Organizing Scrapbook Paper and Scraps

i'm SO bummed! i lost my before picture of the hot mess i started out with.  :o(  well... close your eyes and imagine this... 6 stackable paper trays.  3 stacked with a crazy mess of paper and scraps all jumbled together. and in front of that, 3 more stacked trays with a crazy mess of paper and scraps all mixed up together and the pile on top is about to tip over... 

my paper was disaster! i hated going near it.  it had gotten so out of control that i just about gave up stamping and making cards all together. 

when i did make cards i was always frustrated with the left over scraps. i used to sit there debating with myself whether or not to throw them out.  if you're a scrapbooker or card maker then you know that every little scrap could come in handy later... but UGH!  all those little pieces lying around... DRIVES ME CRAZY!  i'd rather throw them out then deal with little tiny pieces floating all around.  but then my thrifty side always kicks in and i keep them.

and i was left with this mess... it makes my stomach turn over just looking at this picture.

my mom gave me these envelopes awhile back and they have been sitting in my craft closet waiting for a purpose. 

i sorted the full sheets of paper by color (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, white, black, brown, and fancy papers).  so i laid out the folders and sorted the scraps in the same color scheme. 

ahhhhhhh!! it's starting to come together!  now, when they're tucked nicely into the folders, those scraps aren't so intimidating. 

then i took the folders and put them in their respective slots. 

waaaaaay better.  my stomach isn't turning over anymore.  i tamed that hot mess of paper and scraps... now i feel like i can conquer the world! :o) 

i picked up the mail sorter at a Habitat For Humanity's ReStore, and i LOVE it.  there are extra slots and i think i'm going to use them to organize my fabric scraps.

ahhhh... i'm getting my life under control one area at a time.

next organizing mission... rubber stamps!