Digital Scrapbooking ONLY-How do you organize your Files? About This Page:

[4Disney2]

Hi, As my selection of Scrapbooking is getting larger, I am trying to figure how to keep it organized electronically. How do you do it?
Do you unzip and leave all the items together as it comes, filed as it comes
or
DO you take it apart and file all the elements together lets say of Spring with all the elements of winter collection? Baby separate from Graduation etc?

The reason I am asking I just joined a club were I get free downloads for a year, they have a huge Disney collection which I want everything plus others and I am trying to keep the downloads organized. Your 2 cents please!!!

Here is the club I signed for:
Club Memberships : Scrapbooks gone Digital!, ...helping you create everlasting memories

Search on The Mouse Collection and you will get all the Disney stuff:
The Mouse Collection - The Entire Collection - $11.24 : Scrapbooks gone Digital!, ...helping you create everlasting memories

[srsatkowiak]

I don't have a lot of experience with digital scrapbooking, but have started to get into it. My organizational style is pretty simple, but complex at the same time.
First I put things into categories (embellishments, papers, word art, alphas etc...) then I sub categorize by type (solids, patterns, dots, etc...), then do another sub category inside those to make things more specific (Colors, Disney, baby, seasonal, etc...). I also have a separate folder for quick pages and I categorize those the same way.

For example with paper:
Main Category: Paper
Sub Categories: Solids, Patters, Florals, Stripes, Dots, Disney, Baby, Seasonal etc...
An example of inside Sub Category Solids: Blues, greens, reds, pinks, etc...

I may duplicate files as well. For example if I have a light pink and white polka dot paper, I may place that in the dots and the baby folders. I only do this if I have the hard drive space.

[srsatkowiak]

Oh and I don't keep the ZIP files on my computer for long. I back them up on disk by month/year. If I don't download or create much in that month I will combine. I will also create ZIP files of layouts/files I create myself and back them up with the downloads as well.

It is good to do this so if the file you created on your hard drive goes corrupt you have the back up.

I would also consider having an external hard drive dedicated to your scrapbooking if you don't already. This way your computer system doesn't get bogged down with files and so your files are more potable between a desktop and a laptop persay.

[4Disney2]

Originally Posted by srsatkowiak

I don't have a lot of experience with digital scrapbooking, but have started to get into it. My organizational style is pretty simple, but complex at the same time.
First I put things into categories (embellishments, papers, word art, alphas etc...) then I sub categorize by type (solids, patterns, dots, etc...), then do another sub category inside those to make things more specific (Colors, Disney, baby, seasonal, etc...). I also have a separate folder for quick pages and I categorize those the same way.

For example with paper:
Main Category: Paper
Sub Categories: Solids, Patters, Florals, Stripes, Dots, Disney, Baby, Seasonal etc...
An example of inside Sub Category Solids: Blues, greens, reds, pinks, etc...

I may duplicate files as well. For example if I have a light pink and white polka dot paper, I may place that in the dots and the baby folders. I only do this if I have the hard drive space.

Originally Posted by srsatkowiak

Oh and I don't keep the ZIP files on my computer for long. I back them up on disk by month/year. If I don't download or create much in that month I will combine. I will also create ZIP files of layouts/files I create myself and back them up with the downloads as well.

It is good to do this so if the file you created on your hard drive goes corrupt you have the back up.

I would also consider having an external hard drive dedicated to your scrapbooking if you don't already. This way your computer system doesn't get bogged down with files and so your files are more potable between a desktop and a laptop persay.

this is wonderful!! thank you! Just what I needed!
yes, I got an external hardrive just for scrap booking. Love the idea to back up the zipped files! Thanks for the Tips!

[Clare loves Stitch]

Im fairly new to Digital Scrapbooking and I havent got a lot of elements at the moment however im planning to collect all the papers together and burn them to a CD the same with other items by themes. Im not sure if this is a great idea. but its the only one I have at the moment.

[chrissi1]

I am so totally drooling over those Dis kits! And that is an awesome deal for a year membership!

I have been digi-scrapping for several years now (2005??) and I have accumulated a ton of stuff, especially after being on a few CT's and a site CT.

I have been using ACDSee Photo Manager to keep my gigs of stuff under control.
I tried Picasa and didn't like it. PSE Organizer and Bridge both really slowed my computer way down. A friend suggested I try Photo Manager and I just keep upgrading it- I love it that much.

One of things that I love about it is that I can keep my kits together and "tag" each piece with as many categories as I want. For ex. one kit could have the tags of the style, subject, color- and each element would be tagged with what it is- doodle, frame, brush and so on.

PM becomes your browser so to speak, and it is set up like Windows- with a folder tree and folders to scroll through.
All of my scrap stuff is on an EHD, and I have the folder tree set up with a Folder called _To Be Tagged. This is where I put my zip files. I then use PM to unzip the filed into this folder. I then tag them, add inthe kit and designer names. When I am done then I move that whole kit's folder to where it belongs.
I have a separate folder for the CT's I am on, and another for the Site CT i am on. Under the site CT main fodler, I have the individual site designers.

Under that- I have all of my "General: Folders-
Backgrounds (sub folders for each color),
Embellishments (sub folders of Frames, Fasteners, Ribbons etc)
Brushes
Photo Shop Actions
Templates
and so on.

Here's a screenshot of my to be tagged folder... and a bit of my folder tree.



if you go to digiscrapinfo, there is a lot of great information on how to use PM and how to get organized. Heidi is a wiz over there!

[POOH]

I've been wanting to try digital scrapping. After reading this thread and the great tips, I definitely will have to try it.

[Sunnikc]

I don't scrap digitally but I do use digital scrap kits for other things. I unzip them all and have them filed either by designer or by theme. I have one folder for birthday kits, one for Easter, Spring, St Patricks Day and so on. Inside that I have a separate folder for each individual kit with papers, elements, etc each in their own sub folder.

[4Disney2]

Originally Posted by chrissi1

I am so totally drooling over those Dis kits! And that is an awesome deal for a year membership!

I have been digi-scrapping for several years now (2005??) and I have accumulated a ton of stuff, especially after being on a few CT's and a site CT.

I have been using ACDSee Photo Manager to keep my gigs of stuff under control.
I tried Picasa and didn't like it. PSE Organizer and Bridge both really slowed my computer way down. A friend suggested I try Photo Manager and I just keep upgrading it- I love it that much.

One of things that I love about it is that I can keep my kits together and "tag" each piece with as many categories as I want. For ex. one kit could have the tags of the style, subject, color- and each element would be tagged with what it is- doodle, frame, brush and so on.

PM becomes your browser so to speak, and it is set up like Windows- with a folder tree and folders to scroll through.
All of my scrap stuff is on an EHD, and I have the folder tree set up with a Folder called _To Be Tagged. This is where I put my zip files. I then use PM to unzip the filed into this folder. I then tag them, add inthe kit and designer names. When I am done then I move that whole kit's folder to where it belongs.
I have a separate folder for the CT's I am on, and another for the Site CT i am on. Under the site CT main fodler, I have the individual site designers.

Under that- I have all of my "General: Folders-
Backgrounds (sub folders for each color),
Embellishments (sub folders of Frames, Fasteners, Ribbons etc)
Brushes
Photo Shop Actions
Templates
and so on.

Here's a screenshot of my to be tagged folder... and a bit of my folder tree.



if you go to digiscrapinfo, there is a lot of great information on how to use PM and how to get organized. Heidi is a wiz over there!

WOW, this is fantastic! thank you thank you! I LOVE the screen shot!!!

[chrissi1]

Oh so glad to help!! Feel free to PM me, if you need more help!