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How do I Organize a Craft Room?
Having a craft room is a wonderful indulgence for people who enjoy many different kinds of crafts. A craft room will allow you to organize all of your crafting materials in one central location, so you can always find what you are looking for and can be inspired by the craft items already in your stash. Whether your craft “room” is a reclaimed child’s room, an office or a storage closet, it’s important to organize the space well so that you can work efficiently and have as much time possible for the fun stuff—the crafting.
The first step in organizing a craft room is to take a look at the space when there is nothing, or very little, in it. This blank slate will give you ideas about how you can best use the space, and while the room is empty you can paint it to suit your needs, if desired.
Consider all the different activities you might want to do in your craft room. Don’t just list the crafts you enjoy; break them down to activities like cutting out fabric, winding yarn balls, reading crafting books, stringing beads, sewing and so on. If your room is big enough you can design zones where each task will take place, such as having your sewing machine on one table, your cutting board on another, a comfortable chair for reading, a body form in the corner and an area for storing and working with beads.
If your space is not that big, think about the two or three activities you spend the most time doing. If you’re a knitter, for instance, you probably need a lot of space to store yarn but not a lot of space to work. If you’re a quilter, you need to be able to keep your sewing machine up all the time and not have to move it when you want to do another task.
Write up a list of priorities for your space, and think about what you already have that could be used to store items in your craft room. Perhaps there’s a filing cabinet in the garage that you could use to store fabric. Or maybe there’s an old bookshelf you could load with supplies.
Once you’ve raided your home, go shopping for storage boxes and other furniture you need. Remember that the goal for organizing any craft room should be to have a place for everything. There are so many wonderful storage systems, sewing machine tables and organizers out there today that you’re sure to find just what you need.
And if you can’t find the perfect accessories for your craft room, consider building adjustable shelves on tracks in the wall. Place baskets on the shelves to hold things like yarn, fabric, thread stored in clear boxes and other necessities. Add a shelf for books and you’ll be well on your way to an organized craft room. If all else fails, make your own storage pieces. That way you’ll have a perfectly designed craft room you can truly call your own.
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AS FEATURED ON:
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![Craft rooms should have a clean, uncluttered area for sewing.]()
Craft rooms should have a clean, uncluttered area for sewing. -
![Yarn can be organized by color or thickness.]()
By: adam36Yarn can be organized by color or thickness. -
![Craft room supplies may include various types of glue.]()
By: NeiromobileCraft room supplies may include various types of glue. -
![Design zones for various types of craft activity, and set up supply storage accordingly.]()
By: Sergey MostovoyDesign zones for various types of craft activity, and set up supply storage accordingly. -
![Supplies can easily be stored in clear plastic bins.]()
By: Winai TepsuttinunSupplies can easily be stored in clear plastic bins. -
![A bookshelf can help organize craft supplies and eliminate storage issues.]()
By: Andrey BandurenkoA bookshelf can help organize craft supplies and eliminate storage issues.
Discussion Comments
@abiane - I agree. Craft rooms can quickly become disorganized and a complete mess if you don't know how to set boundaries. In many cases, you should never allow other people in the room when you are not there - especially children. I learned THAT the hard way! Aside from that, craft room storage space is really important and I also use the labeling method previously described. I find that this is the easiest way to access things... you should just keep them out in the open, but neatly stacked.
Craft room supplies can often be very, very small. Sewing pins should always be kept locked away, I think, much like child proofing a room. You should take your family life and activity involvement with the hobby into consideration when organizing as well. If you are not in there that often, you might want to make it a craft slash guest room. If you are in there all the time, you should be able to reach things with no problem and everyone should know what they can and can not mess with in that room (if anything).
@gameaddicted - Craft room organization can get so messy! I really like that so many craft stores now a days have options that are very versatile; if you wanted to switch things around, you could. My approach, however, has always been clear plastic bins and my trusty old label maker. It really is a life saver when it comes to this kind of thing because it helps you readily identify where things are without having to dig through drawers or bins to find out.
I think at this point, organizing a craft room is really based off of what is in that room. If it's a sewing craft room for instance, you would want space for pins, fabrics, zippers, etc. You would also need ample workspace to pin and cut fabric and patterns out as well as a place to sew. There are a lot of things to consider when working with organization and I'm glad that this article is here for suggestions and information.
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