My Craft Room

(Click on a photo to see a larger view.)

The room is pretty small (about 9.5′ x 9.5′) so it needs to stay organized or I wont’t have any place to work!  My goal is to always have a clean desk when I walk into the room.  After I get started, all bets are off!  It gets cleaned up before I leave, though!

I use a kneeling chair when I craft.  It helps my back, and it allows me to sit higher so I can look down on my projects while I work.  That helps me keep things straight!  There is a second, “regular” chair for when my kids or husband visit me while I craft or when I work on my laptop.  (I can’t type when I am so high.)  I would love to have a sofa or big comfy chair in there, but there is just no room – too much stuff!!!

My Desk

I bought this desk at Staples (Whalen Reed Collection Desk, Walnut), and I LOVE it!  (Unfortunately, it is no longer available.)  It has a large work surface with one drawer that is large and organized.  This is where I keep all of the basic tools that normally would be cluttering my work surface: pens, scissors, adhesive, etc.  Additional supplies are stored next to the desk.

Behind My Desk – Basic Supplies and Storage

This is the area directly behind my desk.  It has my most commonly used supplies, all within reach or very close.  The brown bins contain my 12×12 paper; you can only see six of the nine.  (Two of the bins contain scraps stored by color.)  Adhesive refills and glues hang on the pegboard or are in the dresser drawers.  The “drawers” on top of the dresser are 12×12 boxes that fit into the storage units. There are 3 large units (6 drawers) and 1 smaller unit (2 big and 2 half-szed drawers) pictured.  Ink pads are stored in these plastic “drawers”  or on the racks on the pegboards.    The large dresser drawers are filled with ribbon, adhesive, paper trimmers, and misc. supplies.  The plastic drawers are all labeled with supplies or contain projects in progress.  This is how I keep my desk cleared.  When I am finished working for the day, I place the unfinished project and all of the supplies I am using in one of the plastic drawers . The next day, I pull the drawer out with all of the stuff I was using and can pick up right where I left off.

             Over-the-Door Hanging Storage

In the corner by the door is another pegboard on which an over-the-door shoe organizer with clear pockets hangs.  There is another shoe organizer hanging on the door.  These pockets are great for storing tools and supplies.

Die Cutting Station and Shelves for Storage

To the left of my desk is where I keep my manual die cutting machines and supplies.  The piece of furniture my die cutting machines sit on was the changing table I used for my children years ago.  It is really cool because in addition to the fixed shelf on top, the table portion actually slides out when you need it and slides in when not in use.  (Perfect for a tiny room!!)

The binders contain all my Spellbinder dies, and the drawers contain embossing folders, dies, and cutting plates/platforms.

The shelf unit to the right contains (among other things) more paper, more plastic “drawers” of tools and supplies, and baskets of stamp sets.

Markers are stored here as well.  (Since the original photos were taken, I’ve rearranged things slightly to make room for my Copic Marker storage unit. )

My Decorated Paper Boxes

The boxes I am using to store my 8 1/2″ x 11″ paper and other specialty paper are basic file boxes that I covered in printed paper and distressed to make them look a little more decorative.

Stamp Storage

In addition to the baskets on the shelves to the left, stamps are also stored in the media shelf and cabinet here.  A more detailed view of my stamp storage system can be found HERE under my “Organization & Storage” tab in the menu above.

Electronic Die Cutting Machines

My Cricut and Silhouette machines (and supplies) sit on the rolling metal cart in front of the closet. Since the cart has wheels, it can easily be moved for closet access or to get it closer to my desk when die cutting.

Additional Supplies

Another pegboard.  I LOVE these for keeping supplies visible and easily accessible!!

The Closet

All of my scrapbooks along with drawers of  embellishments are stored in the closet.  Unfortunately, there are a few “non-crafting” things that are in there as well.  I am hoping to find  new homes for this stuff soon since I can always use more storage space for my stuff!!

One of the Most Important Tools in the Room!

With things stored from floor to ceiling, I use this a lot!!

The following was posted on my Shutterfly Share Page when I first set up my craft room if you care to read it.

• The most important “tool” in the whole room is probably the step stool.  With things stored from floor to ceiling, it is a must-have!

• I used peg boards for organized storage.  It puts everything in full view with easy access, and the hooks can be moved as needed.

• The two over-the-door shoe holders were great for storing odds and ends as well.  I actually still have two more in the basement with all of my Cricut cartridges.  Since my carts are all synced online and in my gypsy, I don’t use the physical carts that often so I just left them down there.  They fit in the pouches perfectly, though.

• The large, metal shelf unit was in the room before.  I decorated the file boxes with printed paper and distress ink.  I happened to have the sheet metal and book plate die in my stash so I used them to make the labels.  The baskets were a new treat to hold my acrylic stamp sets.

• The two pieces of furniture with drawers were actually from Eric’s (and later Kelly’s) nursery. The changing table is being used for my Cuttlebug and Bigkick and to store my embossing folders and dies.  It’s great because the “table” pulls out for extra work space but pushes in when not being used.

• The desk is new.  I love the large, shallow drawer which allows me to keep organized and store all of the stuff that I would normally put in containers on top of my desk.  My goal is to keep the desk completely clear unless I am actually working.

• The “cube” shelves with the cloth bins are also new.  I needed something big enough to keep all of my 12 x 12 paper without it being exposed to the light.

• I love the plastic storage drawers.  I already had two and got the rest as I realized I had the space for them and stuff that needed homes.  Several of them are empty so I can store half finished projects (to get them off my desk when I’m not working in there).

• The closet has some non-craft stuff in it along with all of my scrapbooks and the drawer unit of embellishments.  I wish I had all of the closet space for my supplies, but there was some other stuff I just had to store in there.  I think I did pretty well getting rid of, or finding other homes for, most of the stuff that used to be in the room.  There were some things that we use all the time though and needed to keep there.