How do you store stuff?

[Craftmatters]

I'm really after storage ideas. At present all my various stashes (yarn, thread, buttons, beads, fabric) are not exactly stored in a very helpful way... Works in progress are in a trunk in our front room (actually that works ok - it's just a mess!), spare fabric & yarn in plastic bags on shelves. It is REALLY hard to find stuff.

Anyone got any good systems I can ni... er borrow?

[Chris W]

I have a terrible system too, using woven baskets and plastic trifle tubs. The amount of tubs seems to grow and grow and the stacks get wobblier and wobblier and I can never find anything quickly enough. Some helpful suggestions would be great.

[heavenlygirl]

I use those plastic sets of drawers you can buy lots of places, they are ok and I write on the front what is in each drawer.

Heather

[hporter@intraspin.com]

I use white cardboard storage boxes from Ikea. They have tabs on the front so you can label them with the contents. Also, for small bits and bobs such as gemstones and beads, Lakekand do some nice compartmentalised acrylic boxes.
Helen
Handmade Cards Direct

[caketopper]

i use those smallish plastic boxes with the clip on lids, they work pretty well.

[Bea]

I think the Really Useful Boxes are the best. They stack and there are so many different sizes. I got the trays which sit inside the boxes, definitely a great buy. http://www.reallyusefulboxes.com/

There are also some in Staples if you want to see them first hand and Hobbycraft sell a small range too last time I went.

[Dizzydiza]

It doesnt seem to matter what kind of storage boxes I buy ...at the end of several projects i have crystals and wires and tools lying all over the place!:pile:

[glasskanvas]

I find the floor a very useful storage place-I store everything there at the moment! Failing that-do a search for shop fitting or shop display on ebay. There's lots or display and storage things on there. Stuff I never knew you needed till I saw it!

[Selina]

I now am very organised:p last week I bought a bag off Ebay by Craft Mates and inside are 6 caddies each with 14 compartments that lock individually. So 84 lockable sections that cannot spring open and spill! do I get a prize for smugness? Selina

[craftyjan]

i store all my stash in plastic drawers and boxes with labels on the front i do have a craft room now when it was in my living room it was a mess then i got the spare room its still amess but just alittle more organised

[candles by lisa]

I have a whole load of the plastic drawers that I use to store smaller things like scents, moulds and the rest of the bumph I can crame in them. When you order a couple of 100kgs of wax at a time your storage area is anywhere and everywhere. Luckily enough I have a big cellar so I can store boxes under there that I'm not using. I use the top of cupboards anywhere really it is a total mess.

Cheers.

Lisa

:mf:

[Ifor-Jones]

I now am very organised:p last week I bought a bag off Ebay by Craft Mates and inside are 6 caddies each with 14 compartments that lock individually. So 84 lockable sections that cannot spring open and spill! do I get a prize for smugness? Selina

Yes - you do get the prize for smugness!!! Afraid mine is in most rooms of the house, what with materials and made up stock, but it is "fairly" well organised and stock is stored in boxes that can just be picked up to got to a craft fair etc.

[indri]

You can get units in ikea that come with options of various sized boxes and shelves... I have one in the boxroom, that is shared between my craft stuff and hubbys teaching materials... I think its called the trofast system.

[Pebbles]

Stuff I never knew you needed till I saw it!

Are you sure you are not secretly a woman GK?

[glasskanvas]

Are you sure you are not secretly a woman GK?


Do you know, that's not the first time this week someone's said that to me!

[swirlyarts]

I use the really useful boxes too and they are erm really useful!!

[Pebbles]

craftsuperstore.com

I ordered a 4 litre box with 2 trays, each with 15 compartments, it is absolutely perfect and exactly what I have been waiting for!

The trays are independent of the box so you can take them out as you need to, and put them back in when finished (yeah right! when I am ever finished?) and they have a snap close lid and are made of really strong plastic

I am getting excited about storage boxes!

