Saturday's Scrap Space: Laura Vegas

My scraproom was previously upstairs in a large loft area. About a year ago, I made the decision to move it into the downstairs bedroom. Because I work as a daycare provider in my home, I spend the majority of my time downstairs. So it just made more sense for me, to have my space close to me. I can find time here and there, throughout the day, to work on projects. And all of my supplies are close at hand.   

This is the view walking into my space. It's a fairly small room, but I have made it work for me. I have my desk (from Target) in the middle of the room, in front of the window. I have this weird quirk, about not wanting my back to the door when I work. I like being able to see out the door, into the rest of the house.

I went from working on a 4'x8' island, to this much smaller desk. I think this has been my biggest adjustment, just getting used to less room to groove when I'm working. I keep two of the Making Memories desktop carousel's on my desk. One that holds all my most used tools and adhesives. And one that holds a random assortment of new products and products I want to remember to use. I also have my Making Memories embellishment box, that holds the majority of my brad collection. On the bottom shelves of the desk, I keep some bins that hold my most used punches, more tools, and more adhesive. I also have some baskets and jars of ribbons and other embellishments.

I have two of the Ikea Expedit shelves in my scraproom. This first one is to the right of my desk (if you were sitting at my desk). The top row of this shelf holds my collection of idea books and magazines. The next row down holds most of my pattern paper. I keep my pattern paper in the verticle paper holders, and they are all organized by manufacturer. The middle row holds all my cardstock, which is stored in the horizontal trays, by color. The bottom two rows have baskets and bins. These hold paper scraps, more cardstock, some mini albums, alterable items, and other assorted things.

I only have two walls to work with in this room. One wall is almost all window, one wall is all closet, and that leaves me two walls. Those are the walls that hold my Expedit shelves. I lucked out, since they fit perfectly around this second window in the room.When I'm sitting at my desk, I'm looking directly at this second Expedit shelf. This shelves holds the majority of my embellishments. I use metal bins and baskets (all from Target), wicker baskets (all from Michaels), and some jars here and there (all from Target). I have recently replaced all the jars on the top shelves, with drawer units. I tend to organize one of two ways. Either by manufacturer, keeping everything from that manufacturer together. Or by type of product, mixing different manufacturers together for each type of product. I wish I could say that I had a system to this way of organizing, but I don't. It really just depends on the manufacturer, and product. I DO keep all the manufacturers that I design for, seperate. This makes it easier for me to work, when I have assignments.

To my left, when sitting at my desk, is the closet. This is one thing that I really love having again. When I was upstairs in the loft area, I didn't have any hidden space. No closets, no closed cabinets. I like that I can have an area that is hidden, that I don't have to worry about keeping pretty.

I already had these tall drawer units in the closet, so I utilized them for my supplies. In these drawers, I keep my stamps, inks, embossing supplies, die cutting tools, paints and glitters, and other supplies. In the other half of the closet, are more drawers that hold my two daugther's supplies and school stuff.

I did still keep my scrap island, from when my space was upstairs. It's located right outside my scraproom, in the playroom area in the front of the house. When I have larger projects going on, or just need room to spread out, I bring my supplies out to the island to work. It's nice that I still have that option, even though I do love my scraproom.

 

Visit Laura's Blog for more ideas!

Comments

[joni]

What a great scrap space! I love how you organized your Expedit cube...very nice!

[Michelle]

LOVE your space!! I like how you have it organized. Did you trim down your Cropper Hopper's full of paper? Mine don't fit in my Expedits.

[Vanessa]

Beautiful room! I too have the Ikea Expedit shelves but I have the slightly smaller ones (16 cubes). The vertical Cropper Hopper paper holders do not fit in mine. Did you trim the plastic to make them fit? It drives me nuts that I can't put them in there!!! I also have a 4x8 island but since we moved, I don't have my room anymore. I just set up a 6 ft. folding table and am trying to condense to a 8 cube Expedit shelf, rolling paper cart and small bookcase. Wish me luck! ;)

[Kim]

WHat a nice space! Wish my room as organized as yours!!

[dawn]

love love your space!!

[StampinCathy]

Love your room and how you organized everything.

[Olivia]

Love your room! I'm hoping to get a desk carousel for my Birthday or Christmas this year :)

[laura vegas]

thanks everyone! yes, i did cut down my cropper hopper paper holders. you only have to trim about 1/4 an inch off the top. my mom had some electric scissors that i used for most of them ... made it super easy. but i've also just used some sturdy kitchen scissors. i don't make neat cuts or even cuts, either. i just eyeball it and trim, usually not in a straight line. lol! no one will see it when it's in the expedit. i have heard of other scrappers laying the paper holders on their sides ... i believe they fit that way, and you can just pull out your papers.

[Helen Tilbury]

Oh I loved this! Thanks! Has given me some more ideas for my own little room. No Target here so I had some similar Expidit shelves made but definitely could do with some more! Just texting the carpenter now LOL!

[AnnaMarie]

What a beautiful and well-stocked space! I love the wall paint color.

[~Tonya]

I love your space, Laura and I also love the color of your walls. You have such a neat space and all so organized.

[Michelle]

Laura, thanks for the info on the cropper hopper storage! :) I have the 8 cube Expedit. Kind of figured you had to of trimmed them. I have the big Expedit like yours, but it houses toys in the basement. Think we may have to do something about that one!! ;)

[Jan Garber]

Great space I am still unpacking trying to figure it all out. Thanks for all the fun this month boy those unity stamps lucky girls I love love unity