Craft Storage 102

Welcome to the second part of my series on organizing craft supplies. Here, I hope to help you wrangle the trickier supplies. Most crafting activities have one thing in common: small pieces. From buttons and beads to stickers and zippers, these tiny pieces can be hard to get -and keep- in order. For all of my tiny misplace-ables, I use inexpensive plastic boxes that have separate compartments inside. The compartments are often adjustable in size and the boxes are available in many colors, but are most often clear so that you can view the contents without opening the box. They are sold in craft stores, Wal-Mart, Lowe's, and can often be found in second hand stores like Goodwill. They hold and separate beads, buttons, embellishments, thread, needles, small stickers, small tools, and the list goes on. They come in various sizes, but sturdier ones (the kind made for hardware) are a bit pricier. I find that the kind sold in the craft section of Wal-mart hold up just fine to the bits and pieces that I put in them.

Make friends with this guy.

Yarn is another item that is difficult to keep in order, especially if you accumulate a lot of it. I prefer a nice wicker basket to keep in the floor. It's pretty large and keeps my yarn on display. If you have more that a few skeens, however, you may want to invest in some of the stacking crates that I suggested using here to help store shoes. They also make a great home for yarn. Another creative way to store yarn is in the over-the-door pockets that most people put shoes in. I have to give credit to indlugy.com for this wonderful idea.

A pencil case is a handy way to keep all of your crochet and knitting needles together and would go nicely with any of the storage options I have listed for you. Pencil cases are a good way to group any writing utensil and I find that they work well for storing jewelry tools, such as pliers, wire cutters, and the like. You can find small plastic ones in the school supply isle for $1 or under. Larger ones may be a bit more, but they last for years. If you want to go all out, you can always buy a tool box from the hardware section with many divided spaces to keep all of your tools together. 

As always, if you have any ideas that you would like to share or questions, please feel free to to leave them in the comments below. You can also find me on various social media networks, listed here. I love hearing from you. I hope that you enjoyed this post and were inspired. Until next time, happy organizing!

Craft Storage 101

Lots of people, both men and women list crafting as a hobby. It relieves stress and focuses the mind. Many even find that their crafting can turn into a very lucrative endeavor when the apply themselves. Crafting requires supplies. Many are small, but a few can be considered big, bulky, and hard to store. Many people, such as yours truly, do not limit themselves to only one kind of crafting activity. That means more supplies. If you are a multi-crafter, then you know just how much organizing your supplies matters. In this three-part series, I'm going to share with you what has worked for me when storing things correctly means the difference between actually getting to work on your project or spending your allotted time looking for that one thing that you know you have, but can't seem to find.

I consider myself a recovered "cluttered crafter". You may laugh, but I have been working in all sorts of mixed media crafts since I was a child. I don't waste craft supplies, so I have amassed a lot. It takes work to keep it all in a neat and orderly system. I really did not care about how it was all organized until I started losing things that I needed. I knew that I have the item, I just could not seem to locate it. Sometimes I would find it a time later, only to realize that I had lost the project I was working on. Something had to give. Craft supplies are not cheap by any stretch of the imagination. Finding them on clearance is blessing. Losing them in my own home was a waste of time, money, and effort. I really do hate to waste things.

To start off, as a general rule, crafting supplies should be stored in a cool dry place away from sunlight. You can add them to my list of what not to store in the bathroom. I have jokes. Moving on.

Scrapbooking seems to be a really popular activity. It requires its own plethora of supplies. There is paper with different patterns, stickers, rub-on transfers, paper punches, stamps, ink, adhesives, cardstock, page protectors, scissors (regular and sets that cut different shapes and patterns), specialty pens, photo corners, and the list goes on and on. There is a lot to keep up with, and I did not even list the actual album that you will be working in or the photos.

To  keep most of your flatter supplies in check, may I suggest a large accordion folder. They help to separate paper by size and pattern as well as keeping stickers and other small items in order. It is separated, but together.

Pens, brushes, and cutting tools do nicely in a multi-sectioned pencil cup. If you can find one with a lazy susan bottom, it is so much easier to spin and browse supplies, ultimately finding things faster.

 If your supplies overflow these containers, you may want to look into a large tower of plastic drawers. These are wonderful for keeping stamping items in. I cannot tell you how functional these really are when organizing anything. I have pictured the sets from department stores in previous blogs. Here, I'm going to show a few specialty towers available in craft stores and online.

