[LauraJB]

This is what I am getting at.

File all Collections under just the collections folder ex:
Collections folder
All collections open all together here


Or in sub folders under Collections folder ex:
Collections folder
Seascape
Destinations
By the Sea
Cowboy Up!
Stylize
Well Traveled
Well Loved


I am working on simplifying my storage system. So all input is welcome. I do like the way I am doing it now. Just want to shorten my searching options until I get everything tagged

Also input on styles, actions, templates and such is welcome too.

Thank you for your input!

Laura

[Pab]

I have more than one Software that I use. One being Creative Memories and it has to be organized a certain way so then when I use PSE I just go to where CM stored the collections on my computer and open what I need from there. So my collections are all organized under One big folder and each collection has a subfolder named what it is. Ex, BMU_Zoomba Collection and so on... by keeping the designers initials then it keeps them all together in the main folder by who created them also.

[Sara Arell]

I keep mine sorted by designer too......it's just easier for me that way.

[mimes1]

My sub folders are by color theme - (except for the "theme" folder)

Bright and Bold
Earthtone
Pastel
Grunge
Themed
Christmas
Doodly
and now Nano (because of the SS Bonus!)

Ok - I guess it isn't all color determined.
Within each folder I keep the collections together in each their own folder with the designer's initials at the beginning of the folder name.

I've been thinking of lumping them all in one folder by designer. With Picasa I'll be able to find what I need either way quickly. Since I started with the above folders, it's just easier to keep the same system rather than reorganize everything.

[BarbaraC1977]

I actually do two entirely different storage systems. Despite every indexing tool around, I periodically feel the need to rearrange things, so this works best for me:

Set #1: Collections in folders by collection, e.g. AirMail, DefiningMoments, etc.

Set #2: All papers in a folder, and in folders sorted by color groups, all embellishments in subfolders by type, e.g. Bows&Ribbons, Clamps&Clips, etc. Same for Word Art. These supplies include scrapsimple and colored kit materials together.

When I run out of disk space, I may have to revisit, but it works best for me so far. If I had to choose one, I'd NOW do Set #2, and then search by collection name when needed.

[Belle]

I do what Barbara does. I like to keep the collections together in a folder and then sort them into eg. bows and ribbons, buttons, etc. I just find it easier.

[Rose Ann]

I guess it depends on your personal preference and on your operating system. I did what Barb does until a few weeks ago when I got a new laptop with Windows7 on it. I had one folder with all of my collections arranged by name, and also copied each object in the collection and organized it by category so I could browse by "whatever strikes me" or just look in "frames" or "ribbons" or "pink papers".

Now I have stopped copying and sorting, because the windows7 gallery lets me search by any part of the name of an object so I can see all ribbons from my target folders just by using the correct search terms. Since SG designers name their products so thoroughly, it works out great.

Hope that helps.

[diannecp]

what helps me is collecting all papers in folders according to color, embellishments according to type (bows, doodles, frames, etc.). but i put all the PNG- Mktg files together so i can look through collections at a glance. PNG-Alpha, PNG-Emb, PNG-Paper, PNG-WordArt, and PNG-Mktg (the ones that show the entire collection). This gives me 2 ways to access my stuff - by type, if I know what i want. Or I can get a quick visual idea by the PNG folders.

[tinkerbell11]

It is an interesting idea to have subfolders for the collections folder, right now I just toss them all in together tho! Maybe I will do some further organizing, thanks for the question.

[candyK]

Top layer is Scraps folder, inside there is the kits(with folders inside for each designer), embellies, templates, alphas, much like Ro.

When I have a purchase, I unpack all of my brand new stuff into a large folder named: kit_'PrettyStuff'. Then that folder goes into the larger folder which is just the designers name. I use picassa and do some tagging- I name everything with the kit name and designers name just in case--not really necessary. Then I'm done.

