Craft Room Organization

As I said, “It’s IN PROGRESS!!” LOL!

Yesterday, I talked about how I’m slowly creating a craft room from a former kid hangout/guest room to fit my crafting needs.  At first, I was going to cover the room in high and low cabinets.  I never could make a decision about how I wanted them set up and how they would best work with the way I craft.  Have you ever thought about that?  I was talking with a friend online about how walking into a home with a completed craft room still wouldn’t mean that it would work for us.  Why?  Because in order to make a work space right for you, you really have to understand how you craft, which way you move, what supplies you most often use.  All kinds of things.  They are things that you don’t consider until you really concentrate on it.  During this process, I have decided to either use what I find around my house or buy inexpensive storage solutions.  If I decide later that permanent cabinets are the best idea, I won’t have already spent tons on storage.  What I am really hoping, is that these affordable options fit my needs as a permanent solution.

Here’s how this room used to look.

What I need are some Cricut cartridges. LOL!

This first photo is a simple white bookshelf (that I painted light green years ago), Large Command Hooks hold my Cricut mats and also hold my laminated Sizzix die info on the side of the bookshelf you can’t see.  That sad little table is next in line for a makeover.  It holds a CD player I got for free with an office supply order.  I listen to books on CD when I don’t have my TV on (watching DVDs).  Under the table is a “milk crate” style box I bought at WalMart last year for $5.  It holds my larger Sizzix dies.  The blue tin you can barely see holds the rest of my Sizzix dies.  Next to blue tin (where the Superman puzzle was hiding), which you can’t see at all are stacks of 12×12 boxes.  See what they look like below:

Got the plastic 12×12 boxes at Hobby Lobby.

These boxes are about to be replaced with some paper storage cubes from Michael’s.  I already bought 4 of the cubes when they were 50% off.  If you don’t catch them on sale, use a coupon!

These are so useful! I should have bought them sooner!

I keep my ink in the drawers, 8 1/2 x 11 paper in the file drawer and a lot of the other stuff you see (besides a few papers stacks that aren’t in the 12×12 boxes) are projects I haven’t finished!  I only keep brown Puff Plus boxes in my craft room.  Why?  Just one of my quirks.  LOL!  Those 3 buckets are due for a vinyl makeover.  They hold Martha Stewart, Stampin Up and EK Success paper punches.  (DVD’s are Supernatural, One Tree Hill (embarrassing) and 3 scary movies.)

I had so much trouble with that 4 set of drawers cube!  It was missing pieces and I had to use wood glue on one of the draw fronts, one of the decorative screws for the handles was stripped right out of the package and the bottom right drawer has a defect which makes it look dirty.  I was too tired to worry with it, so I kept it.  I also had no hardware in another box.  The other 2 boxes were perfect.  I suggest buying close to your home in case you need to return/exchange them.

On top of the bookcase, all covered with cheese…wait, we’re not singing “On top of Spaghetti”. Sorry about that.

Remember when I showed you how to make Dollar Store hurricane lamps?  See my video here.  Well, now I’m using some of them for ribbon storage.  You’ll also see buttons and bottle caps stored up there.  I like that I can see what I have.  I’m also using the ribbon box I made from a photo box.  How tacky is my empty peppermint box that is now ribbon storage?  Hey, tacky or not it is useful!  My spools of tulle are up there too. You can’t see them all in this photo.

Ahhh, Pottery Barn Outlet…I love you.

If you go to the top photo you can sort of see this piece of furniture behind my folding chair.  Yes,  I need to get a real chair.  LOL!

 I’m not about to tell you some lie about how cheap Pottery Barn furniture is.  It’s not.  However, I was able to get this $600 cabinet at the Pottery Barn Outlet for $100.  I was as happy as a clam.  Clams are notoriously happy.  It’s in perfect condition and I love it.  It holds my Imagine on top and my Imagine cartridges (so far) in the bottom pull out drawer.  I store ink, paper I use for test cuts, laminating tags and weird paper that doesn’t fit in other categories in here.  Four of my Imagine cartridges were delivered to me with completely crushed cases when I first bought my Imagine, so that’s why you see that weird one in the bottom right hand corner.

