So it turns out I’m Monica Geller. I get questions like those pretty regularly:
- Q: “I was hoping you could tell us how you organize your crafty supplies…mine seem to be spread all over the house!” – Chris
- Q: “Can you give us a peak at how/where you store your craft stuff? Is it obvious that I’m kind of hoping you have a secret Monica Geller closet?” – Katie
And my answers are usually all strained and sputtery like this:
- “Our craft closet is a GIANT mess (and it’s in the guest room so they can peek in there and scream). Everything is piled into a few baskets, and there are even some paper grocery bags going on, so I should probably get on that. I’d love to organize it and share the details with you guys!”
But ladies and germs (oh my gosh, I just turned into my dad for a second there), I finally got annoyed enough to do something about it. So here’s how I tamed the previously untamable chaos that was “the craft closet” (*cue the spooky sound effects*). Here’s my shameful but kind of hilarious before shot of the guest room closet. I swear I didn’t mess this up to have a better after, it actually looked like this for months.
And here’s the “how you like me now” after. In the always applicable words of Jay Z… “GET YOUR DANG HANDS UP.” Ok, you might be at work, so I’ll just wave mine around for you.
Why are my craft things in the guest room closet anyway? That room has the prettiest view in the house, along with gorgeous afternoon light – so I’d love to creep in there and sew/paint on Sunday afternoons. I’d also love to eventually bring in a dresser or desk that can accommodate my sewing machine so the room can truly multi-task (we do host guests occasionally, but we love using rooms more often if we can).
Let’s get a little closer to the chaos first though, shall we? Does it not look like The Rolling Stones stayed here and trashed it like a truly fabulous hotel room? Except with more hello kitty.
This is the view if you stepped into the closet and turned right (there’s a little alcove in there that got just as full of floor-covering junk).
Not to mention all the craft supplies that had collected downstairs on the dining table (which actually looked a whole lot messier, so to see the true before shot of this in 3D you can check out this house tour video).
The first step of any organizing project of mine involves chocolate. So I had a few Hershey’s Kisses (dark, don’t try to tell me that milk chocolate is as good as dark chocolate because we’ll get into it) and then I got down to business. First I dumped out the paper bag that had a ton of craft supplies in it since our move 7 months ago. Yeaaaahhh… it was time.
Next, Clara helped me assemble one of my two secret weapons for this closet: a Raskog cart from Ikea. Initially I had planned to buy a bunch of those plastic bins and drawers at Target, but I realized that buying two larger and more substantial (not to mention cuter) items might help me keep things under control better for the long haul. Storage areas like garages and attics tend to spiral out of control for us – especially if we use a bunch of cheap plastic systems that can get overfilled, jammed, and broken, so… know thyself.
Then I took a few days off the project (painting the nursery jumped to the top of the list) but eventually I turned my focus back to The Closet Of Doom and brought in this folding shelf that we’ve had for 8+ years (it’s originally from Bed Bath & Beyond I think) for that alcove on the right. I figured going vertical instead of spreading things out all over the floor made a lot more sense.
The other Ikea item we bought was this white five-drawer cabinet, which I spotted in the as-is section for 25% off. I totally played it cool you guys. Just kidding, I sprinted over and grabbed it like the hamburglar making off with some tasty treats. The fact that it had five awesomely smooth (read: non-plastic) drawers of various heights made it perfect for supplies like paints, brushes, sprays and paint pens – and the already assembled thing was a total bonus. I actually think it’s cute enough to be out of the closet, along with the cart – so perhaps down the line if I get a little sewing desk going on the other wall of this room I can slip the cabinet under it with the cart next to it or something.
