11 Craft Room Storage Mistakes and How to Fix Them
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Are you making any of these common craft room storage mistakes? If so, read on and learn some super easy ways to fix them – and find more space than ever!
Wondering where to begin? Get our FREE guide, The 30-Minute Organizing Secret, and discover easy ways to overcome the chaos of clutter – even with kids at home!
Craft Room Storage Mistakes
It’s so easy to become overwhelmed by craft supplies. You see something on sale or you start a few projects at the same time.
And before you know it, you are drowning in fabric and glitter.
Thankfully, these are all very common mistakes that almost everyone makes; and there are some seriously easy solutions for them too.
Table of Contents
- Mistake #1 – Keeping Things Out Where You Can See It
- Mistake #2 – Buying Things on Sale You Don’t Use
- Mistake #3 – Too Many Works in Progress
- Mistake #4 – Not Enough Countertop Space
- Mistake #5 – Following Trends that Don’t Match Your Needs
- Mistake #6 – Not Utilizing Dead Space
- Mistake #7 – Overstuffing Shelves and Drawers
- Mistake #8 – Using the Same Storage for Every Supply
- Mistake #9 – Not Labeling Boxes and Bins
- Mistake #10 – Making Storage Too Complicated
- Mistake #11 – Buying Containers Before You Make A Plan
Common Craft Room Storage Mistakes & Their Solutions
Which of these 11 craft room storage mistakes are you making? Browse through this list and pick out the ones that apply to your creative space. Then keep reading to see how to solve your biggest organization headaches.
You don’t need a bigger room. What you need are some hacks and tricks that will give you more space.
It’s ok. Almost every creative person out there is making at least one – if not all – of these storage mistakes. It’s just part of being an artistic person. Thankfully, there are some really easy solutions for them too.
Mistake #1 – Keeping things out where you can see it
When you walk into your craft room, what do you see? Do you see a bunch of unfinished projects lying out? Are there craft supplies scattered all over the desks and floors without reason?
Clutter doesn’t necessarily have too much stuff. It can also mean keeping things out in the open.
Keeping craft supplies out creates a few problems. Soon, you will start piling things on top of each other and this can lead to lost items and a huge waste of time.
Keep in mind, this doesn’t refer to hanging supplies on the wall where you can see them. There are lots of hanging storage solutions that are actu
ally quite genius.
This is referring to tabletops and floors that are so filled with stuff there isn’t room to create anything new.
Solution: Give Everything A Home
Look at what is sitting out. Is there a better place you can put it? Even consider repurposing things like coffee mugs as pen holders. Find places to store your items instead of letting them roll around your desk.
Spend some time making sure every single thing that is laying out has a place it belongs to.
Mistake #2 – Buying things on sale you won’t use
This is a tough one. When craft supplies go on sale, perhaps your imagination soars. You begin to dream and think of how you can use those things someday!
And it is so tempting to save money, and such a thrill when you bring home your little treasures.
But it’s no good to buy things if you don’t have room to store them. In fact, you won’t even be able to create new projects if you don’t have room to work.
Solution: Only Buy What You Have Room To Keep
Repeat after me: I won’t buy more stuff unless I have space to store it.
When you run out of space, either stop buying new supplies or discard what you aren’t using so you can make room for the new ones.
The image below is the perfect example of keeping what you have room for. Each box isn’t overflowing. It is filled perfectly.
Mistake #3 – Too many Works in Progress
Part of the struggle of being a creative person is when thoughts and ideas swarm your mind all at once. Do you find yourself starting 10 projects at once?
It can be tough to keep track of them. And even tougher to find a way to store all your halfway-finished creations.
This also creates anxiety and stress and an overall disinterest in cleaning. It’s a vicious cycle.
Solution: Keep a Thought and Idea Journal
Instead of starting a new project every time a new thought pops in your head, write it down.
Start a bullet journal to keep track of your ideas. Writing it down will give you a place to go when you finish a few projects.
I understand that I might be suggesting another hobby – bullet journaling – as a way to combat too many hobbies. So keep your bullet journaling simple and use it to keep track of ideas, not as a way to spend more time.
Mistake #4 – Not enough Countertop Space
As a crafter, you need countertop space. You need room to create and work. This is why it is so important for all of your supplies to have a home.
But it’s a really common problem. Maybe your craft room is more like a craft corner inside a room you use for 3 other things.
No matter how much – or how little – space you have, you can establish countertop space in which to work.
Solution: Install Shelves and Use DIY Storage
Look for empty wall space and install as many shelves or cases as you can. Rolling carts like in the photo below are fabulous solutions.
On Kenarry, they creatively hang things from towel racks and closet rods. Their craft room tour has some really clever ways to store kids’ craft supplies.
Search for some more craft room solutions that will give you some direction. There are a ton of them out there.
Make it your goal to keep the countertop clear. Find other places to keep your stuff.
Mistake #5 Following trends that don’t match your needs
Browsing Pinterest can be so dangerous. You see a perfectly decorated craft room and think “oh I want to do that!”
So you try it.
The only problem is, it doesn’t fit your room or your supplies.
So you end up either not using these organization systems or you get overwhelmed and just leave.
