DH & I just returned home from 2 weeks of visiting family in California, and I came home with a suitcase full of knitting and sewing supplies that people were getting rid of. I'm to the point where I need to reorganize my stash and supplies and I've become stuck in how to do it. Disclaimer: Sorry in advance if this doesn't make sense!!! Right now I have sorted everything by types - yarn in one place, scissors another, pins, needles, needle felting, sewing gadgets, notions in their own places, etc. etc. etc. It's been a relatively good system until now since I've new things to add to the spaces and have to redo it all since things aren't fitting anymore. Should I try to keep it the same (every type of item in the same place where I would need to grab things from here and there), or utilize some of my many vintage sewing baskets and split things up for each craft (where everything for one craft is relatively in one space), such as quilting, crocheting, knitting, and the like, having all the things in each basket I'd need (scissors, needles, ...) How do you organize your hobby stash(es)? Has any one system worked for you? My brain needs help! I'd love to hear your ideas because I'm sitting here in the midst of a big mess and I need to figure out what to do with it all, other than this: I know I've been AWOL from here a lot (we've been dealing with a family issue that has drained me of all energy and creative juices. Sigh.) I've missed you all! I'm hoping to get back into scrapping as soon as I've cleaned up this crafty mess and I can walk across the floor again! lol!
I only crochet, so I can't help much. I have all my yarn in a 66 qt tub, and all my needles and supplies in a small tupperware container. If you are constantly crafting with each type, I might keep a WIP (work in progress) area, then your supplies in another container, and keep your needles, etc handy. I'd put all the rest away in respective containers well marked. I hope your family issue has resolved and you can get your creative juices flowing again! I totally understand - a few years ago we had My Mom die in a car accident, my cousin die in a motorcycle accident, another cousin killed by a train all in a matter of 4 months. I'm just NOW feeling like I can come out of the cloud our family has been under.
Oh @Pachimac, I’m so sorry for all your family’s been through! Goodness. And I wish I could say our issue is behind us, but it’ll be a long time yet, if ever. I gave myself a year to regroup so it’s now time to move on. I have tote bags filled with more WIPs than I want to admit, which are jammed into shelves in my craft closet and hanging from my sewing chair. I usually have to grab supplies from one bag to add to any current project. It’s a mess. Lol! I really should simply finish up some of them!
I am so sorry to hear it's ongoing. WIPS...well, if they've been WIPS for too long, I just throw them out. Literally. I took an entire bag of them and tossed them and kept one group of squares I'm making for an afghan I will eventually finish. I even donated some of the items I made because they just weren't being used. Sometimes I think I like making things more than actually using them later.
Sorry for your family issues, Jan and Susan. The way I've always organized (is simple and works for me) is to "keep like things together". I don't do a lot of different crafts/hobbies anymore, but I have to have a simple system. I also containerize a LOT and mark what's in the containers, on both ends. All of my tools are in a container and marked and I "pity the foo" as Mr. T used to say who messes with my tools or "borrows" something and doesn't return it. I don't have a ton of sewing supplies, but they're the same way. If the container is square, I mark what it is on all four sides.
I try to keep my crafty items organized by craft. So for crochet and knitting stuff, I keep the yarn together (currently on an Ikea set of bookshelves so I can see the yarn and grab it easily) and then the crochet hooks are all in a zipper pouch together and the knitting needles are in a box together and they are also kept on the shelves with the yarn. All my papers are in a file cabinet together and all my stamping stuff is in a cabinet together. Then my painting stuff is in one set of IKEA drawers and my beads are in another set of drawers. These drawers are the best: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00261295/#/10192824 You can use them by themselves or you one on each end of a table top. I have three sets in my craft room and it's amazing how much they hold and how sturdy they are!
Also it's super fun to looks on Pinterest for craft room organizing ideas. Although I will admit it's easy to get sucked in for an hour or more that you could have been using to actually organize.
EEk! I know. Pinterest is a black hole sometimes, isn't it? My biggest problem is that I have so much stuff! I do so many different types of crafts that it's almost getting unmanageable. Almost. haha! My goal is to try to start and complete one project a week at minimum, which would also help dwindle my stash. Of course, it doesn't help that I just brought back a suitcase full of yarn and notions. But I'm not complaining! Those drawers do look amazing. I should treat myself with some fun organizing stuff once I've gone through everything. I'm hoping that once everything is in its place and the piles taken care of that I'll be more efficient. It's kinda hard to sew when my sewing table is piled with crafty stuff, ya know? ;-)
I have an IKEA (I think Billy) bookcase, they come in all sizes, that I organize with Sterlite clear boxes from Wal-Mart. Clear bins so I can see each project inside, with lids because my craft room is in the basement and I don't want any critter surprises! I put almost all the supplies I need for a project in 1 bin. Once a year a go through my bins and get rid of those projects that no longer interest me (I give them to a neighbor who has a crafter's only garage sale). These bins fit perfectly in the bookcase and come in several different sizes. Those supplies I use on multiple projects, scissors, needles, glue etc, I keep in an old 30 drawer "file" cabinet each one holding different things. It is nice to organize the little things. They are labeled so I can find things without looking through all 30 drawers. Now to get the motivation to finish some of these UFOs! I find I like the shopping for supplies more than actually finishing them (that is why I like digi-scrapping...quick projects)!
I'll be watching this thread because my basement craft room has turned into a dumping ground for my family. I gave up and just shut the door... Digi is so much nicer... no one can see how cluttered my hard drive is! I really was planning to clean out and organize my craft room this summer, but then my son got engaged and we're in wedding mode. My craft room will have to wait until Fall.
I'm a crafter who keeps things organized by type. I'd recommend using the spaces you already have available and using bins or bags until you go through everything. Then you can make a list of what containers or separate furniture you might need. Here is a dresser that is in my office that is used for all my main hobby supplies. I have an adhesives drawer that also houses my label maker. Then I have a drawer for cutting tools, punches, scissors, etc. Then I have a drawer for drawing pencils, colored pencils, pens, and there is a odd container of sequins. The next drawer is for mists and inks and stamps. Then I have one with just all my watercolors along with my watercolor only brushes. The final drawer is for watercolor paper, journals, and completed artwork. On the top of the dresser are my colored markers and writing pens, along with my stickers for my Happy Planner so they're at easy reach.
I have a cabinet in my laundry room that houses more of my "kid" craft things, like buttons, jewels, craft paint, acrylic paintbrushes, etc. I didn't take photos of the interior of every cabinet, but you get the idea. I used shoe boxes as well as Crystal Light containers. This is my sewing box that's also my end table for my recliner. In the top drawer, it's divided, so I keep remotes for the TV, candles and lights. The others hold scissors, buttons, etc. The middle drawer holds extra thread left over from previous cross stitch/embroidery projects. I will go into there to pull threads that I need for a new project. The bottom drawer holds a couple of WIPs as well as finished projects. Hope that gives you some ideas of things that you can use!
