Wednesday, April 23, 2014

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.

 
 

11 comments:

  1. Always fun to see all your hard work nice and tidy and neat (pictures are proof too for when the creative fairy comes along and messes it all up again…) ;) - love seeing and reading all about your creative space. As you know - I'm close to finishing mine…but not quite ;) - you give me incentive to finish though!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Janice! It was a lot of hard work (I think I was messaging you every night about it! lol). Totally worth it though :)

      Delete
  2. Oh man. I really wish I were organized. My studio looks like a tornado ripped through it! I am forever tripping on bags and boxes filled with beads and supplies. I think I need a whole week off so that I can attack it and get it under control! I have an old tv armoire that I outfitted with shelves and have a lot in there, and some rolling carts like those IKEA ones that are from Home Decorators.com that are in a dark cherry wood. But even those are spinning out of control. Actually, I would just like to pay someone (or have elves come in the night) to organize it all since I think it is so disorganized that I don't quite know where to start! Your space is lovely! Enjoy the day. Erin

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Erin, if it makes you feel any better this is the FIRST time I have organized my beads ever and I started making jewelry in 2007. It took weeks and lots of late nights bent over piles of beads and feeling like I wanted to throw them all out at times! Elves would have been nice! :)

      Delete
  3. I love how your studio is set up. It's all neat and tidy. I try to keep mine that way but I have so many different colored carts that it looks chaotic in there.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you! It looks neat and tidy in the pics but of course it doesn't stay that way unfortunately!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Very nice space! Your kitty is so adorable and that art bead drawer looks amazing!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Your studio is beautiful! Mine has gotten better, but it still has a long way to go. I know some people love their creative chaos, but I love organized! You've given me some ideas, though. Thank you for this post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am the same way! I have to have organization..I'm not so good with creative chaos! Thanks Ann!

      Delete
  7. Darling studio space. Love the organization. Mike and I have taken over 4 rooms in our home designing as fast as we can for our wholesale accts. and shows. We dream of a large space with everything together in a very organized fashion. It gets out of hand quickly. One can dream. Your studio has lots of fun corners. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete