Each time we coordinate a card swap I hear several complaints about how much trouble it is to know which stamp sets are current and can be used for the swap. I also did a quick survey a few weeks ago and one of the recurrent topics was how to be more organized with stamping supplies. Well, I have a great suggestion for you to keep you current and to help you be more organized.

BTW, if you follow me on Pinterest--http://www.Pinterest.com/sandihartka you'll see that I have a new board for organizing craft rooms and craft supplies--check it out after you check out my current organizing tip.

OK, back to our topic. I'd like to say that this tip was my idea--but I'm better and finding good ideas than generating them! LOL. This idea comes from Angie Gittles--one of Sandi's Stampers.  She explained her very simple system of tracking her current stamp sets---she purchased an inexpensive pack of colored dots from the office supply store and puts a colored dot at the bottom of the stamp case spine...check out the picture below.

Now, this doesn't have to be an overwhelming chore even if you have 200 stamp sets on hand. You only need your current catalog--turn to the index and look for the first stamp set on your shelf...if it's there....just go to the next stamp set and look it up. If it's not there, put a dot on the case. 

How simple is that?

Now, you can do this with all of your stamping tools! You can put dots on your embossing folders, your framelit packs, your punches and your ink pads--you can even put them on your Stampin'Write markers!

If you have shelves for your cardstock--put a dot next to the color if it is retired.  If you don't have shelving--here's a great storage hint (this one comes from Diane Flayhart)--purchase a pack of the WIDE page protectors from the office supply store. These are designed to hold up to 40-50 pages of copy paper and will hold a full pack of your Stampin'Up! cardstock. So put the colored dot on the sheet protectors.

Now aren't these two ideas simple and inexpensive? And how nice will it be next time we organize a swap and all you need to do is check out the stamps and tools that don't have a dot and you are ready to participate!

Speaking of SWAPS--our next SWAP is due to me by noon on Halloween (10/31/16 at noon). The only rule is all current Stampin'Up products must be used. You can provide the recipe if you want. Just send 10 card fronts to me and you are IN!  My address is 313 Esther Drive, Forest Hill, MD 21050. Swaps will not be returned or swapped if they don't meet the current Stampin'Up! products rule. It's not too late--you still have nearly 30 days...email me if you are not currently signed up to let me know you want to participate--I will be making a little thank you gift for you ([email protected])

 Do you have a really cool supply/tool organization tip that you'd like to share with our stampers? Email it to me with a picture of what you are doing--we all need help with our limited space and getting our supplies in a ready state so when we have a few minutes--weáre ready to stamp