Organized

Christy Uncategorized 9 Comments

I don’t really have a craft room, per se. Instead, I have a room where I do crafts. Our house has a loft on the upper level that overlooks the living room. It’s about the size of a small bedroom, but it only has 3 walls. In a perfect world, I would turn this space into a scrapbooker’s dream room. In the real world, it’s a strange conglomeration of my craft supplies, our books, my husband’s CDs, DVDs, and computer stuff, and our landlord’s old office furniture. Since we moved in, anything we can’t find a space for ends up in this room.

As you may have noticed from my pictures over the last several weeks, I’ve been finding it harder and harder to clean up after myself when I work. This was partly due to the way my supplies were organized. Things I use every day, like my cutting mat, paper trimmer and scoring board fit best underneath a bunch of other stuff when you’re storing them in a bookcase. My Sizzix was up on a top shelf, and when I used it I usually just sat on the floor.

Meanwhile, the desk drawers were filled with old software and stationary office supplies that haven’t been touched since we moved in.

So today, instead of crafting, I moved everything. All the computer junk went into empty filing cabinets. Now my paper trimmer and cutting mat are neatly tucked in the drawer under my work surface, with my stamps, inks and Copics just below. I’ve also got all my adhesives within arm’s length, and the desk’s file drawer holds all my magazines, inspiration books and paper templates.

It’s not even normal how happy this makes me.

My favorite part of the room is my Sizzix shelf. Now the machine can stay put, and all of my dies and embossing folders are neatly stored right below it.

Also pictured: the Barbie my mom gave me as a wedding gift.

That cleared up two shelves in the large book case for my yarn and unfinished knitting and crocheting projects.

Please notice the bubblewrap calendar my awesome husband gave me last Christmas.

It should be noted that rolls of wrapping paper are my least favorite thing ever when it comes to storage. Really, what am I supposed to do with it? I know the Christmas Industrial Complex wants me to throw it all out and start new every year, but I won’t give in.

It’s still not my dream craft room, and I still have a fair amount of organizing to do (the book situation is getting mildly out of hand). But for the time being, it will do. We’ll see how effective it is at preventing future messes.