Crafty Organization Thursdays: Getting Rid of the Extras and Storing Tools

I am a nerd. Yup, a nerd. I love to organize. I love spending time surfing the internet for functional and inexpensive storage options for scrapbookers. I find it very relaxing and almost therapeutic. By reading a website or looking at a particular photo, I can single handedly solve scrappers organizational problems by just surfing the internet. For this reason, and because I thought this regular column could be helpful to all crafters, I decided to start Scrapbook Organization Thursdays.

If you missed my previous studio tour photos, you can find those HERE and HERE. I have found that going through my studio piece by piece and (organizational system by organizational system) makes for really photo heavy blog posts. I am hoping that if I keep plugging away that I can wrap-up this tour up in five posts. Today is post number three. We will just have to see how it goes. If you have any questions, about anything you see please do not hesitate to ask in the comment section below, I love to help.

Currently, I am still plugging away at organizing my studio. It is a process. I am about 80% there. Last weekend I had a garage sale and donated five boxes of scrapbooking supplies, embellishments, paper, and what not to my daughter's school. I had not used any of these items for a year or longer, so it was time to let them go. It felt so great to give then to an art teacher that was thrilled to have some new treasures for the students. I do get rid of supplies quite frequently, in fact I have two small plastic shoebox sized tupperware containers that I frequently put items into to either sell, give to a friend (hello Danielle and mom) or to use for giveaways or auction items. I highly recommend that every crafter have a donate box in their space. I keep my two plastic boxes at the bottom of my tall bookcase, towards the right (you can see them in the image below.) When they are close to being full it is time to get rid of the stuff, pretty simple.

And to remind you of my space here are a few photos:

Overall layout:

Computer desk (to right of craft island):

Today, a fellow reader, asked me specifically to discuss how I store my tools. I will discuss this with you today and show you some images of some storage solutions that are working for me.

For my frequently used tools (besides my adhesive and trimmer, ) I store them in a Pottery Barn tool carousel. I decided to get this one over the ever-popular Michaels' variety, because I like that the openings are narrower (less room to junk it up) and I like that it takes up less room and has 6 dividers. I divide my carousel up as follows:

1. Copic markers or stamp markers
2. Small tools: Tweezers, paper piercer, glue pen, embossing marker, brad setter, red eye reducing pen, small ruler, Xacto knife, and, utility knife.
3. Black journaling pens and tiny attacher
4. Pens that are not black, gold leafing pen, white glitter pen, and a few sharpie markers
5. Pencils, ballpoint pens, hilighter
6. Tim Holtz and Cuttlebee scissors, favorite brad setter, two bone folders.

My adhesives are kept in a green ceramic bowl and my paper trimmer is located on the white bookcase directly behind my chair.

Extra date stampers (also behind my chair on white bookcase):

Extra adhesives, glue, ink pads, gesso, and art supplies I use for scrapbooking:

 Punches-frequently used: Circles, doilies, tab folder, pinwheel, and stars

All other punches (including border punches) and Crop-A-Dile:
Larger stamps, masks, alphabet stamps, and stamp press are in the bin to the left of the punches:

Small Stamps:

Today I did a quick studio overview and I went over how I store my scrapbook tools (both frequently and infrequently used tools.) Next Thursday I will show you how I organize Project Life, embellishments, little bits of this and that, ink pads, and the rest of my tools that I keep with Project Life. I will be back tomorrow sharing two more layouts made with the Planetarium Scrapbook Kit by Studio Calico. Both layouts are of a similar theme: Any guesses?

Let's talk organization. How are y'all storing your crafting tools? I would love to hear what is and what is not working for you.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask in the comments below, I would love to help. 

Until next time, Happy Scrappin'

xoxox

Toni