1.12.2011

Get Organized Week ~ Organize your Supplies!

Good Morning! "Get Organized Week" continues today...what an adventure! I've learned a couple of tricks to help me organize my art supplies and I thought I'd share my new ideas and excitement with you! Jeremy (my awesome husband) is great at organizer and he helped me figure out a way to organize my supplies based on my personality, ways of working, and types of supplies.

Okay...here we go!

1. Make a list of all of the "types" of supplies you have.
(painting stuff, rubber stamping stuff, sewing stuff, etc...)


2. Make a pile of each "type" of supplies and decide how big of a container will work best for the amount of items.


*TIP* I like to use large plastic tubs with lids and re-inforced lock handles! I have tried cardboard boxes and other types of containers, but these are most durable and "stackable"!



3. On your "types of supplies" list, note how big of a box you will need and allow plenty of extra room! Go to the store with the best price and load up on these organizational wonders!
(I found mine at Target at a price!)


*TIP* From personal experience, I have learned that nothing ever goes back into a box the same way so to avoid a constant battle with the lid and allow for additional supplies you might obtain later, I get a bigger box than needed.


4. While you're out shopping, pick up large and small durable plastic baggies and also smaller tupperware to organize the items within each box! (This has helped my organization more than anything else! )


5. Once you've returned to your "piles" at home, put all of your supplies neatly into each box according to its type, and then add baggies and tupperwares of smaller items within each box.


*TIP* The smaller boxes can also help protect your supplies! For example, I put my paint brushes into a smaller container inside the container for my paints so that they don't get broken or smooshed!

*TIP* The smaller boxes and bags also provide more organization! In your fabric box, for example, fold up similar colors of fabric and put them in separate large baggies. Then next time you need red fabric, you can pull out your "red fabric" baggie and find it much faster and more neatly than digging through piles or wads of fabric! haha!





*TIP* You may also want to create an "In Progress" box to hold the supplies needed to complete the project you're currently working on! That way you won't have to keep pulling out all of the supplies you need and replacing it. You can save your time and energy to finish your creation and then put your left over supplies in its box home. :)

6. Now you can either stack or place your boxes on shelves and you're ready to create your next project!



I hope this has helped you in some small way! It's amazing how much I want to create now that everything is (almost) sorted and organized!!! It's refreshing!


happy *creativity reborn* day!


2 comments:

Ragan Burkley said...

i SO need to get my studio organized. I mean it is organized but more in a "crammed in a closet for now" way (since we're clearing out the room that used to be my studio). it needs to be officially and correctly done. i just didn't know how to start. this blog is a great idea. i think it will be one of my projects for my day off tomorrow :)

Molly~ Specs & Wings said...

I had the same "crammed in the closet for now" issue! haha! Only it was pretty frightening..we couldn't even open the closet! haha!
I'm so glad you were inspired to organize your closet! I'd love to see some pictures!
miss you...wish you were here to help me!