Scrapbook Organizers

Why Should I Pre-Plan My Pages?

If you’re normally a very spontaneous person, the thought of pre-planning your scrapbook layouts may not sound particularly appealing. However, this approach has several advantages:

• By pre-planning your pages, you make sure you have all of your supplies readily available for when you have a few extra minutes to scrapbook.
• Pre-preplanning layouts will force you to use items from your stash instead of constantly purchasing new supplies.
• When you get in the habit of immediately labeling and sorting photos, you won’t forget the important details you need to finish your journaling.
• If you like to attend crops away from home, it will be easier to pack the supplies you need to complete a project.
• If you start to pre-plan layouts before vacations and other special events, you’ll never again need to worry about forgetting to take the right photos for your scrapbook.

Getting Started

If you’re ready to start pre-planning your scrapbook pages, you’ll want to get in the habit of asking yourself the following questions before you begin a new layout:

• Is there a sketch or a magazine layout I want to use as the inspiration for my project?
• What photos or memorabilia do I want to include in my layout?
• What details are important to include in my journaling?
• What cardstock and patterned paper do I need?
• What embellishments match my layout theme?
• Are there any supplies I need to buy or additional information I need to gather before I’m ready to begin this page?

Popular Organizational Tools

Today’s scrapbookers have a number of options for pre-planning their layouts. For example:

• Memory Dock Page Planner: The Memory Dock Page Planner by We R Memory Keepers is a great tool for anyone who wants to file away pictures to scrapbook at a later date. Simply use the divided page protectors in this handy binder to store photos, memorabilia, journaling notes, and coordinating embellishments.
• Cropper Hopper Page Planner: If you already use the Cropper Hopper paper holders to keep your supplies organized, try investing in a few page planner envelopes. These sturdy 12x12 plastic envelopes provide a handy space to stash your photos and layout supplies until you’re ready to scrapbook.
• Karen Foster Memory Planner: The Karen Foster Memory Planner, scheduled for release in August 2007, is a 12 month calendar that can be used as both a scrapbooking organizational tool and a personal date book. As an added bonus, it’s available in both pink and willow green!

Homemade Scrapbook Organizers

While purchasing scrapbook organizers makes the process of planning your layouts much more convenient, it’s quite possible to develop your own affordable organizational alternative using free online worksheets and a binder you’ve decorated with your leftover supplies. Check out the following links to help you get started:

• Organized Scrapbooks: This site has a number of free printable page organizers you can use to plan your scrapbooking projects. There are organizers available for both single and double page layouts, as well as theme albums.
• Simple Scrapbooks: This site has a free worksheet to help you organize the structure of a mini-gift album. If you’ve never made a gift album before, this worksheet offers an easy way to neatly structure the project.
• Traditions Matter: This handy website has a collection of free scrapbook organizers, including sheets for sorting layout sketches, quotes, and ideas from your favorite scrapbook magazines. If you’re feeling extremely ambitious, the site also offers printable scrapbook inventory sheets.