Do you feel overwhelmed by an ever-growing amount of patterned paper scraps? It comes down to the way you look at them–whether you see those scraps as your partners or your enemies.

I love my scraps. I even love them more than my stash of brand new untouched patterned paper. It’s true! If you’d like to rekindle the romance between yourself and your discarded patterns, read on for a few tips.

1. Make the Scraps Your First Priority

Except when it’s important to use patterned paper as a 12×12 background, go to your patterned paper stash before looking at your full-sized sheets. Every time I dig through my scraps they surprise me with all their wonderful patterned potential–so many designs I forget about.

You’ll avoid unnecessary growth in scraps by using what’s already there, rather than add to the pile every time you make a layout.

2. Set Your Scraps Up For Easy Access

I used to separate my scraps in hanging file folders by color or holiday. That was back when I hated those scraps. It was a pain to put them away and it was a pain to pick them out. Then I read that Ali Edwards mixes her patterns together. Trying her method forever changed my relationship with those fun leftover pieces.

I now keep my larger scraps in a wooden serving tray and my tiny or narrow pieces in a long rectangular block candle holder. Both sit on my table, right next to me, within reach and eye-sight. I used to keep my cutting tool there, but I found it much more useful to have my scraps in reach instead.

3. Ignite New Enthusiasm With Unusual Mixing

It really is fun to dig through a pile of scraps. It’s like running into old friends. Seeing them next to other patterns you’ve never matched together will give you a new way of looking at them. You’ll discover combinations you would never have paired on purpose.

Just seeing my patterns mixed this way makes me want to make layouts. My pile of scraps is one of my actual sources for ideas and scrapbooking motivation.

4. Have Some Simple Go-To Templates

The layout at the top of this post is from one of my go-to templates. With this template I support a single photo with a group of square patterns from my scraps, and then I bridge them with a ribbon or line of some kind. Last, I add a title, a trio of embellishments (in this case, three word strips) and journal around the edge of the page. Easy but attractive.

Look through your favorite layouts and identify the ones that use smaller pieces of patterned paper. These can be templates for future layouts that you can go to again and again.

If you’ve seen your scraps as your enemy instead of your partners, try these tips. Not only will you save money and reduce waste and stress, you’ll also find a new muse full of unending inspiration.

Have you been waiting to hear about Ali Edwards newest book, due to release any day now?

Listen to this week’s podcast (audio only) as I interview Ali and she shares all the secrets…

Interview With Ali Edwards on Sharing Your Story