Organizing. Labels. It’s an occupational hazard that I collect little labels, string, blackboard stickers, and the like. I swear they are harder to keep organized than Lego’s.

It’s been hard since trading up to a van last year. You see, my van is basically my office when I’m with clients, so I need to have my supplies in the car almost all the time. And this “system” of folders, bags, and random stuff thrown in my briefcase or tool bag was just not cutting it.

I am really committed to re-using or re-purposing before buying something new.

I am not a fan of plastic storage.

I am cheap.

But in a moment of weakness at Michael’s, I ended up with this: (Cue the angel choirs.)

The beauty here is that it is roughly the size of my label maker case, so it will stack nicely in the storage area of the van. It has an upper and lower tray, customizable for my stash. It even has enough room for the scissors, hole punch, tag die cutter, letterpress stamps and ink. Ready to peek?

Organized Labels- Bottom Tray

Organized Labels- Top Tray

And, of course, I started by labeling my pretty new case.

You know what they say…when you get your act together, the creativity just starts flowing. I no sooner had the case organized than I turned around and saw the scrap cardboard packaging from some craft paper, and realized that it would make perfect hang tags. So my die cutter got busy, and I added a dozen more tags right into the hang tag slot of the bottom tray!

Why yes, I am an organizing dork, but if you’d been following me, you already knew that. And hopefully my organizing compulsion gives you at least a little inspiration. If you need some ideas, check out how to label without hardly trying.

Are you working on any labeling projects this spring?