Organizing Craft Projects

Being organized when you begin to work on any new craft projects that you have planned can not only save time, but also provide an atmosphere better suited for creativity. To avoid tidying up every time you complete either a project or simply another step in a complicated project, keep your pieces together on a cookie tray. You may have heard of this as something called a pick-up-and-go tray. You can easily slide the tray into a safe place, and cleanup is a snap. Best of all, you can quickly pick up where you left off the next time you have a few minutes.

Another way to save time is by building an organizer for supplies. Don't pay high prices for desktop organizers, instead make your own out of an empty tissue box and toilet paper rolls. To make one, just slit the cover of a tissue box from the opening to each of its four corners, fold the sides down, and glue them in place. Cut the toilet tissue rolls the height of the box and arrange them in rows inside. Glue the cardboard rolls in place and use them to hold brushes, pencils, markers, glue, scissors, and paper clips.

Trying to keep all your grocery receipts in one place? Why not make a magnetic note clip to attach to your refrigerator by turning a clothespin into a magnetic note clip. Just gather together a magnet, a spring-loaded clothespin, and a silk flower. Glue the magnet to one side of the clothespin and the flower to the other side. This way you have an attractive storage place now, so when you bring those receipts home, they won't get lost.

Who ever said that candy dispensers are only good for candy? Reuse old flip-top breath mint boxes to store beads, needles, buttons, or nails. The clear plastic is going to make it easy to find what you need, while the flip top is going to allow you to take out only what you want. These handy little boxes can even be stored in hardware organizers for easy access. Best of all, they are portable, free or nearly so, and are going to impart a tantalizing scent of refreshing mint when you open them.

Prop up round objects by using an empty egg carton while you work. This is going to keep your fingers free, while letting your project dry without disturbing it. For smaller objects simply turn the carton over and utilize the crevices between the eggcups. These can be used to hold those pesky little slippery marbles, beads, and baubles that are sometimes used in craft projects.

Old film canisters are perfect for storing your beads in. If you come across a broken necklace, try keeping the pieces together until you can restring it, put the beads or pieces of necklace into an empty film canister. By taping either one of the little beads to the outside, you can easily tell what is on the inside at a glance. These handy containers are wonderful catchalls for many small items, like buttons, coins, confetti, and thumbtacks all of which are things that are easily lost.