Unmounted Stamp Storage - how do *you* store yours?

The_Cre8tor

I'm sorting out my craft room (again) and one of my annoyances (and has been for ages) are my unmounted stamps. I have loads of unmounted stamps, which I love and also love that they're unmounted, but I can't seem to work out a decent, workable way to store them all.

I've tried accordion folders - but those don't work successfully and I can't see the stamps I have stored when I'm looking through them. I have to take out each stamp individually in order to find the right one that I need for the project I'm doing.

I've tried leaving them within their own packaging, and then just layering them in the drawers of my desk, but again - I have to take them all out in order to find the one I'm after. (And I never put them back neatly again, so I end up with an unholy mess!)

Now I know that there are (expensive) stamp folders which give the big talk about how wonderful they are and how much I need a dozen of them - but I can't find enough feedback about them to convince me that the folders are great for my stamps. So I'm hoping that perhaps some of you have found your own method - and I'm also hoping that some of your might have found a cheaper storage solution than the folders I've seen for sale on the internet, because I really don't have a ten gallon sized hat pot of money.

How do you store your unmounted stamps? What in? (and even where did you buy it - if you can remember and willing to share).

Many thanks in advance for your help all. :kisses3: ~ TC. xxx

glynisrose

Have you tried a ring binder and clear plastic pockets? (You can get most sizes, A4 & A5 included) I do not stamp but I found the same problem with storing cutting dies, I went to a 99p shop and bought a portable CD case for the smaller dies and a DVD case for the larger ones.

Scrapmate

Jennifer McGuire has discussed her methods on her blog:
http://www.jennifermcguireink.com/2013/11/my-favorite-crafty-things-organization-discounts-big-giveaways.html

I don't have any 1 method. My old rubber UMs have a tacky glue on the back and I have them in 2 lever arch files on laminated sheets. I do this for my old polymer stamps too. My Paper Artsy and Crafty Individuals stamps are upright in an old computer floppy disk storage unit in their packaging so I can flip through them to find what I want. I have wood mounted stamps in filing drawers sorted by theme, words, flowers, backgrounds, people, oriental, Tim Holtz etc. My Katzelkraft stamps are in a separate box. Then 'the rest' (coughs in embarrassment) are in an Ikea storage box under my desk. I know there are those who index their stamps and are super-organised but for me life's too short. If I had unlimited funds I would EZ Mount them and store them on laminated sheets but that's never going to happen. I tend to like grouping my UMs by manufacturer and keeping them in their sets. There are so many people who like to show their methods of organising on you tube - have a look and see what might work for you. Also there's the crafty storage blog http://craftystorage.blogspot.co.uk/ which has lots of ideas. Hope you find something that works for you.

The_Cre8tor

Ohhh, thanks for the quick replies both!
Like the idea of storing them in the cd and dvd cases Glynisrose. Thanks for that idea!

I'm off to have a look at the links you gave me, Scrapmate, and also take a peep on YouTube. (I never thought about YTube for this, doh!)

Like you I keep my wooden stamps in two deep, long drawers, which are all in 'themes', so easy to find, - but I never thought about laminated sheets for the unmounted one! I've got a laminator which I bought yonks ago and only used once. I might dig it out and see if it's still working. What a great idea!

Again .. thanks both, for taking the time to reply and help! xx

Scrapmate

The polymer stamps will stick to the laminated sheets with no effort. I use CD cases (the cheap zip-up ones) for my thin metal dies too. I use the ones that take 4 CDs per sheet (top & bottom, back & front) with a magnetic sheet to secure them in place. This has enough height for the longer dies as well.