I have an enormous amount of ribbon on spools. We all know how bulky that can be.
I also have glass jars filled with loose ribbon yardage. Although it is pretty to look at, it feels very unorganized and unruly to me.
I emptied these plastic ribbon containers of ribbon spools simply because they didn't work for me. They are too bulky, hold too little ribbon, and just became a huge waste of precious space.
Then there is this bag with the gazillion holes in it. It held a huge tangle of ribbon. I'm going to retire it for the time being and just use it to hold some wider ribbon spools.
After much thought, I decided to go with a series of three drawer plastic stackable bins. For now, this seems to be the most practical for my current needs. I resisted this type of storage for a long time because it leaves creases in the ribbon from being wound around spools. At this point, I'm not going to worry about it. Worse case scenario is that it will need to be ironed. I think I can deal with that being that I seldom use ribbon anyway.
Who would have thought that winding ribbon onto spools could be so time consuming. Another several days and I should have it under control.
Soooo.....since I am not creating anything at this time except a big mess, it looks like it would be the perfect opportunity to hold a quick little giveaway.
How would you like to win a Floor Buddy, a Hawaiian style foot mop great for wiping up small spills? You wear it on your foot like a slipper. No bending involved. Yep, lazy, island style cleaning at it's best. Hehehehe!
A traditional flower lei.
Swaying coconut tree.
Mouth watering pineapple.
To be eligible to win a Floor Buddy, please tell me how you organize your crafting supplies. Just pick one thing that works well for you and tell me about it in the comment section under this post.
This giveaway will end on Friday, July 30, 2010 at 6:00pm EST. Five(5) winners will be chosen by random number generator on Sunday, August 1, 2010 and packages will be mailed on Monday, August 2, 2010. Each winner will receive one(1) Floor Buddy, design chosen at random.
Good luck to all of you. It's back to the salt mines for me.
Aloha!
58 comments:
I use an old dresser for storage of some of my art supplies. I have an adhesives drawyer, full of tapes, glues, pastes etc. I have a color drawyer that holds crayons, colored pencils and colored markers. Yes...I have that many coloring supplies. The next drawyer holds my acrylic paints...the cheaper kinds. The bottom drawyer is dedicated to all my paints and supplies for one stroke painting. This seems to work okay for me, and what I like is that although each drawyer is a mess, that mess can only be seen when I pull out a drawyer!
I bought 9 sets of clear plastic DMC drawers from a yarn shop that was closing out. Each drawer is labeled. My balls of pearl cottons, my extra cotton embroidery thread skeins, all of my silk threads, most of my lace, and all of my beads are stored in these. It's wonderful to have most of my crazy quilt supplies in one place!!
I really dislike washing floors and your floor buddy sounds awesome! Please enter me in the drawing.
Grovenore
Alberta, Canada
I stand my thin spools of ribbon in a plastic box on edge so I can see the color and I sort them by color family.
I, too, am in the process of organizing my craft supplies. One thing that works for me is setting a container aside to keep "current" supplies and partly-finished projects in and keeping it within easy reach. This way, I can pick it up and work on it for a few minutes and then put it back up quickly. I'm excited about your giveaway - I love these foot mops! Thanks for the opp!
I am a quilter mainly, and I bought a five-shelf bakers rack to organize my fabric and projects.
My biggest organizational tool, however, is perseverance... and I try so hard to use it every day. I am always one to get something out, use it, and push it aside. I am constantly reminding myself to put things away and keep things organized.
The only thing I can tell you about my craft storage is that I have things in labeled clear containers on shelves in a closet. I can usually find what I am looking for but I probably have dozens of things I don't even remember I have....lol.
Hi Lettie, I had an old filing cabinet that I was no longer using. So, I made dividers and labeled them for my sewing patterns. I put them in categories like accessories, holiday, kids clothes, costumes, for the home-you get the idea. It has worked out well, and it makes it easier to find what I am looking for.
