RE: Organizing Art Supplies and Materials
STORING PAPER: I use two types of containers to hold my fancy paper. I like those stacking plastic "drawers" from the office supply store... They are mad just the right size to hold reams of paper & I wait until they go on sale for half off (for about $15-$20). These, I use to hold my Large packs of paper.. for single sheets, I bought a file cabinet from the craft store... The file folders for it are SOOO cheap! Only about $3 for 50 at Office Depot & they also sell the "rails" to hold the folders on too! (under $5)... I "File" my paper under categories like Card stock, Pastel, Parchment, or under colors like Reds, Blues, Greens, or patterns like Flowers, Plaids, Poka-Dots, Animals, etc.... This way I can put 20 or so pieces in one folder if I want... buy just choosing the category to file it under!
* For LARGER CRAFT SUPPLIES, I use plastic "dish pans" from the dollar store & I label them, then put them on shelves I've hung on my walls. I also like those Clear "Shoe Boxes" from the dollar store for smaller items like crochet hooks, glue, pens, embossing power, etc.
* I've also hung a "PEG BOARD" in my crafting room... for tools, tape, wire, my heat gun & lots of other things. I can see them, so I can find them easily!
* For RIBBON spools: If the spool has BIG holes: Take an empty paper towel holder (or better yet for more spools take an empty cardboard Christmas wrap roll), then through the middle thread a piece of ribbon, twine or yarn. Then hang this from a shelf or hook each yarn-end to the wall with an eye screw. Thread your ribbon spools on to the empty cardboard paper towel holder. If the ribbon has TINY holes in the spools, then just thread a piece of ribbon or yarn through each spool Then tie these to a shelf or wall... (A thin dowel threaded through the ribbon spools works even better!)
* For BEADS, I use those tiny little drawers that they use for screws. Not the ones with "snap-on lids"... just those tiny plastic drawers... These can be set on a table, shelf or hung on the wall. (They are made for the garage)
* If you have a Cart with Wheels, like a tea-tray, or mobile bar, you can move your work from one part of the room or the other.
* I prefer to use CARD TABLES in my craft area, or any table that you can fold up... This way I can easily configure the room to accommodate another craft.
* I use dollar store SHOWER CURTAINS for table cloths in my craft room... You can wipe a mess up with a sponge & you can throw them away if you trash them!
* For TOOLS, I use those plastic stacking crates (made for potatoes & onions I think?) that are open on the front. I've got 2 stacks of them, stacked 8 high each against one wall & I drilled into the studs, then screwed & wired each basket to the wall extremely well to make sure they are super-secure in case if earthquake!
Posted on 01/11/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Organizing Art Supplies and Materials
Since I like to see what I have, it makes my craft room very messy (ok, well I don't put anything away).
What I HAVE found are those acrylic 3-drawer things for the bathroom. They are great for putting my embossing powders, various fluff for embellishing, bobbins, needles, pins, threads.. I have 15 columns, stacked 2-3 high, on my countertop and under my upper cupboards. Most I can tell what is in them but some I have labeled.
My husband asks for toothpicks-I can find them, The kids need a Sharpie... I need a rubber band or safety pin... It's been great.
Oh yeah, I found that the drawers will hold those tiny plastic storage containers (like 1.5 inches x 1 inch) for the Craft Hopper. Neat for safety pins, snaps, button covers, etc.
You can find the drawers in the bathroom section of Home Depot now (Lowe's used to carry but dropped. Don't know why since I was in every other week buying in lots of three drawer sets).
Sheree
Posted on 01/04/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Organizing Art Supplies and Materials
I used lots of cut outs for decoupage and I keep them together according to theme or subject in plain ordinary file folders
Posted on 12/12/2007 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Organizing Art Supplies and Materials
Tape the open end of cereal boxes closed. Do this to several of the same size. Glue them one on top of the other after cutting off one long side on each one. Instant paper tray. Or what I use, is the dollar store plastic ones that can be stacked as high as you want. Use zip lock bags for the smaller pieces of paper. I use clean clear plastic jars for things like poms, gems etc. The tin from the tinned candies from the dollar store are also good. Made my own dividers for these with scrap plastic canvas that I slotted to make compartments for small stuff.
Posted on 12/11/2007 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Organizing Art Supplies and Materials
a regular 2 drawer filing cabinet with the hanging file folders would be perfect for organizing your papers. They can be found for about 20 dollars. I use the bins with the drawers for all my little craft junk. I got all different sizes at the dollar store.
Posted on 12/11/2007 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Organizing Art Supplies and Materials
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By Jessica Smith (Guest Post)
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Target and other stores sell pants hangers that are able to hold up to four pair of pants. They work great for holding ribbon spools.
Posted on 12/09/2007 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Organizing Art Supplies and Materials
For my paint brushes, stencil brushes of ALL sizez, I use the new plastic chip cans by STAkS they are sturdy and I use silver ware drawer organizers too work great for all sorts things from brushes to paper clips beads etc. For my stencils I use the plastic pants hangers like you get with your clothes on them from walmart. They have the pinch clips that work great, I just put one end of my stencils up in the hanger and hang them from the closet shelf.Shoe boxes are great for many uses, stack your ribbon spools inside cut slash marks on the outside run your ribbon through just enough to reveal the choice and then take a pair of scissors and attach a string to them poke a hole through the box lid tie your other end string there and you always have scissors for cutting your ribbon. glass mayonnaise jars are great for sorting buttons, beads, etc.
Posted on 12/07/2007 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Organizing Art Supplies and Materials
Full pieces of construction paper can be stored in file folders or in those magazine storage boxes. You can also spray paint cereal boxes to put your paper in. I use baskets and candy tins of different sizes. Zipper freezer bags are great and I have just recently discovered the new Folger's coffee cans( all because DH got mad at Kroger's, bless him) They are plastic with a peel off seal so you don't have to worry about can opener cuts. When I empty one I just put it in the dishwasher and store it on a high shelf till I need it. Hope this helps.
Posted on 12/07/2007 | Report Spam or Abuse
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