Stamp Storage

I love stamps! It's no secret. My problem however is that I rarely use them. I have found the reason is that they are always put away and forgotten or when I do remember them, it's just too much trouble to pull them out and fumble with packaging to get one little stamp.

Recently I purchased a few stamps from Nicole Reaves shop.  I love her stamps. They are rubber stamps and they come with the EZ Mount foam for you to mount.  My problem was that I didn't know how I was going to store them.  I remembered hearing others have used CD cases. I had an extra one laying around so I pulled it out to store them in.  (Sorry about the photos, I just took them quickly with my iPhone for time sake).

What I found was that I absolutely loved this storage!  I used the stamps much more because they were easy to get to and visible!  My dilemma was trying to decide if I really wanted to change all my stamps to this storage format.  I began changing a few at a time.  

Here are my Elle's Studio Stamps.  Out of the packaging and ready to use!

Here begins my storage transformation....I started with the few that were just small packages, like the little stamps from the $1 bin at Michaels (that I have never used by the way), my Jenni Bowlin stamps that I have just a few of.....again, I found I was using these stamps much more because they were so accessible and no fumbling with packages.  

I used my labeler to quickly label the spine of the CD case so I know exactly which stamps are in the case.  If I keep this storage, I will definitely come up with some cuter labels!

Most of my Studio Calico stamps are in binders using the storage pages.  I love the concept of this however, it totally frustrates me because no matter what, there are always some that fall off! For example, the lower left corner of this page. I have no idea which stamp was there and where it is now!

So I'm really rethinking the storage panels.  Now, they are perfect for my larger background stamps that won't fit in CD cases but I like the idea I saw someone post on the Studio Calico message board.  They use the panels but keep them standing up in storage basket.  Easy to flip through and if one falls off, it's in the bottom of the basket.  Might try that for the larger stamps.  

But for those smaller stamp sets, thinking I might just continue moving them all to the CD cases.  Some of the sets come on sheets longer than the CD case.  For example, my Technique Tuesday stamps.

The OCD in me struggles with taking them from the packaging and off the sheet backing.  However, you can still clearly see the stamp in the CD case, even without the backing sheet.  One of my Instagram friends, suggested keeping the package backing in a small binder so I still have it and can thumb through it. Then if I decide to change up again, I still have my packaging. Might think about that too.

See, the stamps are still clearly visible, although I had to rearrange them differently than they were in their original packaging. They still all fit in one case.

So, there you go, my stamp storage dilemma and attempts at finding something that works. My struggle is between keeping the packaging as it for pretty sake or using something that makes them more accessible!  Right now, accessible is winning!

Would love to hear your comments or any ideas!