A lot of folks use cardboard file boxes. http://www.staples.com/Staples-Economy-Storage-Boxes-10-Pack/product_825695 They work pretty well and stack nicely.

A lot of folks use cardboard file boxes. http://www.staples.com/Staples-Economy-Storage-Boxes-10-Pack/product_825695 They work pretty well and stack nicely.

Hmmm, we're almost on the same wavelength. I realised after I posted that perhaps a slim tub for under-bed-storage would work really well for the paper stuff, especially as some of the pieces are big. Something like this:
http://www.kmart.com.au/product/homemaker-36-litre-underbed-storage-container-with-wheels/118968

For the scraps, I could get something similar but a bit deeper. I have the same brand storage tubs already so they'll stack nicely and they happen to be a lot cheaper than the Ikea ones.

Rather disappointing, as I have basically ended up where I started... was kinda hoping to discover some new exciting idea!

Just in case anyone else is interested:
http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=scraps%20sorting

Someone used a shoe organiser for fabric scraps
A lot of people using file organisers, plastic tubs, drawers...

Na - Wal Mart has those bins that you saw at Ikea.  IDK if you have Wal Mart in AU.

Na - Wal Mart has those bins that you saw at Ikea.  IDK if you have Wal Mart in AU.

No, no Walmart here

I like clear plastic boxes so I can find the colors I need faster, but then the space looks messier than color coordinates plastic bins. I was given my Mother-in-law's used clear hard plastic shoe boxes for her little Barbie doll clothes scraps, buttons and notions, they stack up nicely because they are flat and light, but the lid comes off easily so it helps to wrap some elastic around it so you don't dump it out. I bought on sale cheapest plastic bins available and have a lot of different colors and sizes, not good for stacking when they don't match. My husband does not like that look. I used to get the largest size and spent so much time digging in them to find something, now that I am old and have arthritis I prefer smaller boxes that are not as heavy that will stack easier.

I like clear plastic boxes so I can find the colors I need faster, but then the space looks messier than color coordinates plastic bins. I was given my Mother-in-law's used clear hard plastic shoe boxes for her little Barbie doll clothes scraps, buttons and notions, they stack up nicely because they are flat and light, but the lid comes off easily so it helps to wrap some elastic around it so you don't dump it out. I bought on sale cheapest plastic bins available and have a lot of different colors and sizes, not good for stacking when they don't match. My husband does not like that look. I used to get the largest size and spent so much time digging in them to find something, now that I am old and have arthritis I prefer smaller boxes that are not as heavy that will stack easier.

Yeah, I go with clear plastic tubs too. Everything has a label on it, 6 of them in fact - two on the lid, so I can read it no matter what side is facing me; and one on each side. Most of the tubs are the same brand and stack well, and there are differing volumes. They're stacked to different heights depending on where they are and how I'm using them. For instance all of the ones in my cupboard are stacked about 4 or 5 high because that's as much as I can fit in there and these tubs I rarely need to access. Heaviest tubs are on the bottom; fragile stuff or stuff I often need at the top. A stack of two is doubling as my 'desk' where I have a lamp and my TV. Another stack next to it (1 or 2 depending on the day) acts as a 'coffee table' where I can leave food or other items. There are 2 stacks of three along one of the walls, one of which currently acts as a small building area (I've been making jewellery) and the other has a flat fruit box for storing my shoes out the way. And lastly a stack of four which tucks perfectly into a corner next to my door/cupboard.

My clothing is currently in some of these boxes so it does get annoying to have to do a daily rearrange to pull stuff out of them, but for the most part I'm happy with the arrangement. I have a small room so getting rid of 90% of the furniture and making temporary desks out of the tubs has worked out well in terms of saving space. The tubs aren't very deep so the only thing I'll ever get frustrated with is having to lug the tubs all over the place if I need to find a certain one at the bottom of the stack.

I do wish though there was a more interesting way of doing things. It makes the room so drab.

When I was a teacher's aide my head teacher put shelves high on the wall with cardboard boxed that she glued wrapping paper all over.  She kept the seasonal bulletin board displays for holidays wrapped in paper for the season.  The children loved to look up at the exciting paper and she did not have to label them since the paper told the story.  Maybe you need to stick pictures of what you make out of the contents on your boxes to make it more cheery and exciting for your room and inspire you to create some more.

When I was a teacher's aide my head teacher put shelves high on the wall with cardboard boxed that she glued wrapping paper all over.  She kept the seasonal bulletin board displays for holidays wrapped in paper for the season.  The children loved to look up at the exciting paper and she did not have to label them since the paper told the story.  Maybe you need to stick pictures of what you make out of the contents on your boxes to make it more cheery and exciting for your room and inspire you to create some more.

Hmmm, that's a great thought. It might have to wait til later though - a lot of the tubs are 'temporary' methods of storing stuff I plan to sort later. At the moment there's about 5-6 of them that are filled at random.

Thanks for the idea!

Continuing on...

Not sure how well this would work but I realised that this sort of newspaper storage box would do for scraps, depending on the size of the pieces and how much you've got lying around. Mostly good for paper and not fabric though.
http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/40198018/