Unmounted Stamp Storage

The first time I bought a set of unmounted letter stamps, it seemed like such a chore to figure out a way to store them. I kept buying more sheets of these stamps because I loved the way they looked, but since I was lost as to how to deal with them once they were cut, many just remained uncut in their bags collecting dust. Finally, I started thinking about different ways to store them and asked other people how they stored their unmounted stamps. I knew that there must be some good solutions if so many people were buying and using them.

There are some simple solutions just lying around your house that you might not have thought of as well as some systems you can purchase. Here are a few ideas:

Jewel Cases (used to hold CDs or DVDs). Stamp the image onto a piece of paper that you can attach to the inside of the case facing out, then store either in a CD rack or in a box.

Example: Jewel Case Storage by Libby in AR

Page Protectors with compartments, such as baseball-card holders. (The regular 8 ½" x 11" sized protectors will work for very large or uncut stamps.) Use the different size compartments for different size stamps and store them in a 3-ring binder.

Clear Storage Containers. Choose a small shallow container, so you don't have to dig for the stamp you want. These containers can be more costly, and might take up more space than other options.

Plastic Picture Packets. If your photo developer puts your photos in plastic envelopes, you can store your stamps in them. By cutting off the flap, you'll be able to see what image you have in each packet. If you keep the flap, stamp the image onto a piece of paper and tape it to the front. Store the envelopes in a box for easy access.

Plastic Zip Bags. These come in many sizes, but sandwich bags would work for most stamps. Punch a hole in the corner of each bag and attach them to a sturdy ring. Stock up on the bags when they are on sale to save money.

Example: Plastic Bag Stamp Storage by pr31wb

Velcro in a Binder. You can put one side of velcro tape on the stamp and the other on a sheet of heavy paper. Store the papers in a 3-ring binder. Also put velcro on your acrylic blocks so you can easily attach the stamp to the block.

Temporary Tacky Glue. You can use glue like Aleene's Tack-It Over & Over on the back of unmounted stamps, and then store them on page protectors or magnetic album pages. Stamp the designs on cardstock first, insert the cardstock in the page protector or magnetic album page, and then you will always know where to return the stamps you have used.

Vinyl Cling/Static Cling. I really like the EZ StampN'Stor method, made by Sunday International. It uses foam sheets that have adhesive on one side and vinyl cling on the other. Once you have backed your stamps with these sheets, they will cling to the storage panels that the system includes, or to the pages of a magnetic photo album, as well as to your acrylic blocks. This method is more expensive, but very easy to use.

It's amazing how much better I feel about buying unmounted rubber stamps now that I know there are so many storage options. Now I'm on an ordering binge and can't stop buying new sets. Luckily, not only are unmounted stamps much cheaper than mounted ones, now they're easier to store and take up much less room. I'm sure there are a lot more options out there for unmounted stamp storage, but hopefully this gave you that extra boost to try them out yourself.