Choosing a New Stamp Storage System: From CD Cases to Customized Storage Pockets
As you may know, I have stored my stamps like this for several years now and it’s worked great up until now. I have noticed over the last year or two that the cd cases I’ve bought have been breaking easier and more often. When I open the cd case, the hinges pop out and the quality just seems sub-par. I have purchased them from several different manufacturers so I don’t think it’s any one company…or perhaps they are old and just not holding up anymore. I don’t know for sure but what I do know is that it has been driving me crazy.
So over the past six months or so I’ve contemplated long and and hard on how I want to store my stamps going forward. I’m not keen on the most popular stamp storage methods because of the set up of my craft room.
My craft room contains several four drawer cubes from Michaels/JetMax and all of my stamps (in cd cases) fit in there perfectly. I do have some larger stamp sets that I store in Plastic DVD Cases w/out the Hub, and my the majority of my unmounted rubber stamps are stored in the Crafter’s Companion EZMount Binders, but 95% of my stamps are in those cubes.
For that reason, I needed to keep my new storage system the same size as my current cd cases. I have tried several different storage pockets/sleeves and have researched all possible products and this is what I’ve come up with.
These are the main supplies I used when creating my new stamp storage:
- Although I ultimately decided to use the ever popular Avery Elle Stamp & Die Storage Pockets, they are not the right size for my storage cubes so I am altering them to fit my storage. I also don’t care for the flap on the pockets either so cutting them down kills two birds with one stone, so to speak. I ended up deciding to cut my storage pockets down so that they measure 5 1/2″ tall. So the final measurement for my stamp storage pockets is 5- 5/8″ wide and 5 1/2″ tall.
- Next I use my WRMK Thumb Notch Punch (no longer sold – you can use a circle punch and just punch half of the circle out or you can use this Half Moon Punch) to create a little “handle area” so I can grab a hold of my stamp storage card easily and pull it out.
- I am still going to store my stamp son the Crafter’s Companion CD Jewel Case Storage Panels, only I’ll store them inside of my pockets rather than cd cases.
This is what my empty stamp storage pockets look like after I’ve cut them down to size and punched out the notch.
- Next, I create an index card/sheet. I either cut up the printed acetate, print out an image of the stamp set from google, or I will or stamp the images in my stamp sets on 5″ x 5″ sheets of cheap cardstock (*Georgia Pacific Cardstock from Walmart*).
- Next, I add a little adhesive to the front of each stamped/printed index sheet and slide it in the front and back of the storage pocket and make sure it’s secure.
- Next, I take the same stamp storage card (this one) that held my stamps in my cd cases and slide them into the storage pocket, in between the front and back index sheet.
All that’s left to do is to label the stamp storage pockets. Everybody I know uses their label makers to label their pockets but I have so many stamp sets to label that it would cost a FORTUNE in label tape to do that so I decided to purchase these Avery Easy Peel Return Address Labels for Inkjet Printers, 0.5 x 1.75 Inches, White, Pack of 2000 (08167)and print mine using Microsoft Word. It’s only 6.99 for 2000 labels so you can see how much money I saved by using these labels to label my stamp storage pockets!
Here are what one of my new stamp storage pockets looks like all filled up and labeled.
This is a photo of one of the four drawers of my stamp storage cubes (from Michaels) filled with stamps
Evernote Stamp Storage Inventory/Notebook: As I was reorganizing my stamps, I also updated my online/electronic stamp inventory database on Evernote. If you’d like to see my stamp collection in its glory, click here. If you’d like to learn how to create one of these notebooks for your own stamp collection, click here.
If you have any questions about my new stamp storage solution, please feel free to contact me or leave a comment and I’ll get back to you asap.
What a great idea to cut the envelopes down! They just were not working for my set at their original size-so I may just need to give this a try!! Thanks for the great post!
This looks wonderful! I may try the storage panels that you use. Thanks for sharing!
Great idea. I mostly have Close to My Heart stamp sets. Which are 6×6, at least the envelope is. I store them in their large organizers. But I have only been stamping for 2yrs(scapbooking 15). What I have fits in 3 organizers. I know I am going out grow this. CTMH envelopes are great but they take up a bit more space with the snap on them. Thanks for sharing your ideas looking forward to the video.
i enjoyed reading the details of your new stamp storage system. You are amazing! I do not know how you accomplish so many things.
You are too kind 🙂 Thanks!
I have been waiting….and I like this idea the best! The 4 drawer cubes are 14.95 online, but totally out of stock! I could fit most all I have ( I think) in one four drawer unit! I have plastic bags for them also….:) Thanks for the update!
Thank you for this update. I think I have left you messages and comments everywhere tonight! 😉 This blog entry answers many of the questions I had. I already have the drawers and for what I have in them I can easily re-purpose them to hold these pockets. Thank you. Julie
What about bigger stamp sets ? What do you do put them in binder or cd case ?
I store them in the stampin up dvd like cases. If they are too big for that (like altenew), I make my own pockets using page protectors and my new fuse tool 🙂