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Keitha wrote:Cheryl,
I have some Avery Elle envelopes - which work great with the Fuse, BTW - but they aren't big enough for the couple of Altenew sets I have. Which brings me to the observation that the envelopes the matching dies and stamps come in aren't the same size - making it impossible to store both together in the same packaging without trimming or folding the insert. In the case of one set the illustration is not only helpful but pretty much necessary to figure out what bits to use, so it's not going anywhere. Don't know why companies can't put a little more thought into these things - unless of course they're also trying to get you to buy yet another product for storage.
Farley, I'll be checking out the Ellen Hutson envelopes before buying anymore of the Avery Elle ones.

That's one thing great about the Essentials by Ellen - she actually gives you the storage envelope when you buy her stamps/dies.
Would be nice if others followed suite!

How nice!

Keitha wrote:Cheryl, I remember your die storage from the beach. Those Art Bins are expensive here, plus I prefer open bins that I can pull off a shelf and flip through. They're great for traveling, though.
Thanks to Nancy here and someone on another forum who mentioned the vent covers. Home Depot here (Canada) only carries one size, one style - not the bigger sheets that you can cut to fit. But I can work with the 4x10 size with the vent grills printed on them They are thin and easy to cut, and perhaps not as attractive, magnetically speaking, as the Art Bin inserts but inserted in envelopes will work fine - much better than trying to peel those thin dies off two-sided tape without bending them.
I have some Avery Elle envelopes - which work great with the Fuse, BTW - but they aren't big enough for the couple of Altenew sets I have. Which brings me to the observation that the envelopes the matching dies and stamps come in aren't the same size - making it impossible to store both together in the same packaging without trimming or folding the insert. In the case of one set the illustration is not only helpful but pretty much necessary to figure out what bits to use, so it's not going anywhere. Don't know why companies can't put a little more thought into these things - unless of course they're also trying to get you to buy yet another product for storage.
Farley, I'll be checking out the Ellen Hutson envelopes before buying anymore of the Avery Elle ones.

The Avery Elle envelopes do come in different sizes. I bought some of the larger ones for my Altenew sets.

That's what I'm considering Pam.

I just bought the Avery pockets and will try Debi's and Farley's

That's the system I use also and it works for me!

Mine is a mix. I have three of the Artbin storage containers, 9 or so of the magnetic folders that Quikutz used to make for their dies, and some dies are kept with the stamps. Oh, I also have the magnetic storage sheets for my stamp binders that have my Timmy stamp and die sets on them, as well as the couple of Julie Nutting die sets I own. I also keep the Timmy thin dies in their folders, but I've cut up magnet sheets to slip inside for those with bitty dies. Mine is kind of random, I suppose, but it makes sense to me.

I got one of those ArtBin containers too and immediately decided I didn't like it. Yes, the magnets are good, but expensive and the container is a nuisance to try and flip through as the magnetic sheets are heavy. I use the Avery Elle pockets with the Frost King vent covers. If you back the magnetic with some cardboard they work just fine and all my dies stay attached. I bought Sterilite Bins from Target and Big Lots so I can easily flip through the sheets. I'm starting to organize my dies the same way I do my stamps.

I got a program called Evernote and I love it. I have to admit I'm a little OCD and trying to keep my stamps organized was a joke. I have big background stamps, rubber mount stamps, clear mount stamps and there was no "ONE" way to keep them all together such as putting all birthday or Christmas or Seasonal together because of the difference in size of the stamp sets. Evernote changed that. I scan either the index sheet for stamps or the stamp case itself, and import it into Evernote. I have a identification system of "A" is general clear stamps, "B" are background stamps. "GK" are my GinaK Stamps (I have a lot of those). "SU" and "CTMH", not many and they all go into those same Sterilite bins. Then I number them up A1 is a My Favorite Things stamp set that has matching dies. So in Evernote, if I look up flowers, that set will come up and show me a picture of the stamps and the matching dies. If I want to use that one, I know exactly where it is because it's in the "A" Bin (which technically is more than one bin now - I just continue the numbering). If I've added SU to the name of the stamp set, I go to the Stampin' Up bin and so on. The program is "word" sensitive, but when I put my stamps in, I actually add the words for whatever greeting is in the set as it doesn't always recognize the fonts of the stamp. I also note what the stamps are, such as balloon, insect, swirl, whatever so when I search I can find exactly what I'm looking for. I don't even have to get up and look at the stamps to see if that is what I really want as I have a picture right in front of me. I used to try and keep all my Christmas together and Birthday together, but when you get a new set, you have to reorder everything if you've run out of space in the bin or CD wall, or if the particular set is large and doesn't fit in the container with the others. Now it doesn't matter, flowers can be A1 and A27 and A53. Birthday greetings might be A13, SU4 and GK 27. The lettering and numbering system means that oversize stamps are handled no different than any others, they are numbered and in the "O" bin or oversize/BIG.

I've even done this with my CS Stash of pizza boxes.

I am so not worthy.

Wow. What a job that must have been! I've tried to keep records of the things I have like that, but I totally failed. So congrats on getting that done!

My dies will never be organized. I have a reasonably good sense of what I have, but only because I haven't bought more than a handful of new dies in years. They're all thrown into a cabinet and when I want something I have to dig for it. But often in that digging I'll rediscover something I forgot I had, so that's always a good time. It's like Christmas every time I open that die cabinet.

it would take me forever to do that

I was really OCD about my stamps, punches, inks, Stickles, embossing powders... for about 5 years... I think it was about 2002 when I gave up!

Do you hire out?

I bow low to your desire to be so organized and succeed at it! That’s an impressive system and I believe it puts Jennifer McGuire to shame. I hope you have a special craft room to enjoy this amazing organization.

I ordered the Frost King vent covers. What a great idea (thanks Barbara for passing that along!). Amazon has a great price on them. My Altenew sets have some tiny pieces. I hope this keeps them in place so I don't lose any.