Recently, for my own amusement, I sat down and organized my partner’s washi tape collection. I have also done this, “for my own amusement”, to our bookshelves, desks, ink samples, DVDs, vinyl records, clothes, fridge…it’s my blessing and curse, okay. Anyway, here’s the result:
I’ve organized Emil’s stash mainly by color and density of pattern. If you’ve shopped the adhesives section at BK, you may recognize quite a few of the team’s original designs. I’ve given the illustrated, stamp-style washi tapes their own section, and had to put a few “oversized and overflow” rolls in separate containers. It would be more satisfying to me if they all fit in one box, but this will do for now. The large wooden box is from an art supply storage set I’ve had since childhood. I think I used it to hold oil and acrylic paint tubes in high school, hence the paint drips and smudges everywhere. The simple kraft boxes came with an online order of eyeglasses.
My partner and I share tapes freely, but keep separate stashes at our desks. Funnily enough, I arrange mine in a completely different way: not by color, but by most-to-least frequently used and by content/pattern. Sorting by frequency, the tapes I want access to most often are towards the left and bottom, or “southwest”, if you like. That location is easiest for me to reach, since the tray sits under my desk, in a supply cart that is always oriented to the right side of my chair (I’m right-handed).
Sorting by content goes like this:
Left column, top to bottom: Food, plants/flowers and thin-width tapes.
Middle column, top to bottom: Sky, birds, flowers/fungi, patterns and typography.
Right column, top to bottom: Oversized tapes (thin), oversized tapes (thick), and smaller or about-to-run-out tapes, mostly to do with sky, air mail or patterns.
Sharp-eyed washi enthusiasts may notice that many of my most-used tapes are by Yohaku. This is easy enough to understand for fans of the artist, but in case you haven’t tried it—their designs are just gorgeous. The patterns are soft on the eyes, spacious, not too repetitive and add a subtle touch of well-considered color, type and breathing room to complement just about any spread, collage or other tape you’d like. And because the charming designs tend to be abstract and flow well, it looks great no matter where you take a piece, and whether you cut the ends neatly or rip ‘em for texture. This is not a sponsored post lol. I just enjoy Yohaku's works a lot.
Underneath the main tray, in the box proper, is where I store rolls that are currently out of regular rotation. These aren’t nearly as strictly organized. Many are older and reflect different planner styles and tastes I had in the past. I may not use them in my regular journaling as much now, but I’ll still break them out for special occasions, cards or gift wrapping. Others are sentimental, kept out of sight so I use them sparingly. Really, though, it’s all flexible. If I feel like it, I’ll switch a few out with tapes from the main tray every now and then, or as rolls get used up. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: “I try to forget there’s room for more tapes in here…”
The orange box and lid originally encased cookies, brought by a friend visiting from Singapore. It was actually designed to be re-used as a tissue box once the snacks were gone—that’s why there’s a slot in the lid. Luckily, I store the tapes in long columns running the opposite direction, so there’s no chance of any rolls falling through the hole.
To wrap this up, I’ll make the usual disclaimer that this post is not meant to be a “how to” or a prescription of any kind. It’s just a peek at how I personally like to arrange the tapes I have at hand, with the storage situation that happens to be available to me. What I find neat and sensible may look completely disorderly, inefficient or otherwise impossible to others, and that’s all right. Just like organizing your bookshelf or clothes drawers, it can—and should!—be quite personal, tailored to your own needs and aesthetic as it changes over time. Whether you stick (or restick) with a system or not: happy sorting!
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Text and photos by: A.C. Esguerra
Where to find A.C. : instagram @blueludebar
Read other stories by A.C. : Here
Bk Artifacts Featured:
- Bk-original tapes
- Yohaku Collection
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