Saturday, August 18, 2012

How To: Storing Thin Dies

Now that we have a few sets of thin dies, the question becomes how to store them so they don't get bent and damaged and yet are easily accessible.  In my opinion magnet sheet is the answer.  I have presented a couple of ways to store them.  Keeping the really nice envelope from Stampin Up! or using CD cases.

1) Original Pkge - If you are going to keep the SU envelope I propose just adding a piece of cardstock the same size as the original cardboard.  Apply the exact same size sheet of adhesive magnet and voila your framelits are easy to get to, protected, labeled and can be organized.  For those thin dies sold in clam shell cases likely you will need to go to plan 2.

2) CD Cases - You must find the old style (thick) CD jewel cases.  Can still be found in thrift stores and some dollar stores. Carefully remove the black inserts which hold the CD.  Cut to size and apply adhesive magnet sheet to both sides of the case.  Now the thin dies will adhere well but will be easy to access.  With a label maker I placed identification information on the outside of the case.  Now I store them in regular CD storage rack. I can quickly see which ones are sitting there.  My niece gave me some of these for Christmas ready to go.  It was such a nice idea.  Thanks.
How are you storing your thin dies?  Leave me a comment.

9 comments:

  1. Have attached magnetic sheets to bulletin board - hung on wall above my cuttlebug.

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  2. That is a great idea. Being a visual person having them close would be excellent.

    Sylvia

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  3. I like the above idea. I have magnet sheets in a binder of plastic page protector sleeves. I need to find more magnet sheets as I have more dies to put away.

    Karen

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  4. I store my nestabilities and other thin dies in a CD storage box with a flip lid that is very compact that I found at Office Max. It comes in either a light color linen look or a black plastic. I put mine on cardboard with magnet sheet on it and then hang in hanging folders that come in the CD case. Then I made dividers so I can keep all the squares, circles, oval, rectangles, labels and other shapes together. This makes it easy to find what I'm looking for. Kathy M.

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  5. I use magnet sheets and store them in a CD case.

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  6. Being cramped for space, I store my Spellbinder dies in two 3" deep zippered binders. Each binder has two 3ring sides and I put my die/die set on magnetic sheets cut to fit see thru plastic 3ring sheets with pockets (have 3 sizes - bought at the office supply - one is baseball card size and the other two are for photo sizes). The back of my magnetic sheets is white so I write the # and name of the die(s)on that, and store in the baseball/photo pocket sheet size that best fits the dies. The collection is divided by an A-Z index so it is easy to flip to all my circle dies under 'C' as well as 'Christmas or anything beginning with C; 'O' for oval; 'R' for rectangle; 'S' for square...you get the idea. Because the binder zips the dies do not fall out, and since I have so many, I am careful to hold my hand at the top of the pages when fliping the lettered divider to make sure none fall out...the zippered binder has a handle so I can carry it where I need it. I have another zipper binder for my stencils; another for the Sizzix and Sizzlets dies...all stored the same way. Works well for me!
    I had stored my Copics in snap together boxes until I bought the Copic Storage bag...so now my Cheery Lynn, Quick Kutz, and miscellaneous European dies are stored in these thin snap type boxes with the category written on the front of each box...I keep each brand's boxes snapped together alphabetically by topic...no magnetic sheets...hope to transfer these to zipper binders with pockets in the futures from these 3 sets of boxes.
    Would love to do CD cases, but the cost would be high and where to store them would be a problem...my studio is the laundry room - LOL. My stamps are stored in the garage on shelves my husband built...in 80 pizza boxes with aluminum foil lining and names on the front of the box.
    Hope this all makes sense!
    Paper Hugs,
    Jan

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  7. I also use CD cases. I cut the picture from the packaging to fit, so I see the picture through the case. On the inside I put strips of magnet. I put sets together facing each other (small ovals on left and large ovals on right). I have a 2 drawer card file cabinet that holds them all upright and I label the spines with the name so I can spot them quickly. And I have the number of dies in a set visible on the CD so before I put a set away, I count! :-) my longer dies are in their original packaging alongside the CDs as there is room for them in the drawers.

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  8. PS I used to put a full sheet of magnet on each wall case, but now I use strips with spaces or gaps. Still secure but makes it easier to lift the dies out and saves my manicure.

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  9. Hi,
    Here's a few more ideas I've received by e-mail.
    1) I am loving the Art Bin Storage with the magnetic sheets! - Becky
    2) I use magnetic sheets to store mine, and then the sheets are in a Winnex holder. http://winnable.com/.left_menu/045~Poly_Stationery/?Item%20Name=201BP-5%20AD&SUB%20Class=Expanding%20Files
    - Karen G
    3) I store all my wafer dies in 5.5x8 note books in page protectors by Martha Stewart & Avery I get at Staples - Red
    4) A bulletin board with sticky backed magnetic sheets - hung on wall above my cuttlebug. - Mary Jane
    5) http://expressionswithheart.wordpress.com - check out tutorials - Pam

    Sylvia

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