These work great to store other supplies as well. Polyclay and related items do well in these drawers. To organize smaller items, such as findings, glitter, or glaze, simply insert small plastic baskets as separators. You can find them in different sizes in sets of two for a dollar at Dollar Tree stores. If you have a lot of heavier supplies, these towers tend to sag under the weight and become unstable. 

For heavier items, such as paint bottles, large containers of adhesive, and bulky paper cutters, you need something sturdier. I would suggest shelving with a good amount of weight capacity. Invest in a quality shelf and it will last years. Lowe's offers great shelving. The plastic ones are less pricey and go on sale from time to time. You just have to check your local stores. Grouping smaller items (like paint bottles) in baskets on these shelves helps you to use all of the available space. Make labels for the different baskets so that you will know what is inside without taking the whole basket out. Just use your imagination and replace the items below with craft supplies. 

Next time, we will tackle some trickier to organize items. If you have questions or comments feel free to leave them below. I would love to hear from you. Thanks for reading and happy organizing!

Don't Breakup with Your Makeup

How cheesy is that title? Velveeta should own it. I know. I know. Moving on. Cosmetics are a part of many women's (and some men's) days and for good reason. Makeup allows us to play up (or down) features. It's like becoming a new person when you have the right makeup. It can boost your confidence, making you feel great about yourself.

Storing your cosmetics correctly extends the life of the product, thus saving you money. Cosmetics expire just like everything else. Most people don't know when to toss an old product.The FDA does not require that they list the expiration date, although some do. makeup, like food will breakdown and bacteria will begin to live in it. No one wants bacteria on their face. Old makeup can cause eye and skin irritation, breakouts, rash, allergic reactions, and the list goes on. In general, any funky odor or color change is a good indicator of what to chuck into the trash, but here is a short list to help you know what to keep and what to toss for health reasons:

•  Mascara has a shelf life of only 2 to 3 months. However, if you see it clumping, it's time for it to go.
• Lotion can last for up to 2 years! A change in color or smell is a dead giveaway that it has gone to the dark side. Opt for the kind in a "squeeze" or pump bottle over the jar because bacteria tends to live in jar lotion more abundantly.
• Liquid foundation and concealer typically last from 6 to 12 months. Look for a change in color or if the product separates into layers it needs to go. Bushes should be washed frequently and sponges tossed after each use. 
• Lipstick and lip liner will last around 2 years. If you notice that it has become dry, its probably time to get a new tube or stick.
• Lip gloss only lasts 1 year. When it gets extra sticky, its bad.
• Powered eyeshadow is good for 2 years. The older it gets, the more dry and flakier it will get.
• Perfumes can last from 8 to 10 years, but if the smell lightens or the fragrance changes, chuck it out.
• Nail polish is said to last from 1 to 2 years. When it gets goopy or you cannot get it to blend when you shake it, its time to update your color.
• Cream eyeshadow and blushes last 12 to 18 months.
• Pencil eyeliners last around 2 years. The act of sharpening them extends the life of the product.
• Liquid liner is only good for around 2 months, which to me isn't long enough for the price you pay.

Now that you have cleaned out your makeup stash, it's time to organize all the keepers. If you have lots of makeup, like I am guilty of, you are going to need more storage space, but you still want to be able to find what you need easily. My favorite go-to storage for make up is a set of the plastic stackable drawers. They are available at most stores and are relatively inexpensive. The come in a variety of colors that you can mix and match, and best of all, the number of drawers is up to you. You can buy as many or as few as you need and stack them in a convenient place. Makeup should be stored in a cool, dry, and dark pace when not in use. See my post on how to store cosmetics here. There are companies that manufacture makeup specific storage drawers, but they are pretty much the same as the drawers I show here, just pricier.

A few drawers for a few items.

Or more drawers for extra storage.

If you do not have an overabundance of makeup or you just want one container, Caboodles come in all shapes and sizes and most have a mirror to help with applying cosmetics. They also come in a variety of colors and work for storing other items as well.

This is the one I got as a teenager and still have. Very durable.

A large drawer with plenty of space dividers makes a great storage space for makeup. It is easy to see what you have and with a little organization, it can look beautiful. 

The stand that I showed you in my last post would work great for makeup storage as well. The possibilities are endless. Use your imagination and the space that you have available. See what works for you. I'm sure that no matter what you come up with it will be beautiful. Feel free to send me pictures of any space you have organized, I love seeing what you come up with. Thanks for reading and happy organizing!