Storage Tips for Organizing Your Craft Supplies

With the rubber stamps, we start out with a tip that originally came from Linda Watson when we showed how she stored her stamps in the rather large lucite summer trays that hold so many stamps and that stack so well (figure A). Linda always also scanned the top of each stamp then printed it out on adhesive backed paper and adhered it to a piece of poster board cut to fit the bottom of the tray (figure B). That way she had a place for every stamp and always knew where to return what.

One problem we did NOT discuss was how to remember what stamp was where? This might not be much of a problem if you have only a few trays full, but what if you have over 30 of them, as Linda did? First of all she numbered each tray. Then she took a photograph of each tray, which she put into a small spiral notebook, one picture per page (figure C). Each page was numbered to match the number on the tray. It was a fantastic way of keeping track of what was where. It did not help solve the problems she had when she wanted a stamp from tray number one or two, but for her, with her limited space, it worked.

I do not have nearly as many stamps as Linda had but I have enough that storing them was going to be a problem. I do have the brand new luxury of having a craft room all my own so I asked the builder to put up a bunch of 2" x 2" boards along the wall area for me to put my stamps on. He was not about to ruin his new wall with a bunch of screws so when he saw what it was I wanted to store, he made a box of sorts for me. He constructed a frame of 1" x 2" boards, put a bunch of shelves (figure D) in it and put a back on it. Now the entire thing hangs on the wall on just two nails. The outside measurements are 27" x 60". I liked it so well that I had him build two more that hang on the walls inside the craft room closet.

Obviously, those boxed shelves that I have are wonderful for holding a number of other things besides rubber stamps. They are great for bottles of paint, adhesives, and anything that will fit onto a two-inch deep shelf (figure E).

Now what about all those spools of wire that so many of you now have? Have you tried keeping them in a tackle box? And if you are REALLY into the wire crafting so that you also have a number of jigs as well as the large spools of heavier wire, try a really big tackle box (figure F). The one I showed on the program was purchased at a local hardware store for just $16.99, which I'll bet is a lot less expensive than one would be if it had been designed especially as a wire-keeping container!

There are a number of commercial products on the market that have been designed with crafters in mind and some of them are certainly better than anything I could think up as a substitute. I'm thinking especially of the over-the-door holder that I showed on the program that takes as long to install as it takes you to raise your arms and slip the hangers over the top of the door. With 13 mesh pockets across and 12 rows of pockets down (figure G), that's a LOT of pockets. It is from a company called Canvas Collectibles and though I assume that it was made to hold paint, those pockets can also hold decorative scissors, marking pens (I have my metallic pens in there), adhesives, and more (figure H). It is the most practical and efficient use of a small space I've ever seen.

For those of you who are into scrapbooking who use a lot of pens and markers, Trans Products has an entire line of products especially for you. Fortunately, they name their products so you know exactly what they were intended for. Examples include the Scrapbook Writer Pen Case (figure I) and the Workshop Marker Pen Case (figure J). These units come apart then assemble on a table top so they can sit upright and convenient while you work (figure K). They all come in flat, zip-around cases so they travel easily. There is also the Marker Pen Case that holds 144 pens and for you stampers, there's a little Stamp Case that will hold a few stamps, some markers, ink pads and embossing powder all in see-through plastic cases.

For those of you who not only need a place to store your stuff at home but also want to take it with you, there are an unbelievable number of products for traveling.

Flambeau Products has what they call their Art Bin Mega Tote and it is "mega" all right--lots of compartments, lots of zippers, lots of Velcro and lots of little removable plastic containers. All in all, there are lots of places to keep things.

Along the same line but on a smaller scale is a little over-the-shoulder container from Flambeau Products called the Art Bin Quick Tote. There aren't as many zippers or pockets, but there are lots of those little plastic containers that are all very contained once you zip everything up (figure L).

But that's only the beginning. From Canvas Collectibles is the Travel Tote Combo. They must have been literal about their use of the word "travel" because like a carry on board suitcase, this one has a pull-up handle and then it's easy to pull or push as you wheel it along. There is a rather flat, zippered compartment on top, perhaps for papers or pens, and inside the main unit is another zippered area with a number of compartments. In addition, there are two pullout units that look like they have painters in mind--little mesh pockets mounted on a board that stands like a two-sided easel when removed--very handy. Indeed, the entire unit is not only a good place to put things, but it is mighty convenient for taking them along with you. . . even if it's only from room to room.

Another unit from the same folks was one with a carry-over-the-shoulder strap on the top and room for a water bottle on the side. Inside is space to hold paper, pens, scissors, coloring markers, etc. There is also a pull-out unit that folds to stand on the tabletop. It not only holds paint, but a paint apron as well.

The biggest of them all, at least at this moment in time, seems to be the Rollaway Tote from Cropper Hopper. It's a very large unit on wheels with a pull-up handle, and it has a variety of holders along with room for any number of other units you can buy to fit inside. It has room for 12 hanging folders and a unit that will hold them all. The tote also has a fold-out unit that fits over the pull-up handle. It's covered with a soft felt-like fabric that acts like a felt board.

Whether you are going traveling or staying at home, there is a unit designed for you and your craft supplies--a unit to carry them in, to keep them in and to keep them all organized.