I’m a crafter. Know what that means? I like to hoard collect crafting supplies! Anybody with me? One of my goals for January is to clean up and get organized. I especially needed to work on organizing my craft room. It gets crazy busy in there the two months before Christmas. Since we mainly sell Christmas ornaments and Christmas craft supplies, I spend most of my time filling orders and creating special orders for our online shop, Etsy, and Amazon Handmade. Absolutely NO time for cleaning! (At least, that’s my excuse.)
So now it’s time for me to face this room head-on and get rid of a LOT of stuff. Scroll down to see how I decided what to do away with.
NOTE: I wrote this several years ago when I lived in a townhouse in California. ALL my crafting supplies were in one room. Now that I have a 16′ x 24′ SheShed, it takes me a week to get organized in January! But I still follow this list.
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NOTE: After you read this list and have a stack of old tools and supplies, read THIS ARTICLE to find out what to do with them — Donate OR make a little money on your old craft supplies!
What to Throw Away When Organizing a Craft Room
1. Pens – I had pens, pencils, and markers everywhere! I got them all out on my table and wrote with every one of them. Anything that didn’t work was immediately thrown away. That included pencils with hard erasers that wouldn’t erase any more.
2. Paper – I haven’t actually scrapbooked in about 10 years. But I still had a supply of scrapbook papers (AND stickers). I do use them from time to time in other projects so I didn’t want to throw away everything. So again I got all the papers in one place and really thought about what I would use. My style has changed over the last 10 years so some were easier to part with than others. I also looked at my list of projects I have planned and saved some papers for those.
3. Paint – I love to paint! But I don’t even remember the last time I threw away paint so I decided to tackle this too. Many of my bottles were dried up. Into the trash they went. Some colors were almost used up and others I didn’t have any ideas for projects for so they all went, too. I got the acrylic paints down to one plastic shoebox.
4. Dried up glue – ‘Nuff said about that…
5. Multiples – When I started organizing I realized that I had multiples of some tools. In the past, I’ve occasionally just bought a new tool when I couldn’t find the old one. So I passed my extra tape measures, pincushions, and rulers on to someone who could use them.
6. Tools you don’t use – I have my favorite pliers that I use for making jewelry. When they wore out I went and bought more just like them instead of using the pliers I had. When I organized I found 5 pairs of pliers that I never use!
7. Supplies for projects or hobbies you’ve lost interest in – For me, that includes knitting, crocheting, needlepoint, and scrapbooking.
8. Craft magazines – Just about everything in magazines can be found online but I still like to read magazines. So when I find something I want to remember in a magazine, I’ll find it online and pin it to one of my Pinterest boards. Then I can pass along my magazines to another friend who’s just as addicted as me!
9. Kids’ artwork – I know. This is a super hard one. Especially because it’s so sentimental. I want to save every scrap of paper they’ve ever drawn or painted on. But, let’s face it, my girls are now 22 and 24. It’s time for me to get rid of some. (Yes, I was STILL saving some of their art!) BUT before I threw them away I took a close up picture of each individual one. Now I can keep all of their artwork in a folder on my hard drive. Wow… I wish I’d had an iPhone when my girls were little. I’d probably have to buy an external hard drive JUST to store photos of their art. They were very prolific artists. (I’d also have a few pictures of murals on some of our walls, too!)
These last three items fall into a special category. I’m giving myself one more chance on these. I’ll add these to my list of projects. BUT if I don’t do them by the next time I declutter, they’re going to Goodwill!
10. Anything broken
11. New craft supplies over a year old that still haven’t even been opened
12. Unfinished projects
More Craft Room Organization Ideas
If you need to know more about organizing a craft room, you might also like these:
- One Simple Trick to a Clutter-Free Home
- Ideas to Organize Small Craft Rooms
- How to Declutter a Craft Room
- How to Clean a Craft Room with a Lint Roller
- 21 Hacks To Help You Organize Your Art Studio
I hope this inspires you to do a little decluttering, too. Leave a comment and let me know what is the hardest part of your craft room to keep organized. Originally published January 22, 2016.
‘Til the next project,
Ann @ Duct Tape and Denim
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Anne Marie says
Oh how true. I really must tidy my craft room. My excuse at the moment is that I cannot move about very well. Once my knee is better….. that room won’t know what has hit it!!!!
june says
There’s so many declutter articles and advice out there but not for an artist or crafter. I found this very helpful. Some, I’ve already done without even reading this but others, definitely helps with my decluttering.
ducttapeanddenim says
Thanks, June! I’m working on getting more declutter articles for crafters! Heaven knows we need it!
Lisa moreno says
Severe!!
