splitcoaststampers

Gallery at Splitcoaststampers

[Lori Ross]

Can we get this challenge put on the challenge board? I lose it and have to search for it every time.

It is going to take me a while to catalog. I have lots of sets. I have my essentials box and put away basket.

Lori

[StampnCroplady]

I wish I could join in on this. I love to organize. I'm moving in two weeks though so now I mostly need to pack (after my Friday stamp camp and Sunday workshop that is - oh and the 75 invitations for my grandmother). I can't wait until we move so that I'll have stuff to organize. I'm telling you that I love doing it. One of my favorite tv shows is Clean Sweap.

[Rubbernecker]

This sounds like fun. I "lost" 40 pounds yesterday cleaning out my office! ;)
Recycled everything. If only it were that easy...

I'm going to give this a try.

[msdetloff]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lori Ross

Can we get this challenge put on the challenge board? I lose it and have to search for it every time.

It is going to take me a while to catalog. I have lots of sets. I have my essentials box and put away basket.

Lori

ditto

[Charmed]

I am working on getting the challenge threads moved to a challenge folder in the weekly challenges forum.

Hopefully will happen soon

Off to go post this weeks challenge!

[mooshie_stamps]

here are my pics. I'm jsut going to attach them. if you want me to I could post them in the gallery too, but thought they're more applicable here.
Michelle

[mooshie_stamps]

here's the last one I couldn't get on there

[caspen1973]

Why can't I see anything where it says "attached thumnails" on some of your girls pics for this week's challenges? I am able to click on the links to photos in the gallery but not see the thumbnails.

Thanks

[caspen1973]

Here are my:

Clean workspace

Gallery at Splitcoaststampers

Put away bin

Gallery at Splitcoaststampers

Essential Tool box

Gallery at Splitcoaststampers

AND my stamp index binder (pending approval)

Gallery at Splitcoaststampers

WHEWWWW!!!!

Crystal

[Suzanne]

Instead of using a binder to make an inventory index, I decided to use my computer.

I set up a folder named Stamp Inventory then I set up seperate sub-folders named nature/floral, masculine, seasonal, words/expressions, backgrounds, feminine. I then scanned each set & saved it in the appropriate folder.

This does the same thing as having a binder, but takes up less physical space.

[ktmac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by caspen1973

Why can't I see anything where it says "attached thumnails" on some of your girls pics for this week's challenges? I am able to click on the links to photos in the gallery but not see the thumbnails.

Thanks

Am I missing something? I'm logged in.....

[Barbara Dow]

"You will then stamp each stamp set on one page. Lable that page with the set name, and any other info you want included - price, order number ect."

I scan the stamp set insert (in each set) for a quick and easy index page.

p.s. I love the Organizational Challenge!

[prrrdsmiles97]

I didn't realize how many stamps I had until this! This will make it a lot easier to pick out my projects! Thanks!

[Critter]

I will do this challenge when I get totally moved into my new house. It will be a labor intense project!

It almost seems kind of an*l retentive to me, almost too organized, for me anyways! I really see how it would be helpful to have a quick reference book to find what I have....

I do have a friend whose really into punches. She does the same thing. She has made a mini-binder that she has neon pages in. She punches black cdstk with every punch she owns and glues the punched pieces on the neon paper. She has a quick reference guide to take shopping with her so she doesn't buy the same punch more than once! At last count she only owned about 400 punches! Yikes!

[SueAnn]

I've already filled two Stamp-a-Logs. A third one is to keep track of supplies and ink pads. I'm not an SU! demo; just a loyal customer.

I double-coat-shellac all of my wood mounts. For SU! sets, I "paint" the wood blocks before I cut and mount the rubber.

Non-SU! stamps are organized (both images in book and actual stamps in trays) by subject. Alphabet stamps are in Iris carts. Huge background stamps I label on the end and stand up in a huge CD case (like shallow bookcase). SU! stamps I keep in their clear boxes; haven't decided yet how to organize them. I've been buying like mad lately so have to do something to keep up.

Thanks so much, everyone, for all your tips -- and for this fantastic challenge.

[Stampin Wrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Critter

I will do this challenge when I get totally moved into my new house. It will be a labor intense project!

It almost seems kind of an*l retentive to me, almost too organized, for me anyways! I really see how it would be helpful to have a quick reference book to find what I have....

