Organizational Blog Hop: Ink Pad Storage

Welcome to Create With Joy! Today, I am participating in an Organizational Blog Hop with a few of my friends from Stamping Bloggers!

We all love to create heirlooms and gifts for our families and friends. However, staying organized during the process can challenge even the best of us! So, we’ve put our heads together and identified some of the most common organizational challenges we face – and today, we're sharing how we've successfully conquered those challenges!

In a moment, I will share some easy ways for you to get your Ink Pad Storage under control, but first, here's a complete list of participants on our Organizational Blog Hop!

Photograph Storage - Leanne
Embellishment Storage - Jo
Ribbon & Fiber Storage - Shellie
Stamp Storage - Wendy K.
Ink Pad Storage - Ramona  <=== YOU ARE HERE
Pen & Pencil Storage - Jeanne M.
Sticker, Die Cuts and Rub-On Storage -Amanda
Tools Storage and Paper Storage - Mary

I hope you have lots of fun and gain lots of information on today's hop! Please leave a comment so I'll know you stopped by!

Three Easy Steps To Ink Pad Organization

If you paper craft, chances are, you have discovered the joys of stamping – and with it, a love of Ink Pads! Ink Pads come in every size, shape, and color you can imagine. From distress to dye inks, from archival to alcohol-based inks, there’s an Ink Pad for every purpose! While diversity makes crafting a delight, it also makes storage a nightmare if you do not effectively manage your collection from the start. So, how can you store your Ink Pads to ensure that you have what you need at your fingertips, every time?

Step 1: Assess Your Needs

The first step to getting your Ink Pad collection under control is to assess your stamping habits and anticipate your future needs. Since your storage requirements may change over time, it's important to design a solution that will grow with you! Ask yourself the following questions:

How large is your Ink Pad collection? Count your Ink Pads to see how many you currently own. Is this sufficient for your needs or is your collection still growing? How many Ink Pads will you own once your collection is complete?

How diverse is your Ink Pad collection? Ink Pads from different companies vary in size and require different storage considerations than Ink Pads from the same line!

Do you stamp primarily at home, on the go, or a combination of both? If you do most of your stamping at home, static storage such as shelves and cabinets are a possibility. If you stamp on the go, even part of the time, you will want to factor portable storage into the equation.

Step 2: Evaluate Your Storage Options

Once you have completed Step 1, you are ready to research Ink Pad storage options. Here are some questions to consider during this stage of the process:

Where will you store your Ink Pads? Identifying the amount of space available for storage will influence the solution you opt for.

What type of storage do you prefer - visible or hidden? Open or closed? Think about how you work and whether visual noise inspires or distracts you. Seemingly small decisions like these can greatly impact your productivity and overall storage satisfaction down the road!

What's your budget? You can find the perfect storage solutions for your Ink Pads, regardless of your budget! If you have a large budget to work with, you can build custom Ink Pad cabinets to your specifications. You can choose from a wide range of Ink Pad Organizers designed to hold standard size Ink Pads – companies like Stampin Up and CTMH make their own custom organizers! You can also acquire portable carrying cases from companies like Cropper Hopper.

If money is tight, you can pinch pennies by storing your Ink Pads in one of these budget-friendly containers: photo boxes, plastic boxes, large tins, baskets, recycled cassette cabinets, repurposed Cropper Hopper photo cases, and even refurbished bathroom cabinets!

Step 3: Organize Your Ink Pads

Once you have selected a storage option, it’s time to organize your Ink Pads. Here are some tips to help you keep your supplies manageable from the start!


Sort by Company to easily find products and align them by size!
Sort by Ink Type to quickly find the right ink for the job!
Sort by Color using whatever system works best for you!

Before I evaluated my needs, I stored my Ink Pads in closed boxes in a cabinet. Now, I store my mini distress Ink Pads in a portable plastic organizer (Photo 5 - the chalk inks are stored two deep!) and the remainder of my collection in recycled CD cases that sit on my desk (Photo 4), making my Ink Pads easily accessible! The Ink Pads are organized by company, size, ink type, and color. The cute little box from CTMH that is perched on top of my Ink Pads houses a variety of ink-related tools and my ink daubers!

I hope you enjoyed my article and find the tips helpful in getting your own stash under control! I welcome your feedback - please let me know which tips you found most useful and what is and isn't working for you storage-wise!

Now, if you arrived at Create With Joy from Wendy's, your next stop on the blog hop is Jeanne's. If my post was your introduction to the Organizational Blog Hop, I invite you to visit Leanne and start the hop from the beginning!

Have a great day and have fun exploring my site for lots more ideas and inspiration!