How to Create a Terrific Crafts Workshop in a Small Space
According to a survey done by the Association for Creative Industries (AFCI), 63% of people in the U.S. are crafting or have crafted within the last 12 months.
Are you one of these crafters? If so, you likely desire a place to store all of your hobby supplies, as well as a dedicated area to work, regardless of if it involves painting, embroidery, collecting stamps or coins, origami or whatever.
Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a craft/hobby room in their home. With that said, here are our tips and tricks to organize and store your materials in a small space.
Tip #1 – Discover Where You Might Have Available Space for Your Project
Our first tip is simple – do a survey of your home and decide where you have the best possible space to create a crafting area. Keep in mind that it’s best to keep your supplies close to where you’ll be working, whether that be in a guest room or home office area, in a nook, or even in your home office.
For those of you who don’t have a designated workspace already selected, consider the following options, which take advantage of existing spaces in your home that you might have not considered:
- An empty wall in a kitchen, guest room or garage could work. If a permanent work surface would get in the way when not practicing your hobby, such a space would be ideal for a fold-down table with wall-mounted storage organizers for supplies, such as the one depicted below
- An alcove under the stairs
- A closet that’s not being used
Tip #2 – Determine What Organizational System Will Fit in that Space
Now that you’ve decided where you’ll do your crafting, you now need to determine what kind of organization will serve you best in that space. Many small spaces can be unique, which means that you will have to be clever to maximize the potential of each area under consideration. That is where an experienced space optimization specialist can be a real help.
For example, cubbies are one of our favorite storage solutions for craft rooms because you can have a designated location for every item you use with easy accessibility. Also, there are wall-mounted systems that can handle small open containers, jars with lids, hooks, bins, hooks, and the like.
Tip #3 – How To Proceed Once You’ve Got A Spot and A Concept
You’ve chosen a home for your hobby in your house, and you’ve selected an organizational system for that location – now it’s time to organize your crafting supplies!
First, you’ll want to create work zones, especially if you have a Cricut machine or sewing machine. These larger items should be kept on your workspace counter for immediate accessibility, or on a shelf in a cabinet, if not used very frequently.
Next, you’ll want to keep small supplies that are similar, together but for each specific item, such as: sharpie markers, calligraphy pens, embroidery cord, and sewing needles. You will have a dedicated container which helps with organization and keeping track of what you need to restock.
If you’ve chosen cubbies, we recommend using clear plastic bins (with or without lids is entirely up to you but consider the benefits if you were to stack them). To go a step further, you can create descriptive labels for each bin.
Additionally, if you’ve used cubbies, that does not preclude you from adding drawers as well. These drawers can be fitted with custom dividers to provide perfect storage for all different kinds of materials and supplies. That will make everything neat, tidy and accessible!
Expert Tip: A tilt-out laundry hamper with a liner is perfect to store wrapping paper and other, longer materials such as yardsticks, cross-stitch fabric and more.
Interested in learning more about getting organized or The Closet Works’ installations? Request a free consultation with one of our professional Designers today.
