This was such a fun and inspiring discussion in the Facebook Group “Declutter Your Life and Mind” I even got inspired to work on my crafting cupboard which includes fabric – Ugh! I used to be an avid quilter so I have collected quite a lot of fabric all so beautiful and with so much promise. I filled a big white bag with fabric that I was able to donate. It felt really great to pair down my cupboard and also my desk drawers.
Organizing, sorting and downsizing our crafts is a hard area because we always think that maybe we could use this for a future craft project. You may have spent a lot of money on supplies so they can be hard to let go of and they did hold that promise. Also, there are often a lot of small bits and pieces. Oh my! What to do with all of these……..
Some of the thoughts and tips we discussed:
Putting Like with Like is really important to see how much of something you have. How many pairs of scissors do you really need?
Sometimes we purchase items for a particular project and then when the project is finished, we still have a lot of product left that is not going to be used. A good example of this is beads, scrapbooking materials, wool, fabric, paint,…… I know you get it! Let’s donate the excess!
Use labels on boxes and bins so you know what is in them and can access them as needed.
Crafts that we did in the past might not appeal to us anymore. There are trends with crafts as well. Think macrame – although I see macrame hangers for sale all the time already made.
Beware of the marketing of craft supplies out there. Michaels or even the Dollar Store can be so tempting. Marketers want your money. It can be a fun pastime to be looking for little things to fill your craft cupboard. Try to avoid picking up these things unless you have a plan.
Remember to focus on one project at a time and finish that project.
Questions to ask yourself:
Do you spend more time purchasing supplies instead of actually working on the project?
When do you plan to work on those UFO’s? (Unfinished Objects)
How much space do you have for your craft area?
Is there something you can do to make your small space work for you?
Does your space help you to define how much you can keep?
Why do you work on specific crafts?
What is your plan when you are done doing the craft?
Benefits to Organizing Your Craft Area
- you can find the supplies you need for your project
- organizing is easier when you have less
- knowing what you already have means you won’t be buying duplicates
- more time to work on your projects
- having more focus on what projects you plan and want to do
- able to donate or pass on to others who could use them
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What other tips do you have for keeping your arts and craft supplies organized? Please comment below……..
Ah yes, there is a tendency to hold onto “remnants” of previous projects. It makes sense, we are crafty! We may be able to use some of these in a future endeavor, right? I’ve learned there are some pieces that I am likely to reuse (e.g. half-used bottles of paint), and some that never get used, (e.g. a couple of feathers from a Halloween costume project years ago).
I think putting like with like helps us to see what we are using, and therefore buying, frequently. If the supplies are affordable, the space might be more valuable than the supplies themselves.
Great topic!
That is true that we are ALL crafty and I know that most of our clients are very creative. Thank you Seana
I love organizing arts and crafts supplies for myself and others. It’s fun being surrounded by the materials because it gets my creative juices flowing.
You mentioned a valuable point about collecting more supplies than you’ll ever use. And the other idea that’s helpful is how we have leftovers from past projects that will never get used, but take up space. So taking time to gather, sort, and edit IS important. As you said, ultimately it will make it easier to create when you’re ready, free up space, and save you money. All positives!
I love this Linda – Yes, organizing and sorting through our own stuff or helping others can really get those creative juices flowing. Thanks for commenting
I love organizing arts and crafts. It is my favorite area to organize. Great tips! For smaller items, I find that the small vertical units with drawers work best for me. I love the phrase “UFO -Unfinished Objects”! Getting rid of the few pieces I have left from other craft projects is a must for me.
Thanks Sabrina – It really is an ongoing process. I find I need to go through once and then again a second time. It is getting easier to let go of stuff which feels really great!
You couldn’t pay me to do arts or crafts, and the last such project I did was a latch-hook rug circa 1978. However, many of my clients are fond of the craft world, and all of this guidance really resonates, especially omnipresence of those UFOs. It seems like craft areas, must like all the recreational areas and work areas of the house (except, perhaps kitchens) seem to have come together haphazardly, so starting with those guiding questions will definitely help people create better systems and storage in their craft areas. Great points!