Creating an Arts & Crafts Station in 3 Easy Steps

Image via @jainekershner

Whether for your kids or for yourself, and especially during this year of spending extra time at home, you may find your collection of arts and crafts materials growing. If you’ve collected these materials over time, they may be haphazardly stowed in bags, shoved into a closet, or overflowing in bins. You may even spend more time trying to find the materials you need than working on your craft. If this sounds familiar, you need a dedicated arts and crafts center! And today, I’m walking you through how to create one in three simple steps.

Location, Location, Location

The first step in setting up your arts and crafts center will be choosing the best location. Depending on your needs and the amount of space you have available, you may want to dedicate a whole closet, cabinet, or tabletop space. In NYC, most of us don’t have an abundance of storage space. If that’s you, consider a portable rolling cart. These can be especially great for kids, because they can bring the whole cart with them to wherever they need it, rather than returning to a static location over and over to gather materials.

Photo via The Home Edit

Inventory Your Materials

Before starting any organization project, it’s important to take inventory of the items you’ll be storing. Take all of your art materials out from their various locations, bring them together, and begin sorting them into groups. This will also help you identify items that need to be replaced.

You can recycle cardboard or plastic packaging that things like markers and crayons come in. Usually, these items will be better suited with a more open and durable storage solution.

Once you’ve gotten a sense of what and how much you have, it’ll be easier to choose the right storage solutions for you craft center!

Setting Up

Choosing the right storage solutions will help you maximize your space and keep things organized. We don’t want your hard work to be undone by carelessly tossing things into a bin! Proper storage will take the guesswork (and most of the thought!) out of putting materials back into their designated place, so things will stay tidy.

If you choose the portable cart route, The Container Store has a cart system complete with storage accessories. This is a great comprehensive option if you’re working with smaller amounts of basic crafting materials like crayons, markers, pencils, and paint.

Craft Cart System via The Container Store

If you’re DIYing your own system in a closet or tabletop, you’ll need to consider the amount of space and materials you have. I’ve broken down some common arts and craft items and smart storage options for each below! Note that if you have closet space, many materials can be stored in clear plastic bins. They'll allow easy access, portability, and a uniform look to your craft closet!

Clear Plastic Bin via The Container Store

Crayons, Markers, Pencils, Paint, and Paintbrushes: These kinds of art supplies can be stored upright in divided containers for easiest access.

Caddy Organizer via The Container Store

Divided Tabletop Container via The Container Store

Craft Paper: Depending on the amount you need to store, a tabletop or free-standing paper organizer is a great option for keeping colors separated.

Tabletop Paper Organizer via The Container Store

12 Door Storage Chest via The Container Store

Beads or Small-Scale Items: Small items like beads and buttons can be organized by color or size and stored in a drawer system like the one below.

64 Drawer Craft Cabinet via The Container Store

Whatever your needs, there is sure to be a storage option out there for you! When you've put your materials in their proper place, set it in stone by adding labels so that everyone knows where to find and return things when they're done.

Label Maker via The Container Store

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The Aesthetic Organizer is a professional, personalized service that helps New York City residents organize their homes, simplify their lives and maximize their precious space. You deserve a beautiful, well-thought out home. Curated closets, organized bathrooms, cheerful children's play areas and functionally spaced kitchens are only the beginning. Contact me here to experience the benefits that come with Aesthetic Organization.