How to make a tiny craft space work for you

 I get a lot of questions on here ranging from things like what camera I use, wall color I chose, advice about gluten intolerance and what is the name of my current hair color.  I love questions.  If we didn't ask people questions, we'd never get to know them better!  One that I continue to answer happens to be about my studio/crafting space.  I live in a 1500 square foot house which is huge to many, and dinky-tiny to others. 

 

Regardless of square footage, it's a three bedroom space and only one of those bedrooms belongs to me.  As you can imagine, I have gobs of creative materials.  I paint, silkscreen, hammer things, sew, cut, glue, wrap, stamp and pretty much everything else there is out there.  And I get asked all the time, "where do you put it all?" 

 I love this question- mostly because I'm not even close to being an expert!  Ha!  Had ya fooled, didn't I? (grin) 

Today, I'll answer by showing you how I have maximized a small nook just off our master bedroom, turning into the world's tiniest craft studio... and share how it has become perfect for my needs with just a little organization and some creative storage. 

 

Here's what I did. 
1) I had my man install a bank of two long shelves, one lined with baskets for storage of my finished Etsy items, fabric, and supplies I use daily like stamps and ink pads.  The top shelf is used for larger finished Etsy items, packaged items, and other supplies.

2) I numbered each basket using mis-matchy house numbers from Lowes.  Because it was cute.  Let's face it... you need to add a little cute in sometimes.

 3) Put my growing collection of vintage blue mason jars to good use housing glitter and alphabet and number stamps. (And yes, sometimes I clean my stamps...sometimes I don't.)

 4) I purchased an inexpensive kitchen island from Ikea, painted the base, installed casters, and use it constantly as a work table.  (I still need a stool but I'm waiting for just the right one.)

5) I installed a wrapping station that I created myself using leftover bead board, wood and inexpensive wood curtain rod holders.  (I'm sure they have a specific name but "curtain rod holder" is the best I can do right now.)

6) Stole my daughters tall wire basket (that she wasn't using anyway) and re-purposed it for tall things like oilcloth rolls, brown paper, yard sticks, chicken wire, and fabric rolls.  It's perfect! (You can get yours here)

7) Years ago when I first opened my Etsy store, I purchased an antique cupboard for the sole purpose of holding supplies. (Please ignore my man's Massai spear leaning against the side.)  Because of the cupboard's petite size, I'm forced to keep only what I really need inside it!  But perhaps that's a good thing. And because it's also cute, it works nicely anywhere in the room.

8) I keep all of my prints organized in labelled boxes, ready for shipping out.

 9) I try to keep my fabrics folded, brushes clean, thread color coded, and such... of course I don't always! And the inside of this cupboard is evidence of that!  I have packing peanuts in one of those boxes, my painting apron, stuffing, and odds and ends. (I also have a photoshop elements box that I WILL learn how to use this year.  I WILL.)

...I do find that because it's such a small space, keeping things in their places and in good working condition is really helpful. I know, right?  So obvious yet I don't do it all the time. LOL

 10)  Lastly... I keep everything that I use in plain sight, and the things I do need to keep contained like this sewing basket, are kept inside containers that are unique and pretty as well as useful.  You will most likely never come to my house and find something for display only- I light my candles, store things inside my boxes, and don't keep much around that isn't useful! 


I hope this helps!  Take whatever ideas might work and toss out any tidbits that won't.

Happy organizing!