The Grand Stamp Re-organization Unveiling

I was in such an excited tizzy when I saw the Avery Elle stamp sleeves.  O.M.G.  Were they reading my mind?  I hate, hate, hate the typical thin cellophane packages that rip the moment you try to slide your stamps back in.  Hate!  Well, these aren't perfect but they are a darn sight better than those (I managed to tear an AE one down the side but quickly learned I can't stick my whole hand in there to retrieve something--duh)

So, the above pic is obviously before.  I had some of my stamps stored in the two containers in their original packaging.  If a set was smaller I had them in a separate bin, if larger in a drawer.  Plus, I had a binder full of stamps using a different type of sleeve. Way too many places to lose a stamp!

I've switched to the Avery Elle sleeves as you can see with the bottom pic.  Isn't it beautiful?  Dreamy sigh.  So neatly organized.  Swoon.  I had seen Jennifer McGuire's video so gathered some good tips from there and have come up with a list of my process.

• I cut the inserts out of inexpensive white cardstock at 5-3/8 x 7-1/4".
• I prepared my labels using Avery 5267 1/2 x 1-3/4" return address labels.
• I don't know that I'll use these for this purpose in the future but since I was doing so many at once, it was the fastest way.
• I use these labels for a couple of other purposes too--as identifiers on the backs of my cards with my name and blog address as well as color coding for my stamp pads (see pic 2 Distress Inks).
• Many of my sets fit right in.  For those that didn't, I either put them on a different size sheet of plastic (transparency film) or simply cut apart the existing sheet.
• If I had the matching dies or a mask, I went ahead and put those in the same sleeve on the backside.
• For small sets, I would combine them by manufacturer in the same sleeve.
• I alphabetized the sleeves by manufacturer.  I also created sections just for backgrounds, Halloween and Christmas.
• I cut chipboard at 5-3/8 x 7-3/4" to act as dividers.
• I then made divider labels for the manufacturers I either use most or had the most of.  Remember that old timey label maker you bought because it's so retro cool from childhood but it's been gathering dust since?  Yup.  I know.  Makes the best labels for this.  I did use Scor Tape to adhere the labels since the adhesive they come with isn't very strong.
• These sleeves fit perfectly in the containers I already had which I got from my local Freddy's for ~$4.  They're called Homz modular stacking system and are 16.25 x 7 x 6.125".  They do come with lids which I've placed beneath each container where they act like sliders.  Really easy to pull a bin partially out and slide it right back.

So there you have it.  And now that this reorg project is done, I can clean up the desk surface a bit and get back to actual card making.  I'd like to say my desk is almost never like you see it in picture 2 but that would be such a lie.  :-)