The rest of the stuff in the closet are things we previously had – like that hanging fabric cubby thing (from Ikea years ago) and that ceramic planter where I shove all of our wrapping paper and tissue paper. And as for the rolling cart…
- the top bin has various art notebooks and pads along with a few canvases and a rolled up placemat that I’d love to use as a stencil someday
- the second bin has wood items (dowels, wood plaques, various pieces of scrap wood, and even a few wood slices for future projects)
- the third bin has all of my heavier crafting artillery (staple gun, glue gun, various accessories for them like staples and glue sticks, nailheads, etc)
The hanging cubbies are devoted to gift wrapping stuff, like:
And the wooden shelf thing that I shoved in that corner alcove is now housing all of my fabric in old Ikea bins from a few years back (yes, I have TONS of fabric thanks to Clara’s photo project, even though I’ve made her a quilt, a birthday banner, a table runner, a beanbag, and all sorts of other random things… so… I smell more projects). Most of it used to be piled in the storage room but it feels so much more organized and accessible right here. There’s also room for the sewing machine to sit on the floor in front of it, but I thought I’d leave that in the guest room for a hot second because I’d love to set it up in there to encourage myself to actually sew with it. So we’ll see if I can figure something out soon. If not, it’s back in the closet for him.
But let’s get to my favorite part. The drawers of our slick little white cabinet. The top drawer is full of various acrylic paints (along with some small containers of varnish/sealant, and some ceramic paint).
The second drawer houses all of my brushes, stamping tools, paint pens, and colored sharpies.
The third drawer contains various test pots of paint (I use these guys surprisingly often for random projects like this, this, this and this) along with a few larger cans of spray sealers.
The fourth drawer has all of my art store supplies, like my oil paints, watercolors, watercolor pencils, charcoals, and a few random things like a small set of markers and clothespins.
And the fifth drawer is where I have stampers, ink pads, stickers, decals, washi tape, and other supplies like twine or string.
Oh and that top shelf of the closet has a wire bin (from Target about 3 years ago) full of fabric pouches. Apparently I have a hoarding problem with those, but I love them for keeping Clara’s toys contained (all of her plastic animals in one, all of her tiny legos in another, etc). They’re also sweet for “wrapping” various gifts for friends in two seconds flat (no tape or ribbon required). And the blue box up there has been my sewing box for years. It has thread, needles, extra bobbins, scissors, a seam ripper, etc.
I’m also planning to add a few hooks on the inside of the door so guests can hang things there since the bar is full (we rarely host anyone with things on hangers, so those should do the trick).
Yes I’m still waving my dang hands around. It’s pretty unbelievable that such a ridiculous mess of a closet is currently home to 0.00 chaos. But you might want to check back with me in a few months. These things can go one of two ways…
Does anyone else have tips for organizing craft supplies, gift wrapping paraphernalia, or tons of fabric? Who else is channeling Monica Geller with a closet full of insanity? Let’s commiserate.
carolyn williams says
How funny! I *just* cleaned out our scary closet, and used a Monica reference in my blog post about it! (http://andthenthey.wordpress.com/2014/01/20/scary-closet/) Ha! I ended up putting all the gift bags and tissue paper inside gift bags. I separated the Christmas bags from the rest, and ta da!
Also, I’d love to have such an extensive craft supply as you! Lucky girl!
YoungHouseLove says
So funny! Love the bag tip!
xo
s
Elisa Simpson says
When will you let Monica loose in the storage room? There was a photo on your blog not long ago and it looked like a home décor bomb went off in there, is it strange I found it kind of exciting! Love your style and I can just imagine all the goodies hiding in there :)
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah, that room needs HELP with a capital T! I’m hoping that nesting will kick into full throttle before the baby comes so I can get that room to simmer down. Haha!
xo
s
Karen says
Can I tell you how jealous I am of the white Alex (?) drawer unit you scored on clearance? I am addicted to that drawer unit, but haven’t pulled the trigger on it because it seems a little steep priced for me at regular price. What can I say, I’m a cheapskate…so I too would have lunged to get my hands on that beauty… boo hoo. Discount gods if you are listening, send an Alex unit my way too, pretty please with sugar on top? Okay…I’m done now…
YoungHouseLove says
Hope one finds you soon Karen!
xo
s
Ortisse says
I have an all room for crafts in my appartement. I cleaned up this summer, findind a place for everything but for sure I have to do it again, my desk is such a mess, there is not even a place for my sewing machine.
