How to organize your digital scrapbook stash

Setting up your main folders

The best way to start organizing is to create one main folder for all your digital scrapbooking supplies. Keeping everything in one place makes it much easier to back up your files later. Inside this main folder, you can create subfolders based on how you prefer to browse.

Many people set up their subfolders by type. You might have folders for papers, elements, alphabets, templates, and printables. If you use this method, you will want to know how to download and unzip a kit and sort the individual pieces into these category folders. This takes a little extra time up front but makes finding specific pieces very simple.

You should also create a completely separate main folder for your finished layouts. Keep your completed pages organized in subfolders by year. This keeps your working supplies separated from your final memories.

Sorting by kits versus types

When you organize your stash, you have to decide whether to keep kits together or separate items by type. Sorting by kit keeps matching items together. This is very helpful when you want to make a page quickly using elements that are designed to coordinate.

Sorting by type helps you find a specific item fast. If you need a blue button, looking in an elements folder is easier than opening 12 different kit folders.

Many scrapbookers use a combination of both methods. They use kits as their main folder structure and then use tags to mark the types of items inside. Remember that digital papers are JPG files, while elements and alphabets are transparent PNG files. You can learn more about PNG vs JPG: which file format to use to help you recognize these files at a glance.

Tagging files for easy searching

If your stash grows large, folders might not be enough. Tagging your files allows you to search for specific items across all your folders. You can use photo managers or software like Photoshop Elements Organizer to tag your files.

You can tag files by color, theme, and type. For example, you could tag a single flower element with the words red, floral, and summer. If you want to know more about using this software, read our guide on how to scrapbook in photoshop elements. Tagging takes time, but it makes finding the perfect embellishment very fast.

Before you rename any files to help with searching, check the terms of use. Rename files only if the terms of use allow it. Always keep the original ZIP file or the license file in your folder so you know where the item came from.

Pruning your digital stash

A smaller stash is much faster to search. Over time, you will accumulate supplies that no longer fit your style. It is a good habit to go through your folders and delete what you will never use.

Here is a simple process for pruning your files:

• Open your main supplies folder and view the items as large icons.
• Look for kits or elements you have not used in over a year.
• Delete the files you know you will not use again.
• Empty your computer trash or recycle bin to free up hard drive space.

If you are worried about deleting something you might want later, remember that you can always find new free kits when your style changes. Keeping only your favorite items makes it easier to design pages.

Backing up your files

Computer hard drives can fail, so backing up your supplies and finished pages is essential. The best method to protect your digital scrapbooking files is the 3-2-1 rule.

The 3-2-1 rule means you should have 3 copies of your files. These copies should be stored on 2 different kinds of storage media. Finally, 1 copy must be kept off site or in the cloud.

For example, your first copy is on your computer hard drive. Your second copy could be on an external USB hard drive sitting on your desk. Your third copy could be uploaded to a cloud storage service. This ensures that even if your computer breaks, your files are completely safe. A standard digital scrapbook page is 12 x 12 inches at 300 pixels per inch, which is 3600 x 3600 pixels. These high resolution files are large and require plenty of backup space.