The Best Way to Store Clear Stamps

Clear stamps are amazing y’all! They come in so handy for Bible journaling, and also for card making and other paper crafting endeavors. But, where in the world can you put all those stamps? In this post, I’ll show you how to store clear stamps, so you can always find the ones you need.

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Clear stamps are the best thing since sliced bread, y’all!

Seriously. Back in high school, I collected a bunch of wood-mounted rubber stamps to use for papercrafting. And oh man, they were expensive and took up a lot of space! Ultimately, I quit acquiring new stamps because I realized they were just such a pain to find space for. Not to mention, I wasn’t really using them very much.

Fast forward to a few years ago, when I started Bible journaling. And I was so thrilled to discover the modern convenience of clear stamps! In one slim package, you get a whole bunch of stamps, which takes up much less space then even one wood-mounted stamp. Woo-hoo, a solution to the space hogging cumbersome wood-mounted stamps!

But, as I acquired more and more clear stamp sets, I realized that, while slim and space-saving, I still needed to figure out how to store my clear stamps efficiently. Y’know, like, I couldn’t just shove them in a shoebox and then expect to easily find the stamps I needed!

What is the best way to store clear stamps?

So what’s a crafty gal to do, when you’ve gotten to that point where you have more than, say, a dozen stamp sets, and you need some great clear stamp storage ideas?

I think the best way to store your clear stamps really depends on how many stamp sets you have, the space you have available (like on your desk or bookshelf), and also how easily you want to be able to access the stamps.

If you only have a few sets, and don’t plan on acquiring many more, then storing them in a binder (with each set in its’ own sheet protector) can be a space-efficient way to organize them. But, if you have lots of clear stamp sets already, or you anticipate growing your collection in the future, I highly recommend storing your stamps in a bin, as I do with mine.

Because, as the founder of my fave Bible journaling stamp company Sweet’n’Sassy Stamps says, “you can never have enough stamps!”. So you might as well learn how to organize them. 😉

***By the way, if you’re new to clear stamping and/or Bible journaling, be sure to check out my how to use clear stamps in Bible journaling post!

How to Store Your Clear Stamps in Bins

Especially as I’ve gotten more into card-making lately, it’s becoming ever more important how to organize my clear stamps. (I just have so many!). Thank goodness I’ve got the stamp storage situation figured out!

Here’s the 1-2-3 of how I store my stamps… (FYI: My stamp-storing system was originally inspired by Jennifer McGuire’s system, with a few tweaks to suit my preferences.)

1) Start with Avery Elle clear stamp storage pockets!

The first thing you should do when storing your stamps, is to keep them sandwiched in-between the original plastic sheets they came on. And the second thing is, slip your stamp set into a clear stamp storage pocket. These Avery Elle pockets have an easy-open flap on top, so you can easily pull the stamp set out to use it, and then slip it back into the pocket when you’re done. They come in three different sizes: I use both the large and extra-large sizes, but they also come in a small size if you have smaller stamp sets.

I even like to keep the original paper insert that comes with each set; that way I can easily identify it. You could also add a label to your stamp pockets that identify each set, as Jennifer McGuire does with hers, but I prefer just to keep the original insert and let that speak for itself. (Sometimes I do have to cut a bit off the top or bottom of the insert, to make it fit inside the pocket, but it still works!)

2) Choose your storage bin!

For actually storing the stamps, I use this InterDesign clear plastic fridge bin. You can see in the photos, that I also store my acrylic stamp blocks in the front of the bin, so they’re right there when I need them!

But, another great option is these wood storage crates from Stamp-n-Storage. I only recently discovered these, as I was shopping for the ink pad organizers I used in my craft desk makeover. I’m not sure if I would ever switch to them, since I do like the see-through aspect of the clear bins, but if you like the look of wood and you’d enjoy having a container with a closed lid to store your stamps, the Stamp-n-Storage bins are definitely worth considering.

3) Decide on your stamp organization categories, and create tabs and labels.

When deciding how to store your clear stamps, it’s important to categorize so you can find them easily! Most categories will be pretty obvious, like ‘holidays/special occasions’, ‘backgrounds & borders’, and so forth. But there’ve definitely been some stamps that had me stumped as to where to put them!

Just recently, I acquired two adorable new Hero Arts stamp sets: this hot air balloon set, and this make-a-fountain set. But then came the dilemma: What category to put them in? Ultimately, I had to create a new ‘miscellaneous objects’ category for them. If in doubt, you can always have a ‘miscellaneous’, ‘random’, or other generic category for things that just don’t fit with other categories.

For the divider tabs, I actually cut them out of these Yoobi pink plastic folders that I got at Target. (You can also find similar plastic folders on Amazon). The plastic just holds up really well as a divider, and having a pop of color makes it easy to see where one category ends and the next one begins. (And I purposely cut them about 5/8” taller than my largest stamp pockets, so the top edge sticks up above the stamps).

For the labels, you can use any label maker like a Brother or Dymo to make them. I used my old Dymo LetraTag maker with clear plastic label tape to make mine. You could also just do your own handwritten labels, if you like.

And that’s all there is to it! Now that know how to store clear stamps, I’ll leave you with one last thought. Something that I’ve learned, is that the more organized your supplies are, the more likely you are to use them! Who wants to use stamps that are jumbled and in disarray? Certainly not me.

I’ve noticed that since my supplies are organized, I’m much more eager to sit down and do some Bible journaling or make a sweet card for a friend. So, organize your stamps well, and you’ll not only be more excited to use them, but using them will be so much more enjoyable when you can easily find the stamps you need!

Barbara Austin

Hi! Thank you so much for visiting Divine Creative Love. I’m a Jesus-lovin’ girl, lettering artist, designer, and general creative-at-heart. And, I have narcolepsy. I blog about faith in God, overcoming challenges, and creative topics such as Bible journaling. If you’re new here, be sure and subscribe to my list so you won’t miss anything!