I have the same ikea raskog cart (in grey) in my bathroom and I plan to buy the blue one for my craft room. I love clara’s picture helping you screwing it. I really like your closet!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Ortisse!
xo
s
Emily @ Life on Food says
I want one of the those IKEA carts so bad. There isn’t a specific reason so I haven’t gotten it yet but I am sure I could find some use for it.
JessicaL says
I actually stopped myself on about 3 or 4 occasions from asking you how you organized your craft stuff. Very cool to see this post!! Some really great ideas.
The idea that I came up with lately (but hoping to change it out to a closet like yours eventually since!) is that we made storage towers. We bought 6 Ikea Lack side tables: http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/50272376/#/20011408, and stacked them 3 high, put a screw on the inside of the legs to secure them together and placed each tower on either side of out TV entertainment unit. Then we bought a balanced combination of these ikea boxes: http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/80210551/ and http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/40243191/#/80253055 and slide them in between the legs (which fit exact might I add!) and voila…storage towers! These would be great in the kids playroom eventually too.
YoungHouseLove says
Love that idea Jessica! So smart!
xo
s
Ginger says
That is Monica Geller perfect!!! Love it!
Diana says
“dark, don’t try to tell me that milk chocolate is as good as dark chocolate because we’ll get into it” – YES! This, so much this!! I recently got into this “discussion” with people and they just didn’t get that dark is the way to go. =)
And A+ on the Monica reference too. I love a good organizing project!
YoungHouseLove says
To anyone who disagrees, just have a side by side taste test. It’s painfully obvious when you have one bite of each! Haha!
xo
s
KarenH. says
Although I have a large sewing room in the basement, the basement isn’t insulated (although it *is* heated, but I keep the thermostat down there at 60 degrees unless I’m down there working). and since I have a fancy schmancy computerized sewing machine (FSCSM) and we’ve been having the Polar Vortex Winter of DOOOOOOOM this year, I brought the FSCSM upstairs to keep the electronics from getting condensation on them from the cold.
I’ve also needed to use it, because of the grandbaby due this March, so I needed a space to use it. I’ve previously used it on my tiny (30″ square) dining room table, but I needed to add the embroidery module which makes it just a touch too long for the table.
In unrelated news, after killing my 3rd laptop in 6 years, my son (who builds computers) and I decided that maybe it was just time to accept the reality that I need a desktop computer, and he built me one (and added in the hard drives from the previously killed laptops so I didn’t lose anything–SCORE!!!). But with my teeny tiny living/dining room, I needed a small but efficient computer table to put it on. Right now the desktop is on a sofa/console table, but for Christmas, I requested and got an Ikea Micke computer desk–this one: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/images/products/micke-desk__0172811_PE327002_S4.JPG )
I put it together (it’s NOT the best quality Ikea furniture I’ve ever constructed–partical board for sure). But it was the perfect size for my FSCSM, including the embroidery module. And once it was all together, it was solid. and there wasn’t much shimmy or shaking going on, even with the embroidery unit doing its thing. There’s also one with open shelf storage (either right or left handed, depending how you set it up). IMO, it’s a decently priced alternative for a smallish sewing table.
Come spring, the FSCSM will head back downstairs and I’ll move my desktop computer to his eventual home, but in the meantime, the Micke is serving very well as a sewing table.
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds like a good setup! And I LOVE that your son built your computer. That’s DIY swagger right there.
xo
s
Emily says
I am so happy to see this post! Almost a year after moving into our new house (& 9 months after having a baby), we have finally switched all the bedrooms around to make a dedicated home office/craft room. So exciting, but of course it means that until I figure out some decent closet storage solutions, half my (ridiculously too many) sewing, cake decorating & craft supplies are living in what is now the guest room…yet another vote for that Ikea cart, I think – it would fit perfectly in the closet, could be wheeled out for projects, & I’ve been eyeing one off for ages! They’re pricey here in Australia, though, so there might be a little waiting for a sale…
Diane says
I love the plastic shoe boxes- they are sturdy and inexpensive. I bought nine of them, as well as a 31x12x12 set of shelves, which the boxes fit into perfectly. Those boxes hold a ton of stuff. It is a great way to keep a wide assortment of items in one place and with other like-items.
