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As I'm purging & reorganizing my studio, I'm wondering how you organize your embellishments:
� BUTTONS? By color? All together?
� SEQUINS? In a jar? Box? Drawer?...
� WOODDEN EMBELLIES? In its own package? In a drawer all together? Themed?
� BLING, ENAMEL DOTS, CHARMS, BRADS, OTHER bits and bobs, etc?
Hi. I guess I'm not very good at organizing embies. I keep buttons in two plastic containers, the kind kids sometimes use for school boxes. I don't really use too many wooden embillies. I keep brads in a container with small compartments. When I open a package of brads or eyelets I dump all of them in one compartment. I have three of these containers for brads and eyelets. My ribbons stored by the spool in a short box. Small pieces and ones not on a spool I sort by color and store them in zip lock bags so I can just grab whatever color I need at the time. Hope that helps.
Don't laugh - I keep them in the jars that Talenti Gelato comes in and store them in an over-the-door rack in the craft room closet. (Wonder why I've been gaining weight.)
__________________ Debbie "Make it work, people." - Tim Gunn My Gallery
I organize everything by category & color. I use plastic divider boxes for small things.
Buttons, brads, resin embellishment, eyelets, paperclips, etc all in same color box. Each divided section will have similar items and sorted by similar colors.
Small wood embellishments in divider box just for wood if it's not an insect as I have all my insects in one box. Large wooden pieces are stored in my theme boxes.
Bling and enamel in a binder
Beads in jars
Misc items are stored in non-divider plastic boxes by theme (hearts, garden, weather, steampunk, etc.).
I can always find what I want because the categories make it easy and the small bits are by color. I've been using this method for several years.
I store my small embellishments (charms, buttons, other small bits) in storage bins sold for beads. They basically look like the long boxes sold for sorting medicine out for the week.
My buttons are mostly by color families (brights, pastels, neutrals, etc.)
Wooden embellishments are by size and theme (for example, I have some that are small birds, they are in one of the pill box containers, larger words are in a small clear box sold for photo storage.)
Bling/enamel dots - small clear box sold for photo storage. The box closes so it's easy enough to take it with me if I'm crafting with a friend and also stacks well on my bookshelf.
I found that there were some things I was no longer using so I set those aside and have been giving them away. For example, I gave some to the art teacher at school, buttons went to a lady I know who makes and alters clothes for people, ribbon and stickers to another lady who does a lot of treat bags for the kids at church, etc. Getting rid of things I was no longer using was probably the BEST trick to organizing!
Hope this helps.
Don't laugh - I keep them in the jars that Talenti Gelato comes in and store them in an over-the-door rack in the craft room closet. (Wonder why I've been gaining weight.)
There are good reasons to keep like items (buttons with buttons) together but IMO, the effectiveness depends upon how you think when creating.
For example, when I'm deciding on an embellishment for a card, I am most likely thinking this card needs something red vs thinking this card needs a flower. Of course there are times I will think a card needs, for example, pearls, but I would also likely know what color I want those pearls to be.
So, when I get my chaotic supplies organized, embellishments will be by color. So my red brads will be with my red pearls (not jumbled together bit in the same location).
So ... organize your supplies based upon how you create.
... I found that there were some things I was no longer using so I set those aside and have been giving them away. ...
Getting rid of things I was no longer using was probably the BEST trick to organizing!
Hope this helps.
I totally agree with you! And so does a scrappy friend of mine who receives almost all my stuff ;)
Quote:
Originally Posted by TeeGeeDee
There are good reasons to keep like items (buttons with buttons) together but IMO, the effectiveness depends upon how you think when creating.
...
So ... organize your supplies based upon how you create.
That's my point, I'm not sure if organization by color will work for me... I'll see/think about it as I'm moving stuff around...
There are good reasons to keep like items (buttons with buttons) together but IMO, the effectiveness depends upon how you think when creating.
For example, when I'm deciding on an embellishment for a card, I am most likely thinking this card needs something red vs thinking this card needs a flower. Of course there are times I will think a card needs, for example, pearls, but I would also likely know what color I want those pearls to be.
So, when I get my chaotic supplies organized, embellishments will be by color. So my red brads will be with my red pearls (not jumbled together bit in the same location).
So ... organize your supplies based upon how you create.
I create the same way, by color so having things grouped in colors often allows me to find something that I wasn't even considering.
But in the end, it's all about how a person creates and that's why there are so many different options on storage and organization. :p
Like everything else that goes with this addicting hobby, I hoard embellishments! LOL!!!
I store mine by type (buttons, brads, etc) and then color subcategory.
I have a few different storage systems:
1. I use Tic Tac containers - I like that they are clear and you can see what's in them (I use these for small embellies like brads, sequins, brads, etc)
2. I also use this: 40 Bin Organizer with Full Length Drawer
I use this for buttons, flowers, etc.
3. I found this nifty carousel at a garage sale: Inking with Brenda Lee: Valentine Treat and Organizing Embellishments
I use this for miscellaneous embellishments - the containers are the same as what SU embellishments come in.
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Mine are all SU. I just keep them in the container they come in. Brads on the right, buttons on the left. I guess there are a few on those cards that aren't SU.
