Spring Cleaning...scrapbook style.

It's spring!! So who has the urge to do a little spring cleaning in their scrapbook stash?

I know it can be daunting, when you've invested so much in your stash, and thought of creative ways to store it all. (And perhaps gone to great lengths to hide your addiction from your family.)

Let's start with paper. Patterned paper is one of the easiest things to buy...and the hardest thing to use up. We get lured in by the "value packs" that seem like a good value at the time, but end up wasted when it turns out that we only like 1/4 of the patterns. There's a limit to the amount of inspiration you'll get from one paper combo. After a few layouts it all starts to look the same. And let's face it, with so many new product lines released every few months, the current papers become "old" real quick!

It's time to let paper go when you've been flipping past it for over a year because it doesn't excite or inspire you. If you don't love it in your paper tote, you're going to love it even less in your scrapbook. The following is a tip for purging your stash while getting re-inspired at the same time. You'll be much more productive when everything at your fingertips inspires you.

First, sort your patterned papers in to 3 piles:

1. Paper with a purpose - you have a plan for it, or it falls into a themed category, like sports or holiday. You bought it with a specific layout in mind.
2. Paper that makes you smile - you like it now as much as you did when you bought it, and you can see yourself using it, just not sure when.
3. Paper to be donated - everything else. If it makes you go "what was I thinking??" then it goes in this pile

Second, group together papers from pile #1 and pile #2 as you imagine you might use them for a layout. Start with a paper from pile #1 and look for one or two coordinating patterns from the other piles. Don't forget to look at the back side of double-sided papers for inspiration. You might even find papers in pile #3 that work now that they have a buddy.

Third, add one or two colours of cardstock from your stash. Now you have the basics of a kit, ready to add photos. Put each "kit" into a jumbo ziploc bag.

And last, if you have photos that go with the papers, add them to the kit bag. When it comes time to sit down and scrap, you'll be several steps ahead!


So, what to do with those papers in pile #3...the most important thing is to get them out of your house right away!

• Ask your child's teacher or Scout/Guide leader if they can use them for art projects
• Put them on the 'by donation' table at a fundraiser crop
• Give them to a beginner scrapbooker, but only if they are in like-new condition

If you attempt this method, let me know how it goes!