5 Clever Ways to Keep Craft Clutter Under Control
Repurposing is the name of the game.
For some people, being stuck at home all day means having more time for fun craft activities. Less fun? The mess that can result. From rolls of gorgeous ribbons to a spectrum of yarns, we asked crafting geniuses to share clever ways to store and display “creativity tools” to make any project stress- and mess-free!
Stack pretty ribbons on a paper towel rod.
The clever way to keep ribbons in one place for presents or projects: Simply slide the rolls onto a paper towel holder. “They’ll stack beautifully on top of one another and double as desk decor,” says journaler Leslie Hamp, who confesses that before she discovered this solution, her many rolls of ribbon were rattling around in desk drawers. “It took me forever to find the one I was looking for,” she says. “Oh my gosh, I love this trick — it really simplifies my search!”
Organize desk essentials with a handy knife block.
Consider transforming an old knife block into a one-stop desk organizer for everything from rulers to binder clips. The slots are also perfect for protecting sharp scissor blades, notes crafting YouTuber Megan Weller. “And it’s a great way to keep smaller items, like sticky notes, front and center, so you can grab them easily — instead of rummaging through bottomless drawers where they inevitably hide.”
Sort sewing spools by teeing up golf tees.
Few tools are as versatile as thread. To keep spools in order, just create a thread box by hot-gluing rows of golf tees inside a box about two inches apart. Says quilter Dale Domingue, “You can easily put multiple spools of the same color on a single tee to keep colors together.”
Stash gift wrapping in a hanging shoe organizer.
Instead of searching high and low for everything from gift wrap to tissue paper every time a present needs your special touch, just take a cue from Weller and store supplies in an over-the-door shoe organizer. “Tapping this unused vertical space really helps when you have limited surface area,” she says. Bonus: “The pockets are also the ideal size for paint and glitter bottles needed for other projects.”
Keep yarns tangle-free in an upcycled wine rack.
Knitting and crocheting are proven to dial down stress levels and boost mindfulness. Rather than tucking them away in closets or drawers, consider displaying colorful, happiness-enhancing yarns inside the nooks of an unused wine rack. Also yarn-smart: “My favorite tip is to use hair clips to keep my balls of yarn from unwinding,” reveals Linda Kawecki of the Brave Knitting podcast. “I love using grosgrain-covered clips to protect the fibers from fraying.”
This story originally appeared in our print magazine.