YoungHouseLove says
Those sound awesome!
xo
s
sarah @makingitmyhome.blogspot.com says
my monica geller secret closet is my entire basement. and the trunk of my car. its amazing how much crap I keep back there!
Lauren says
Does that wrapping paper bucket have your name on it?? If yes, why is it turned around? So cute!
YoungHouseLove says
Isn’t that the cutest? I realized after I took the pics that it was turned the other way (I just shoved it in and meant to spin it and then lost my train of thought and started loading up the blue cart) but it’s all fixed now. Facing out with pride :)
xo
s
Vicky says
I absolutely love my Raskog cart! I also use it for craft supplies. The top holds cards/postcards and my writing/painting/drawing supplies, the second holds my stamps and stamp making tools along with ink, and the bottom holds frames and extra pieces of rubber for stamp making. And it is pretty! :-)
Theresa says
At work and decided I needed a dove dark chocolate/read YHL break. I was on my third piece when I got to the part about eating dark chocolate. I literally laughed out loud. I’m a renter and moved to a new place about the same time you guys did. My craft storage situation looks like your before picture…minus hello kitty.
YoungHouseLove says
So funny!
xo
s
Jocelyn says
So, my closet is a similar shape, but about half the size :( AND the door to it is the door to the room itself. I have absolutely no idea how to fix this issue.
Its 30 inches wide in the front and then diagonals back to just 14 inches in the rear, because of an extra piece of wood. Otherwise, it would be a whopping 16 inches wide. They obviously made it out of desperation for a closet, the back of it touches the diagonaled wall of the next room.
I hate it so.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man, that’s rough Jocelyn!
xo
s
Michelle says
Hamburglar, I love it!!! lol
Kati says
Ok, ok, ok…. It’s not really related, but we’re having a baby boy in July (YAY!!!!) and we live in a 2 bed apartment. Little Boy will be sharing his room with Big Sister (who is turning 2 soon.) I know you made a mood board a while back of how you could change Clara’s nursery into a little boy nursery – but that’s not really the same as having a shared nursery, huh? What I mean is, would you ever find it in your hearts ever ever ever to make a mood board for the gender-neutral challenged slash color-impassioned among us? I’ve been eyeing this rug and still think it could happen. http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Off-set-Chevron-Multi-Rug-8-x-10/7917760/product.html?searchidx=1 What do you THINK????????
Kati says
To make it related: Yo go girl! Look at you and your bad organizing self! That feels so great. Even though my monitor. :-D
YoungHouseLove says
Such a fun rug – I think it’s perfect! I’d go with white bedding and curtains since the rug is the star and then pull solid colors from the rug for things like the headboard/crib sheet (maybe a band at the bottom of the curtains in one color too) and the art. I think it’ll look awesome! And white walls with soft blue ceiling would be fun too. I’d love to flesh things out in a post with a mood board if we have a moment!
xo
s
Amanda Sheren says
I love how you guys organized your craft closet :) I have also loved that Ikea rolling cart since I first laid eyes on it last year, the color has a lot to do with that for me! I bought a really awesome buffet for our dining room that I store all of our crafts in (since we usually do crafts at the kitchen table) and that works for now, but when we move in the next couple of years I would love a much larger space for it all, and I like how you organized all of your paints. So I will probably be stealing that idea :)
Chelsea says
It amazes me every time how many comments you guys get! Wonderful job on organizing the closet! I just cleaned out a while crazy mess of a cupboard in our kitchen (it housed our liquor and some glasses as well as quite a bit of miscellaous items) and added all the bar stuff to an ikea utility cart made into a bar cart. It held everything PERFECTLY! And it’s tucked into the back corner of our dinning room, away from the chaos of a 4 year old boy and two crazy dogs. My crafting stuff is another story! Haha we only have two closets in this house, one on our master bath and the other in our sons room. It houses his clothes plus extra pillows and bedding; ours just has our clothes and my shoes. So my crafting stuff is scattered about some cupboards in our office. I never can find anything! But I am working one cupboard/shelf/chest at a time to get everything in order!
