I was cleaning out my office - getting ready for a garage sale. As I was going through my reference books I was glancing at a few and there were some that had great organizing tips that I use for the most part but there were a few that I had forgotten. I thought I would share 8 with you. These are really good tips if you are feeling overwhelmed with your to do pile or if you are just starting out.
1.
Get Organized
This is a big one and easier for some people than others. For me I have a permanent work
space so I stay pretty organized. But for
scrapbookers this means to have your photos
organized before hand. For card makers this means to have your stamps organized and clean.
2.
Set aside Time
This is still a tough one for me. But if you set aside time for you to scrapbook and for card
making you will be more productive. I am trying this year to actually put time on the
calendar for me to work on my projects. I am hoping it will just come second nature eventually
and my family will get use to this is the time I work on
scrapbooking and card making.
So whether it's late at night after the kids are to bed or a weekend evening sent cropping,
make sure you schedule time. GET OUT THAT CALENDAR NOW AND SCHEDULE
YOUR TIME.
3.
Do your Paperwork
This one I try to do as much as possible. I use it both in my
scrapbooking and card making
Mostly with my card making. First I want to state that I very seldom make just one card, I
usually make 5 to 10 cards of the same. Do your paperwork, just means to break your card
making and
scrapbooking into smaller tasks to do at opportune times. Like if you know you have a
specific page or card that you are going to be making that is going to need you to punch out
some embellishments - then set your punch and the paper for it out, but save it to do while you
are waiting for your daughter to get done with Dance, or your son to get done with ball practice.
If you have stamped images you have to cut out save them and cut them out while waiting like
mentioned above or while you are watching TV. This will free up time to perhaps design
another card or page.
4.
Have a Goal for each Page or Card
Think about the main point of the page or card. What message are you trying to convey? This
will help you in picking out colors of paper, embellishments, stamp sets, etc.
5.
Copy Pages you Like
Don't always feel like you have to rethink the wheel. Whether it's an original sketch or an idea
from a book or magazine, use these layouts and cards as models for you. You can always add
your own touch to the project to make it your own. Also if you are making a scrapbook for you
and one of the same for a family member than do the pages the same and do them at the same
time. Most importantly have fun with it.
6.
Repeat, repeat, repeat
This is a hard one for me. But when you think about it does make sense. If you find a layout
that you like, repeat it on another scrapbook page later in your album using different colors and
embellishments. If possible, make the pages during one sitting for efficiency.
7.
Shop with photos in hand
Select photos, put them in an envelope, and take them with you when shopping at the scrapbook
store. Pick out papers and embellishments to coordinate with the photos, asking for assistance
from the store staff if needed. This is a very good tip - one I tend to not do enough and what
happens to me a lot when I am shopping is I buy things I don't really need, or I buy things I
already have. So this is an excellent way to help save on the pocket book too.
NOTE - if you are just starting out - if you know you are going to be doing a lot of the same type
of pages (for instance I do a lot of hunting, and fishing) then think of things that may be expensive
at first but perhaps in the long run cheaper. What I mean is I recently purchased the
Cricut
Expressions which was a big cost but it has paid for it self because I have bought some
cartridges that are themed toward camping or hunting so I can make my own embellishments.
8.
Make a theme album or do cards with a theme in mind
By picking a theme for an album you can choose the same color scheme and embellishments for
an entire album to create continuity in the albums' look and feel. This works well for many types
of themes, such as baby and wedding. It also saves time selecting items for each page. This is so
true and you can really get albums done more quickly by doing this. I do this on some of my
albums but the albums for my daughter is different although the theme is HER each page is
different because it is a different event. You can use this concept with card making too. Every
January - I make a bunch of different Birthday Cards so that I have a selection of Birthday cards
because you can bring out all of your supplies that fit that theme then they are all out in front of
you.
Well I hope this helps some of you. I know it was a good refresher for me and will help me get back on track with budgeting my time and hopefully getting some projects done this year.
Happy Scrapping and Stamping!
