How do you organise your supplies?

[Earthymama]

In the spirit of not driving DP insane can you offer some suggestions on how to ensure that there aren't bits and bobs everywhere?

I have baskets and boxes available. I have a chest with 10 square drawers, (bit useless really as drawers so small) I can buy and 'do up' a cupboard or chest.

I need to store yarn, knitting and crocheting things, sewing machine, old clothes for re-using, I would like to have something I can keep at hand in the sitting room to pick up when I have a spare 5 minutes.

I have Googled and seen wonderful craft rooms, and I can dream with the best of them.

In the mean-time I need to make my crafting easily accessible and unobtrusive in this little terraced house.

All suggestions welcomed, including links to bologs etc

Do you have a spare room that you can turn into a craft workroom?

If not, can you set aside an area in one of your rooms that you can use for your crafting?

I have several shelving units (8ft high) around a specified room which I can easily slide 3 large storage boxes onto each shelf - I measured the shelves and the boxes before buying, to ensure I got maximum use from each shelf. These hold the majority of my art materials 50 years worth , and are easily accessible, but yet look tidy - ish.
Also, from places such as Book Depot you can buy colourfully decorated strong cardboard, flat pack storage boxes which fix together with studs, look good and stack easily. I keep all my lightweight materials in those . I have tied listed labels on the handles of mine to save me going through them all every time.
I also have some of the really useful boxes range for tiny bits n pieces. They can be bought from almost anywhere from staples to market stalls now. I use the 16 box container rack for buttons, beads, etc.

Will come back when I've got myself sorted for the day. But hope this helps for now!

How much space do you have, Earthy?

Thanks both.
Tidying up as have visitors for the first time since Christmas , both DP and I have been poorly.

I have a huge cupboard which is filled with my toys, children's craft supplies, buggies, high chairs etc as I am a childminder.

I am determined to have a sort out and claim some of this space for myself iykwim. I am naturally untidy but have managed to tame this trait a little and I want to be able to decide to make some crochet flowers and find what I need without opening every box I possess. So the labelling is an excellent idea.

I can't really make a craft room though I might be able to in the next few years. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

Buy some bookshelves and plastic tubs from IKEA, and use them to store all your stuff.

I have some shelves in our loft (converted so it's a huge room). All material and yarn stored in big plastic containers. Buttons in the obligatory shortbread tin and ribbon etc in old jars. I did spend on some lovely lined wire baskets from JL that hold all sorts of sundry crafty items.

I think if you have your stuff in labelled boxes (easy to find, keeps things clean) on shelves above the children's things that would be ideal, Earthy. Pinterest is a good place to look for inspiration, if you need it.

Thank you all, great suggestions.

You know that feeling when things have always been a certain way and you can't seem to see them differently?

That was me! (I am terrified it is middle age thinking, as I intend to be a Wise Crone, not a stick-in-the-mud!)

My daughter is great at seeing things sideways iykwim so I might ask for her help. I was always scared to, as I thought she might want me to throw it all out.

However today she has told me how much she wants to keep my grandmother's sideboard so I am less scared.

I have made a start. All the bits, cross stitch, embroidery , small bits like felt are in the drawers. Wool in 2 baskets, material in 2 boxes. I need to sort jars and the little boxes I use for Playmobil for buttons and beads.

Current project, a tea cosy, in the basket at my side

Thanks again, Happy New Year!!

I tackled this full on on on New Year's Day and now have a corner ... pic on arts and crafts pics.. Mind you have an additional chest of fabric in bedroom, etc :)

I saw this in The Range, might not be for everyone though, but it could go in the wardrobe,

The Range - Storage