Organize Your Stuff Challenge - Week 16

Is it Monday already? Can we go back to Saturday???? Please? Oh well, let's make the most of it - let's get our buns in gear and organize our paints, glitters and Stickles! Because I know you hoard them, they're just too yummy. So let's make them easy to find and use.

These are one item that if you have just a few, you can toss in a pretty bin and say you're done. It's not hard to sort through 5-10 Stickles to find the right one. But if you have many, you really need them organized in a way that enables you to find the color you need and quickly. The easiest way is obviously by color - just set them up like a rainbow and it'll be easy to find what you're looking for. I'm really going to focus mainly on paints and Stickles here - depending on the shape of your containers, you can store your glitter like your embossing supplies (if it's in a shallow cannister) or like your paints and Stickles (if it's in an upright container).

So, here's my monster list of links for this week. As you search, keep in mind your storage space (wall-mounted, countertop, drawers, etc) - and immediately knock any option off your list that won't work in your space, no matter how pretty it is. Please note that the links I posted are intended to give you a visual idea of what it is I'm talking about - it doesn't mean I endorse the product or the store.

Upright in shallow drawers, Ikea Fira drawers, multi-drawer units, or Crop In Style cubes
Cropper Hopper vertical drawers (for dabbers): http://craftystorage.blogspot.com/2008/01/acrylic-dabbers-idea.html
In shelf organizers: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22350465 or http://lauravegas.typepad.com/photos/my_studio_in_detail/28_studio.html
How about upside down? Scroll down on this page: http://going-buggy.blogspot.com/2009/01/ta-da-here-is-my-new-crafty-space.html Brilliant!!! And you thought you didn't have room!
On velcro on a wall (no shelf needed): http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/userblogpost.asp?id=39838 or an acrylic frame: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/image/layout/1793069.html
In metal cutlery trays, in a drawer or on the wall: http://ucc4success.blogspot.com/
On a tiered lazy susan: http://www.stacksandstacks.com/dual-level-lazy-susan-turntable/?id=176&sku=10752&utm_medium=shoppingengine&utm_source=googlebase
Tim Holtz case: http://store.scrapbook.com/ch-th92379.html
Plastic flip-top box, great for crops! http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/image/scraproom/1774033.html
In spice racks
In an over-the-door organizer
Clear plastic shoeboxes
Photo storage boxes
Tilt bins
Tiered racks: http://cardstockheadquarters.com/Organizers-glitterstairs.htm

My method is very simple but effective - I have an entire drawer devoted to my Stickles and paints. All I have to do is open it up and pick a color. I try to keep them in order, but that doesn't always happen. Every now and then I get bit by the cleaning bug and put them back in their proper places.


Once again, I have another link from Patter Cross - this time for keeping track of your Stickles colors. http://triplethescraps.blogspot.com/2008/12/organizational-friday.html Too smart!!!

In closing, I want to add my 10 rules for organizing. I'm going to post these at the end of every challenge, because I think they are very, very important. I want you to keep them in mind as you tackle each of these projects - they will make your life easier and the task less daunting.

1. Label your containers.

2. Be consistent in your methods.

3. Don't be too specific - your search for your items within your space should be short and simple.

4. Your organizational method should be easy to take out AND put away.

5. When organizing, break any large piles into smaller groupings. Have a 2 foot tall stack of paper to sort? Do it in 1" high chunks, it will be easier to handle mentally.

6. If it's something that you use on almost every project, then keep it within reach of your main scrap area.

7. Don't stress your containers. Get a new system or purge your stash.

8. For most items, product packaging adds bulk. Toss it. With once exception - rub ons.

9. Repurpose when you can - almost anything can be painted or covered in paper/fabric.

10. THE GOLDEN RULE - FIRST choose an organizational method, THEN choose a container that fits your space and style. Always shop for containers with a list in hand - a beautiful container is simply clutter if it doesn't have a dedicated purpose in your space!

Your paint and Stickles dilemma has now been solved. Congratulations! Go pester the kids about their homework and I'll see you back here next week.

Stacy