Help! I need to organize my craft room!

So, we moved into this house Oct 2019.
And I have not even attempted to unpack all the craft stuff.
I have just kinda been digging in the boxes to find what I need.
I have two 6-cube shelving units (12 cubes total) and a tall bookshelf that has 4-5 shelves. I’m going to be using my stimulus money to buy a new table (I’m using a card table right now) and more cube storage. The table will have my Cricut and my sewing machine ONLY (well, that’s the plan, anyways) and I want to unpack all my boxes (I have 6 plastic storage tubs of random crafty stuff, and one big tub of yarn)
Any tips, ideas, advice? Anything would be appreciated!

5 Likes

I had a similar problem. I bought 2 of these desk tops from Ikea (I’m assuming you have an ikea near you) to house my cricut, sewing machine, and TV. I set them up in an L shape.

And 8 of these legs that just screw in (hardware included)

And a Micke desk

Then from target I got a 16 cube organizer for my yarn and some binsfrom the dollar tree to hold all my miscellaneous sewing stuff

Here is my set up, it works great for me (dog optional but highly recommended)

22 Likes

this looks so cozy & neat!
I need to hire you to come set up my bonus room/ craft room!
I really enjoy seeing how others arrange their supplies, so I’ll be watching this
thread for ideas

2 Likes

How exciting!

Last year, I replaced the shag carpet in my studio with vinyl tiles. I’m no longer constantly searching for tiny things I dropped, and spills are easy to clean up. But it’s colder in here!

Make a scale plan of the room and furniture (graph paper helps), and use it to figure out the most effective layout.

Sounds like you do different kinds of crafts, and have already planned specific areas. I have half a table for wetwork, covered with a vinyl shower curtain. A raised berm (a roll of paper, but could be a board or bricks, or whatever is lying around) is tucked under the table cover between wet and dry areas to contain spills.

Good lighting is wonderful. I have a pair of tall skinny table lamps on one work table, a hanging lamp over the other, and a gooseneck lamp with a magnifying glass that can go where I need it.

Hang stuff up to store or display. Finished crafts, artwork, inspirations, tools and supplies. I have an over the door hook rack that holds yardsticks, embroidery hoops, staple gun with staples, grommeter with grommets, and a few other tools that get used so rarely that they would get buried on a shelf.

Evaluate as you unpack those supplies you haven’t seen in a year. Will you ever really use them?

6 Likes

@bethntim - your craft room is lovely right down to the dog bed with the adorable dog in it.

I think these ideas so far have been great. My advice is the same as @steiconi - since you have to unpack and handle it all right now, it’s a great time to make decisions on keeping supplies. I try to do this once a year and take photos to send my sisters so they can take what they want before I donate.

Many years ago I made Super Mario and PacMan coasters with perler beads. Then I packed around TONS of perler beads for years just in case. Sigh.

3 Likes

YES I LOVE IT!!!
I have dog, so that’s that covered, but I added the rest to my shopping cart, I hope I can get those delivered to me!
I found a 12 cube shelving unit on Amazon, but now I know I can hit up a dollar tree for the boxes! (That didn’t even cross my mind, so thank you!!!)
@steiconi that’s what I always do!!
I use teeny tiny grid to map out every room!
@susieoregon I have already Kondo’d my craft room stuff, and sold/given away everything that I hadn’t touched since I moved in.
I had 6 giant tubs of only yarn (I have a problem, ok? :rofl:) and I went through all of it, now I’m down to only one giant tub of yarn.
I guess after I get everything ordered and set up I’ll update! I’m super excited now!

5 Likes

There are two forums you might want to look through for ideas.

And https://forum.lettucecraft.com/t/show-us-your-sewing-crafting-space/3316

My first organized craft room was wonderful, then we had to rearrange and shave off a 3 foot walkway area at one end. And I love the new re organized space better. It’s smaller, but more efficient .

6 Likes


This is all I have for organization at this moment… I would LOVE to be able to lay my rotary mat flat (instead of some of it hanging off of a shelf like it is now)
I have two sewing machines right now, both need to be taken in for maintenance.

3 Likes

I have a dresser that I use for things like rolls of ribbon and tape. Also some of those rolling plastic drawer-thingies (it’s a technical term) for smaller items like glue, paintbrushes, and tools. And stuff for miniatures. Of course.

1 Like

I have 3 of those plastic drawer rolling thingies as well. One for all my paints, one for my in-progress quilt fabric (because my cats think everything is a bed made especially for them :roll_eyes::roll_eyes::roll_eyes:) and one for my misc small things like pens, xacto knives, loose knitting needles, my crochet hook pencil bag, scissors, cricut parts, etc.

1 Like

The hardest part about this is the fact that I have to share this particular room with the cat stuff… litter boxes and food (because the dog refuses to stay out of the “snack” boxes and thinks that the cat food is her personal treat dispenser. :woman_facepalming:t3:
But!
This room is technically “mine”. Our son has his own room, we have our bedroom, and hubs prefers to have his “space” in the garage.
Now I just need to get it organized and useable.

1 Like

I’ll take the doggo!

1 Like


Doggo! (her name is Teak!)

4 Likes

That’s a great start!

Baby!!!

1 Like

Looks great so far! I actually hang my rotary mats on the wall to keep them flat but out of the way. :slight_smile:

1 Like

I would, but this one doesn’t have a hole to hang it up with.

2 Likes

I used two Kallax (ikea) two by twos on either end and had Home Depot cut me a matching-sized melamine table top. To avoid shifting, I put that rug mat stuff underneath. So, I have “legs” that have storage.

3 Likes

I’m not sure which type you have, or if you would find this idea aesthetically unappealing (which is totally fair!), but I bet you could drill/punch holes in a corner or two, and loop strong cording, or even neatly affix picture wire if you decided you really would like to hang them. I’m too lazy to do this, so the one mat I have that doesn’t easily hang from an already-there handle is neatly tucked flat behind my Kallax cube shelves. Since the shelving unit can’t go completely flat against the wall (due to the baseboards), the space left is great for my mat, a couple large pieces of foam, and some empty mailing boxes.

2 Likes

You can hang them up with a clothing hanger made for pants and skirts, no hole punching required :wink:

8 Likes