Crafty Organizing.....How to Deal With Art and Craft Supplies

According to a major national arts and crafts store, March is National Crafts Month: a perfect time to take inventory of what is already on hand. Organizing art and craft supplies is essential because there is nothing more frustrating than not having what you need at your fingertips. I've seen many instances where people are "paralyzed" at the mere thought of taking on this type of organizing challenge. Here is some advice.

Just "dive right in". Yes, this will be kind of painful, but worth it in the end. During a recent organizing session, I started in one small corner in the craft area: dumping the contents of every shelf and container on the floor and sorting supplies into like items. Even if there was a shelf or container that appeared organized, I would check it just to make sure. Craft items can be like a contagious disease, spreading quickly to many areas.

Create a special area for storing and working on crafts. I recommend designating an area or room in the house for this purpose. Not only does this confine craft supplies to one area, it makes it easier to access them when working on a project. This is also one organizing project where most likely you will need to purchase storage units/accessories if you do not have them already on hand. Keep in mind that you will need to create a storage environment that can accommodate the various sizes and shapes that supplies come in. Here are some helpful links :http://www.spacesavers.com/popularity-crafts-100.html,http://www.containerstore.com/search/searchresults.jhtml?search=craft+organizers&x=16&y=5, http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=102789656&c= and http://www.joann.com/joann/search/search_results.jsp?CATID=cat1110&keywords=craft+organizers&_requestid=1550840. Home Decorators.com is also a great website where you can purchase storage units that look like actual furniture. It never hurts to be stylish! http://www.homedecorators.com/Home_Decor/STORAGE_%26_ORGANIZATION/Storage_Carts_%26_Chests/ .

Now is also a good time to mention that I do not receive any form of payment or compensation from the companies whose products I am suggesting. Part of my work as a professional organizer involves researching options for my clients. This blog is a great way for documenting and sharing the fruits of my labor.

More on storage. Now for some specifics on dealing with the various types of art and craft supplies.

• markers, crayons, paint brushes and colored pencils - cookie tins and lunch boxes (of the metal and plastic variety) work well for these. If you want to have some out on the desk for easy access, use cans or frosting tubs. For a decorative touch, try covering these containers with a little wrapping paper/wallpaper and spray adhesive. You can also re purpose an old picnic caddy for storing these.


• construction paper and drawing paper - try using magazine holders or stack it neatly in drawers. Ask your local pharmacy or grocery store for boxes. Sometimes they have old display boxes that are perfect for storing those large size pieces of paper.


• scrapbooking paper - sort papers according to texture as well as type. Solid cardstock can be colorized and stored on horizontal shelves. Patterned papers should be sorted by color grouping and/or themes (think baby, wedding). Any special papers like mulberry or vellum should be stored separately to preserve their quality. Magazine holders or accordion files work great for separating and storing paper. One of my friends has a useful idea for storing all those bits and pieces of scrap paper she accummulates. She stores them in clear plastic sleeves by color group. Not only does this provide her with a nice visual, but the sleeves can be neatly filed into a bookshelf or storage cube. She also likes to store scrapbook pages in progress in clear plastic sleeves.


• paints - sort paints by type: acrylic, fabric, watercolor, oil, finger paints, etc. I like to use deep drawers for storing these as they are hard to stack neatly.


• activity and coloring books - magazine holders are perfect for these. You can also designate separate holders for each child.


• buttons - sort these by size and separate into clear plastic containers, ziploc bags or mason jars.


• scrapbook embellishments, stickers, and assorted craft odds/ends - put these in ziploc bags then hole punch and store in binders. Another way to keep these separate is to use an empty egg carton.


• yarn and sewing supplies - baskets are great for storing balls of yarn and knitting needles. Sort spools of thread by color and store in cookie tins or lunch boxes, then stash in a drawer. Silverware organizers work well for knitting, crochet and sewing needles. Fabric can be sorted according to size and stored in ziploc bags (which thankfully are now available in extra large sizes) and then placed in a drawer.


• Make a "to go" box - Keep a box or tote bag stashed with some crayons, markers, drawing paper and activity books to keep the kids occupied on long car trips.
  

Don't Keep Everything! I know this is hard, but letting go is an inevitable part of the organizing process. Try having a craft supply swap/give away with a friend, family member or neighbor. Another option is to donate supplies to a local nursing home, mental health agency, or school. Where I live, there is a store that accepts donated craft supplies. You can even claim your donation as a tax deduction. Here is their website: http://www.craftbitsandpieces.com/What%20we%20sell.htm.

Happy Organizing!