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Organizing New Kits

rdjrneace

rdjrneace

Following the yellow brick road on foot
Joined
Dec 16, 2015
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1,178
Hi my name is Debbie and I have a DigiScrap Addiction.

Seriously though, I buy kits when there is a good sale (just like there was), new release discount or coupon sales. My problem is I have all these kits (seriously a lot) that I forgot which ones I have used.

My question to you - how do you store your "new purchases"? Do you have a "need to use" folder?

I just got a NEW EHD so I am wanting to do some organizing but not sure how I want to do it so I am looking for suggestons.

Thanks
 
Since most of my kits and templates are for CT's, I keep them in my downloads folder until I've made my layout and that kit or template is released and my layouts are posted where they need to be posted. Then I put them in another folder, one for kits and one for templates. Inside those folders are all my kits and/or templates, in ABC order. I have more folders for each team that I'm on. It sounds a bit confusing, but it's really not.

I save things to an EHD, but I don't use it to scrap. I like everything I need to live on my laptop. Once or twice a year, I go through all those folders and purge things that I have that I'll never use again. Those are mostly freebies or blog trains. My rule is if I haven't used it in 6 months, it goes. Except for the CT kits/templates. I keep those.
 
I used to have a new downloads folder, and when it got too big I would sort it by designer, and I used to take a copy of the previews and put it in another folder and tag them, but I was wasting too much time looking for things, and I'd rather be scrapping than tagging, iykwim?

I recently started sorting it by theme - winter/summer/Christmas/templates/everyday/bright/girly/boyish, that sort of thing. I really really really love it this way, I keep finding kits I really like that I meant to use lol When I've used it I put a "z- " in front of the kit name (ie "z- Happygram - One Little Bird") - this moves it to the bottom of the folder since I view them alphabetically usually. If I really want to work with a designer I just search their name and view the kits that way. I also use Tags on my Macbook, so all my TLP kits are coded Green (of course!) and I can sort by tags so I can choose from just this store when it comes to things like MOC and challenges.
 
My kits go into my downloads folder, and don't come out until I use them. I hate having a really busy downloads folder, so it pushes me to use them! Once I do, they go to the EHD where they are stored by Store - Designer - Kit Name. I always toss all the pieces of a kit into one folder, although sometimes the alpha just nestles in the kit folder especially if there is more than 1.
I keep my downloads folder clean of other stuff, so I know if something is in there it's awaiting my attention in some way.
 
Thanks for the ways you all do your "new downloads". My house is minimal but my scrapping stash is a hoard so I guess I really need to go through at some point and clean out what I have not used/will probably never use again.
 
I save them under stores and designers. If I have a layout in mind when I buy the kit, or for a creative team I keep it in my downloads folder until I have used it. I do sometimes forget what I have, but The Lilypad always reminds me when I have bought an item before, which has saved me so much money!
 
Exactly as Courtney described above... For my CT at least: I have it in my downloads folder till I've cleaned it up and used it, then move it to the EHD by store, designer, kit
non CT purchases go to my downloads folder until I've cleaned the folder up (combine all the separate packs, delete TOUs for designers I already have one for, short cuts, etc.) Once the folder has been cleaned up, about once a month I move everything to the main EHD and copied to the backup.
 
I definitely have a "New-need to use" folder. Like I just picked up a bunch of goodies because I'm doing a scrappy weekend with a friend this weekend, so I started a folder called "for scrappy weekend" and I downloaded into there. I have plans for each of the things I downloaded and it helps me remember what I planned to use. Then once I use a kit, it gets moved to it's organized home. :)
 
I don't have a need to use folder for my kits. I buy them because I like them and will use them at some point. I just keep all my folders separated by store first, then designer, then product, since I'm usually a one product scrapper. I don't mix and match a lot.
 
I have a new downloads folder but tag and move everything asap to their proper location (designer - kit). I don't believe in "need to use" as I use what I think works with my photo(s) and that can be a kit which I have had for years without looking at it or what I just got yesterday.
 
I've evolved to where I now have 2 sort of "temporary" holding locations. I download digi files to a #digidownloads once they are unzipped they go to a "newdownloads" folder within my main digi supplies. Once here, I will import them into Lightroom and they stay here until I tag previews and stack alphas. From here they move to a "newstuff" folder. I'm actually trying to scrap all of MOC from this folder (I'm not 100% successful). Once I've used these a few times, the kits get moved to their designer folders.
 
I download kits to my desktop and once they are used move them to my EHD under the store / designer / kit name.
I don't like clutter on my desktop - so when I see too many downloaded kits there I know it's time to get caught up!
 
I go ahead and put mine into my usual Lightroom folder structure, but then I add the preview for the new kit to Lightroom's "Quick Collection" to remind me to actually use it!
 
I have the following folder structure:

SCRAPBOOK KITS
  • 1 CREATIVE TEAM KITS
  • 2 KITS
  • 3 TO SCRAP
Usually if it's something I've just downloaded, it stays out in the main SCRAPBOOK KITS folder for a few days. I scrap with or it gets moved into one of these three folders.

Keeps things tidy and I don't forget to scrap with something.
 
I have mine separated by designer, so each designer has a folder and their kits are inside it. For collabs, I just make a folder collab- name of kit. Because the MOC requires so much stuff from the Lilypad, I have made a folder called The Lilypad and put all the new stuff in there so that I can be sure to use the right stuff for the challenges. Once the MOC is over, I'll put those kits in the designer folders...

I'm trying to avoid tagging the previews, it takes forever, but I really loved the way it worked so easily to find what I needed fast...

Huggles!!
~Sarah~
 
AliSarah said:
I have mine separated by designer, so each designer has a folder and their kits are inside it.
Click to expand...

I do this, but the designers live in their store folder. So, TLP - Fiddle Dee Dee - Fiddlesticks Set 1.
My reason for this is I can use the windows search and find pink or staple or button. And if I start the search with the TLP folder open, it will only look there. Now, granted that only helps if the elements in a kit are labeled like that. But for MOC, it's good enough! I can find the thing I want and move on quickly.

AliSarah said:
I'm trying to avoid tagging the previews, it takes forever, but I really loved the way it worked so easily to find what I needed fast.
Click to expand...
Ditto. I haven't found a good way to tag my kits that works for me. I like Bridge for it so far, but I want to finish my photos first. Organizing them is more important to me right now.
 
scrappyjedi said:
I go ahead and put mine into my usual Lightroom folder structure, but then I add the preview for the new kit to Lightroom's "Quick Collection" to remind me to actually use it!
Click to expand...
I like this idea, might need to try it!
 
I have a 'To Be Used' folder for all of my unused kits & a 'To Be Scrapped' folder for all of my unscrapped photos.

When I am feeling particularly organizational-y, I comb through both folders & match up kits and photos so they're ready to go (and put in a different folder called 'To Be Made') the next time I want to scrap. :giggle
 
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