I do have a friend whose really into punches. She does the same thing. She has made a mini-binder that she has neon pages in. She punches black cdstk with every punch she owns and glues the punched pieces on the neon paper. She has a quick reference guide to take shopping with her so she doesn't buy the same punch more than once! At last count she only owned about 400 punches! Yikes!

This is helpful if you have a lot of stampsets. Sure I know most of my sets. But sometimes I have something in mind but am not sure what, and I find myself standing in front of the bookshelf, pulling down sets to glance at the stamps in the box. If I had stamped them, I could flip through a binder.

I have so many tho, that I'm not putting one set on each page. I'm putting two on most, three on some if they are small.

I have mine shelved by size. So I'm stamping them by size. They are alphabetical within each size group. I know that if I add sets, my alphabetical order might change, but I figure it won't matter. What I want is to SEE the stamps at a glance. When I find one, I will know where it belongs, and it won't matter if the order isn't perfect in the book.

It's harder to do now that I have a lot. I already did have a simple alphabetical list of my stamps. I started that when I only had a few.

[c s douglas]

I'm an organizer - just comes natural! When I started stamin' in 99, after I got three or four sets, I started stamping them on copy paper then and have been doing it since. I stamp more than one set on a page, however many fit, and draw a line with a ruler to separate them. I write the set name and if it was a hostess gift, SAB, mini catalog set, or whatever. they are in page protectors in my binder in the order that I got them. I write 'retired' in red if the set becomes retired. I have always used it for inspiration or to find the words I want to use on a card. I cut the recruiting folder front down to size and use that for the insert on the front of the binder.
I also have an alphabetical listing of sets. I put the price, date I got it, SAB, retired or special info. and USED to put the page numbers of every catalog that it appears in. I say 'used to', because now that I look at this web-site for inspiration, I don't go back to all the old catalogs to see what they've done with a set.
I also have my color charts in there and a page with all of my brass templates embossed on it with the name of the plate. I have samples and names of scissors, hole punches, eyelets and brads. I always show my customers and suggest the idea to them. One just told me the other day that everytime she tries to remember what she has that she KNOWS that she needs to sit down and make a book!

[Kauai17]

I have been wanting to do this for a long time! I got my binder so I just need to get busy and do it!!

[lezlilu]

The Organizational Challenge is a great idea. Let me share what I did last night. I typed all of my stamp set names onto clear address labels and then attached them to the sides of my stamp cases. The cases are standing up in a plastic cart with drawers, so now no matter which way I decide to stand my cases, I can still read the label.

I already have a binder of stamp set images. When I receive a new set, I put the sticker sheet on my scanner and make a copy, making sure to include the stamp set name. When I get a used set, I put the actual stamps on the scanner to make a copy of the images. Then I put them in a binder in similar categories to the SU catalog. When I need an idea, I browse my binder, remember the stamp set name, then go to my drawer and find the set. I try to put all my alphabet sets together, etc.

[laurel116]

Quote:

Originally Posted by StampnCroplady

I wish I could join in on this. I love to organize. I'm moving in two weeks though so now I mostly need to pack (after my Friday stamp camp and Sunday workshop that is - oh and the 75 invitations for my grandmother). I can't wait until we move so that I'll have stuff to organize. I'm telling you that I love doing it. One of my favorite tv shows is Clean Sweap.

That is one of my favorite shows, too. It just makes me want to clean and organize. I can't wait until the kids go to school. I am going to "Clean Sweep" their rooms. My husband thinks I'm a little OCD......hmmm, maybe.

[c s douglas]

I replied a couple of weeks ago, but since then I have re-labeled all of my stamp sets.
Like I said in my previous post, I have an alphabetical listing of all of my stamp sets in Excell. I enlarged the font, made sure that each name had a line box around it and then printed it out on u.s.white (whisper white) card stock. I cut each one out on the lines around each name with my paper cutter, then used mono adhesive (which was just the right width), and mounted it to the end of each set box. I sat them on end, alphabetically. I love this systen! Having them in a large font - black letters on white, sure makes it easy to read and having them in alphabetical order makes them easy to find and replace them where they belong! I have around 125 sets, so I HAVE to be able to keep track of them!

[thuskins]

I just finished logging all my stamps. It really wasn't too hard because I don't have a lot of stamps yet. I started rubber stamping about two years ago for Christmas cards only, I would use my mothers stamps and envelopes and just buy her a new stamp. It wasn't until this year that I started keeping stamps for myself. I'd defenately need to keep up with this book though. What an amazing idea.