I got the craft closet blues...

[shuttlebuggy]

I have an over stuffed and barely organized craft closet - that is more jumbled than ever these days from going in and out of it -it is narrow and deep and runs under a set of stairs.

Any ideas for making things in there a bit more accessible?

I have a small 3 drawer plastic bin unit in there - but it doesn't seem to be helping - and I have a large plastic storage container for my large skeins of JoAnn's Boucle.

Suggestions for what has worked in the organization dept for you would be most appreciated!

[darski]

I have a set from Avon that has a cube type storage that hangs over a rod and a "shoe" organizer that hangs on the back of a door. They are helping me to get some stuff seen to but my storage "room" is just a pile of bags of yarn. I can't even get in there unless I pull out bag after bag of yarn.

 

but it really is not funny

[chichiwawa]

I've been using those big plastic barrels that party mix come in. I wash them out real good and let them air out for a few days. Then I fill them with all my little scrap balls of yarn. It's nice to be able to see into them for the ball that I need instead of hunting thru bags and bins looking for one certain ball of yarn.

[DesertCrocheter]

Do you have one of those small, 3-shelf bookshelves? That might fit along one wall and can hold a lot of the smaller skeins (I have 2 stacked atop each other as my stash center). Clear totes or clear plastic cubes stacked atop each other would let you see what's what. Or those plastic open crates that stack--everyone's selling them cheap right now as college starts back up again. They would work, because you could stack them against the wall and go straight up to the stairs, graduating the number of cubes that would fit in that space.

 

I also use some of the those big laundry bags that are also for sale now. You can fit a lot int here, but you can't see what's in them. But you could fill a couple by color, or type of yarn, and label it.

 

Patty

[CLLinda]

What about those sets of plastic drawers that have wheels under them? It's usually two or three drawers and they come in a bunch of colors. My neice has one in her dorm room closet and you can put a whole lot of things in there. If it has clear drawers, you can put different colors of yarn in each drawer.

 

They cost about $20 at Walmart or Target.

 

Good luck.

 

[shuttlebuggy]

Darski - you nailed it for sure - when you say you have to take out bag after bag to get at things - that is where I am at with the added joy of mailing boxes and bubble wrap all over - terrible!

 

You are all correct that SEEING your stash is all important. I think something "rolling" would help - because at present the one large clear tote is bulky and hard to move, and the 3 drawer unit too is stationary and no wheels - hard to get behind in the small space where the stair closet ends.

I like the wheels idea and also the idea of "graduated" to fit under the stairs.

Thanks guys!

[DivaKat]

I took the laziest way out. I got one of those mesh pop-up laundry hampers and toss em all n there. Still a mess but you can see the skeins and it contains the clutter.

[chessie]

I use the clear plastic zip bags that you use to store clothes in...I have 3 of them full of thread! they are really handy for me.I too am bad to put a few balls of thread in a grocery bag and throw them in the closet.

[RondaK]

If there is any way to put up some shelves, you can sort your yarn by color, type or however you want with plastic tubs. You can get them any size you want and you can see through the plastic as to what's inside. I have a chest of drawers and that works nicely too, because when you can no longer close the drawers, you know it's time to find some quick projects to do!

[badrhinogillett]

My mom has her yarn in a bookshelf that my grandfather built back in the 1930's. It looks like cubes put together - so the small areas are perfect for her to sort and store her yarn. What about those plastic crates that look like what the milk man used to leave milk in (ok.. who else is old enough to remember the milk man? We never had him come, but my neighbor did). Stack them on their side and you can fill them up and still see what you have.

[solaceinmusic]

you could still do the graduated and still have it be on wheels... get the cubes like suggested and attach them to a dolly so you can move the stacks around easier... each stack have it's own dolly, or you could just add casters to the bottom cube...

[HappyOldCro]

I sort my yarn by types: Worsted, Sport, Hairy (boucle, Jiffy, Wool), Novelty (furs etc..)

Cotton, Thread, Glitters, Simply Soft, and cakes (not full skeins), also a tub of chenille.

The threads are kept in a see through tub, as they tend to tangle up if moved around too much. In the tubs are plastic bags sorted by color, with the most used shades near the top (ie; ecru, black, white). This also helps protect the yarns from shedding on each other. The tubs are labeled. I tried doing inventory lists, but kept forgetting to cross things off, or moving them to the scraps list when finished, so that did not work for me. My dream is to have a wall full of open faced bins with pull down doors on each bin so I can pick and choose without hunting, hauling and digging.

 

Almost forgot, I also have a tub I lovingly call "contaminated". These are yarns from yard sales and auctions that may need washing or deodorizing or some hairs/lint removed. To avoid it being transferred to my good yarns I keep them seperate until I can clean them up. My reasoning is not the pet hair itself (I do own one cat) but the fear of flea or other insect eggs, that can be transferred to other pets/homes from some very old vintage yarn.

Also a small box where I put yarns I can't or won't use that goes to folks who want them. Mainly my dd,

[RaggedyAnn]

They're expensive but space bags help with the larger, bulkier skeins, like the boucle from Joann's. Helps them fit in drawers better & gives you more space. You wouldn't need many & they're bound to be on sale somewhere with the back to college sales.

[JessicaRenee520]

The Dollar Tree has large zipper bags like RaggedyAnn refered to. It is $1 for one XL and $1 for three L. I cannot attest to the quality as I am still working on the Ziplock brand ones that I already have...but it seems like it could be a good deal. I believe they were in the aisle by the clothspins at the one I was in.