Craft Storage Ideas on a Budget

Visit any forum or message board for crafters and you will more than likely find that craft storage and organization if a very hot topic. And with the thousands of new craft products and tools hitting the shelves every day, it's no wonder really.

Sure, you can visit Organize.com and spend a fortune on specially designed sorters, cubes, crates and chests, but as nice as these organizers are, they don't solve the common problems that are constantly echoed in these crafty discussions.

Some of the very common issues are:

• "I can't focus on my project if I'm in a mess."
• "I don't have a lot of money to spend on my craft space."
• "I don't have a lot of room to dedicate to craft storage."
• "If I don't see it, I won't use it."

Though these problems are very different, they all require the same solution. Crafty storage needs to be compact, visible to the eye, and as cost-effecient as possible. And who better to solve this problem then the creative crafters who need them most?

Below is a list of the top 10 crafty storage ideas on a budget inspired by clever crafters.

A shoe cubby is one of the most perfect and practical organizers to have in a craft space because it already comes with existing dividers, usually deep enough to hold a wide variety of tools. The top of the shoe cubby is perfect for storing magazine holders, diecut machines, current in-progress projects and even a laptop computer. And if that's not enough, they come in all different sizes and colors and some even have wheels for easy transportation.

Votive holders are wonderful for craft storage because not only are they they perfect size for buttons, brads, eyelets and beads, but they come in hundreds of different shapes, colors and designs to meet the needs of your craft room. And, most importantly, they're cheap!

Mug trees for craft rooms? Sounds strange, but this storage idea not only looks great, but functions well! Each mug can accomodate a number of colored pencils, markers, paintbrushes, pens and more, and best of all, there is no limit to the style, shape or pattern of the mugs you can add to your tree.

One of the most creative ideas out there is using an air conditioner wall vent to hold your rubber stamps. Though it sounds ridiculous, it is actually one of the most functional items stampers can use to store their stamps. Based on its low stature design, these vents are able to accomodate a large number of wood-mount rubber stamps and fit easily in drawers. They come in all different sizes and shapes, and are very easy to clean.

Scrapbookers and stampers know better than anyone that scrap paper management is one of the best and most underated storage necessities of all. Without good scrap paper storage, you will find that you are literally throwing money right out the window. Even those who keep their scrap paper find that they don't use it because it's just thrown in an area they very rarely go through. With locker bins and storage boxes, you are able to add large index cards for filing and seperate by color, theme or size for easier access to all your lovely scraps!

Flatware caddies are great not only because they already come with dividers for your tools, but they also have a handle which makes for easy transportation. These wonderful little storage containers are available in all different colors and come with a cheap price tag. You can even buy wooden flatware caddies and decorate them to custom match your craft space.

In craft spaces, every little bit of square footage helps, which is why this next crafty storage idea is tops! Shower racks give you the option of storing all of your craft supplies in baskets that are arranged to fit in corners of your rooms. Whereas otherwise these nooks of your room are wasted, now, you can maximize your area with these clever corner caddies.

Hardware storage cabinets are wonderful enhancements to scraprooms around the country. Though they come in different sizes, shapes and colors, they all have one thing in common: embellishment storage. Because of their small see-through drawers, they are perfect for holding buttons, eyelets, ribbons, stickers, die cuts, and thousands and thousands of other embellishments. They can most often fit in a storage closet, or stacked atop your craft desk for access.

Though most often found used for beads and cross stitch floss, these low-cost organizers are also perfect for buttons, brads, eyelets, rhinestones and other small embellishements. Each container has 15-17 different compartments, and they can easily be stacked within cabinets.

Pencil cases are found almost everywhere and with such a cheap cost, why wouldn't they be great for craft storage? In most craft rooms, you will find not only just pencils, but Copic markers, Prismacolor pencils, decorative edge scissors, watercolor paint brushes and much, much more. Pencil cases will ensure that these tools will not only be kept safe but will be also be much easier to transport. And with such a wide variety of colors and designs, you can really get creative with the look of your space.

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