How to Organize Your Sewing Craft Room and Fabric

Make sewing projects easier by getting organized.

Sewing and craft rooms present an organizing challenge, because they are often small spaces, yet house activities that require ample storage and room to work on projects. Maximize the available space with creative storage and functional furniture to keep fabric, sewing tools and craft accessories organized and within easy reach.

Things You'll Need

• Cardboard
• Storage bins
• Shelves
• Zippered plastic bags
• Clear plastic trays
• Tackle box or tool box
• Pegboard
• Baskets
• Square bins
• File folders
• Table or desk work surface

Instructions

1. Sort your craft and sewing supplies to determine which kind of storage you need. Form piles for each type of accessory, such as thread, decorative scissors, rubber stamps, scrapbook paper and heat tools. Purchase or repurpose storage options such as bins, shelves and bookcases tailored to fit your room and needs.

2. Organize fabric according to a specific criterion, such as color, pattern or type of material. Stack full bolts vertically on a low shelf. Fold cut yardage around squares of cardboard to stash in a bookshelf or storage bin, or place each piece of fabric in a zippered plastic bag, labeled with the yardage, fabric composition and care instructions.

3. Corral small objects such as beads, findings, sewing needles and bobbins in clear plastic trays with internal dividers to keep colors and sizes separate. Stack trays into a portable bin or display them on a shelf. A tackle box or tool box can double as a portable craft kit.

4. Place bulky items in drawers or large storage bins. Label each container clearly so you can easily find what you need. Stack bins in a closet for long-term storage, but keep frequently used objects close to your workspace for easy access.

5. Mount a pegboard on the wall for convenient storage of accessories such as thread spools, sewing tools and ribbons that can hang on pegs. Mount baskets to the board for small objects that you use frequently.

6. Store decorative papers in flat, square bins or shelves for easy selection, or sort them by size, color and pattern and place them in labeled file folders.

7. Create a workspace with a table or desk large enough to allow for space-hogging projects such as cutting fabric, spreading out scrapbook pages or arranging quilting squares. Plan a home for tabletop machines such as a sewing machine, serger, laminator and vinyl cutter.

Tips & Warnings

• Arrange your work surfaces into a T or U shape for greater efficiency and ease of use.

• If space allows, form small workstations for different activities, each stocked with tools specific to that job. These might include centers for sewing, scrapbooking and beading.

References

• Mrs. Clean: Sewing Room Organization
• Organized Home; Sew Organized: Storage Solutions for Sewing and Crafts; Cynthia Ewer
• "Good Housekeeping": Easy Organizing -- Craft Supplies