Embracing my Inner Neat Freak....

Oh, yeah sure. All I have to do is follow the arrows on this silly diagram in this magazine and it's going to tell me all about my organizational skills..just like that. "Whatever" I think...so I do it just for fun. Guess what? The results were dead on. I'll give you my results (and yours later) but, meanwhile I was just pondering, the fact that I spend more time organizing my beads than actually making jewelry...I spend hours organizing my scrapbook  paper by theme and color, and sometimes further by manufacturer, so that it will be easy for me to locate...in the event that I scrapbook...what...once this month, if that? What is wrong with this proverbial  picture?

Motivation to create OBVIOUSLY does not come from the simple marvel of my organization skills. If it did, I'd have a bounty of bulging, memory laden scrapbook albums brimming from my shelves. Nevertheless, the organization, nor the desire to do so does not stop for me...despite the lack of completed projects. I fear it stems from a deep-seated desire to be in control of something; of anything, which I might add, is my parent's fault...or so my therapist alleges.  So as I continue on my quest for the ultimate way to store & display my unused scrapbook tools and apparattuses, supplies and cache, I stumbled on this article that was the ultimate definition of my obsession...brace yourself, I am a...

FUNCTIONAL FIEND. And that definition was spot-on. Here it is: "Clutter drives you/crazy and having a messy scrap space distracts you from projects.  Embrace your inner neat freak & put away supplies as you finish using them rather than waiting until the end. That will cut down on cleanup, and save your sanity if you have to leave a page middesign".

You are a CLUTTERED CROPPER if you:

-find clutter comforting or not bothersome (i hate you btw)

-Do not clean up immediately after you finish scrapping (what is wrong with you?)

-If it doesn't drive you crazy when supplies are out of place (also hate  you)

-Could care less about eyecatching storage solutions or any for that matter

-You don't move your supplies because  you don't even clean them up!

-You do share your crop space

-You have no idea where your paper is.

I have a customer in Oklahoma, who shall remain nameless, and who does not read my blog because she cannot operate a computer, and she is a Cluttered Cropper. She does not bother with the clutter. She works on multiple page layouts stacked up at the same time. She works with glue stick all over her fingers with a variety of objects stuck to them. She loses her tape runner all the time. She keeps replacing it. She lost her Titleopia thingy twice and bought two....but you know what, when she scrapbooks, she  has fun. So I have to secretly wonder if there is something to the messy scrapbook mind.

"Your scrap stash is a mess, but you don't mind.  Look for ways to contain clutter, (prozac perhaps) whether it's purchasing translucent tubs for toting tools or investing in baskets to hold embellishments.  keep frequently used supplies easy to find by storing them in a tool caddy or tote, but don't feel guilty if the rest of your stash isn't organized. It's just who you are."

You are a MOBILE MAVEN if you:

-If you move your supplies often (duh)

-Your motto is "out of sight out of mind".

-Most weekends are spent cropping with friends elsewhere besides home (jelous)

-You don't care if things are out of place

-You don't share your scrap space because you don't have space to share & it really doesn't bother you!

 "You do most of your srapping on the go, so you need portable storage solutions.  A good rolling tote is your best friend when carting supplies back and forth.  Or turn to sturdy tubs with lids to safely store your stash."  (I personally know one Mobile Maven who, last summer, did not even unpack her scrapbook stuff from her vehicle from crop to crop but stored it there...talk about mobile)

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You are a STYLISH SCRAPPER if...

-Looks matter

-Need organization that's easy to maintain.

-Don't need to keep supplies away from little ones

-Want eyecatching storage solutions

-Clean up immediately after scrapping

-Own more supplies than you know what to do with

-Your motto is NOT "out of sight out of mind"

-Can find a piece of paper in your stash in less than a minute

-Organization blogs are your bible (you have other issues if this is true)

"You like your storage to look good & it's a bonus if it's practical as well.  w/Storage that doubles as home decor, you put your supplies to good use.  Just remember that it needs to be functional too.  Check impulsive buying (it's pretty but does it serve a purpose?) by identifying a use for a piece before swiping the old credit card.

So which are you? Ponder it with me and post your conclusion...and offer any storage advice.