Oraganizing ideas

[alwayscrafting]

After trying several times to organize/clean up my craft room I decided to start this thread. The object is to share ideas, tips and photos. The subject is craft rooms. I thought it would be fun to get ideas from you all about how you organize or how you would like to organize your craft space.

Maybe some other poor lost souls like myself could benefit from you folks that have it together

 

So, please tell us what and how you keep order in your craft areas!

[Harvestar]

To organize my random single or partial skeins of yarn, I bought a shoe caddy.

 

Note, I still have 2 plastic bins of yarn, too, but this organizes the half skeins of fun fur, and little skeins of solid colors.

[alwayscrafting]

That's a good idea. I have my random/partial skeins divided by color and in 2 gallon or 1 gallon ziplock bags. Then I have them laying in a plastic bin. I'd like to do something other than the plastic bin though.

[GrammyT]

I can't wait to see some of the ideas that everyone has. I have been trying to figure out how to organize my craft stuff. Most of mine is in yarn. I like the idea of the ziploc bags.

[alwayscrafting]

I'll try to remember to get a photo of the ziplocs tomorrow - too dark now for my digital camera. I live in a log house and its shaded now.

[GrammyT]

Excellent. I am getting ready to lose my job next month (that is unless a miracle takes place and I do believe in miracles) and I will have plenty of time and no excuses to get everything organized.

[Feederofthepack]

I have a yarn closet with shelves-used to be the kids toy storage in the basement rec room. The best thing I have done is use see through bins in smaller sizes so you can see things quickly and organize by types of yarn and size of skeins. Full ones on the shelf and partials in the bins. No more of those giant bins.

[CrochetKitten]

I use those photo organizer boxes from the craft store--they look like decorated shoe boxes--for my WIPs. I usually have more than one project going at once, so it's nice to be able to throw everything in a box and put it on a shelf when I need a break.

[crochetgal]

Excellent. I am getting ready to lose my job next month (that is unless a miracle takes place and I do believe in miracles) and I will have plenty of time and no excuses to get everything organized.

 

 

Me too, I am getting laid off in October for the winter and I plan on getting organized......no more excuses!

[Tampa Doll]

This is a good time of the year to purchase these, as they usually are one sale for kids off to college.

 

I have several of the egg crate type bins that are on the shelf in the closet. They hold quite a few skeins of yarn and you can see what you have. They can also be stacked on their sides one on top of the other along a wall. I also have a foot stool that hold some of my thread.

 

Gif1

 

Then there are the hanging storage for sweaters and such that I have yarn and thread in. These right now are on sale at Joann's

 

GIF2

 

I also have the bins with drawers for yarn and ribbons and such.

 

GIF3

 

I still have my cotton and thread to go through. I am still in the middle of organizing, but I am making progress.

 

Oh yeah, when I was doing the acrylic, DH came thru and said I need an intervention:rofl

 

I just spent a whole day rearranging my acrylic yarn, so it looks much better.

[alwayscrafting]

Excellent. I am getting ready to lose my job next month (that is unless a miracle takes place and I do believe in miracles) and I will have plenty of time and no excuses to get everything organized.

 

Sorry to hear about you losing your job There's alot of that going on in our area. God bless and I hope you get a new job soon!

[alwayscrafting]

Me too, I am getting laid off in October for the winter and I plan on getting organized......no more excuses!

 

I hope you get called back quickly!

This is a good time to organize though.

[alwayscrafting]

Thanks for your input ladies! Keep the ideas coming

 

I use the shoebox size bins and put them on shelves in my craft closet. They work great for all the stuff I seem to accumulate

I don't just crochet, I knit, sew, quilt, scrapbook, bead and sometimes do something in plastic canvas. Meanwhile, I seem to stockpile stuff for each of these hobbies. I think I am afraid that a) the stores will no longer carry craft stuff or b) I won't have money to buy anything

 

One of my biggest phobias is boredom!

[EMedley]

Ive just started organizing because we are finally about as unpacked in this house as we will get, and I want my craft room set up. First we are gonna make my desk and on of the "legs" is a 9-cube white organizer from Target, thats going to hold all my pattern books so far, still thinking of ideas for that. I have a 3 drawer plastic storage container that has just about ALL my scrapin' stuff in it that I hope to use the cube for too. I also bought one of the 6 cube wire organizers from Target too, that is the start of my yarn organization. I plan to organize that by types, weight, color IE WW all by colors, cotton by color, ect. I use baskets for my current projects. Can't lie, I have "project" yarns in empty diaper boxes lol. Ive just started and until the drywall/floor/closet door/desk built/painting done I can't do much more than stock up on yarn....addict. I have a problem, but I don't care

[EMedley]

oh I forgot to add

I have a 3 ring binder and when I buy yarn I write it in there. I have tabs for brands. I just take a small piece of the yarn color and tape it in there and write down all the info off the package. This was a request from the DH who thinks I have too much yarn and should know more what I need/have before buying. So I did that for him, but guess what, it helps soooo much!! Ive already used it to replace a color that went discontinued and was able to match it nicely.