I have several (three so far) large open bookshelves (Expedit from IKEA)that I have for most of my craft supplies. Books and things go on the top two levels, then the bottom levels are fitted with plastic bins for my yarn. Other shelves hold more plastic bins (shoebox style) for my fabric scraps and charm squares, and yardage gets folded neatly and stacked. It's not ideal, and sometimes gets jumbled, but if I keep up with it, it stays pretty manageable. I think I will wind most of my ribbon onto plain clothespins and store those in mason jars, it looks pretty that way. Good luck containing and organizing, it's such a monster of a job!
What a brilliant idea - I have never seen or heard of a Floor Buddy - fantastic!!!
I am not a good organiser of my 'stuff' but I do have some plastic containers for my different colour scrap fabrics and a similar idea of your ribbons for my embroidery threads.... seems to work if I regularly tidy up!!! Hugz
I use a multi-drawer (60 drawers) storage bin that was made for nails and screws to put all my small craft supplies (like wiggle eyes, beads, buttons, etc) in. Keeps them neat and visible so I know what I have. I also use an empty six-pack soda holder to stand small rolls of interfacing fusible web, etc. Keeps them neat, organized and not wrinkled. FUN giveaway! I would love to win one of those cute floor buddys.
snuginmyden@yahoo.com
Hi Lettie! I purchased an armoire for my sewing room and acquired a dozen pretty powder blue boxes (shoe box size) that were originally used to hold paper and envelopes. I labeled and use each box for a different group of items, i.e., buttons, zippers, ribbon, lace, etc. and these are in the body of the armoire. Drawers at the bottom of the armoire hold my fusible interfacing and batting. All of my fabric is color coated on shelves of a 6' bookcase hidden in a closet (they can hold a lot!). Lastly, I have a very large cork board mounted on the wall above one of my sewing cabinets with decorative buttons that always gets nice comments from those who dare to venture into this room.
Ilene
Lettie, I, like you, have tried various systems for storing various things, only to find that they were not that handy for me.Until I find a better system, I have resorted to large zip loc bags, and file them in my decoupaged fabric covered boxes, which I love to make.I'm sure I will stumble across a better plan some day.
Lettie, I bought 6 timber CD towers with re-positionable shelves to hold my fabric. It works for pieces up to about 2 metres, if I fold carefully, and I just need to look at my "Great Wall of Fabric" if I'm searching for fabric of a particular colour or print. Thanks for this post - I see so many useful tips here!
We have a very small home with minimal storage, so my suggestion is the under bed storage on wheels! You can fit some large ones under a king size bed and they hold a lot!
Ribbons rolls are always so hard to figure out for storage. I finally saved my old clear lettuce containers from Costco and the spools fit in there perfectly. I have a small shelf under my machine (in the cabinet) and I can stack them three boxes high. I can see what I have and it gets them out of the way.
I love those Floor Buddys. What a fabulous idea!
My supplies are not arranged well, but I know where everything is. I have various plastic bins where I store craft supplies, and as each one filled up, I filled a new one, so my supplies are arranged in the most confusing way possible (to another person) - chronologically. If you wanted to find my yellow flannel with the kitten print, you would have to open up every bin one at a time, but I know which bin it's in because I remember when I bought it.
I love the clear plastic stacked bins on rollers! You can see inside the drawers and even take them out if needed.
Cute giveaway!
I also have a old chest of drawers that i keep all of my stash in. I keep my ribbon and threads in old hat boxes. I just love the look of them. But mostly things are organized in my mind. (scarey isnt it) Thanks for the fun giveaway,I would love to be entered.Beth N.(Stormybrew57@aol.com)
I use stackable drawers too. They have worked well for me. I have some that fit my paper, and I have some that fit my embellishments. When I store ribbons, I usually keep them on a wooden rod so that they dangle down in front of my station. It works great for me because I can reach up and cut the piece that I need.
My newest and most favorite organizing tool is an old spice wrack. It was given to me for my wedding. I never used it. It swivel, and the clear jars are perfect for brads, pins little flowers, and so much more! I am so glad I never got rid of it!
Good luck on your organizing! It is a big task, and something I need to do again.
I sort buttons by colour and store them in canning jars like you showed your ribbon. I love how they look in the jars. I have ribbons, elastic, treads, etc sorted into the boxes that they sell in Michaels for photos. My system seems to work for now.
