Bookshelf: The Organized & Inspired Scrapbooker

Alright, anyone who has read this site regularly knows that I have an organization problem. I have repeatedly reworked my scrap space in the past couple of years and always get a bit closer to just right, but never quite hit it on the head. But now, I think perfection just might be within reach with a new tool in my arsenal.

You see, Santa in the form of my husband (with a little help from my wishlist) brought me the book The Organized & Inspired Scrapbooker.

The cover alone of this book left me weak in the knees with hope that I might actually have found a book for ME. The room pictured on the cover, which belongs to co-author Aby Garvey,  is the same green as my room (although it looks beige in the computer graphic.) The window treatment is similar to mine, and the mixing of furniture is real. Books full of rooms with built-in cabinets are nice to look at but don’t lend themselves to adaptation to an 11×11 room with little wall space.

This recent publication from Simple Scrapbooks is not just an organization book. (And I should know since I have read them all in my endless quest for organizational help!) Authors Wendy Smedley and Aby Garvey take and unique approach that solves problems without being overwhelming, and the book even features a few projects readers can create to decorate their creative space with.

The Organized & Inspired Scrapbooker is spiral-bound and divided into three main sections. The first section is a step-by-step process of determining your needs for your organization and inspiration in your space. While seemingly not as in-depth as other books on the topic, it effectively addresses topics through broader concepts without bogging the reader down in distracting detail. In fact, I believe that it is the application of these broader concepts that has helped lead me to the solutions that I needed.

The second section is devoted to sample scrap spaces but is definitely more than just eye candy. Tucked between each room’s detailed photographs are descriptions and explanations of the room’s set-up and contents. Even if the room’s occupant didn’t have the same scrapping process as I do, it seemed that there was still a relevant storage or decor idea that I could take from each room.

The third section of Organized and Inspired focuses on projects that scrapbookers can create to store or display their supplies and creations. It is a beautiful reminder that our spaces should not just be practical but should be inspirational as well.

One of the most valuable parts of The Organized and Inspired Scrapbooker is the workbook that is tucked into a pocket in the back of the book. Consisting of a two page quiz and checklist for each of the book’s first 11 chapters, the workbook will walk the reader through identifying their personal organizational needs and style. Answering questions in that workbook is what made my personal lightbulb go on about what wasn’t working for me in my storage set-up and made me realize why certain of my supplies were constantly ignored in my creative process. I am looking forward to fixing that in the next few days!

The Organized and Inspired Scrapbooker is a simple but comprehensive way to re-evaluate your scrapbook area and improve things that aren’t working for you. It is also a great source of inspiration to remind yourself that form and function do not have to be mutually exclusive – your scrap space can be nice to look at and nice to work at!