YoungHouseLove says
Good luck Chelsea!
xo
s
Lauren @ Faith and Macaroni says
I’m not a professional sewer by any stretch, but after my daughter was born, I finally set up my machine full-time in our guest room. It’s on a tiny little table, but it’s in front of a window and gets great light. Even with a newborn and now that she’s five months, I’m much more apt to take a bit of time if she’s napping or playing to sew a small stretch. I finally started on my first quilt and am planning my next. I love that it has it’s own place and that I am more likely to use it when it’s completely ready to go. So I encourage you to keep it out!
YoungHouseLove says
Love that Lauren!
xo
s
Jake says
I absolutely loved what you did to this closet.
It’s truly inspirational when I look at what you did, and then look at my closet. :-/
When everything is organized like how you did it, it makes everyone happy!
Bobbie says
I would show you my craft closet but there would be weeping and gnashing of teeth. It’s ughly. <– typo but it works so Im leaving it.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, it totally works! I think it’s catchy…
xo
s
kory says
I love posts about organizing, and I also love organizing (but you have to admit – you generally always have to buy stuff to help you organize stuf…). Anyway, one thing I envy the most about the american market is the test pots of paint. WE DON’T HAVE THOSE. So when you’re choosing paint, you have to commit based on a color chip, and that’s scary. If it turns out you don’t like it – too expensive. And that’s one of the main reasons why you rarely see interesting colors on people’s walls. Including my own walls…
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so scary! I hope they bring test pots of paint over soon – sometimes when I’m frozen with indecision they’re the only way I can deal with deciding!
xo
s
Cori says
Love! Where did you get that white chest of drawers?
YoungHouseLove says
That was from Ikea (in the as-is section). It’s from their Alex line.
xo
s
Johanna says
This is nothing related to this post but wanted to share anyways… :) we are due with our second baby this summer, and I’ve been looking for various “big sister” books to get for our daughter… I came across this one (by the author who writes the infamous “if you give a mouse a cookie” :) ) and thought you guys may be interested in it for “big sister” Clara :) http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/custom-what-big-sister-does-best-book
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much Johanna! Looks really sweet!
xo
s
Jennifer says
This comment isn’t actually directly related to this post but I’ve been following your blog for awhile now and despite loving your work have been frustrated that so many contemporary products weren’t available in the EU. Even if they could be shipped, customs was a hassle, shipping fees disproportionately high and there were no returns. Yesterday while looking for a carpet for my son’s room I discovered that Overstock.com had partnered with a company Borderfree Global eCommerce to be able to send many of their products to the EU and Switzerland. Hurrah! I could order the chevron carpet I had wanted for my son’s room with low shipping and custom fees and it appears Borderfree has started working with a number of other great US brands. Thought your international readers might be just as happy about this as I was and could maybe open the door for more international giveaways! ;-)
All the best from Italy,
Jennifer
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoo! That’s such awesome news Jennifer! We are always begging each and every vendor to do international when they can (last week’s was open to the entire globe – and we hope to have more and more of those).
xo
s
Avone says
I WISH my craft closet looked as good as your before. You’re likely to get a glue stick to the eye when you open the door, and don’t even get me started about the pillow forms that come falling out everywhere.
Girl, you had tons of room left to shove stuff before you HAD to get organized. Hooray for nesting. Good for you! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, thanks Avone!
xo
s
Dory @DoyleDispatch.com says
I love it! We are really fortunate and have a full craft room. We have two large 4×4 Expedits from Ikea an many bins from Land of Nod. I have pictures on our house tour section here: http://doyledispatch.com/house-tour/craft-room/
YoungHouseLove says
Love all that storage!
xo
s
bella says
Good job. I love to see how people organize their spaces.
