If your clear stamps have slowly taken over a shelf, a drawer, or a whole corner of your craft space, this short video walks through two practical storage systems — a DVD case method and a compact folder system — plus a quick tip for cleaning stamps without the faff of water and soap.
What we cover
Two real-world stamp storage setups: the DVD case approach I used for years and the folder system I've since switched to. I also show how I organize stamps by category inside both systems, what goes wrong if you don't store stamps carefully (a ruined stamp is a sad stamp), and how I clean stamps after use with nothing but a scrap of paper.
What you'll learn
How to store clear stamps in DVD cases — a free or nearly free solution that works well if you have shelf space and don't need to access your stamps frequently. The cases sit upright, label-side out, and each one holds a category of stamps on their acetate backing.
The one thing to watch when using DVD cases, including:
- Keep the stamp itself away from the CD slot ridges inside the case — those raised ridges will press into the rubber over time and leave a permanent indentation
- If you want the extra insurance, slip a second piece of acetate over the stamp side to keep it off the ridges entirely
How to store clear stamps in a binder folder — my current system, and the one I'd recommend if you want fast access and compact storage. I moved everything from a row of DVD cases into a single 6.5 × 9 inch folder I picked up at a secondhand store, and all my stamps fit with room to spare.
How to organize stamps by category inside the folder, including:
- A plain piece of paper with a category heading (hearts, flowers, birds, butterflies, words, borders, journaling spots, and so on) acts as a divider tab for each section
- The stamps themselves sit on cut pieces of acetate — I salvage these from the original stamp packaging rather than buying anything new — and slide into the folder's pockets
- Because clear stamps are, well, clear, you can flip through the pages and spot what you're after without pulling anything out
Why the folder system works better for smaller spaces — it takes up a fraction of the shelf space that a row of DVD cases does, and flipping through pages is faster than pulling out and searching through individual cases.
How to clean clear stamps without water, including:
- Stick the stamp to whatever surface you're working from (a lid, an acrylic block, anything it'll cling to)
- After stamping, press the stamp repeatedly onto a scrap piece of paper until the ink is gone
- No water, no stamp cleaner, no drying time — the stamp goes straight back into its pocket
Tips & gotchas
The ridge problem inside DVD cases is easy to overlook until you ruin a stamp. I know because I have one stamp with a small round indent in it that won't stamp cleanly anymore — that's exactly what a ridge imprint looks like in practice. If you go the DVD case route, just make sure the rubber face of the stamp is resting on flat acetate, not directly over a slot.
With the folder system, resist the urge to overfill. I have a couple of spare folders ready for when this one fills up, and I'd rather split into two folders than pack the first one so tightly that the stamps are bending under pressure. Bending is the enemy of a clean stamp impression.
For cleaning: stamping repeatedly on scrap paper really is all you need for most inks. I know it sounds almost too simple, but it works, and it's much less hassle than running stamps under water and waiting for them to dry before storing. Save the water method for stubborn pigment inks if you need to — for everyday stamping, scrap paper does the job.
One small thing worth knowing: both folders and spare acetate are the kind of thing that turns up regularly in secondhand stores and charity shops. I found my folders that way. If you're not in a rush, it's worth a look before buying new.
From here, it's a natural step to think about how your ink pads are stored alongside them, so everything you need for a quick stamping session is in one place and ready to go.
