12 x 12 Scrapbook Paper Storage Ideas

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Originally published September 20, 2021 and updated October 26, 2023.

More than 150 of the best 12×12 scrapbook paper storage ideas, products and tips. They work for those of you just starting with paper crafting and those of you who have a large collection of scrapbook craft supplies. There are ideas for all budgets, all sizes of storage spaces and even DIY ideas and hacks.

I’ve been a crafter since I was a young child. Because I’ve moved more than 20 times, thanks to the military, I’ve always had to have flexible scrapbook paper storage solutions that would fit in any space.

Until I moved to our current home, my craft supplies were stored in my closet or in the corner of the laundry room or basement. I finally have an actual craft room (and it is heavenly!). But I understand the needs for all different types of craft paper storage options whatever your storage situation because I’ve experienced them all. I’ve purposefully included affordable 12×12 paper storage so you can organize your scrapbook paper on a budget .

What is the best way to store scrapbook paper?

• There are many different options for storing scrapbook paper, particularly 12 x 12 paper storage, but your number one concern should be to store it in a way that protects the paper. You’ve invested in craft paper to create with and you want to keep it in excellent condition while it’s waiting for your next project.
• Store larger paper scraps with the full sheets of paper and store smaller scraps separately. You do this because you’ll be using the full or larger piece of paper differently than you will the scraps.
• Store paper for easy access in your craft room, if possible, and near your work area.
• Determine whether you prefer to keep your paper in vertical storage or keep paper horizontally and then look for options that work with your preference. There’s not one paper storage organizer that works for everyone  – find what works best for you.
• If you don’t have a craft room or dedicated space, you can use portable storage bins or a rolling storage cart that can be moved from the closet or storage area to your work area.
• Organize and store your paper in a way that makes sense to you
  • By size
  • By color
  • By pattern
  • By use
  • By brand
  • By texture

12 x 12 Scrapbook Paper Storage

The recommended products and ideas below are chosen specifically because they will work with the larger, 12×12 inch paper. Always double check measurements of storage options you’re considering to make sure the holder is wide enough to hold 12 inch paper.

You don’t have to worry about the height of the storage as much. As long as the holder is tall enough to keep the paper from bending over, it’s okay for it to stand above the sides of paper holders. You can add cardboard inserts to support the taller paper.

What makes paper storage solutions great?

• It protects your paper from wrinkles, bends and folded corners.
• Works for different sizes of paper – it’s flexible.
• It makes it easy to find and access the exact paper you want for paper crafting.
• It presents your scrapbooking paper in a way that inspires your creativity.
• You’re easily able to see the paper you have so you don’t overbuy.
• It’s flexible so you can reuse the storage container in different ways or spaces as your craft supplies expand, your focus changes or you move.
• It fits in your space, whatever that space is.
• It fits in your budget.
• It looks pretty in your space.
• It’s sturdy and will hold up to years of use.

The scrapbook paper organizer solutions below are broken out into the following categories:

• Vertical holders for paper storage
• Horizontal paper storage, for stacks of card stock and craft paper
• Furniture options
  • Paper Tower
  • Cube storage, such as the popular IKEA Kallax system
• Rolling carts, also known as a drawer cart
• Portable paper storage – these are the kinds of ideas I used when I had to carry all my scrapbook paper from my closet to the dining room table and back each time I created.
• DIY 12×12 paper storage options

You can often use several of these products together to create the perfect customized paper storage system for your space and your needs.

You can also start with the DIY and budget 12 × 12 paper storage projects  and then add purchased products as your budget allows. That’s what I did. I asked for a new paper organizing product for each birthday and Christmas. Slowly over the years, I was able to create my dream craft room (after storing everything in my bedroom closet and pulling it out to craft for decades).

All of the product images below are clickable links so you can see the prices and details about each product you’re interested in.

Vertical Scrapbook Paper Storage

The advantage of vertical paper and cardstock storage is that it’s easy to flip through the paper and pull out the exact piece(s) you want.

The disadvantage is that the paper can sag, bend and get damaged more easily. If you choose vertical storage products, take the time to carefully handle and store the paper, so you can avoid those disadvantages.

Cropper Hopper brand has many popular 12×12 paper storage boxes.

You can find paper racks and magazine holders that work well for holding craft paper. Always double check the measurements to make sure that it will hold 12×12 inch paper.

Fabric bins and wire bins designed to hold files and file folders can work well. Again, double check the measurements to make sure they’re wide enough to hold 12×12 paper.

Horizontal Scrapbook Paper Storage

The advantage to horizonal paper storage is that as long as the base is wide enough and long enough, it supports the paper and prevents sagging and bending, keeping your treasured paper in good shape.

Stackable paper trays are the classic way to keep paper organized horizontally, but they work best for 8 1/2 X 11 paper or construction paper, not 12×12 scrapbook paper. You can look for 12×12 paper trays, but be sure to measure them carefully. Smaller trays may cause the paper to sag and become warped.

Horizontal paper storage works better for lots of paper of the same color where you’ll simply pull the top piece off the stacks of paper to use. It does not work as well if you need to flip through the stack of paper to find the piece you want.

Paper storage boxes with lids are great for small spaces where you don’t want to have the paper visible. It creates a more uniform look that is a great solution when your paper storage is in a corner of your living space and you want it hidden.

A drawer storage unit can be placed on a table, a shelf or on the floor. It’s also a flexible organizing tool that can easily be repurposed for organization in other areas of your home.

A larger tray with handles can be used for 12×12 paper storage on shelves. The handles make it easy to transport.

Furniture

You can find IKEA Kallax shelf units and other cube units in a variety of sizes and prices. Always confirm the the interior dimensions of the cube is at least 13 inches.

