How many times have you looked at your craft room and felt completely overwhelmed? If you would describe your space as disorganized with supplies everywhere, you are not alone. Not only is this frustrating, but it’s a major distraction when it comes time to work on a project. This is why we came up with 15 craft room ideas that will transform your space into a sanctuary that inspires you.
Whether you partake in occasional DIY projects or love to create anything you can get your hands on, our organization tips will help you find the materials you need. Say goodbye to the days of fighting with your tangled embroidery floss or sifting through loose paper to find your scissors. After reading, check out our home decor section to find some of the items we used in our space.
Organizing Tips for Hobbyists
There are two main types of crafters who will have different needs when it comes to organizing. The first is the hobbyist who enjoys taking on a project every now and then. If you fit into this category you might not consider yourself an artist or experienced crafter but chances are you have enough supplies taking up valuable space in your home.
Our craft room ideas will help you store scrapbook or vision board materials like magazines, construction paper, pens, colored pencils, markers, thumbtacks and anything else you may have. Below are five ideas that will get your room in tip-top shape.
1. Use cereal boxes to collect magazines, scrapbook pages and stickers
Cereal boxes are an affordable way to clear up magazines and other stationery materials you may have lying around. They also make for a fun DIY project that won’t take up too much time. With scissors or a box cutter, cut the cereal box into your desired shape. Washi tape (which provides extra reinforcement), colorful fabric or construction paper are all great supplies to decorate cereal boxes with. Tape and glue will also be needed to complete your magazine file.
2. Take your everyday office paper tray and use it to separate construction paper by color
Everyone has seen this type of paper tray used in an office to separate files but what they don’t know is that this also works as a nice craft room storage idea. Instead of keeping construction paper in its packaging, go to a nearby office supply store and pick up your own multipurpose tray. This makes it easy to separate paper by color, which is ideal if you have lots of crafts that involve construction paper or cardstock.
3. Find your favorite cup and repurpose it as your new pen holder
Using a cup or mug is the best way to clear up space on your desk. It’s a quick fix that takes seconds to set up. You can use one you have at home or design a cup with a photo that you love. When it comes time to decide what to put in your repurposed cup, consider using it for pens, pencils, markers, a ruler or scissors.
4. Store loose drawing supplies in a canvas pouch
As an adult, we forget about all the great things canvas pouches can be used for. In grade school, they were our go-to source to keep pencils, erasers and lead in a place where we could easily find them. This is the same mentality you should have when it comes to organizing your craft room. Use canvas pouches for anything you have an abundance of that can also be categorized.
5. Keep thumbtacks handy in a magnetic catch-all tray
As its name suggests, a catch-all tray is great for just about anything. One way to make it even more useful is to turn it into your very own magnetic tray. This allows you to gather things like thumbtacks, sewing pins, keys and whatever else you may need a magnet to attract. The process is simple. Take a round or square catch-all tray and attach neodymium magnets with craft adhesive or glue.
Organizing Tips for the Ultimate Crafter
Next, it’s time to focus on a person who has spent years crafting, making them the ultimate crafter! Some activities this person may enjoy are sewing, knitting, painting, crocheting, card making and woodworking. If you fit into this category, you likely have tons of supplies that you need to keep track of.
Whether you’re looking for a craft room storage idea for your beads, paintbrushes, yarn, thread or drawing and coloring supplies, we have you covered. Check out our ten tips below that will upgrade your craft room and make it a space that awakens your creativity.
1. Separate fabric by color or pattern and keep it in a filing cabinet
If you’re a serial crafter, fabric is something that can start to pile up. One way to get around this is by creating your own hanging fabric files. Not only does this craft room storage idea get you organized, but it also helps you see the colors and patterns you have at hand. To store your fabric, you will need a filing cabinet and hanging file folders. Separate fabric by color and drape them over file folders.
2. Use a serving tray to keep materials for your current project ready to go
When you’re working in a space that is busting at the seams with craft supplies, you need a way to keep what you are currently working on in order. A serving tray is one way to separate materials you are using until you are ready to put them away. This frees your design space from clutter and makes your project mobile. It also eliminates the time it would take to find the supplies you need by having them readily available.