[happy stitcher]

EMedley, another good thing to use for desk legs are those short filing cabinets. Booklets can be filed in there, and flipped through easily. You can use hanging folders to divide them by craft or types of patterns.

[EMedley]

EMedley, another good thing to use for desk legs are those short filing cabinets. Booklets can be filed in there, and flipped through easily. You can use hanging folders to divide them by craft or types of patterns.

 

That is what im going to do with all my printed patterns, you best believe it! but not for legs on the desk because I need lots of feet room...Im weird like that. One leg is the 9 cube, the others will be railing spools, you know for like staircases

[JessicaRenee520]

Lots of fabulous ideas in here!

Emedely-Love the idea about yarn binder :-)

 

I just finished organizing my yarn stash.

I have 3 three drawer plastic drawer bins with yarn organized by brand (ie..red heart soft, ILTY cotton, Lilly and Cream cotton), then I put my little balls in the same drawer in a zipper bag that has the slide top (usually gallon size) because although they are more expensive, they are way easier to use over and over again.

 

I have this plastic cart with 5 shorter drawers, an in this I keep size 3 thread in one drawer, ribbon in another, buttons in another. To organize the buttons, I put them in a nuts and bolts organizer from Big Lots, this way, I can find what I need. They are organized by type (size, color) with 2 compartments being for singles of simmilar size. I also keep my hooks in one of these drawers in a sturdy vinyal zipper pouch (from a diaper bag) then I keep incidentals in another...key ring rings, beads, etc.

 

To keep a hand on everything that I am working on at once, I keep my WIPS in plastic bags (with the pattern, and hook) next to the couch in a tall basket with a lid I got on clearnce at HOBBY LOBBY. If it is a big project that requries multiple skeins of yarn, I keep all the yarn in this basket, but only the yarn I am working with the in plastic bag. This way, my projects have a home, and it is not a yarn distastor in our home :-).

 

As for patterns, I keep 3 ring binders of those I have printed out. To minimize clutter on the computer, I make a word document with all the free patterns of one group...ie.."Baby Sweaters". Generally, I know what TYPE of item i want to make, and this way I can browse without opening a zillion documents :-)

 

Good luck to everyone who wants to get organized, and my prayers are with those searching for work.

 

Jessica

[alwayscrafting]

Great ideas! Keep them coming!

 

I love the yarn binder idea. I have been listing mine and trying to make a database that will allow me to sort by type, color, whatever. I guess Ravelry has something like this, but I still haven't mastered Ravelry and it's easier to do my own thing.

 

Also I'm trying to organize my computer with the free patterns. I have one folder listed "Crafts" and subfolders like "Afghans" "Clothing", etc. like a filing cabinet.

Periodically this Crafts folder will get burned to a CD and then I will delete the contents on the computer and start over.

 

I use the 3-ring binders that have the outer sleeve that I can make my own covers. I put my printed out patterns in those plastic sleeves and into the binders. I need to divide them again as I have too much in my "clothing' binder. Think I'll make one for accessories then I can take the scarf/hat/mittens, socks and maybe shawls out of the clothing one. These are really great for organizing the printed out patterns.

[EMedley]

Great ideas! Keep them coming!

 

I love the yarn binder idea. I have been listing mine and trying to make a database that will allow me to sort by type, color, whatever. I guess Ravelry has something like this, but I still haven't mastered Ravelry and it's easier to do my own thing.

 

Also I'm trying to organize my computer with the free patterns. I have one folder listed "Crafts" and subfolders like "Afghans" "Clothing", etc. like a filing cabinet.

Periodically this Crafts folder will get burned to a CD and then I will delete the contents on the computer and start over.

 

I use the 3-ring binders that have the outer sleeve that I can make my own covers. I put my printed out patterns in those plastic sleeves and into the binders. I need to divide them again as I have too much in my "clothing' binder. Think I'll make one for accessories then I can take the scarf/hat/mittens, socks and maybe shawls out of the clothing one. These are really great for organizing the printed out patterns.

 

 

The binder really helps me when starting a project, Ive become more aware of what the pattern calls for and making sure I have what I need. Plus, it also is what I go back to to draw some color inspiration/combos for a project. I also do the binder with patterns all printed, of course I used a lot of ink but its great, I just take out the pattern I'm using and I keep it with the project. Toothbrush holders, you know for traveling, I keep my hooks in those, especially when traveling, and they are cheap at target or he dollar tree.