Are you a "buy the paper now and the inspiration will come later" kind of scrapbooker? If you are, then you are probably a paper hoarder! You know, buying up all the paper now because it’s pretty and appealing or it’s on sale, with no immediate intent to create anything.
One of the downsides to hoarding paper is forgetting what you already bought and perhaps buying duplicates. Another downside is creating storage for the paper. One way to combat the hoarding demon is to buy only what you need, when you need it. This is easier said than done, especially when you are in the store facing all those beautiful patterned papers. I know! Another thing you can do is to buy three or four basic collections to have on hand. You can always add to it when you have a project in mind. Of course, if you happen to catch a ridiculous sale, then I say go for it! But remember to keep track of what you bought.
You will want to store your papers so they are ready for you when you need them. I recommend storing by brand or designer – easier to retrieve and refill. If you prefer to store by colors, then make sure you keep track of which papers come from which collection, so you can readily refill your stock.
There are no hard and fast rules to storing your papers – what works for you will work for you!
Personally, I keep my papers together by collections, which is usually according to a theme. This works for me as I tend to work in themes when I do a paper project. But again, do whatever is easiest for you and saves you time, energy and money!
Happy Scrappin!