We are headed to Hawaii via cruise line in October. I am looking for some tips on where to buy quilt fabric. Do you have any suggestions?
I have buttons in jars, ribbons in boxes, fabric in drawers and boxes and on a bookshelf. In other words it is all a mess really and needs something doing to it!!
I use many clear storage bins, jars, all labeled and in sight. Out of sight out of mind. I don't craft as much if I don't get to see all the great craft stuff I have. ;o)
You have a great giveaway, I've never seen a Floor Buddy before, it's so cool.
My sewing spools are in a clear bin with pegs for each spool. My ribbon is in a homemade ribbon box with holes punched (and eyelets) down both long sides and the ribbon is on spools on a dowel.
patterns are in the large roll-away bins with drawers
The fabric is my nemesis. I think I need some Ikea cubbies.
Those Floor Buddies are much too cute to wipe up spills.
~a
I am using shoe boxes to store a lot of things in, I have 4 labeled scraps and others labelled according to what is in them! It isn't perfect but it is cheap!
I made for my ribbons such box - http://www.craftbits.com/project/ribbon-storage-box
It works!
some great ideas here. I use a bookcase for my current fabric. flannels, decor stash and seasonal go into clear totes. I use shoebox size for sewing notions labeled for zippers, trims, hardware, fastners, elastic, etc. Also use those for works in progress. On the back of the door I have a clear vinyl shoe organizer to hold fabric scraps, sorted by colour. Ribbon tho is another story. My DH and I have a floral & design shop, and I am the ribbon tier. I keep those ribbons in smaller totes, the kind with handles on the lid. (portable to between home and the shop).
I find that if I can keep my supplies and stuff visable as possible, I am more inspired to use it.
I use the dresser I bought when I was pregnant with my first son to hold my sewing and quilting notions. I use a tackle box to hold my beading supplies.
Does organised chaos count? lol
Hugs Khris
Hi Arlette... I have ysed plastic boxes and label each one ... This way when I am looking for something I can find it easy... I also bought a shelving unit where I put all the boxes... I put Buttons in a canning jar as well as other small items...All my material is stored in a closet with lots of shelves, they are in order by color... I have a drawer in the closet that holds my Holiday material...I have a roller unit with 4 drawers... I store all my thread, sewing needa (screw driver, attachments to my machine, pins, tape measure,small post a note, and my small iron... Last but not least I have a leather penciel holder where I put my sissors, small ruller, tweezers, makring pens for materal, small sissors, and other things that I need to have at my finger tips...
The floor buddies look so cute :)
I'm in the process of trying to reorganize my crafting space right now, I just bought a new set of shelves to hold all my stuff (instead of having it crammed under the guestroom bed) I keep most everything in photo storage boxes or other decorative boxes of similar size. I need to work on labeling them better so I can find what I need. Good luck with your organization! I know I'm going to need some for mine :)
Jenny
jenny.maurer84 at gmail dot com
I don't organize very well. I have a very small craft closet that's probably not bigger than 5 feet in any direction.
I have a dresser in there that holds my tissue paper in one drawer, my plain cardstock in one drawer, my stickers in another drawer, my patterned cardstock in another drawer, my fabric in another drawer and my stamps in the last drawer.
I have a rubber maide container where I hold all my supplies like my ink pads, scissors, embossing powders etc.
I have some small plastic containers with the tiny sections in them that hold groups of stuff, I have a plastic drawer container that holds my buttons and beads according to colors.
And I have a ton of boxes full of stuff on my floor. I need to do a huge clean up and make it so I can sit on the floor and create.