Suzanne says
We have one of those folding book shelf things: we bought it when we were first married (29 years ago). That thing has found a purpose in every place we’ve lived. I have to say that might be the best purchase we ever made. Love you blog!
YoungHouseLove says
Isn’t that funny?! That thing has been in our living room, our garage, various closets, everywhere!
xo
s
Sassafras says
Ha! If it would work w/your future desk/table/sewing stand scenario I would so put wheels on that lil’white drawer cubbie. Closet now looks awesome. I would have it a tumbled mess in a hot minute of creativeness, but nice to have a photo shot as to how it should all go back together!
YoungHouseLove says
Love that idea!
xo
s
maggie says
Wow…here I thought the first picture was the organized closet! Now it looks beautiful! I have real issues with being organized here. It’s pitiful.
Once my sister opened a closet door at my house and was buried by everything that fell off the top shelf. Luckily there was no bodily harm done. I finally just gave up and hung up a sign that says ‘Organized people are just too lazy to look for things’. Eventually I will have to tackle the closets if only for safety reasons.
Kati says
Can you please tell me where you got the little white drawers? Sorry if you said it in another comment! Praying you don’t say Ikea since the closest one is about 300 miles away!
YoungHouseLove says
Sorry, it is Ikea! Their Alex series. Maybe try craigslist?
xo
s
SassafrasNA says
Tell me what happened to the missing cranes and nobody will get hurt!!! ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha! Those are finally in the cabinet downstairs with my vases and other decorative things where they belong ;)
xo
s
Meg says
I’ve got a wardrobe from my kid’s nursery that I turned into my craft-closet. Card-Making paper, ink pads, and pens in stacked plastic drawers in the upper part that used to hold baby clothes (although I may have to look at a hanging shelf unit now….), and then the paper cutter, stamps, and punches in the three drawers below.
Pam the Goatherd says
I’m chuckling a little bit about your idea of a LOT of fabric. A friend of mine has an entire wall of cubbies in her sewing room that are filled with fabric. She has them sorted by color. She is my hero! My fabric collection is stashed in cardboard boxes – lots and lots and lots of big cardboard boxes, like the ones you get at the grocery store to move your college stuff back and forth between home and the dorm. Those boxes are stacked in a corner of my bedroom awaiting the day when I finally get my now-adult children to get their stuff out of our second bedroom so I can turn it into a sewing room.
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds amazing! Like a fabric store… but in your house. I’m into it.
xo
s
Kim says
I can’t tell if there is enough wall space, but I installed two plant hanger brackets to one of the walls in my closet. I hang my gift bags on these. The bags hang nicely and it frees up the closet rod. Your closet looks great!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Kim!
xo
s
Melissa says
we put our gift bags all inside the largest gift bag so we are just hanging one bag.
Vikas says
Our 105+ year old house has a lot of quirks. One of them, leads to frozen water supply pipes, frozen tub drain pipe, and frigid floors: the brilliant idea to have the entire 2nd floor bathroom overhanging the porch, with the water pipes running through some unheated areas of the house and no insulation between subzero temps and the bathroom floor.
We thought that wrapping the pipes with heating tape would solve the frozen pipe issue. The Polar Vortex proved that wrong.
Luckily / unluckily our contractor was working in our house when it happened. Luckily because the frozen & cracked pipes were easily repaired. Unluckily because they were there tearing our other shower apart in a poorly timed bathroom renovation (good to have good friends nearby). Thankfully this contractor (our old one who reno’d the offending bathroom didn’t figure this out) solved the problems of the water supply pipes with insulation and rerouting some of the furnace heat.
The remaining problem(s) are the drain pipe which froze again and the generally uninsulated state of our ancient home. At this point the best solution we can think of is moving the final major planned project to be the next inline and replacing all the siding (which is an awful off-white vinyl), new windows, and insulating while it’s all open.