3. Store leftover materials like sequins, sponges or fabric scraps in mason jars
Every serious crafter has random odds and ends that they like to hang on to for good reason. These leftovers always seem to come in handy when you’re working on a project that is missing something you can’t quite put your finger on. To keep these remaining scraps accessible, use a mason jar to categorize them and have them visible while you are working on a project.
4. Wrap embroidery floss around clothespins to keep the thread neat
Embroidery floss is a versatile thread that can be used for everything from stitching intricate designs to making necklaces and bracelets. If it’s something you use often, you’ll want a way to keep it tangle-free. By picking up a pack of clothespins, you can do just that. To get started, open the clothespin and pin one end of the embroidery floss. Wrap the remaining thread around the clothespin making sure to leave some thread that you will pin at the end.
5. Create a custom hanging wall organizer unique to your storage needs
Hanging wall organizers are ideal if you’re looking for a craft room idea that saves space. To get started you’ll need a canvas drop cloth, felt sheets, needle and thread or a sewing machine and a grommet kit. The entire process can take up to a day depending on how fast you work.
To complete your DIY hanging wall organizer, cut the canvas drop cloth to your desired size and leave room for a ½ inch seam. Hem the canvas for smooth edges and attach the grommets to the top. Using the supplies you would like to store, measure the size of your pockets. Cut your felt pockets and pin them to the canvas. Use a whipstitch to attach the pockets or a sewing machine if you plan on storing heavy items.
6. Make a thread board to store all of your spools of thread
If sewing is your guilty pleasure, avoid letting your thread pile up near your sewing machine. While it may seem natural to keep thread nearby, it makes it difficult to find the colors you need and is one sure way to create a mess. With a few supplies like a slab of wood, wood stain, painter’s tape, paint and nails, you can make your very own thread board.
First, stain your slab of wood using a color that suits the decor of your room. Once it’s dry, use the painter’s tape to block off a design of your choice. Paint over the tape and remove once dry. Lastly, hammer nails into the board and hang your spools of thread.
7. Fill a weekly pill planner with random supplies like beads, safety pins or glitter
A weekly pill case may be the last thing you think of for craft room storage, but it’s actually a functional way to store small supplies like glitter, magnets, beads and pins. To find a useful container, make sure it’s stackable to save space and choose a clear color that allows you to eyeball items you need.
8. Take your everyday water tumbler and use it to keep yarn tangle-free
We’ve all heard of water tumblers and find them convenient to stay hydrated throughout the day. Another application of these drinking cups is to use them when organizing yarn. It’s an effortless craft room storage idea that works better than a drawer or a box. If you need to, hand-wind your yarn, then place it into the cup and slip the end through the straw. This allows you to pull as much material as you need while keeping the yarn untangled.
9. Turn your wine rack into an organizer for paint brushes, oil pastels, chalk and more
If your wine rack is no longer in use, this makes it the perfect candidate for a craft room idea. Before storing supplies, you’ll need glass cylinders about the size of a wine bottle to fill each slot. You can also use large cups if you have them on hand. Once your cylinders or cups are in place, fill them with paint brushes, markers, colored pencils or anything else you have lying around.
10. Use a K-Cup carousel for miscellaneous supplies like pom poms, feathers or cotton balls
Often times things like sequins or glitter come in tiny bags that we try to hang on to for far too long. It becomes frustrating to get materials in and out of these bags when we actually need them. A K-Cup carousel can be incorporated into your craft room to create a station dedicated to small supplies. You will need mini condiment cups that come with lids to complete this idea.
Whether you consider yourself to be a hobbyist or ultimate crafter, it’s important to have a craft room that inspires you. You can accomplish this by creating a space that has all of your materials neatly organized. This makes it possible to envision the project you will be working on since you will have everything you need in plain sight. Ready to design the space you deserve? Our 15 craft room ideas will get you off to a great start!
