Every veteran scrapbooker knows that scrapbooking organization is essential to creating an inspiring workspace that boosts the creative spirit. Without the proper storage solutions and organizers, your crafting corner can accumulate piles of unsightly clutter. Implement these five must-have solutions to keep your workspace tidy so you never have to hunt for supplies again.

Desktop Organizers

To keep your scrapbooking desk from becoming a center of chaos, purchase a desktop carousel to hold scissors, markers, stickers and any other supplies you like to have within arm’s reach. Simply give the carousel a spin to access your supplies. Remember to label and sort each carousel compartment according to tool type to keep it from becoming a spinning junk drawer.

If you only have a few supplies to keep in order, simply turn a few standard pen cups into the ultimate desktop organizers for markers, colored pencils and scissors. For organizational supplies that compliment your workspace décor, find some scrapbooking paper that matches your current color scheme and wrap the cut pieces around the cups, securing them with crafting glue. These small sprinkles of style are a great way to stir up some creative juices.

Scrapbooking Paper Storage

Vertical filers are the ultimate space-saving solution when it comes to storing scrapbooking paper in a crowded crafting space. Organize the sheets by color or pattern to save those precious minutes spent searching for the right shade or style of scrapbooking paper. Take a circular sample from each sheet, and tape it to the outward-facing panels of the paper holders for a quick reminder of what you have on hand. Place your paper filers side-by-side, on a shelf near your work desk so you can easily grab what you need when you’re ready to start a new page.

If you have more colors than you care to admit, turn an old, standalone mail sorter into a comprehensive paper organizer. Lay the paper flat in the cubbies to prevent warping, and your color-sorted sheets will always be readily accessible. Talk about crafty!

Ribbon and Embellishment Jars

Turn ribbon scraps, stamps and foam embellishments into decorative accents by stuffing them into clear Mason jars or glass candy jars. Line them along a shelf to add a colorful touch to your storage area. You can also gather old spice jars to hold beads, buttons and other tiny embellishments. Place them in a desktop carousel or a round cake pan to keep them together and organized in one confined area.

Hanging Wall Organizers

Increase your vertical storage beyond basic shelving units with hanging organizers featuring open compartments for all the odds and ends that can often clutter your scrapbooking desk. Repurpose a wire storage shelf by adding containers and mounting it at eye-level near your work area for easy storage. Using labels on the containers to describe the contents of each will save you from frenzy when it’s scrapbooking crunch time.

If you want to get really crafty, make your own unit by mounting a horizontal wood shelf to the wall and hanging coffee mugs from the bottom. Use thick wire, with one end wrapped around the mouth or handle of the compartment piece and the other wrapped around a wood screw, keeping the opening tilted towards you.

Photo Storage

Your scrapbooks would be lost without those precious, printed memories, but improper storage can bend, warp and otherwise damage your photos. Place your prints in an archival photo box to keep them protected. Use dividers with labeled tabs to organize the photos by subject, event or time period so you can easily find them when you’re ready to scrapbook. If possible, print all your scrapbooking photos to the same dimensions so you can flip through them with ease.

You have tons of digital photos and the thought of losing them would be absolutely devastating. Snapshots of your favorite and most important memories should be protected from digital mayhem. In case of a computer crash, loss, theft, or damage, you should be able to rest easy knowing you have backup copies of your photos. Save copies to external hard drives, or back them up on discs and place them in jewel cases, labeling them in the same way you would do with printed photos.

Whether you choose open storage baskets or closed containers for your scrapbooking storage, be sure to keep everything within eyesight for easy accessibility. Set aside some time each day after crafting to put everything back in its place so that when you return to your station, you return to enjoy an organized scrapbooking haven.