Hi, Arlette, I love your blog. I am fortunate enough to have a whole "bedroom" for a sewing room. I also paint and do many other crafts. I have a metal and plexiglass shelf unit that holds lots of large clear jars, which I label with a big paper label on a string around the neck of the jar. These hold buttons, ribbons, thread spools, and other novelty items, such as old hook and eye sets, snaps, etc. which I incorporate in my creations. I keep some of the small things like buttons color coordinated in the small beading size zip bags. I inherited a desk from my hubby's school that holds most of my often-used sewing items in the drawers, and it is just the right size for my favorite sewing machine. On the side of that I have a rotating utensil holder. It is great for all my scissors, small rulers, tools, stitch removers, of which I use many, rotary cutters, pens and other marking items. It's all at my fingertips. I look for utensil holders from broken dishwashers also, they are great for the tubes and rolls of Heat 'n Bond, etc. For my trims and tapes, I line them up in plastic shoeboxes, according to vintage and type. I have two 4"x8" foam boards against one wall as a design board. I also have lots of fabric in plastic totes according to color, and unfortunately, I'm so busy organizing, I'm not getting much crafting done. I will, winter is coming, though you wouldn't know it in blistering Minnesota. Love your Floor Buddy!
I, too, use a large shelving system (Expedit from IKEA). It looks attractive loaded up with my books and magazines and small, clear boxes full of well-organized and easy to locate quilting and sewing supplies.
Floor Buddies! I'd never heard of them. Brilliant!!
Good luck with the rest of your organizing.
Wow, everyone is so organised. I have buttons in a variety of tins and boxes, a three-drawer plastic unit for my paper craft supplies, various contaoners and organisers for beads and threads and a large suitcase and plastic box for fabrics together with an overflowing pop-up laundry basket for scraps. I know where everything is until I want it and it is not where I thought! My main tip would be to tidy up after each project, otherwise your sewing room will look like mine!
I, too, am in the middle of organizing (AGAIN!). I use kitty litter buckets for fabrics and yarn - I use a marker to indicate what is in the bucket and then stack them in the closet (hopefully remembering to put the description side out!). I also use small bins to keep all supplies, pattern, etc. for each project I am currently working on together. Karin
I like clear plastic storage containers--shoe box size for charm packs and larger ones for fat quarters. I sort the fat quarters by color so when I take off the lid, it is easy to see what I have available.
I too use the clear plastic containers and then organize by color. When I have TOO much of one color I organize by era. If I start something new I put everything needed in a clear shoebox until that project is done and THEN I cut up leftovers into usable scraps or make a crazy block with unusable scraps. When I have enough of those blocks they go into a charity quilt!
Craft supplies are supposed to be organized?! I teach public school so I have all kinds of things. I have way too much stuff to put in pretty baskets on a shelf. I use plastic shoe boxes and label the end with what is in them. It seems to work for the most part. I am also parting with things as I get older and find the time to rearrange all of the stuff is not profitable for the use I get from it. I love your blog and check it daily to look at the neat things you have made.
Here is my button solution..I can easly see them all and sort to my hearts content...I have used way more button since I found this option..I didn't know how many buttons I really had...check it out at this link....>http://deedeescraftspot.blogspot.com/2010/06/buttons-buttons-and-more-buttons.html
love the ribbon solution too..
DeeDee
craft supplies.... organised??!!
Well, my gold and silver edged 6mm ribbons are kept in batches and then in one large reusable cloth bag. When I need one small batch, I only need to unzip the large bag to retrieve a single batch. make any sense? LOL!!
What a marvelous giveaway! Is this an orginal Japanese idea?!!
I struggle too with this! I've found that if I try to put things back where they were when I'm done I have less clutter. Not always possible--I have a mess right now on my cutting table. Always working on organization!
I use a variety of repurposed items to organize things. Partitioned floss holders for buttons by color, and for 1.5 inch scraps that I use as leader/enders. Ribbons are in bags or if on spools, I rigged shoe boxes with a small dowel. My sewing machine gadgets and frequently needed tools are in rolling drawers right next to the machine. Fabric is crammed in every spare space-definitely need a new home for some of that!
My Fabrics are in a clear storage plastic bin in my closet clearly labeled. All other craft supplies are in 3 and 6 and 15 drawer iris chests also labeled. I'm mainly a paper, yarn and fabric crafter. I do sometimes still find things I forgot about since I recently moved and haven't gone through things in some time. I think those footsie mops are CUTE! Never seen them before and they look Fab!
The biggest thing that works for me is being able to see things in clear containers and knowing whats in them.