Good thing we got such a good deal on the house.
Amy K says
Love how you got so much stuff in a tight space!
One suggestion for the gift bags. The inner OCD Amy in me can’t help it…. sort them by theme and put together in the largest big of said theme. They’ll hang a lot nicer in the closet and free up space for something else!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Amy!
xo
s
Melissa says
So the blue cart, I love! We bought the same one from the as is dept- it might wobble a little bit but since we don’t really roll it, its fine! We use ours as a party drink station. Given the mesh shelving, it is easy to keep clean. Bag of ice on the lowest level, cups and any utensils and ice grabber on middle level and bottles of mixers, liquor, non alcohol drink on the top and it make s a great drink station for an outdoor bbq. When not in use, we still put our bbq utensils and some paper towels on there next to the grill.
MizLottie says
Great idea to NOT use those cheapie plastic drawer cabinets – I also have a craft closet and bought the plastic drawers and they sag from the weight of the contents, which aren’t that heavy to begin with. Useless! I’ll probably being going to Ikea myself to get some drawers similar to what you used.
Love your website, always look forward to reading what you two are doing and to see pix of Clara and Burger (and the Barnacle when he arrives)!
Destiny says
I’ve got all my bags hanging in a closet too. I also have one bag devoted to the folded up tissue paper – I can see every color from the top. Then, I purchased a pants hanger that has the bars that swing out to put ribbon spools on. I can pull out what I need and snip off right there. All the paints, stamps, etc. are in photo storage boxes with a label on the front. They look nice stacked up and completely hide it all, but the labels keep me organized.
Gnome Lover says
It looks fantastic, Sherry! This post made me laugh and laugh. I even showed it to my husband. When you wrote you didn’t mess it up to make the after better. Oh my gosh! I can just imagine if you saw our hallway closet. Seriously, your before would be our dream. It barely shuts. It is crammed. Packed. Squished. It is scary!
You are so inspiring. Especially doing it pregnant.
Jenni
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, thanks Jenni, you’re so sweet!
xo
s
Amanda says
I’ve given a lot of thought to fabric storage myself, and I came up with a hybrid approach. The fabric that I have in bolts (which means yards and yards) got neatly folded so it would hang over a standard clothing hanger. The fabric that was short enough (I think 5 yards really is about the limit) got folded small and uniform by wrapping them each around one of those cards that comic book collectors use (I got mine at that comic book store in Willow Lawn, $10 for 100 I think) so that they stack neatly. Fat quarters are folded up in fat quarter size (like they do at Quilting Adventures, also in Willow Lawn) and filed in a drawer. Scraps are sorted into general color piles and stuffed into an old shoe stacker thingie so I can find the piece I want with minimal digging. I got the comic book card idea from Pinterest, though of course I can’t find it now…I’ve also seen where people put fabric around hanging files so they can go in a file cabinet, or one of those pant hanger thingies that holds multiple folded pants. Hope that helps! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Love that!
xo
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Whitney says
I hang my gift bags on drapery tieback hooks. Those hooks that some people put on the wall to hold their drapes open. Hang one vertically and you get an instant jumbo hook. I saw it once for purses but love it for gift bags and really anything else you can think of. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Great tip!
xo
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Grace says
jajaj It’s so funny the Monica Geller pint ajajja.
Sometime I need to be Monica because my house is a mess!!
I will try to follow ur instructions!! ;) Have a nice weekend for U and your great family!!!
Dominique Paolini says
Hanging gift bags on the bar is genius!
Cindy @Made2Style says
I used the same exact piece to organize all of my craft supplies! I can’t wait until I have a bigger place to get some more to organize all my beauty products too!
http://made2style.com/2013/02/26/craft-storage-ikea-alex/
YoungHouseLove says
Love it!
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Karen says
Ok, your *before* shot is my AFTER. It really looked tame to me!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha!
xo
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