How to Organize the Craft Room

Use containers to sort your items and organize your craft room.

Most crafts require a variety of supplies and tools, and those items have a way of expanding and taking over a craft room. Organizing your work space will allow you to find the things you need to complete a project, so you can spend more time crafting and less time looking for lost items. a welcoming, orderly craft room will become a haven for you and will allow you to keep all of your projects and supplies out of reach of kids and curious pets. Start by clearing out extra or unneeded items and trash them, then organize the remaining useful supplies.

Things You'll Need

• Trash bag
• 2 Cardboard boxes
• Permanent marker
• Storage containers
• Cup or mug
• Vacuum cleaner (optional)

Instructions

Declutter and Clean

1. Throw any obvious trash into a trash bag. Begin at one point of the room and work your way around. Open every drawer and closet and check tabletops and shelves for trash as well.

2. Get two cardboard boxes to fill with items. Label one box "Give Away" and one box "Other Rooms" with a marker.

3. Pick up the "Other Rooms" box and work your way around the room. Place any item that does not belong in your craft room into the box. Look for clothing, shoes, books and kitchen items like plates and place them in the box for removal.

4. Place the "Other Rooms" box outside the craft room; return these items to their proper place at a later time.

5. Pick up the "Give Away" box and make one more circuit of the craft room. Place any item you wish to donate to charity or give to a friend inside this box.

6. Place the "Give Away" box in your car to deliver to a charitable organization or other destination.

Sort

1. Sort the remaining items into piles by type. Put all fabrics together, regardless of fiber or yardage. Put items that go together into the same pile, so paints and paintbrushes should be together.

   For crafts you only do occasionally, place the supplies and dedicated tools in one container, that way you won't have to search for the items when you need them.

2. Choose a storage container for each pile. A huge pile of fabric will require a larger container than a small pile of beads. Depending on your personal preferences, you may need large tubs or baskets to hold items. Consider using clear plastic see-through tubs to store yarn or fabric.

3. Use the marker to label each storage container if needed and place it on a shelf, in a drawer or in a closet once it is filled.

   Use creative or unusual containers for your supplies---store buttons in glass jars, use hatboxes for larger items and over-the-door shoe storage bags for yarn. If you have extra furniture from other rooms, consider adapting it for your craft room. A dresser can make a wonderful storage location if you add some plastic dividers to the drawers; a filing cabinet can be used to hold patterns and papers.

4. Place commonly used tools in a pretty cup or mug and store them on your work surface. Items like scissors, pencils and glue guns are used for many different crafts and should be kept close at hand. Pencils, rulers and markers are also helpful to have handy and used in a wide variety of crafts, so consider placing these on or near your work surface as well.

5. Place craft-related books onto a bookshelf. Decorate the shelf with completed projects if desired. Save one shelf for WIPs (Works in Progress) and you can grab a project to work on any time you have a free minute.

6. Throw away the trash and vacuum or sweep the newly organized craft room. Close the door to keep pets and kids out and enjoy your crafty haven.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider parting with items that are in poor condition or that you have had so long they are out of style.

• Offer extras and supplies you are done with to a charity, scout troop or preschool--- most will be thrilled to receive supply donations.

• Don't get so caught up with your supplies that you start making something---finish the organization first.

• Don't cram too many items into a storage container. Select a larger container or consider reducing the number of supplies you have if space is a concern.

References

• " Absolutely Organized: A Mom's Guide to a No-Stress Schedule and Clutter-Free Home" ; Debbie Lillard; 2007
• "Home Decorating for Dummies"; Patricia Hart McMillan; 1998
• "Eco Craft: Recycle Recraft Restyle"; Susan Wasinger; 2009
• "Everything Scrapbooking Book: Creative Ideas for Preserving Memories That Last a Lifetime"; Jennifer Barr; 2002