Don't you wish you could have the right photo for your layout within arm's reach, instead of forever looking for one from your large pile? Having a photo holder/organizer will do just the trick, thus saving you all the time and effort. All you need to do is make one by yourself using scraps and other everyday things that are just lying around the house! Here's how:

I recently bought a tape dispenser and found that the box was too good to throw away. I wanted to give it a new lease on life and thought it would make a great photo holder. You may also use any other used box (i.e. pc speaker box, shoe box, etc.), as long as it can fit the size of photos you normally work with for your layouts. The box I selected for this project was perfect for my 4R pictures. To get started, trim off the excess flap on the top of the box. Fold the bigger inner flaps and secure with adhesive tape. Then wrap the box using your scrap papers. Spruce it up with some embellishments to give your file box a personal touch. I used my excess ribbon and used that as a trimming. I glued it on the top edge to give it a more polished look.

Next you will need dividers to separate your photos by category. For this, I used the cardboard that came with the inkjet paper I bought and covered them again, with my scrap papers. To create tabs for each divider, punch 3 large circles (or cut squares or rectangles) from scrap cardstocks and label each tab with the photo subject/category that you usually scrap. For mine, I chose kids, family and everyday events. Remember, it isn't necessary to follow the same subjects that I selected. The category you choose is a matter of personal preference. Now that you're done with the labeling, fasten the tabs to the dividers with mini brads. Arrange in cascading style.. As a finishing touch, attach a label or tag in front of the box.

To make things simpler, sort out only the pictures that are "scrap worthy" and place those in your new photo file holder. Keep in mind that you don't need to scrap ALL of your pictures. Just choose the ones that are meaningful to you or that will best tell the story of your layout.

This project is so easy, you can complete this within 10-30 minutes. You can even do this while watching your favorite TV show. Another tip is to jot down design or journalling ideas on Post-it notes and stick them behind the particular photo. That way, you already have "scrap ready" pictures organized in your photo file holder just waiting for your next layout!