[Craftmatters]

Thanks! What a lot of really useful ideas. Now I am wondering where I am going to put all these plastic boxes I am going to buy. ;)

[PeggyCrafts]

Those canvas-made shelf units you can buy from Argos look quite good too, I'd like one of those if I had more space, they're good for larger items such as piles of fabric anyway.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/8757685/Trail/C%24cip%3D1500010971.Furniture%2Band%2Bfurnishings %3EC%24cip%3D1500011031.Storage%3EC%24cip%3D150001 1042.Bedroom%2Bcanvas%2Bstorage.htm

you can also get one shaped as a tardis! :D

[CurlyFries]

I use those plastic sets of drawers you can buy lots of places, they are ok and I write on the front what is in each drawer.

Heather

Snap - I use these as well. I have all of my wood blank shapes sorted into hearts, stars, plaques, animals etc so I know what is in each drawer spread over two sets of drawers, and then I have another two sets of drawers with finished items. They aren't too costly to buy and can be moved easily because of the casters.

[wyattbean]

I'm still looking for the perfect storage.........The Argos drawers are terrific for fabrics and laces and i use stacking plastic boxes free from the greengrocer for storing individual painting projects and greenware but can i make any of it tidy and functional.......heck no!!

Sue

[jamesjj]

I have a cupboard and there are many drawers inside.

[Craftmatters]

Those canvas-made shelf units you can buy from Argos look quite good too, I'd like one of those if I had more space, they're good for larger items such as piles of fabric anyway.

<deleted link cos I am not allowed to link yet (altho I will be when I post this hurrah)>

you can also get one shaped as a tardis! :D

That's funny because that is what I store my fabric in! But sadly it is all stuffed in plastic bags.. & every time I want to find something I have to get it all out & put it all back again....

[jamesjj]

That's funny because that is what I store my fabric in! But sadly it is all stuffed in plastic bags.. & every time I want to find something I have to get it all out & put it all back again....
That's just like chronic headache. You should get rid of that.

[mrs*h]

i know it sound very cheap of me but i just use old shoe boxes to store my card making stuff in!
Wendy

[jamesjj]

i know it sound very cheap of me but i just use old shoe boxes to store my card making stuff in!
Wendy
So we have another resource to store the stuff but let me know how you manage it?

[auntynet]

I'm a cheapskate too.... I buy little plastic boxes in packs of 8 for 99p from Wilkinsons and stash them all in a small "trolley dolley" suitcase. ...... well I do when I tidy them up.;)

[PaulineR]

I use the Archive cardboard boxes to store my candles in. Not alot of good for moving heavy objects but great for storing my stock in. You can get these at any Staples and dont cost the earth. They would be great for storing material in though.

When going to a craft fair, I sort the candles/melts I am going to take and put them into the plastic containers with lids you can get at Wilko's or woolies. The ones I use I got from Wilko's they are 'Large Sorage Box Little Princess Lilac' cost 2.99 for box & 1.99 for lid (did not find that out till I got to the till and then blew my top)

For my sewing bit, cottons, buttons and such I have got a small 3 drawer box I got from woolies for about fiver

[*karen*]

I have got a tool box which has 3 layers and folds out to lay flat from lakeland with some storage boxes with seperate compartments for storage items.

My fav item ever though is a tool box - a proper one from Homebase which is meant for screws etc but it has 20 different compartments with removable boxes so I can just take them out when I need to use them and pop them back in when i'm done. It's quite a good brand and only cost £11.

I think specific storage for crafters always comes at a premium and can be pretty flimsy.

Other than that I have a set of drawers in my spare room which is completely full of my craft stuff. So whenever I have anyone to stay they don't have anywhere to put their clothes, oh well!

[Ifor-Jones]

Didn't realise until now how excited we all get about our storage boxes!!!!!! Interesting! Never enough boxes whatever you have got.

[auntynet]

Ok - you all put me to shame by being so organised with proper storage stuff :behindsofa: so I decided that I'd be a cheapskate no more.

Today I was on a mission and I bought a Stanley Work Station for £25 (one of those on wheels) from Halfords of all places. Great for when I take my beading stuff to the market.

And then I was in Maplins buying copper wire (I'm going to have a go at knitting but that's another thread) and I found some 44 compartment storage cabinets (the type that have a metal case and plastic boxes) and they were only £16.99 which I thought was a real bargain. Now I can keep all those tiny little bits and bobs all in one place.

Guess what I'm going to be doing this week!

Here's the link for the cabinet from Maplins if you want it.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=29163&C=Maplin&U=SearchTop&T=storage&doy=16m6