Kim Kubsch
“Organizing Your Home Hobby and Craft Areas” is 15th in a series of articles featuring techniques for decluttering your home—one room at a time.
Consider these organization tips to help you organize your own hobby or craft or sewing space, no matter the size of room or budget you have.
1. Don’t keep things you don’t use or need just because you think a crafter should have it. Set up a “supply swap” with other crafty friends to trade materials and tools you don’t need for things you will actually put to use.
2. Do a monthly inventory and purge session. This keeps your storage space clean and tidy, but also refreshes your mind on what you are low on or have an abundance of. Also, be on the lookout for dirty/crusty tools to clean, crumpled papers stuffed behind things, and dried-up markers and glue.
3. Be realistic with your storage. Sure, it looks cute to have 12 jars lined up on a shelf with 12 different colors stored separately, but you’re wasting so much space! You could keep those same 12 colors of buttons in zip-top bags inside one small container.
4. Keep your most-used items chest/stomach level. Constant reaching and bending is enough to kill your energy.
5. Store by category, but you choose the categories. Don’t do the same thing as a friend does—customize for you. Store things by shape and size, and that may not work for you at all. Maybe you like to store things by function or project use. Just know that craft supply organization is extremely personal, it’s on the same level as how you store your undies. So do what works for you.
6. Get battery-operated Tap Light Push Lights—pack of five on Amazon for $12. These LED lights come with adhesive foam tape, so you can literally stick them anywhere. They make it so much easier to find things in closets, cabinets, cube shelves, and even big bins.
7. Shoe organizers are your friend! Most craft supplies are pretty small, and larger containers aren’t suitable for them. Add these organizers on the doors of your craft space (or nail them to a wall if you don’t have a door) for 24 tiny cubbies of all your smallest things. With the clear type, you can see what’s inside. No need for labels.
8. Store scrapbook paper in accordion files. You can separate by categories, and nothing will ever get bent.
9. Keep butcher paper rolls on hand or plastic painters drop cloths ($1 at Dollar General) to line tables for easy cleanup.
10. Clean up after every session. Even if you don’t put everything away, just cleaning up your trash and straightening your supplies will make you more willing to pick up where you left off next time.
Enjoy an efficient and enjoyable year-round crafting season in your re-organized space!
Future articles will feature digital photo storage, drawer organization, and moving preparation. Stay tuned.
Call me at 480-720-8566 to learn about my free 30-minute consultation. I can also be reached at [email protected] or www.JoyfulDOWNSIZING.com.