With thousands of scrapbooking tools, papers, and embellishments to choose from, it is easy to quickly see yourself buried under a pile of scrapbooking supplies, especially if you’re living in a home that does not have a lot of extra space that can be dedicated to scrapbooking exclusively. The good news is that it is definitely possible to keep your scrapbooking area tidy even if you are a scrapbooking addict with tons of supplies. It just takes a little planning and organizational know-how.

The most important part is getting your scrapbooking paper out of the way and organized. Not just so you can keep it tidy when you’re not scrapbooking, but also so you don’t have to make a mess when you are working on a project. What you can do is buy a paper saver, which is available by several different scrapbooking brands. These file systems can help you categorize hundreds of different papers and tag them as you see fit for easy access without searching through them all in a frenzy.

If you do not want to spend money on a filing system built specifically for scrapbooking supplies, you can always use a regular office filing cabinet. You may even be able to pick one up that suits your needs for $5 or $10 at a garage sale or on Craigslist.

The extra drawers you will need for your tools and embellishments. Ultimately, you will be better off with compartments as well to separate the different types of accessories like stamps, stickers, and even into themes like Christmas, birthdays, etc. if you have the space. If you only have a couple drawers, what you can do is buy drawer inserts that have smaller spacing inside (similar to something like the one in your kitchen utensil drawer).

The basic idea is to have one spot to have all your scrapbooking supplies stored and neatly organized. Having something tall with several drawers and compartments will serve you best in a small space. You will also enjoy your scrapbooking time more if there’s less chaos and clean up is easy!

Before you start gluing down photos and embellishments, you’re going to want to prepare the scrapbook page layout and put everything in it’s place before you make it final. This is so you don’t make a mistake and then are unable to remove something because you have already used adhesive to make it permanent.

Typically, scrapbookers will either prepare a one or two-page layout. Although a one page layout for your scrapbook can give a sense of more intimacy with the photos placed closely together, a two page layout allows for a lot more to be included. Sometimes a two-page layout is necessary to avoid having to leave something out or squeeze it all into a space that doesn’t do the theme justice.

If you happen to have a huge set of photos that need to be within one scene, you can always even spread it out over 3-4 pages or even create a whole album that is based on one event (wedding, 40th birthday party, baby’s birth, etc.).

Whatever  your theme and event happens to be that you are creating a scrapbook layout for, the point is that preparation is key. It is easy to get overwhelmed if you just try to dive right in and start sticking items to the paper as you go without planning out the layout.

The best thing to do is spread everything out over a large table. Even if you are preparing 10 pages, lay them all out together so you can get a sense of how they will flow together as you begin preparing the photos and embellishments.

Of course, it’s a good idea to do this in a room where small children and pets won’t crash into your layout before it’s glued down. The small pieces you’ll be using as embellishments are a choking hazard as well. So, if possible, find a space in your house that can be just for your scrapbooking.