Storing Collage Ephemera

I tend to rotate out my collage ephemera, like a parent rotates out a child's toys. It helps to keep my selection fresh and for me to see things with new eyeballs. Whatever I'm not using at the moment, is in one small drawer in a rolling cart. 

One. Drawer. 

I've decided (space wise), I'm not holding onto a lot of paper and will keep what I truly want now and not hold on to too much.

For what I am using in my work today (at home and on the go), I am a big fan of Eagle Creek pack-it cubes. I use the largest size (shoe size) for my papers. The only sorting that I do is focals go in the back and backgrounds are in the front. 

I usually carry more background papers than focal (main) images. I like to use my main image to draw you into the work (most of my images are images of women, images I feel represent me in some way) and the background papers are supporting characters. They can be interesting shapes, textures, colors, text, etc... Sometimes I end up painting over everything while other times, I treat the images like coloring books. A green chair becomes a pink one, an oval shape transforms into a flower, etc... I use these shapes to guide and inspire me. With each applied layer of paint or mark, they take my hand and start to guide the work. 

I've found over the years that storing the images this way inspires me. I learned a long time ago, I can't store things by color, subject, etc... I like the spontaneity of new discoveries with my collage ephemera being in one place.

How do you store your collage material? What works for you?

Finding Collage Material (please note that the magazine sources have changed. I no longer have a regular magazine/source for images. There is more information on how I search in this post.) 

Revised 2020:
What's in My Art Toolbox:
Vol 1 (painting tools)
Vol 2 neutral acrylics
Vol 3 acrylics 
Vol 4 paint brushes
Setting up my workspace 
Storing Collage Ephemera