Everyone has their favorite craft supplies and they even have their own crafting style, but what about their favorite organizers? I’m a self-proclaimed orgnanization geek. My favorite store – The Container Store. My favorite show – The Home Edit. And, yep, I have my favorite organizers, too.
Note several of these products mentioned are available at www.StarryNightCreations.com. I have affiliate links set up for others and non-affiliate links for the remaining making it easy for you to check out these organizers to see which will work best for you. Affiliate links may provide a small kickback to me at no additional cost to you. However, I do truly use and love all of the featured products.
You may be surprised at what makes my favorites list. For me, versatility is key. While there are some scrapbook specific organizers on my list, there are others that belong in the refrigerator or are designed to hold make-up. But no matter what the product is originally designed for, I look for products that can contain what I need them to, but can also easily contain other products when my tastes and styles change.
One quick tip when looking for organizers, don’t be afraid to sub-divide them. You can use smaller baskets, containers or pockets within larger ones to keep your supplies neat and tidy. Some of these sub-dividers are part of my favorite organizers list below.
Without further ado, and in no particular order, here are my favorite craft organizers:
1. Totally Tiffany Slide, Stash & Store Collection
Talk about versatile! These come in 6 sizes. They vary in height and width, but are all 13 1/2″ long. I love that these are deep and narrow. They have a thumb whole making it easy to grab and slide it when it is sitting on a shelf making it easy to see what’s inside.
Here are a few suggestions of what you can store in them by size:
- Size 1 – liquid inks, ink spray, re-inkers & glimmer foil rolls
- Size 2 – Foil sheets, acetate sheets, foam adhesive sheets and paint bottles. The Kiwi Lane Storage Cards (mentioned below) work well for subdividing both sizes 2 and 3.
- Size 3 – Vinyl rolls and stamp cleaning supplies.
- Sizes 4 to 6 – These are all the same height, the difference is their width. They all work well for paper pads, 12×12 cardstock, scrapbook layouts in progress which are stored in 12×12 Fab File Pocket (see below for more info), specialty papers, cutting plates for the Platinum Die Cutting machine. They also hold the XL (12×12) Fab Files. Size 4 holds one Fab File while Size 6 holds 2.
2. Totally Tiffany Fab File X-Large, 12×12 Holder + 5 Pockets
Another Totally Tiffany product, these holders are great for sorting and storing patterned paper. They have a small label holder so you can easily identify what’s inside. The best part, they have a handle so you can grab the holders you need and go.
Besides patterned paper, I use the pockets for storing layouts in progress and then I can store the pockets together in a holder – making it easy to grab them and go when I’m scrapping away from home.
12×12 Fab File Pockets are sold separately in packs of 5. On average, the Fab File holder can hold 2+ packs of Fab File Pockets, 1 pack of 5 is included with the holder.
3. iDesign Fridge/Freezer Binz Bin
Each side is just shy of 6″ wide and the container is 13″ long. This makes it great for standing items on end, making them easy to flip through. For items over 6″ wide, I lay them on their side in the other half of the bin.
I use this for storing die cuts, alphabet stickers, stamps and dies. Glimmer foils and the half sheet foil sheets also fit in here.
At the time of writing this post, this particular style, with a lip to make it easy to grab, was unavailable on Amazon. However, the InterDesign Fridge Binz Deep Split Bin is a great substitution. This doesn’t have a lip, but it has handle cutouts on both ends to make it easy to carry. I use this style to store the dies and stamps inventory for www.StarryNightCreations.com.
4. Magnetic Sheets & Pockets
Now that I have a place to store my dies and stamps, I need something to keep them together. There are a variety of envelope & magnetic sheet combinations available. I honestly don’t have a preference as I’ve tried them all and I haven’t found any real downsides to any, so it comes down to personal preference.
When I open a new pack of dies, I make sure I have a magnetic sheet to place the pieces on. This reduces the potential of losing or misplacing them. However, if the die set is mainly larger pieces, I will forgo the magnetic sheet and simply put the dies in the pocket.
I do store both the stamp set and coordinating dies in the same pocket.
When it comes to pockets with the flap closure, I do admit these do look nicer and more complete. I found that when using these, I place the magnetic sheet in so it faces the “back” side of the envelope, the none flap closure side. This prevents the flap from getting caught on dies when closing.
The pockets with flaps are nice for ensuring all pieces stay together. However, I have not found there to be an issue with non-flap envelopes. In fact, I use these the most. I do prefer cutting off the top flap of the Vinyl Envelope Stamp & Die Holder. I think this gives it a cleaner look. But I also use these in conjunction with the Large Storage Tabs by Spellbinders. You prefer to keep the top flap on the Vinyl Envelopes and add a category label to it.
One final tip, I keep the packaging insert with the dies and stamps. I place it in the envelope, behind the magnetic sheet. If it’s larger than the envelope, I fold it. This keeps them handy for future reference.
5. 4×6 Photo /Supply Box
Surprisingly, I don’t use this for photos. What I love it for is when I open a pack of embellishments, I can dump them in the supply box, making it easier to find them without making a mess. I typically add all embellisment packs I purchase for a particular line to a box. Also, I will pop up the chipboard pieces and add those, too. It’s great to have all of my options contained in one place.
