You ladies sure have some good ideas!!

Another option is to sell them or donate them to the library.

Save them on your computer then just print out when you are going to make one.

I could never cut up a magazine. I can scan what I want save it then give the magazine away. I still have several hundred but hope to get rid of some at my Patchworkers/Quilters garage sale in a few months when the weather is cooler.

I am thinking about scanning the articles/pics from my mag. into a project folder/pic folder on my cpu. Thank way the mag. can ge gifted to someone else to use intact. Just have not started yet.

Years ago I bought the cheap peel back the page picture albums, and that's what I use to put my ideas into, ideas for decorating, to build things, gardening, etc -- which come from magazines, newspapers, pictures I've taken over the years. I use that same way to keep track of quilting ideas. I also have a 3" x 5" index card box with notes about quilt blocks, patterns, baby quilts, kids quilts, etc., and notated if its in a magazine (including name/date, pg #), book (with same details) or a pattern. So when I need ideas, I go to that box and look, and it cuts down the searching considerably. I get ideas everywhere - including model homes, quilt catalogs, decorating magazines, kids coloring books, architectural details on a building, tile designs, and it all applies to my quilting...I'm sure it works the same way with most folks here on this board, too.

Yep, this is how I do it. otherwise my little sewing area would be all magazines! and when I want to find a specific article or quilt idea, I don't waste time looking thru tons of stuff cause my binders are clearly labeled as to each's (?) content.

mighty: Sounds like a system that could really be great. Just need to force myself to let them go after 6 months.

amen to that!
I have passed on some patterns to only return later and go, "hey! I really like that! Just in different colors."
It's a busy little world when your a mercurial mousie. ;)

The quilt magazine has often been the media where I was first introduced to a specific designer. I, too, save patterns in plastic sleeves for the 3-ring binders. Even so, it is necessary to review the binders periodically and decide what is worth keeping. So much is available now on the internet, in books and magazines, and boards that I can research an item quickly. I am trying to downsize gradually. Time spent in sorting, arranging, cleaning is time away from the sewing machine. When I sort items when I take a break to watch TV with DH, I can tackle a small pile very quickly.

One thought, I group my books together by author using the expanding file holders and/or plastic magazine holders. My study of trying to follow the work of a designer helps me define what they are doing and what I would want to do with that info. Examples: Mary Ellen Hopkins, Barbara Brackman, Judy Martin, Terry Atkinson, etc. I have even had a local printing shop drill holes in some books so that they don't wander off. I can view the book in the 3-ring binder and know exactly where to find my entire collection. :-)

Please be aware of storage areas for magazines and books. A musty item is a liability and usually ends up as trash!

I have some of the cardboard holders that were going to get tossed when the school library was redone. I realized that the very deep shelves in my stash closet could hold mags in the back and fabric or baskets in front. Getting to the mags is, of course, a problem, but I don't get them down very often.

Second idea comes from my guild.....we all donated some mags and on the day of our quilt show sold them for 25 cents each. I bought about $5 worth so I didn't advance much in reducing the numbers, but the money went to the guild. Of course, other people did a good job of donating and reducing their piles. I question whether they are really quilters. lol