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
BUTTONS? By color? All together? I store buttons in small jars by color
� SEQUINS? In a jar? Box? Drawer?...Clear plastic bead boxes with locking lids - sequins organized by color. The boxes I use have approximately 24 or so individual compartments and one large compartment that I use to hold little plastic spoons to help pick up the sequins and keep them from getting mixed in with others.
� WOODDEN EMBELLIES? In its own package? In a drawer all together? Themed? I have a storage box that I keep misc. things in like various embellishments, ephemera, etc.
� BLING, ENAMEL DOTS, CHARMS, BRADS, OTHER bits and bobs, etc? I keep them in the original packaging and group by type (rhinestones, enamel dots, pearls, etc.) attaching packages with a binder ring (like a swatch sampler). Then the rings are kept in a storage box on my shelf. This way when I want to use rhinestones I only have to pull out the ring containing all the rhinestones rather than having to rummage through all the packets.
Don't laugh - I keep them in the jars that Talenti Gelato comes in and store them in an over-the-door rack in the craft room closet. (Wonder why I've been gaining weight.)
Oh my they look yummy. Yup I had to google them, you got my curiosity. Can you share a picture?
I actually put my brads and eyelets in little plastic containers and do not like it. My Bling I put into a drawer of a little plastic thingy that sits on my work table. I forget I what I have so I then purchase a duplicate or additional. Out of sight out of mind kind of things. So I like most everyone am looking for a new storage idea and of course reorganizing. I mean that is part of the job description right? Oh organization fairy take me away. . .
But what I was asking was can you share a picture of how you use them? I love those jars.
You see I am so visual that I have a very hard time "seeing" if you know what I mean unless I actually see. Very tough for my dh when we are working on something and I have to visually see 48 inches.
I use the plastic boxes with small compartments used to sorting fishing lures. One for regular buttons, another for brads,bling, then another for Christmas and holiday. Boxes are inexpensive, stack nicely, and works well for me. I love Harbor Freight, Sears, always looking for gadgets to use in my craft room.
__________________ Patrice. Organized people are just too lazy to look for things.
Don't laugh - I keep them in the jars that Talenti Gelato comes in and store them in an over-the-door rack in the craft room closet. (Wonder why I've been gaining weight.)
Don't laugh - I keep them in the jars that Talenti Gelato comes in and store them in an over-the-door rack in the craft room closet. (Wonder why I've been gaining weight.)
LOL. We use them in the garden for seeds. I may have to steal some for me! (I am not the one eating it)
Brads I have in plastic, divided boxes. Like a small ice cube tray with a lid.
Embellies are in zip lock bags in a plastic bin. So if I want pearls, I pull that bag and I see everything I have. Rhinestones in another, etc. I actually like that. Easy for me. I just stick stuff in it's baggie when I buy it.
Sequins are just loose in a box. They were mom's and I am not changing it out of sentimentality.
Those are awesome Brenda! I love them and may have to invest in one or two one day. I do love seeing your labels. I have a label maker too and use it for everything around my house! I get a bonafide high from using it (my OCD-ness kicking in). I love it! I love re-purposing and so I have my buttons in small jars by colors and then I have various boxes labeled with the embellishments inside so I can just pull the box out and find what I need. Most of my stuff that is in clear containers (like my ribbons are in old candy jars) are sorted by color. I'm not as organizes as I wished I was but my studio and office hold not only my crafts but my business so I have two entities in one space...makes it harder to devote the space just to my crafting. I am constantly readjusting and hope to have it the way it is in my mind ONE day!
Took quick pictures of a couple of the ways I store my buttons, ribbon and sequins and some are still a work in progress but they are together and handy and easier to find when I need it. I took pics of the jars, not all the same as I re-purposed a candy jar and a candle for instance. Also, under my desk I have large plastic desk organizer and I labeled a few drawers with supplies and took a pic of the drawer size and inside the drawer. Of course I can never have enough drawers so that presents and issue.
Took quick pictures of a couple of the ways I store my buttons, ribbon and sequins and some are still a work in progress but they are together and handy and easier to find when I need it. I took pics of the jars, not all the same as I re-purposed a candy jar and a candle for instance. Also, under my desk I have large plastic desk organizer and I labeled a few drawers with supplies and took a pic of the drawer size and inside the drawer. Of course I can never have enough drawers so that presents and issue.
I have gotten some good ideas here, but I knew I would. I think I am going to try the baggie for the SU sequins and pearls. I can hang them on the revolving rack I have on my desk. Then I think the buttons will go by color into baggies also and stored in a clear shoe box for now. I already have the brads and eyelets in a sorted container and can add that to the box with the buttons. Sequins on strings can also go in the box with the buttons and things. That will really open up some needed space for me. Thanks ladies!
I use the plastic boxes with small compartments used to sorting fishing lures. One for regular buttons, another for brads,bling, then another for Christmas and holiday. Boxes are inexpensive, stack nicely, and works well for me. I love Harbor Freight, Sears, always looking for gadgets to use in my craft room.
Thank you so much for posting this! I went to Harbor Freight (LOVE that place!) and got two of these, then spent an evening re-vamping all of my embellishment storage. I get annoyed with "layers" of things, so all of my little boxes are standing up on their sides so I can see at a glance what's in each one. Happy side result: there was extra space, so I put a few boxes from the second case into the first one, then put some baggies of buttons in the extra space that left. I need to get a couple more, I think...
How do you organize your buttons, sequins, etc?
