Organizing My Creative Space

I made my first necklace in 2007 and I worked out of my bedroom for the first couple of years. I finally ordered the taller white craft cart (to the right of the pic) after I went to a few bead shows and a couple of local bead shops and the beads and tools were taking over a corner of our bedroom. I guess it was a year later when I made my first trip to IKEA and spotted their white craft carts so I bought one. When I got home and filled it and still had left over beads and tools....well, I knew what to ask my husband for on my next birthday. I am at my limit now and refuse to buy another one, even though the basket on top of the IKEA one pictured is full of beads BUT they are organized and that is what this blog post is about...my organized bead studio!

 

In this cart I keep beading wire, Swarovski crystals, wood beads, flowers (fabric and bead) and some beading tools (pliers and things).

 

I am always curious as to how other people organize their bead stash. I was doing it by type (wood, gemstone, Czech, lampwork, etc.) but after a couple of years that really wasn't working for me so I decided to organize mainly by color. 

 I have a problem with buying WAY TOO MANY blue and green beads and that has resulted in having two drawers of green and blue beads. One drawer of red, orange and yellow. One drawer of purples and pinks. One drawer of black and white and one drawer of brown and beige. I have all of these in one of the IKEA carts.

In this IKEA cart I have my metals. I have them organized by Sterling Silver, Silver, Copper, Vintaj, Antique Gold, Gold, Gunmetal and etc. In my chest of drawers in the pic I have receipts, books, magazines (the magazines on top of the IKEA cart are ones that my work has been published in) and in one drawer I have ribbon and leather because I have a VERY curious cat who loves to chew on leather and deerskin lace.

 

He's cute though, huh? 

 

I love this old chest of drawers (it was my great great grandmothers) I keep mailing supplies, boxes, etc. in here. It's so old that the drawers won't hold anything with a lot of weight to it so mailers, etc. are perfect to keep in here. 

 This is one of my favorite drawers! My art bead drawer which is in my work desk. The other drawer is for projects that I am working on (in other words, it's a MESS!).

 

I keep tools, metal working supplies, alcohol inks, and some other craft supplies in these baskets. 

I also have a closet in where I keep everything else! Photo props, busts, displays, etc.

I am feeling so good about finally having my space organized. No more tossing beads into a drawer all willy nilly and I am trying my best to keep my desk clean (although that is usually my downfall). 

Do you have any organization tips you'd like to share? I'd love to hear them.