Organizing Challenge: Ribbons Complete

After 3 sessions of working for an hour or two at a time I was able to completely organize my ribbons (most of them at least, some I left on their original spools since they are super thin).  Now if you look back at my previous post you can see a "before" picture of my, big ol' tote bag full of ribbon.  I took an idea I've seen on thread, using pieces of cardboard/chipboard/some other relatively stiff piece of material, and winding it around.  I know, it's a simple idea, and I'm fairly sure many other people use it, but I simply didn't do any searching on what other people did.  Anywho... this is what I did, and what it looks like.

I realize after that fact that taking pictures of this process is kind of silly, but since I took the pictures, I might as well use them.  I feel like I should really apologize how silly this post is /hangs head down low, sorry.



Materials List: Chipboard (cardboard or any other stiff material that you can cut through will work), something to cut with (I used a horizontal hole punch for even lines and scissors, a box cutter or X-acto knife will also work), and tape.  I'm all about working with what you have one hand!

Before starting this whole process I wanted to place all my ribbon in a plastic bin, the type sold at craft stores for scrapbooking or whatever, I got mine at Costco.  Use whatever you want or have on hand... shoebox, empty parcel box, a drawer, whatever (remember, work with what you have).  I measured the box and figured out a good size to cut my chipboard (3"x2.5" worked for me).   I organized my ribbons with how I wanted to group them together, I found anywhere between 1-3 spools can fit on one piece of chipboard for me.  This is what I did...

I used my horizontal hole punch to get the approximate size of the set of ribbons I was planning on using, then mirror what I did on the other side.  It seriously doesn't have to be perfect.

Then I cut out the notches.  I tried using just scissors for cutting everything, but ended up bending the chipboard.  This is another reason I used the hole punch.

Tape down the ribbon, and wind around, and around, and around, and around.... you get the idea.  This task was fairly tedious, maybe you can trick your kids into doing it for you.  At the end, just use tape or something to hold down the ribbon.  A rubber band across all the ribbon would also work.

 Seriously, this was a completely tedious task, but in the end I felt like I saved a lot of space!  Just take a look.

All that ribbon fit in a little more than half a 12"x12"x3" box.  That entire pile of spools that would just roll around and get underfoot, and unravel everywhere, and ARG... I love and hate you all at once spools.

Here's a slightly more organized look at all those spools next to my lovely little, whatever they're called, all stacked up.

And that is that!  Not necessarily the most original idea, but it works for me!  All it took was time and a few materials.  Now I don't have to deal with any spool holders that will break or take up space that I don't have.  I won't have to deal with the spool of ribbon I'm working with rolling away from me, unraveling as it goes (oh my gosh that's happened to me sooo many times, clumsy hands).  Now that I think of it, I have more room to buy more ribbon, because I really need more ha ha.

If you read this far, thank you for bearing with me on this one.  At least it's more practice for me, I haven't written much of anything as of late.  I'll keep trying :).

EDIT:
My friend on pinterest posted this photo (idea found here)

Another great way to store ribbons!  If I hadn't already wrapped mine all up, I may have done this too ha ha.  There's also a ton of other ideas too!  I love the internet, such great ideas all over!