How nicely done! It's an inspiration! Here we have a magical old handmade oak cupboard of a jeweler with 72 drawers lined with green velvet! Every treasure can be organised well!
Pencils, needles, paper, feathers, ribbons, pics, paint, lovely rubbish, souvenirs of the world, toys, buttons, shells, drawings, recipes, you name it! On the outside is a brass label placed with cards of the content.
All children may play with it and adults -if they still cherish the child in them - may also!
I have a very old cabinet (the german word is "vertiko" but i found no translation) I has 3 levels where i store different crafting materials, i also have different clear plastic containers so i can see where my stuff is.
I organized my fabric in a tall standing chest with shelves. It is so much easier to see what I have. My husband built shelves in the closet of my craft room as well as a desk that runs along 3 walls with shelves above the desk. It's a small room but it works for me.
LaVerne
Nampa Idaho
Hi Lettie: I am always rearranging fabric, buttons, ribbon but my easiest way of organizing my strips of fabric is by sizes. I put strips separate in a large plastic zip bag, 3 x 3 in another, 5 x 5 in another and so forth, labeling each bag. They are then filed away in my cabinet draw for easy access. I also have jars of ribbon and do like tyhe way you organized your. That is a good project while watching tv or when it rains.
I love the floor buddies, what a cute idea!
I am a quilter and have a bit of fabric to organize. I usually organize according to color. I also love those cute boxes with lids, so I hide some of my stuff in there and just label the outside. As long as the material is folded, stacked according to color, it always looks nice on my shelf.
I love your site, but define "organized". I'm not sure I've ever heard that word. It certainly isn't in my crafting vocabulary ;)
The footsie mops are so cute.
I'm horrible at organizing my projects... usually they are piled up in shoe boxes in no particular order. Right now, I have all of my projects in a box because we are moving.
Since I am a quilter, the biggest help for me was to get a shelving system and then fold all fabrics to the same width, and store by color groups. FQs are folded all the same way, and stored in a drawer system. Scraps are folded into a different size and stored in clear plastic tubs. Oh, and another big help is using mostly one brand of thread. I bought every color, and keep them in one large container. Then, I just rummage to find the best match when I sew a project.
Get organized takes alot of effort and only a few seconds to leave all behind... Since I'm a quilter I use shelves and I have my fabrics organized in shades/themes, I use to put small stuff on glass jars but I don't think they look as cute as yours! :)
Arlette
I love those foot mops, did you make them? I think I do a smattering of all the things mentioned. My sewing room should be condemned according to my husband. It is such a mess. We're away on holidays at the moment and my first project when we get home is to start organizing. I have many different containers that I use, some more successful than others.
I use plastic boxes alongside glass jars. I had used a plastic box with lots of little compartments for all my different buttons but I just wasn't happy with it. It thrills me to see a jar of random buttons as it takes me back to my childhood!
Jille x
I like your ribbon storage - great idea that I might try too. I don't have a lot of ribbons, but what I have now are on their spools and the spools are on the stand my dad made - a long dowel rod stuck in a circle wood base. I just slide the spools on the rod, but it can get messy. I have started storing my buttons, sorted by color or type, in antique class jars, jelly jars, any kind of pretty jar I can find. They look nice on my bookcase. Beads I have found are easily stored in pill box containers - the ones that are for different days of the week.
Oh, I hope I win a floor buddy - what a great idea.
I use wood clothespins (peg style) for ribbons and keep them in glass jars...so pretty to look at. The pegs are easily available to me at the dollar store. My buttons are in little plastic drawers from the tool department of the hardware store. Fabric is stored by color in large bin type drawers. Projects in progress are kept in a cupboard. And craft supplies are in clear shoe boxes. I can easily swap the labels as my needs change: http://sunshineyellow-stitches.blogspot.com/2009/12/it-was-wonderful.html
I change my storage methods at least every other year! I have tried baskets, wooden drawer sets, plastic bins and an old dresser. I think I just like to play with and rearrange my fabric and craft supplies to see what "new" things I can find in my old stuff...
PS Love the Floor Buddy!
Kathy T. in Tampa
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