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Controlling
Clutter
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So, you're crafty. You buy out the store after every holiday. You shop
the sales and stockpile your craft supplies. Your life is now immersed
in clutter. Clutter consumes your cave. Well, I have put together some
storage ideas and links to where you can find the items online.
| These are absolutely my favorite storage solutions for my sewing
area. They roll in and out under my folding table. You can see into
the drawers, making it easy to find what you need when you need it.
I have them in both black and white, depending on which part of my
house they are in. |
| Traditional sewing boxes are no longer handy. I find these kind
of carrying cases very useful. I use one for all of my sewing tools
and one for all of my scrapbooking tools. I also have a clear one
that I keep my rubber stamps in. These are so handy because they contain
items I use anywhere in the house. I don't like to work in the same
place every time, so it's really great to have all of my tools in
one place, yet have that place be mobile. Don't forget to use one
as a tool box. You need a place for nails and screws, etc. |
|
A tackle box is the most perfect place for all of my
jewelry making supplies. This one isn't quite the same as mine which
goes for $50. I chose to recommend this one because it's only $14.99
and is just as good for storing such items. |
|
Under the bed storage containers are a perfect solution
for small spaces. These are also clear, so you can easily find what
your looking for. It's a good solution for storing fabric, but also
any craft supplies. And because they're under the bed, they're hidden
from sight. |
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Now, if you have shelves, or bookcases, multiple sizes
of shoe box shaped containers are a great way to organize. I like
these, again, because they are clear, it is easy to find your supplies. |
| These are what I use to store my fabric. I have to keep things in
the garage because our house is so small. In plastic, I know my fabric
is safe from the elements. And because they are clear, they save me
time digging through boxes. As I've mentioned before, a good way to
keep track of what you have is to number the boxes and take a clipping
from each fabric you have stored. Keep a notebook with each swatch
and location. This makes it easy to plan projects, and also cuts down
on searching time. |
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Another storage solution for fabric is a wrapping paper
storage container. Keep the center cardboard tubes from wrapping paper,
and roll your fabric around them to keep the fabric wrinkle free.
Add your swatches to your notebook. |
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For all of the things in my sewing area that don't need
to be portable, as well as beads and other jewelry making supplies,
I keep one of these handy hardware organizers. Lots of little drawers
keep hooks & eyes and buttons and bobbins handy. |
| If you are on a very limited budget, cardboard storage containers
are a good solution. I just wouldn't suggest keeping them in a place
like the garage. With the cardboard, you can cover the pieces with
fabric or contact paper to suit your decorating needs, as well. They
are not as sturdy, however, so you need to be cautious of stacking
them and store heavier things towards the bottom. |
|
These types of caddies are great for carrying around
paints and paint brushes. They hold everything nicely and go with
you wherever you take your work area. |
| Next to sewing, scrapbooking takes up the most space. Here are some
items I find useful for condensing the area. |
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There are many different styles of totes out there.
Some are like suitcases and roll. Others you carry. I personally have
the rolling tote, a carry bag, and two album totes. It takes a lot
to move around scrapbooking supplies. |
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You will need to carry your photos with you to work
on. This container is portable, and organizes hundreds of photos. |
| It's important to take care of your negatives and slides. You never
know when you're going to need reprints. And keeping these in boxes
or drawers is not only bad for the negatives, but creates massive
amounts of clutter. So these two items provide easy storage solutions. |
|
Finally, these are all handy for the storage of photos
and die cuts and scraps of paper. They are archivally safe and virtually
unbreakable. |
Tips:
Keep small containers when they're empty to keep tiny nails or other
small items organized. Examples are Altoid containers, film cannisters,
pill bottles, etc.
Snack size Ziploc bags are also good for organizing ribbons and embroidery
threads, things like that.
Assign a theme to every drawer in your house. That way when your looking
for something, you know where to go. For example, I have four drawers
in my desk. The top one holds all of my computer items like discs and
CD-Rs. The next drawer holds every kind of printing papers such as t-shirt
transfers, cd labels, and photo paper. After that I keep all of my office
supplies like pens, pencils, scissors, tape, batteries, etc. And in the
last drawer, I keep all of my stationary supplies. For example, envelopes,
personalized stationary, stamps, and my address book.
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