Either way, it didn’t work.
Solution: Create An Organization System That You Can Follow
It’s ok to be inspired by images on social media. Take a few bits and pieces of what you see and change them to fit your space and your exact needs.
MISTAKE #6 Not utilizing dead space
Dead space is any area in your room that you ignore because you might not be able to think of ways to use it.
Some examples include:
- Corners
- Wall Space
- Behind the door
- Around the ceiling
- In between cabinets
- Underneath cabinets or desks
Solution: Create Storage in Places You Overlook
Look for the dead space and create some storage solutions out of them. If you see some empty space not being used, or being used to just stuff random things, consider ways to use it more effectively.
Here are some ideas:
- Lazy susans for corner storage
- Shelves under the ceiling
- Hanging storage on the back of the door
- Desks with drawer storage
- Skinny cabinet storage
MISTAKE #7 overstuffing shelves and drawers
Another craft room storage mistake is overstuffing shelves, drawers, and baskets. It’s so easy to just quickly clean up your room and throw things in the drawers haphazardly.
But overstuffed drawers and shelves are usually holding more than they were built to hold. This could potentially break your drawers and shelves.
It can also mean you waste a lot of time sorting through the stuffed drawers when you are searching for something.
Solution: Throw Things Away and Sort the Rest
You should be able to see everything in the drawer and on the shelves all at once. If you have too much stuff in it, go through your spaces and throw away all the things that are broken or you don’t use.
After that, you should be looking at things you know you will use or are currently using.
Create an organized system for your drawers and shelves. Use drawer dividers or smaller containers to prevent it from becoming a mess again.
MISTAKE #8 Using the same storage for every supply
The next storage mistake is super common. Don’t use the same exact boxes for every single thing you need to keep.
You’ll end up having half-empty boxes next to boxes that are stuffed too full. While this might not sound like the worst problem on the list, there is so much space these half-empty boxes are taking up.
Solution: Customize the Storage Containers to Fit Your Things
Just by customizing the containers to what you are storing in them, you’ll gain a lot more space on your shelves and in your drawers.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money on different-shaped containers, either. Look around your home and repurpose things.
These are a few creative ideas for repurposed containers:
- Pickle jars
- Cereal boxes
- Shoe boxes
- Food storage containers
- Small buckets
MISTAKE #9 not labeling boxes and bins
It might take a few extra minutes, but labeling your boxes and bins will help you keep everything organized.
If you skip labeling things, it’ll take you longer to find what you need. You’ll end up opening and closing all the bins, and probably feeling pretty frustrated too.
Solution: Label Everything
Labeling boxes can be an inexpensive and simple task. No matter how you label the boxes, keep your labeling choice uniform. It’ll help it all look more put-together (and peaceful).
Here are some easy ways to label your boxes:
- Chalkboard stickers
- Labelmaker
- Vinyl printer
- Tape handwritten labels to the boxes
MISTAKE #10 making storage too complicated
This is a really common craft room storage mistake. Maybe you saw some storage hacks online and decided to reorganize the entire room. Except, when you went to start a new project, you became overwhelmed with putting everything back.
There are lots of ways that storage systems might not work for you or your space. Perhaps you can’t reach the shelf the boxes belong on. Or the stuff doesn’t fit very well in the boxes you created.
Solution: Keep Storage Systems Simple
Make your storage systems something that you enjoy using. Make it simple and you will be more likely to maintain an organized craft room.
For example, if alphabetizing is too complicated, don’t stress that.
Think about how your brain works and create a room that plays on your strengths.
MISTAKE #11 buying containers before making a plan
Finally, the last mistake is one that we are all guilty of. Do you see bins and storage baskets on sale and snatch them up?
Buying storage containers before you know how to use them might be a way to save money. Or, it could be bringing more things into your home that you can’t use.
Solution: Make a List of What You Need to Store Before Buying Containers
If you hear that storage containers are on sale, make a list of what you need before you buy them.
Look around your craft room and write down what you need solutions for. Then, only purchase the number of containers that you need.
It might seem backward, but even extra storage containers can be a source of clutter. Piles of extra stuff that you aren’t using is a storage issue. Don’t buy more than you need or will use right away.
Craft Room Storage Mistakes – Solved
All of these craft room storage mistakes start out with good intentions. Being too busy, buying things in bulk, or not creating a plan are all issues everyone faces.
Your craft room should be your creative space. It should be a place you escape to when you want to create and make beautiful works of art.
A clean and organized space with plenty of countertop space will help you breath easier. It’ll open up your creative mind and let the ideas run free.
Investing in an organized space will pay off in what you create later.
Need more ideas for your craft room? Check out our Complete Guide to Craft Room Organization.
Struggling to get motivated? Sign up to get our FREE guide, The 30-Minute Organizing Secret, and discover easy ways to overcome the chaos of clutter – even with kids at home!
More Small Room Organization Ideas
Craft rooms tend to be in smaller areas. Finding storage in small rooms can be such a struggle. Here are some more small room storage ideas to help you out.
- Laundry Storage Ideas in Small Spaces
- 18 Small Bedroom Storage Ideas
- How To Add More Storage To Your Small House
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