Top Tips for Organizing Craft Supplies

My mom’s craft room is #goals. She sews, scrapbooks, and has just about every craft supply known to mankind. It's no surprise that my love for Cricut projects, wreath making, and basically all things DIY is strong. I absolutely love crafting. From art projects with my kids (minus glitter, that’s not allowed within a 1 mile radius of my home) to craft nights with girlfriends, I’m a huge fan. But how in the world do you keep all those supplies organized? It can be really overwhelming for this minimal-ish mom, and with so much stuff and so many organizing systems for sale, I’m here to tell you it’s not rocket science. In my opinion, simple storage is better. You don’t need expensive or fancy containers to create and maintain a system, and the organizing process can be simple and fun if you can sit down and dedicate a couple of uninterrupted hours to tackle it.

Coming from a professional organizer, what I’m about to say next might be blasphemy. But hear me out. Try not to get obsessed with over-organizing (I'm speaking first and foremost to myself here). Sometimes I see photos of craft spaces and studios and it is obvious that people spent more hours color-coordinating and micro-organizing instead of being creating and crafting in the first place. Do you need a system? Yes, you absolutely do. But try not to get overwhelmed duplicating the pages of Pinterest to make you too busy to create and enjoy your space.

Here are Simplified KC's Top 4 Tips for Organizing Craft Supplies as well as a few of our favorite product recommendations:

Step 1:

Begin by compiling all of your craft supplies. Are they currently stored in three different spaces? Bring them all to the same space, take everything and group like-items together. Crayons with crayons, stamps with stamps, you get the idea. Throw away anything that is broken or unusable, then make a donation pile of anything old or that won’t be used for future projects. Check markers, glue, and ink pads to see if they’re dried out. Throw away broken pencils and crayons. Recycle used paper. Remove anything from the space that you no longer enjoy or you/your children have outgrown.

Step 2:

Consider your current supply storage - can current containers be rinsed out, vacuumed, and reused? Or would adding new storage options be more efficient? Whatever you choose, make sure it’s a system that’s functional and easy-to-use for your family and their stage of life. This goes for all organizing projects, but don’t buy any storage systems until you assess everything that needs to be contained and organized. Not only will this ensure you buy the right sized system for your items, but you save time and money in the long run by buying the right thing the first time.

Step 3:

After you have sorted supplies and grouped them, place everything into containers, making sure to keep them categorized. Every item should have a designated place. My favorite, most simple options are clear, lidded storage bins. You can find my favorites at The Container Store in various shapes and sizes. Not only can you easily see what’s inside, but they stack to maximize vertical storage space, and are easy to label and wipe down if they get messy.

Step 4:

Lastly, label your containers. Sure, maybe you can tell coloring books are located in a bin, but labels help someone unfamiliar with your system to quickly find what they’re looking for as well as put items back where they belong. Labels help maintain a system which is key in keeping your space organized for the long haul.

Here are a few of our other go-to ideas, tips, and products for organizing craft supplies:

• Two words: ART. CART. Not only are these a darling way to organize and store craft supplies for older kids, but they roll and can move from place to place without creating a mess. These storage inserts are compatible with this system and are incredibly versatile - a great option to separate and contain markers, scissors, accessories, and anything else you can imagine.

• A Lazy Susan with dividers is my go-to for crayons, markers, and colored pencils. These are a great option in kid’s spaces so you can easily bring out all supplies to use at the same time. This acrylic version is my absolute favorite and 100% worth the small investment - I have yet to find a client who doesn’t love this solution.

• Implement vertical storage to free up your workspace, if possible. Peg boards like this are an incredible way to store supplies in a visible, organized way. Utilizing peg board hooks make the options endless for arranging items.

To maintain the space you’ve organized (because let’s be honest, it’s no small task!) declutter on a regular basis to determine what is no longer needed. Get in the habit of tossing broken crayons and supplies as you find them to eliminate the need for major overhauls. And more than anything, be sure to enjoy the space you've worked so hard to organize. Craft, create, and enjoy to your heart's content. That's the point!

Emily Wimer is a Professional Organizer based in Kansas City. She works with clients locally in Overland Park, KS and virtually all over the country. Email Emily at hello@simplifiedkansascity.com or visit our Website to schedule a free consultation. We are excited to hear from you and wish you happy organizing!

Please note: I do use affiliate links on my blog and make a small commission each time you purchase something through one of my links. I so appreciate your support! As always, all opinions are my own.