Organization … What Matters
I’ll admit it … I like to organize things. My childrens’ playroom is full of cubes that are labeled for the different types of toys they include – Polly Pockets, Barbies, GeoTrax, Blocks, etc. I am the same way in my craft room (except I don’t have actual labels on most things … I just KNOW where things belong). I have spent HOURS organizing my digital supplies and photos so that I could quickly and easily find what I needed to make my scrapping more productive. I remember the first speed scrap I participated in here at SM and being so grateful that I had a system for knowing where things were!
Fast forward to a few months ago … hit with multiple computer problems we decided it was time to upgrade to a new computer *CHEER* It ended up being a long and challenging process that included hours of research (that had been ongoing for over a year) and more than one purchase and return. In the end (of a 2 month process), I had a computer that I absolutely ADORE (a 24″ iMac), an entirely different operating system, and photos and digital supplies that were no longer organized … UGH!!! I know how much time I had invested in getting things organized before and the idea of having to do it again was/is horribly daunting. I have, however, found how much I RELY on my system! I have had a much more difficult time feeling “productive” in my creative work because I feel like I spend so much time searching – for the right photo, for a frame that will coordinate, for the perfect template to get me started. This feeling of floundering is what has inspired me to begin the journey to getting my stash organized again. I know it will take time, but I also know how much time it will SAVE me in the end. I know it will be tedious, but no more tedious than blindly looking through folder after folder searching for what I need or the photos I want. I know that once I get my system back in place that it will be easier to maintain and not seem so overwhelming.
I know (or at least hope) that many of you may be feeling what I feel. Where do you start? What system do you use? Do you need software? I believe that everyone has to find what works for them. I’m sure my system would probably drive someone else crazy or seem too detailed while others might find it too simple. I also know that it took me a while to decide how I wanted things organized. One suggestion I received and think really helped me out was to think about the way you scrap … do you look for things by color? pattern? kit? designer? embellishment type? Do you look for pictures by date? event? people? For the purpose of this post I am going to look more at the organization of our digital supplies, but a lot of the same concepts apply to organizing our photos, too.
I started by deciding that I would use software to help me. When I was on a PC I swore by ACDSee Photo Manager. I loved this program! I found a lot of great resources at digiscrapinfo.com and once I had established what my organizing categories would be I found it easy to keep up with. It allowed me to view what I had all in one spot instead of having to go through folders. Now that I am on a Mac I have purchased Shoebox. It is different than what I am used to with ACDSee which is part of why my stash remains unorganized (for now) but the little I have used it helps me to see that it will also be an incredibly valuable tool for helping me get things reorganized again. I know a lot of people who use the organizer that comes with Photoshop Elements or Bridge that comes with full version Photoshop, too.
Next I had to decide HOW I wanted to organize. What things did I look for again and again? Digiscrapinfo actually has a list of organizing styles from several different people listed right HERE on their site. There is a huge variety from really long and detailed styles to ones that are far more simple. I looked through those styles to get ideas for how I should organize and came up with what worked for me. I have added and changed categories over time but for the most part have been happy with what I decided on. If you are interested in knowing what categories I decided on personally, leave a comment and a way for me to contact you and I’ll get back to you … I hate to keep people reading a longer post than necessary 
I know how important organization is for me when it comes to my photos and digital supplies … it helps me accomplish more. I look forward to the challenge of getting my goodies organized again so I can get over this feeling of being “lost” or “stuck” when looking for what I want/need for a project. Do any of you feel the same way? How do you feel that your organization style (or lack thereof) plays a role in your scrapping? What things have you found that help you get organized or stay organized? I’d love to see you share your tips and/or tricks with us! Have questions? Post them here! I know how much I have grown and learned by what others have shared here. I hope you enjoy your Monday 
May 11th, 2009 at 7:26 am
I just started out in the digital scrapbooking world but I have already obtained SO many supplies. I have no idea where anything is and I can’t tell what is in each folder unless I go into that folder.. and having over 50 kits already. +sigh+ I had to buy an external harddrive because it was slowing my computer down so much! I was looking into ACDSee for my pc, but I’m hesitant because I don’t want to buy it and not have it do what I would like it too. I’m OCD when it comes to organizing [my poor husband] but everything has to be perfect or I’m in chaos which I don’t like. =o\ This article helped me a bit but I still feel overwhelmed with everything. +sigh+
May 11th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Oh my please share your organization style with me! I am so overwhelmed by it all. I keep getting/buying new stuff because I like it and then I can never find it again!!! Please email me at jmutch (at) tampabay.rr (dot) com. thanks!
May 12th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
After dealing with too many computer crashes, I decided I needed something that was very secure. I pay about 60 bucks a year for a service called Phanfare.com, and I can have all of my digital supplies backed up online (unlimited storage). The service shares pictures with others as well, but I make sure all of my digital scrapbooking files are private. I organize them in the program by designer so that all the kits and things are together, but I have a separate folder called “contact sheets,” with segments for each element. I just copy and paste a contact sheet into every folder that it applies. For example, if I have a kit – all of the files stay in the designer’s folder, but the contact sheet would be under paper, alphas, frames, buttons, metal, brushes, stiching, etc. This way if I want just a single frame, I just go to the frame folder and find what I want, then go to the designer folder to pull it out. The program has a great “extract” option that downloads each item I want very easily.
Plus – I can scrap from any computer with Photoshop and the internet!
But you could implement this system on to your computer as well.