Shopping for Some Scrapbook Storage

I’m the first to admit my scrapping area is a full-on disaster. I’ve never had enough storage so, even when the rare mood strikes when I want to organize it all, there is just nowhere to put all my crap…er, um, scrap stash. My main pieces are: a large L-shaped office desk with minimal drawers (I even hide some things underneath, using those wire cubes from Target/Walmart)…

…2 of the 5 bookshelves that line the main wall of the room I share with my kids’ TV/play room…kinda like these….

and some Store in Style cubes like these…

I have 7.5 all together ~ 5 open cubes, 1 file drawer cube, 1 cube w/a door, and a 1-drawer cube (which is 1/2 the height of a regular SIS cube). I used to buy these one at a time when Michaels sold them…with a 50% coupon, of course…but they don’t sell this brand anymore. They totally harshed my mellow, man…

I won’t go into detail about all my various storage systems but I largely make use of the Vertical Paper Holders by Crop in Style….

Please, don’t make me tell you how many I have. It would embarrass both you and me….well, okay, mostly me, but you would be embarrassed FOR me and I wouldn’t want to put you through that. So don’t go there…

I will tell you that I have more than this…

But less than this…

I also have a ScrapRack….

NOTE: THIS IS NOT MY PERSONAL SCRAPRACK. I GOT THIS PICTURE FROM THE SCRAPRACK WEBSITE. MATTERUHFACK, NONE OF THESE PHOTOS ARE FROM MY OWN SPACE…YEP, ALL FROM OTHER WEBSITES. THANK YOU.

….which takes up most of one of my desk extensions, and I adore that contraption more than any other piece I have. But it is full. Organized and lovely, but full.

The end of the room I’m in has 2 large windows, which makes it impossible to add a desk hutch or more tall shelves or even the much-dreamed-about Expedit shelf from Ikea…

I actually want to buy 10 of these in various colors and put one in every room in the house. I know, I know, not everyone’s taste, I’m sure. But I never told you I was freakin’ normal, did I???

So I’ve come to the decision that I will buy a bunch more Store In Style cubes. I’m going to take the ones I already have, add some more, get some doors and drawers, and make a ton of new storage on one of the window-walls. I love their versatility, in that you can stack them 1, 2, 3 or even 4 high to fit your particular space. Looking ahead, this will be a helpful thing if we ever move to another home, or I have to move my scrap area within this house (which could happen someday if any of the kids decide they want their own room….then again, we could always just put Greg in the attic or in Mike’s den…*).

*Did you catch the Brady Bunch reference?? Good girl…

Now that The Decision has been made, I’ll be shopping for a great deal on some cubes. Maybe I can find some on Craigslist or I’ve heard of some good online sources. Here’s to hoping the shipping charges don’t kill me. Even so, a bunch of cubes will still be cheaper than the other things I was considering, like the Expedit, or the Mini Scrap Box…

If I ever get them ordered, put together, and get my scrap area reorganized, I’ll be sure to post photos so you can praise me…