9 Ways Artists Handle the Scrap Paper Dilemma
This is a photograph of the studio tables from a recent workshop, but it might as well be my studio after an intense week in the studio.
So what’s an artist to do? How do you get rid of this type of mess? Or do you?
There’s no right answer, but I’ve got nine ideas for you to think about.
Dive Into a “Paper Pool” An artist on a podcast suggested tossing everything into a kid’s wading pool and diving in when you need paper. This sounds fun, but I’m out of room in my studio!
The Never-Ending Sorting System Most of us try to organize scraps by color, type, or size. Whether in plastic bags, file folders, or archival boxes, there's always at least one unsorted stack or bin waiting for attention.
The “File Them Back” Approach After finishing a project, do you meticulously file every scrap back where it belongs? This is the dream solution but takes time and effort.
The “I'll File It Someday” Method Maybe you stack the scraps neatly, intending to file them...someday. We all know how that usually ends—another pile waiting for future-you to deal with.
The Procrastinator’s Delight Do you give up, leaving the mess for tomorrow, hoping that future-you will have the energy to sort?
The “Shove It in the Scrap Bin” Technique Got a scrap bin (or five)? This option is simple—swipe all your leftover pieces into the bin, close it up, and shove it back on the shelf.
The Ruthless Trash Method If they don’t inspire you, into the trash they go!
Scrap Inspiration Strikes Instead of cleaning, you dive into making a new project from scraps.
Send Them to a Friend Why not ship your scraps to a fellow artist? Let them deal with the mess—it’s a gift of creativity (or chaos).
For more useful tips, and pictures, read this blog post about organizing paper.
I recently faced my pile of scraps, determined to tackle it once and for all. Instead of filing or trashing them, I set myself a challenge: use every scrap in that moment. The result? A stack of new collages and a few bits for the garbage.
What’s your scrap paper strategy? Share your approach (or lack of one) in the comments, and if you’ve got a wading pool full of scraps, I definitely want to see a picture!