How to Get Your Craft Room Organized

How to Organize a Craft Room

If you love crafts then you know how easily your passion for this hobby can take over. Scrap book supplies stacked in one corner, fabric and material piled on a chair, yarns, thread and knitting needles bursting out of drawers, cabinets, closets, and shelves. When this happens to me I know it’s time to start organizing the craft room.

It doesn’t matter whether you paint, crochet, scrapbook or quilt; the fact is, all of those supplies and half-finished projects can quickly fill every single corner, nook and cranny if you’re not careful. But don’t worry! I’ve been there more often than I care to admit. It seems my craft room is always being organized and re-organized.

Since I enjoy making things for my loved ones, I need to stay on top of it. It’s like Christmas for me and my kids like the things I give them! So come on girls, if you want to organize the chaos and get your supplies in order, let’s get busy and organize your messy craft room.

Organizing your Craft Space

Having multiple projects going at one time can leave you feeling flustered and maybe like you’ve gotten a little out of control. So organizing your craft room efficiently is essential to keeping your project on track. (And it keeps my mind straight!)

But no two craft rooms will need to be alike, maybe you do multiple crafts and your friend just does sewing, so each room will be set up a little differently.

Don’t feel like you have to keep the room totally craft oriented either.

I have a super comfy easy chair in a corner of the room with a nice standing lamp. I love to relax in that chair and read a good book with all my things around me.

Craft Room Basics

I’ll go over the things I have in my craft room and what I do to keep it organized.

My craft room is a spare bedroom and I’m sure, like many other home crafters, I suffer from having too many projects going at one time, each and every one vying for my attention.

I may also own a craft store within my craft room. Seriously! I don’t know if that’s good or bad or if it means I’m obsessed?

Hmmmm. Time to clean!

Tables, Baskets and Bins

For all crafters a very important tool is the table. I have one that is almost the size of a standard bedroom wall. It works great for me when I’m standing and when I’m sitting at the sewing machine.

My table has no storage but I have some great baskets and clear storage bins and an extra smaller table under it. It works with my design aesthetics.

Tables come in so many shapes and sizes and come with various storage options. It just depends on the space you have and the types of crafts you’ll be doing – and with whom you are doing them with. If you have younger kids, you may want an additional table that is just their size.

You can even make your own by using a couple of smaller shelves and an old flat door or thick sheet of plywood for the top. You can paint the top with chalkboard paint and have a really original tabletop.

Chairs and Stools

I have a very comfortable wicker chair I use frequently. It’s similar to a high backed chair with no arms. Personally, I don’t recommend an office type chair, they tend to be a little too deep and cause a bit of back ache.

I also have a couple of stools that I like sitting at while doing crafts. And then I do a lot of standing. The process of having a creative mind keeps me moving.

Cabinets and Shelves

On either side of my table I have cabinets where I store some of my larger craft items. My cabinets are old, made of wood, and have four shelves. In one of them I keep my Cuttlebug, Vagabond, dies, embossing folders, magazines, and other larger supplies for making cards and scrapbook pages, etc.

The other cabinet holds some of my sewing supplies; fabric, patches, extra sewing machine parts like needles and bobbins, cutting utensils, sewing magazines, etc.

On another wall I have a cabinet that has about 12 drawers in various sizes. Each drawer has a chalkboard front so I can nicely jot down what is in the drawer. Most of the drawers hold scrapbook supplies like brads, letters, word packs, adhesives, stamps, decorative scissors, gems and the list goes on – and on.

You can customize your area based on the types of crafts you like to do best.

Closet Space

On closet shelves I keep papers, paper cutters, my supply of fake flowers that I use to make scrap books and other items in clear plastic containers that can be used for many different types of projects.

I keep some of my scrapbook albums on a shelf and I also use space in the closet for some of those unfinished projects that I am going to finish any day now!

Clearing out the Clutter and Excess Supplies

It may come as no surprise to those of you who are organizing your craft room but you will most likely come up against some excess supplies. Yes, we “crafty” people are notorious for collecting clutter.

We tend to save every little scrap of paper or material; every loose button; odd colored paint; and mixing jar. If we think there is the slightest chance we can use something someday (even 20 years from now), we have the tendency to put it somewhere in our craft closet.

I have found that I’ve rarely used those scraps I saved. So if they really won’t be used I toss the junk. Some of my extra supplies I dole out to my kids so they can do their own crafts (in their own homes).

If family members can’t use your extra supplies, see if a friend could use them. You could also have a craft/garage sale and try to make some of your money back.

Another good way to get rid of excess supplies is to donate them. I have given quite a bit of craft supplies to our local Children’s Hospital. Pass on the fun of crafting.

Keeping your Craft Room Clean

I know it isn’t going to be easy because we creative types always have a vision.

But try to buy the supplies you need right at the time you need them, to avoid having excess materials that will just go to waste.

Reorganize your supplies often and get rid of excess materials that will clutter the room up.

Tip: Use one of your old perscription bottles to put sharps in, like pins and needles. When it’s full, it’s tossed safely into the garbage.

An organized craft room is a place where you can relax, create and enjoy the hobbies you love, a place to encourage creativity. So, think about these suggestions and get to work. A perfectly organized craft space awaits you!