Thursday, December 4, 2008

Thinking About Organization...

With the New Year coming up, I've been thinking about how I organize my scrapbooks, and what I might want to change with the new year. Currently I have three 3-ring Binders. One for 2006, 2007 and 2008. I don't scrap chronologically AT ALL. I scrap based on whatever I'm inspired to do at the moment. The current system I've been using allows me to scrap that way and then insert the pages into my chronological albums wherever they belong, based on when the pictures were taken. Seemed like a good idea at the time.
I'm discovering a few problems with the system tho. Sometimes I do layouts with pictures from more than one year. Sometimes I do layouts with pictures from before 2006. But those aren't the main problems. The main problem I'm having is this.

When I make a layout, I'm usually recording feelings. Sometimes I do scrap events, yes. But more often than not, I am inspired by a song, or a challenge, or an emotion. These things are not chronological events, and even tho I may include a photo that happened to be taken in 2006, the feeling I am expressing is happening now. Know what I mean? It seems disjointed to take that layout and file it in the 2006 album.

So I need a new system. Here's my idea so far:

1. One album labeled 2009. This would be an overview of the year. One calendar-type spread for each month with highlights of that month. (This would be something completely new for me).

2. One general ongoing series of albums where I put all layouts, in the order I scrap them, newest one on top. I think I would give these albums random fun names that don't have anything to do with chronology.

Now, I ask you - how do you organize your layouts? Do you have a system that works for you? I'd love to hear about it! Let's share ideas!!!

9 comments:

Scrapping4fun said...

I had this problem a while back. When I first started I had a book for my daughter, my son, one for family, one for the dog etc. Now I use D-ring albums and like you have one for 2007, 2008 and soon 2009. I tend to put layouts in my year albums that were part of the year, an event like Mothers Day etc. Anything else goes in separate albums.

Cricket said...

My system is a pizza box!! You mean I need to get them into albums?? :)

Basically I scrap out of order too and when I get to putting them into albums I'll just pop them in a book and when it's full start another...no titles or themes! I do, however have minis of vacations and stuff like that...

Good luck with the organizing!!

smiles,

Kristii said...

I totally scrap out of order!! I don't organize at all! You inspire me to do so!! Love your work Michelle!!

Nathalie Kalbach said...

I need a new system too - LOL - My layouts are EVERYWHERE!

Anonymous said...

I have some shoved in a few albums and the rest are in stacks.....I am trying to figure out a good system. I scrap every different size and never in any kind of order. Let me know what you come up with!!

Anonymous said...

I scrap wayyy out of order too. I have the chronological albums that I try to push pages into, but what I am thinking for 2009 is that I will just put them in the binder as I scrap them. Doesn't matter what year it is.... although I also have a smallish album I started on my bday to record the year until my next bday.
Good luck to you!

Shaina Longstreet said...

i totally know what you mean!!!

right now i have my albums divided like this: friends, family, husband and i, all about me, and then i have one that i put everything i make into before i organize em.

i'm loving your ideas though! thanks for sharing. :D

g said...

i'd love help with a system too! i put all my layouts in big albums, unorganized, other than the newest layout is in front. i use all different sizes when i scrap & am not much of an 'event' scrapper either. i have some pages of my daughter, some of my dog, etc.. but they're all together in the books.
i have lots of mini's too that are just in piles in bowls & on shelves.
i can't wait to see what you come up with!

Anonymous said...

I just don't organize them.

Like you a scrap what inspires me. there's no fin in chronological...
So when I'm finished a layout ( or when my stack gets too high) I stick into a book.

then I know WHEN IT WAS MADE, which i think is more important...