Monday, March 7, 2011

It's not rocket science ...

... but it works for me, and I'm sure a lot of you are doing it too.
I have 3 big flat plastic storage containers under my desk, which I am allowed to access only when the resident large ginger "guardian of the ribbon" is not in residence!  The top one is for ribbon and the other 2 for card/paper scraps (solid colors in one, patterned in the other).
He would prefer me to leave the lid off the container so that he could actually sleep ON the ribbon, but that's not going to happen.
I roll my ribbon and wrap a piece of scrap paper around it (just like Bonnie does here at Really Reasonable Ribbon), then store it by color in clear ziplock bags.  Any smaller scraps (8"-12" or less) are gathered and stuck onto a safety pin, like this
and stored in the relevant bag as well.  It's amazing how often I only need a few inches of ribbon for a project, and my first port of call is always the safety pin scraps before I go cutting any off the longer pieces.  Waste not, want not, my grandmother always said!
It's easy to just reach under my desk and grab the ribbon bag in the color I'm working with, and match up something suitable by looking through the plastic, rather than taking the whole lot out of the bag.
If there are any multicolored ribbons that don't have a distinctive color theme, then they go into a separate "multi" bag.  Black and white are stored together.
And that's it folks!  It may not be sophisticated, but I like it and it works for me.  I'm sure you'll have lots of wonderful storage ideas to choose from when the organization week is over, and don't forget to enter the draws for the great prizes on offer. 

36 comments :

  1. First off, What an absolutely handsome kitty (reminds me of my big orange and white furbaby) and such pretty ribbon!!! Everyone has their own ways of storing it, I tried many before finding one I love. I just love looking at all the pretty colors of ribbon you have :-) TFS! -Sam :-)

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  2. Your kitty is beautiful!! Love your ribbons and the storage.

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  3. Love your resident guardian!What a beautiful picture.
    Thanks for sharing your fun organization

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  4. Looks like a great place for kitty to be near you when you craft. You have a fabulous collection of ribbons.

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  5. I love your ginger ribbon guardian, I bet leaving open that container would be a treat!

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  6. WAUW what a gorgeous kitty. I´m sure you never have to fear for your ribbons with this beauty guarding them ha ha ha.
    I think, I should at least do something like you here, as I just have all mine in the box. I´ve never thought of the safetypins, but that was actually a great idea and certainly a cheap solution, so I think, I´ll try that. Thanks sooo much for sharing this with all ofus.. Have a wonderful day.

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  7. Are your ribbons not all crunched in this storage solution? Do you need ironing everytime you get a bit of ribbon on a card?

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  8. Beautiful cat... definately looks like the boss!!! We have one that looks very similar... he definately thinks he is the boss!!!!
    I did wonder too if you have to iron each bit of ribbon you want to use... my ribbons are very messy and unorganised... just in a basket!!!!!
    Hugs
    Kim
    x

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  9. I like you kitty! and I like your idea for ribbon organization - simlpe and cheap one!

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  10. I like how you add the scraps on a saftey pin, I would be more likely to us it. Thanks
    Cindy

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  11. So much Ribbon... So little time!I could never use all that in my lifetime!
    http://comopark1886.blogspot.com/

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  12. this is the same way that i do mine and i love this system. you can see what you need and all of the colours are in their families.

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  13. I love your ribbon stash! So many yummy ribbons and fibers :) TFS!

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  14. I am a messy scrapper I just have all the ribbons in a box.I just pick what I need from it.Thanks for the great tip!

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  15. Your fur baby looks like my P-Diddy Tilly!
    Looks like a very functional way to store ribbon. It is all so neat and tidy!
    Hugs,
    True :D

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  16. What a great idea to have same colors in bags together. I love your ribbon guardian. My problem is guarding my ribbon from two felines. One wants to play with it and one wants to eat it. Soooo, it's all shut tight in a drawer.

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  17. gorgeous fur baby! love your safety pin idea for scraps too. i keep all my scrap ribbon in jars but this is a cute idea! tfs! hugs!

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  18. Lots of great ribbon and such a pretty kitty!

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  19. What a CLEVER way to store your scraps ... bravo :)

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  20. Thanks so much for your tip! Your kitty is precious..just remember..cat hair IS an embellishment :)

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  21. Yours is much better organized than mine. Hmmm. I am doing something wrong. ;-)

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  22. Lol - Great ginger guardian of the ribbon! :)

    Ive gone one of those, well 2 actually and they are dogs, but they do insist on sitting under my desk and cramping my knees! :D

    Love your ideas - I spend a little time once every so often sorting into colours and then bags, but the tips about the safety pins for scraps and also winding it round some scrap paper/card are really good.

    Thanks for sharing that.

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  23. Beautiful ribbon...I haven't been making
    cards too long...I don't have very much
    ribbon..TFS

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  24. thanks for sharing,I really need to organize my stash, it needs to be readily available so I remember to use it.Will have to work on getting visible so I dont forget it...Dawn RI
    abosoffit@hotmail.com

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  25. Wow your bags so much tidier than mine hun!Must take leaf outta your book!
    #judex

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  26. My cat looks very much like yours! And mine would also love to sleep ON the ribbon! He always sleeps on my scrap chair or on top of my Crop-in-Style bag, etc. When I take out my Crop-in-Style to load it for a class I must first clean off the cat hair!!!!

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  27. Love your furbaby! I like this way of storing ribbons but will have to find some place other than under the desk -- that spot is already full! And I have a black, gray and white furbaby who guards the things under the desk until she's had enough of my crafting and not cuddling, then she is on the desktop telling me that she needs attention!

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  28. I like your way of keeping scraps on a safety pin. Cutecat!

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  29. Looks organised to me :) and yes seem so handy under your desk !

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  30. love the guard cat!!!! You have to use what works I say and this is a great way to store and see your stash xxx

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  31. Look at that! Organized CHAOS! LOVE IT!! That's my kinda girl! I give your credit for wrapping a scrap piece of paper around each piece of ribbon. I'm tired just thinking about it, that's why mine all has wrinkles!! LOL TFS

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  32. Wow, this is great...especially for those who don't have a lot of space...cool idea! Hugs...

    http://debby-paperpearls.blogspot.com/2011/03/rrr-organization-week-36-316.html

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  33. "The simple is often the best" is a saying here in Norway. This is definately simple and looks like it works perfectly! Not having to spend tons of cash on storage solutions means more to spend on ribbon. Me like a lot!! :) Thanks for sharing!

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  34. The hardest thing about storing ribbon is keeping it from getting wrinkled or creased. If you have any great ideas for unusual ways to use small scraps, it would make a good blog article.

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  35. Awwww, what a sweet furbaby! I am going to use the idea of saftey pins for my scraps, great idea!

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