Happy Monday Everyone!
Welcome to Week #2 of our 8 week Organizing with Style feature! I'm thrilled to see that so many of you have chosen to join us as we "Get it Together" in 2011!
Week #2: Small Embellishments
Let's face it...Small Embellishments can sometimes be a not so small problem. Why?!?! Because we tend to have so many different items. Eyelets, brads, jewels, buttons, charms, beads, etc. The list could go on and on...Today I will share you some simple steps to organizing your small embellies.
Miss Tracy's Tips
Tip#1: How to Organize
There are many ways to organize small embellies. I suggest you organize by type first and then sort by color.
Tip #2: Where to Store
Before you decide how to store, think about where you will be storing them. Nothing is more frustrating then buying some cool organizing system and getting it home only to find out it won't fit on your shelf or in your drawer or your tote. Designate a spot and then take a few measurements BEFORE you go out to shop.
Tip #3: How to Store
My preferred storage for small emellishments is clear bead boxes. Now I prefer to keep my embellies stored seperately...for example, all of my brads are stored in a bead box and seperated within the box by color; my eyelets are in another bead box and seperated within the box by color.
Now some of you may prefer storing all of your embellies (regardless what they are) together by color. For example, you may have one container that holds every small embellie you have that is Blue and another for everything that is red...and so on.
Rhonda will be sharing more with you about this method, but first, here are some of my other storage fav's for Small embellies...
The above mentioned Clear Bead Boxes...Floss Boxes work great too! You can find these at any of your local craft stores.
For on the go Crafters...consider a fishing tackle box or stackable contianers like these...
Stackables by Cropper Hopper
Glass Jars or Plastic Jars make great storage containers! This is my preferred method for storing my buttons...they look so pretty on my shelf and I have one jar for each color family. I LoVe looking at them!
My button jars are larger than these...I purchased them at Walmart for a steal. They are perfect for my large button collection.
Here is a unique solution...Hardware Drawers!
Here is some great information on Small Embellishment storage from one of our Blue House Gals, Rhonda Merry.
Hello all! Miss Rhonda here... I so happy to share my method of organization with you today. My method is easily portable because I am an "on the go" crafter. That's to say, I regularly go to crops or The Little Blue House to work on projects so most of my supplies are ready to roll when I am. I use tote boxes with lids that are easily sealed and ready to travel. I have two button totes, (and multiple jars of buttons because I really like buttons and shop far to often for them). The large one stays home when I am working at home but the smaller one is always in my rolling bag. The stacked cases are part of a Bead Storage Caddy I found at Wal-Mart.
The two button cases were purchased a local craft store.
The Bead Storage Caddy was purchased for $20. I have two colors of embellishments in each case. (except for pink and purple which are in one section because I don't use those colors as often as others) They all stack in the handy carry bag. The bag has large pockets on three sides for the larger packaged items that I am not ready to open or for items with sticky backs. Any embellishment that I purchase without a designated paper line go straight into the embellishment tote, by color. It may get tricky if there are multiple colors on the embellishment, so I look at what the base color is. (If it is blue with yellow stripes it will be placed in the "blue" case.)
This system has been working for me for over 3 years now. If you are a crafter who likes to choose supplies by color rather then having individual containers to hold all your brads in one spot and all of your flowers in another, than this will be a better sorting system for you. Take a look...
Thanks Rhonda for this great info!
Your Scrappy-Do List for Week #2:
Gather, Sort, and Organize your Small Embellishments
Begin a Blessing Box
Wondering what in the world a Blessing Box is ?!?!...well let me share with you. As you are converting to a new system of organizing or just cleaning up an already functioning system, this will be a good time to let go of the items you no longer need. As you find these items, place them into your Blessing Box. Remember that being flexible is important while sorting and organizing your supplies. You may find that you have outgrown certain things or just have more than you could ever possibly use. When all of your organizing is complete, you can donate the items in your blessing box...and others will be blessed by your generosity! We will be providing you with a list of organizations (right here in our own community) that are greatly in need of craft supplies. Others will be greatly blessed by your donations.
Want a chance to win!
Post a comment about your Small Embellie storage ideas and you will be entered to win some wonderful embellies by WeRMemory Keepers!
...and speaking of winning...
the WINNER for Week #1 is...
Cara Britton
Congratulations Cara! Please contact the LBH to claim your prize!
Let's keep our commitment to
"Get it Together" in 2011!
Happy Organizing!
Miss Tracy :)
"Made with Love" Layout