The newsletter daily goodies I put into folders similar to Ro's method and I am slowly getting my other stuff put into those folders too. ie embellies> Fasteners, etc.

My page layout templates go into a large templates folder and inside I have it divided by the number of pictures that the template will take. Then if I have 4 pics I can just go to the '4pics' folder. I keep them named by designer and source.

HTH,
candyK

[LauraJB]

Thank you all for participating in this for me! And thank you for the information that everyone has sent over. Definately made my decision much easier!

[jhbren]

My organization system is multilayered. Collections with themes are in a folder subdivided by themes: celebrations, holidays, children & pets, school & office, scouts, sports, women & girls, men & boys, military, heritage/vintage, home, travel & vacation, seasons, nature, storybook, urban/country, retro, music. For some I've put an alias in other themes that fit the collection. And then there are all the JIF and ZIP kits in their own folder, and a rather large group of "unclassified" collections. Just where does Brandy's Sassafras belong, anyway?! It sounds unwieldy, but it works for me.

Products that are not part of collections go in folders by type: alphas, brushes, embellishments, textures & tools, word art.

I keep the designers initials, but move them to the end of the folder name, because I'm more likely to remember the collection name. I add initials for the vendor - mostly SG, of course, but there are a few others, and I've made an Excel table to keep track of those. I don't change the names of the products in the folders.

Recently I've begun storing all new products in iPhoto, again titled by the collection name, with parts and pieces tagged with keywords. Each time I purchase something I also copy a product I already have to iPhoto, so eventually it will replace the folder system. It's a lot easier to find a red ribbon visually than by using my Mac's search function, which returns complete names of products, condensed to fit the screen panels; red and/or ribbon may be at the end of that name.

It's complicated, but it's the way my mind works - fussy, overtime & obsessive about organization.

[PBarnes]

I have a folder called Scrapbooking Supplies. Inside that folder, I have folders labeled Alphas, Embellishments, Papers, Word Art plus a few others. I file the folders that the Scrap Girls designers provide in their respective folders. If the designer has combined Alphas and Word Art, I'll make new folders, using the SG naming convention, to file them into their respective categories. I also have a folder called Page Kits where I file AYO, Nano, Fab5 and JIF6 sets.

I use Picasa to find things when I'm scrapping. I might put Paper Green into the search and then browse through until I find what I'd like to start with. After I choose one, I check to see what collection it is from and then I can put that name into the search box in Picasa to bring up all the items from that collection. If there is a specific type of embellishment I want that isn't in the collection, then I do a search on that item.

Works for me but it might not be everybody's cup o' tea.

[anemone1983]

I've been thinking of switching to Ro's filing system - similar to Pat's post. Right now, mine is by collection, except for things like Brushes, Actions, Styles, etc. things that usually don't have a collection.

The thing is...I'm lazy so if I use everything from a collection, I know it matches. If I organized differently I might see it differently (maybe have more inspiration?), but that's not how I work at the moment.

I've been considering doing what Barbara does and having it both ways, but instead of duplicates, I've been thinking of creating shortcuts to everything and organizing the shortcuts in alternate methods. Would accomplish the same thing, be about as much work as creating duplicates, but save disk drive space. I'll have to see if I have the ambition to do it!

[diannecp]

I use Ro's system but have started keeping collections in their own folder within that folder. i.e. Embellishments has folders for ribbons, tags, etc. but new collections i just keep together. i.e Embellishments>BMU_BackPorch_Emb. If i find myself using a collection so much, sometimes i break it out into the other folders after a while.I also started folders titled PNG_ for paper, embellishments, alpha (PNG_paper, PNG_emb, PMB_alpha & PNG_Mktg for those miscellaneous ones) and that's where I file all the PNG contact sheets, so i can still look through collections at a glance instead of through folders. My intent at some point is to print off those sheets and keep them in a binder for quick reference. (that may just be one of those pie-in-the-sky projects i never get around to though!)

Liked reading everyone else's suggestions here - some good ideas.