You often see entire rooms with walls lined with these storage shelves providing organization for craft paper and supplies. But you can use even use them in smaller spaces – just choose the one that will fit your space and needs.

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I’ve recently been gifted UbeCube to to try for organizing. I found it ideal for storing my 12 x 12 decorative paper and other papers.

I received free products, but all opinions are always 100% my own.

I prefer to choose versatile modular storage options. This allows my storage to adapt as my crafting and organizing needs change.

I chose to use 4 UbeCubes to organize craft supplies. I’m not very tall, so I found this the perfect height to keep items easy to access. You could stack the cubes as high as you want to store your paper stock. You could even build a unit to cover an entire wall!

You can see how I customized my craft storage to accommodate various craft supplies in my How to Plan Craft Room Storage post.

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Rolling Carts

Many people use rolling drawer carts for craft paper storage. You can often pick these carts up at thrift stores and yard sales. They’re also a flexible storage product that can be repurposed for many other organizing tasks.

Choose clear drawers if you prefer to see your paper and craft supplies. Choose opaque drawers if you prefer to not see the contents of the drawers.

Ever since the IKEA Raskog utility cart was introduced, it’s been a popular and common way to store craft supplies. Now you can find variations on this rolling craft cart at almost any store.

Portable Paper Storage

Many of the rolling scrapbook totes are perfect for holding all your scrapbooking supplies.

When choosing a craft tote with an open top, make sure you place file folders or other support to keep the paper from bending over and creasing.

Many cardboard boxes and bins designed for file folders can also work for 12×12 paper storage. You’ll just have to leave the top off of the box to accommodate the extra height of the paper.

The two plastic storage bins below are tall enough to accommodate the 12 inch height of the paper so you can use the lids and stack the containers.

DIY Storage Ideas

Make your own horizontal paper storage drawers from repurposed pizza boxes. The great thing about this option is that you can make it with the exact number of drawers you want. This tutorial from Deb Duz Scrappin will walk you through how to create your own. You can purchase pizza boxes inexpensively on Amazon or make friends with your local pizza places and see if they’ll give a few for free or at a discount.

IKEA hacks are popular to create the most storage possible in a little space and for those who have a large paper collection (some might say “too much paper”).

• This IKEA hack from Jennifer Maker uses a KALLAX cube storage unit to make your own vertical 12×12 paper storage tower. This is a great alternative to the pricier and popular versions of vertical paper storage towers.
• Another IKEA hack is to purchase a KVISSLE letter tray paper sorter. It’s designed to hold letter-sized paper, but if you turn the trays upside down, it nicely hold 12×12 paper. The KVISSLE can also fit into the cubes of the KALLAX cube storage units and other cube storage units when the cube is 13×13 inches.

Use wire organizing grid panels to create your own wire storage cube as a horizontal storage option for your scrapbook paper. You can find an easy tutorial on Cat’s Creations. Check your dollar store for baking racks large enough to use in place of the grid panels.

Use a peg board combined with scrapbook paper sleeves or wire racks to create vertical paper storage. I created my own pegboard storage using a free frame and inexpensive pegboard. It’s versatile and can easily be adapted to hold scrapbook paper of any size.

Grab a milk crate, you can even find them in fun colors to coordinate with your décor, and cut file folders to create dividers for vertical scrapbook paper storage. You can often pick milk crates up for free or a dollar or two on your local yard sales sites and thrift stores.

Upcycle cardboard mailing boxes to create your own magazine holder style paper holder. I’ve use this same idea for repurposed office organizing for years.

Monitor your local craft stores and auctions for paper storage fixtures that are on sale. You can find a commercial unit for craft paper storage (the exact ones used in a craft store) at amazing discounts.

You can use pants/skirt hangers to hold 12×12 paper sleeves. This allows you to hang the craft paper for vertical storage you can easily flip through. You can often ask for the hangers when you check out at department stores and get hangers for free.

Use hanging sweater shelves closet organizers to create horizontal paper organization. Be sure to check the dimensions to make make sure it will hold your 12×12 paper.

Upcycle a bookcase or china cabinet to provide scrapbook storage. You could even remove a shelf and add a hanging rod to create a vertical storage option.

Repurpose a file cabinet from a thrift store for paper storage. Be careful to check the width and height of the drawers to make sure they will accommodate 12 inch paper.

Expert Tips for 12×12 Scrapbook Paper Storage

• Check and double check the measurements of storage options to ensure the storage can accommodate the larger dimensions of 12×12 paper before you purchase.
• Make sure that plastic drawers and shelves can hold up to the weight of scrapbooking paper (which is surprisingly heavy in large amounts).

• Most paper storage products are not designed for 12×12 paper, but can be adapted by simply not using the lid or by allowing the paper to stick out. If the paper is taller or longer than the storage bin, be sure to support the paper with cardboard so that it won’t bend.
  • Paper pads work well in storage that isn’t tall enough for 12×12 paper because the cardboard backing and the bulk of the stack of paper will support it and prevent sagging.
  • You can create your own support by taping several file folders together or cutting down cereal boxes.

• Organize your paper so you can find what you need. Organization is key to make your paper stash usable and keep it from becoming a huge pile of clutter.
  • Organize it in categories that make sense for how you use your scrapbook paper.
  • Label the categories so you know where to find what you want and where to put away what you’re not using when you’re done.
    • You can make your own labels from sticky notes, file folders or cardboard cereal boxes. I’ve created 66 pages of craft room labels in 4 different font styles in eleven color choices and one color combination. 

Looking for more paper and craft storage solutions?

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You can find all our best organizing and storage solutions in the table below. You can scroll though the table and look for ideas or search for specific ideas with the magnifying glass in the upper right-hand corner (on desktop). Click on the topic and then click through the specific article.