Craft Room Organization

Most of us enjoy some sort of crafting – whether it’s sewing, quilting, scrapbooking or making things with the kids.

The biggest challenge doesn’t seem to be figuring out how to make the crafts, or finding the supplies, or even finding the time to craft.

The biggest challenge is organizing craft materials in some reasonable way in a reasonable space so your supplies and tools can be found when needed and so that they don’t take over the available space throughout house.

Are you somebody who has a sewing machine in the family room, patterns on the dining room table and craft books in the living room? Knowing how to organize does not necessarily make one organized.

Start making your plan for organizing, and now let’s get to work!

A Place to Craft:

Crafting supplies, no matter what they are, need to be kept in one area. Of course the best idea is to have a room of your own. Doesn’t that sound wonderful? A room to do exactly what you want, when you want and a place to corral the mess.

If a whole room isn’t possible, how about part of a room? Maybe you have a home office or den where you can set up a small space. Maybe you have a basement/rec room area to corner off an area.

If you are going to have to share a space until one of the kids leave the nest, you can partition your area off with bookshelves, partitions, folding screens, maybe hang one of the quilts you made.

Storage Areas:

When you’ve figured out where to set up shop, the next step is organized storage. Have you ever spent too much time looking for your special craft scissors only to find them in the junk drawer?

For the space you end up with, find the type of storage containers that will work best for you. It might be plastic storage bins, baskets, bookshelves, an old dresser, shelving, old jars with lids, or a small cabinet.

The best organizer is one that lets you see what is inside it. It won’t help you one bit if things are put in shoe boxes and you have to open up the lid just to see what’s in it. The organizer drawers come in several sizes so you can get as many drawers as you need in sizes that make sense for you.

You can also get clear containers in various sizes work best but if you have to, recycle boxes that printer paper comes in from work – they’re free and work great.

Arranging the Room:

Now that you have figured out the type of storage you’ll be using, decide how you’d like to arrange your space.

There are only a few additional items you’ll need besides storage. A table and a chair – a comfortable chair, good lighting and depending on the crafts you do, a magnifying glass – the kind that clamps to the table. The table size will again depend on the space you have. Maybe you will want a table/desk with drawers or just a table where you can store your craft items under it in an organized manner.

Organizing Craft Supplies

Find a place for everything and “everything in its place.” When you use something, put it back in the same place.

Now get crafty. Put things close to where you’re going to need them. Put your fabrics in a container, your glue gun and glue in a basket on the shelf. Use another container for yarn and you can put knitting needles in an old mason jar on a shelf.

Put the items you use most in the more accessible areas that are easy to reach, and the least used items on the top shelf or the bottom drawer or behind another item.

Essentials of Crafting

Table:

Make sure you have good work table(s) and that it suits a multiple array of crafts, you don’t want to be looking up at the sewing machine and bending too low for other crafts.

If you have a room dedicated as a craft room, you can have more than one table for the different crafts you do. If you have kids that enjoy crafts, keep a folding table and chairs for them.

For folks that don’t have a lot of space, you can get a clever hideaway craft table. It has several drawers to store things in, and the whole table folds down into a very small space when you are not using it. It’s on rollers so you can move it where you need to, easily.

Lighting:

Proper lighting is important, besides the overhead light, have a good lamp close to you, this is a must especially so you can thread a needle. It’s nice if you have windows. Crafting with a view is pleasant and natural light is a plus.

Clean Up After Yourself:

Don’t leave yourself a giant mess, cleaning up after yourself is not just for the kids. Your craft area should be your place to retreat, enjoy it.