Ok, that’s it for today.  I store project supplies (like t-shirts, frames, canvas bags, candles, etc.) in my closet.  I’ll show you that another time if you really want to see it.  It looks like…a closet.  LOL!  If you read yesterday’s post, you know I store vinyl in the trundle of the bed.  In front of my table I have a long wall with the door on the left.  On that wall I am putting some more bookshelves.  I’ll be storing plastic containers full of Cuttlebug folders, jewelry making things, sewing machines, adhesives and things like that on the bookshelves.  My TV and DVD player will sit on top of one too.  Right now that wall is lined with a very boring white 6 foot folding table.  To my right is a sink and door that leads to a bathroom.  It’s nice having a sink in here. 😉  Alright!  I’m off to assemble some crafty storage!

I hope you got some ideas or at least feel like you aren’t the only person in the world who doesn’t have a magazine worthy craft room.  It’s wonderful to see those lovely rooms, but for many, lovely is in the eye of the beholder and in the usefulness to that particular crafter. Right? 😉

Have a Craftily Organized Day!  LOL!!

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18 Comments

  1. Looking good! Thanks for sharing your storage and organization ideas. I am still amazed at ALL your Cricut cartridges – WOW!

  2. You’re getting there. Looking good!!!!

  3. Love your bookcase fulllllll of carts!! You are very organized considering the space you are in!! My craft room is in the basement so I have no finished walls to hang things on!! By the way…I love the blogs new look!! Thanks for sharing. See you tomorrow.

    Ildi-The Craftin Mama

  4. Great use of a “crazy corner.” So agree about needing a personalized space. I’m still struggling with it. Your daybed looks like one I’ve been eyeing on Overstock.com. Curious if you like the quality, size and shape (great to know it’s perfect for vinly storage! ;-)). Thanks.

    1. Hey 7524kes,
      I bought that bed from Rooms To Go Kids. 😉 Here’s a link to it: Oberon Cherry Daybed.
      I’m glad you like my crazy corner design. 🙂
      ~Joy~

  5. Can’t wait to see how you finish this room off…. I LOVE the wall color!

    Theresa

  6. Great details on the bed. So pretty. TFS! Love the vintage Superman, btw. Perfect inspiration for all things “super.”

  7. It must feel sooo good to be so organized!! I am working on this myself, but I need some more storage… that’s for sure!!!

  8. Looking good!!! Organizing is one of my favorite things to do 🙂 Can’t wait to see how it looks when it’s all done 🙂

  9. Well now I’m about to pull my hair out! Your room is so neat and organized! I caved too and bought more of those clear drawer plastic cart things. They fit nicely under my folding tables for now. I like that tall shelving unit you have with all of the Cricut carts. My hubby built me a wooden shelf to hold rubber stamps and carts, but I’ve run out of space for the cartridges. I’ve run out of space for EVERYTHING! I’m still sleeping on the whole cabinet idea. I need to finish purging the stuff I don’t use and then see how much room I actually have and how much storage I actually need. Thanks for posting the pictures, Joy…very helpful!

  10. mom2gabman says:

    hey Joy! My craftroom is a work in progress. I too am trying to turn a once/still playroom into a crafting room. I’m slowly pushing my kids out with all of my junk! Good luck!

    Liz

  11. I love my Cropper Hopper paper holders. My Craft room is the dinning room so I have one side of the wall set up with my cabnits and then in between is my desk above is my shelves. so most of my things are in the cabnits. but I do use other ways of storing. I wish cropper hopper would come out with more smaller paper holders. I also have platic contaners to hold all my punches.
    thanks for the chance to win. I would love to try the giveaway have never seen it before
    [email protected].

  12. Janet Licari says:

    Love that double wedding ring quilt on your guest bed 😉 It is hard to figure out what the right storage solution would be just for you…I have been thinking hard about that too and trying to avoid buying storage that just does not work right for me.
    quilt 4 fun 2 at hot mail dot com

  13. Joydee1963 says:

    Joy,Great craft room,I got a pottery daybed/trundle bed in my scraproom ,too. I have 12 cubes from Michael’s. in my room.Joy

  14. america57 says:

    Joy if you get a chance, come over to my blog and look at my Welcome to my Scrapbook Room Fridays, I have a really neat tip on how you can store your twine.

    http://www.chrissandlou.blogspot.com

  15. Well my hubby built me a closet with shelves and i use it to store all my cartridges…I also use hanging shoe holder to hold all my cuttlebug folders…

    Mickey

  16. NancyRuess says:

    Everytime I clean my craft room, I learn new and easier ways to organize all my “stuff”. I have taken dowls and plastic storage crates that have hole on the sides to organize my ribbons, so far. But the more I get the less room I have in the storage box. I love for everything to look great. It is just such a great feeling to go right to what you need when you need it! Thanks for all the ideas, and pics.

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