However, these do take up space, not a ton, but if I’m using one per paper line, that adds up – both in cost and space. So I don’t honestly use these for long term storage. Instead, once I’m done with a layout or paper line, I’ll move them to a Crystal Clear 2 Mil Zip Bag, 6″x12″ (keep reading for more info on these).
I also use these supply boxes for journaling pens, stamped and/or die cut pieces that are waiting to be added to a project, mini ink cubes, sponge daubers (the small ones that fit on your finger tips) and pop dot foam adhesive sheets. I even have one that contains a basic tool kit with a detail scissors, x-acto knife, bone folder and adhesive.
These are small, but mighty when it comes to versatile storage.
6. Crystal Clear Bags
I didn’t know something so simple as a plastic bag could be so functional.
The 13″x13″ size is perfect for holding paper collections and keeping layouts in progress together. I’ll store paper collections in these bags in the Fab File XL. I’ll also keep all of the pieces to layouts in progress together in these bags and store them in the #4 Slide, Stash & Store.
What else can you store in them? Specialty paper and cardstock and scraps,
These same bags are also available in a 6″x12″ size. These work great for embellishment packs, Thickers letter stickers and longer dies.
For embellishments, I cut th bags down to about 8″ to 10″ depending on the embellishments being stored in them, and stand them on end in the iDesign Fridge/Freezer Binz Bin. For taller items, I keep the bag in tact and will store it on its side in the iDesign Fridge/Freezer Binz Bin.
7. Kiwi Lane Storage Cards
These pocket storage cards are 12.75″ x 6″ and come in a variety of pocket configurations including 3 pockets on a sheet, 2 6″x6″ pockets and 1 big pocket.
Remember when I mentioned in the intro about subdividing. These are perfect for subdividing. I store specialty papers, foil sheets (the deco foil ones that come in rolls, I unroll and store in the single pocket storage cards, and Thickers letter stickers.
The different configurations can also hold stamp and corrdinating die sets, embellishments packs, die cuts that are waiting to go on projects and more.
These storage cards fit beautifully in the Totally Tiffany 12×6 Supply Storage Box and the Slide, Stash and Store trays.
8. The Home Edit 8 Piece Multipurpose Edit, Plastic Modular Storage Organizing System
Wow, that’s a mouthful! What does it mean? Two cubes and 6 smaller containers.
Of course, I couldn’t do a post about my favorite organizers without mentioning The Home Edit.
This has become my adhesive station. I store my backstock refills in the large insert and place that in the bottom of the cube. I stack the other large insert on the refills and put all of my dispensers in there. The medium insert for my low tack rolls of tape and another medium insert for my foam adhesive sheets. They stack on each other. Finally, the small inserts hold any misc adhesives and my liquid adhesives. Note: that still leaves me one of the bins from this set to store bulkier items like cardstock scraps.
This system is great for bulkier items and crafts. Think in terms of liquid inks, sprinkles for shaker cards, embossing powders, ink and heat tool, paints and paint brushes. You get the idea – bulkier items and craft projects in progress.
9. Multi-Purpose Bins from The Container Store
Yes, my favorite store! While The Container Store is known to have some high-end prices (yes, that’s true), I do find the multi-purpose bins to be reasonably priced and The Container Store does ship.
These bins come in small, medium, large and x-large. They taper to the bottom and are exactly 12″ wide at the bottom. They also have cut out handles on each side making them easy to carry.
The Multi-Purpose Bins are great for individual papers and layouts in progress that are stored in the 13×13 Crystal Clear Bags (or individual sheets). But they do not work with papers stored in the 12×12 Fab Files or any ridgid paper holders.
I store my 8 1/2″x11″ cardstock, rolls of vinyl and specialty papers such as vellum, metallic and glitter papers in these. They are also used to store individual sheets of 12×12 cardstock and patterned paper inventory for StarryNightCreations.com. I also have a multi-purpose bin dedicated to completed layouts that need to be put in albums. Once the bin is full, it’s time to put the layouts away!
However, two of my favorite ways of using these is to keep one in my tote bag that I use when I go scrapbooking. It’s a soft-sided tote and with this plastic bin inside of it, I don’t have to worry about the corners of papers getting damaged. I also love using it for mini album and bulkier paper crafting projects because I can keep the paper and supplies together and contained when I’m taking a break from creating.
10. Make-Up Turntable Beauty Organizer Small – Brightroom from Target
I’ve talked about organizing my supplies, but what about my work space? This turntable is great for keeping the supplies I use most easily accessible and contained. Note – when you’re at Target, head over to the grocery section for a bag of dried beans. Beans make this beauty organizer even more functional because you can keep your tools upright.
I liked the fact that this particular turntable was divided into 5 sections. The middle section is taller and holds rulers and taller tools. The outer four sections hold liquid adhesives (stored upside down for easy usage), blending brushes so I can quickly grab one for a quick ink job, tools such as tweezers, piercing tool and journaling pens and the last section gets the bulkier items like tape runners.
Final Words
Now that I’ve shared my 10 favorite and most veratile organizers with you, what do you think? Which ones surprised you and which did you like the most? What’s your favorite organizer? Leave a comment below – I’d love to hear from you
Looking for more crafty organization inspiration? Check out these popular posts:
Happy Creating (and organizing)!
Molly Q