Lol
No wonder I can’t find a place in my craft room to craft.
Thanks!!
ducttapeanddenim says
You’re welcome! Have fun purging!
Charly Mathews says
https://greetingcardsforsoldiers.blogspot.com/?m=1
Cards for Soldiers will accept any card making or scrapbook items that can be used to make cards for the troops.
Cards for Soldiers
C/O Charly Mathews
388 E M 72 Hwy
GraylingMi 49738
We are shipping out 6000-12000 cards per week to our troops around the world.
ducttapeanddenim says
Thanks for leaving the address! I’m hoping someone sees this and forwards their leftover supplies to you.
Brenda says
Do accept cards that I have already made or just extra craft supplies
Ann says
Very helpful how to sort thru things. I would like to recommend that people not throw things in the landfill. There are places like creative reuse centers/Upcycle centers who take supplies, even partially used paints and craft magazines. Preschools also like things like paper.
I’m the director of a creative reuse center and we sure appreciate things from the small ball of yarn to paper clips and rubber bands.
Thank you for all your tutorials. I tell my customers to follow you.
connie says
Just a hint that I used to use some of my scrapbook papers and my son’s childhood art work. I cut the art work down to the smallest size possible and then made him a scrapbook of all the projects. I embellished with some stamping, stickers and washi tape. I also included some pictures of him as he was drawing/painting or some of him that were from the year he drew some things.
ducttapeanddenim says
Great idea! Thanks for sharing it!
Ann says
Hi, this is my first subscribe, hope I doing this right. Is there any payments? My arts and crafts studio is a 2 story grain bin, and I still don’t have enough room for everything. Thanks you for your help. One exception is dried glitter paint, cot the bottle from around the paint. You can cut the dried glitter paint into disks, wala glitter dots. Or if it’s still liquid, thinly pour out on wax paper, when dry use pretty punches for decorations.
ducttapeanddenim says
Nope… our site is free. That’s why we have the ads and affiliate links. Thanks for asking. That’s a great idea about the glitter paint. I’d love to see your craft studio!
Cheri Mello says
Thanks FOR sharing!!👍🏼♥️👏🏼 SOOO TRUE about the pens And Pencils😱 and I STARTED using using the pencils with refill leads, Bc You Cant Found a Decent pencil Sharpener LIKE the OLD School ONES that were mounted on the wall at school. G-d♥️Bless
ducttapeanddenim says
I know! I LOVE those old sharpeners… I’d love to find one.
Edith Adams-Nancarrow says
I just came across this. Appreciate the info, I had already stared doing some of the suggestion before reading this. I never thought to go through my magazines and look for the idea on Pintrest. Great idea. Thanks for the info.
Anonymous says
I’m glad I kept my son’s art as at the age of 28 he passed away. So I am passing his art down in frames / dimension boxes, to his children with a picture of their dad at the age he made them.
Thank you for letting me share
Gitana the Creative Diva says
Yes, yes and yes. I have done all of these things and they do make a difference. My problem is that no matter how much I toss, I still have too much left over. The struggle is real.
Lady T says
I am glad I read this because I do have a lot of pens and marker and I have come across some that was dried out – so I am going to pull them all out and see if they work or not and throw out the dried out ones
Gretchen Crownhart says
You have described my situation to a T. I didn’t know there were so many people in the same place. I have not had any children so that is the only area that I don’t have. I have years and years of magazines. I am clearing those that don’t meet my needs any more. The ones I am keeping are for crochet and beading. I am going to use all my yarn to make hats and scarves to give away to free clothing centers. I am not going to buy more yarn. I just turned 73 and I hope I will have time to use it all up! Beads and buttons I will use but organizing them is a big problem for me. I just retired for the second time in June 2020 so I am hoping to find time to organize. Once that happens I hope to sell some supplies and make more items with them to sell.
Joan chandler says
Thank you for the article l was especially interested in what to do with the Christmas cards l live in England so l need somewhere near to get them to.J Chandler
Tabby Hurley says
I would love some extra craft supplys .cant u reuse markers ,soak them in alchohol in a spray bottle.viola spray paint.lol ive seen where pens dont write anymore but still have ink n them they would blow on them n make neat designs.i cant hardly throw anything away .im always looking for a way to reuse everything.cant help it ive tryed lol.ty great ideas
ducttapeanddenim says
Great ideas!
Grams says
Good idea with taking photos of art projects from you children. I have three grown children in their thirties, one still in high school when we moved to a new house. They each packed up about 3 18 gallon totes, which went into our very small attic storage. When grandchildren were born and parents hit 30, I stopped giving birthday gifts to the adults, but dug into those totes for things they thought they couldn’t part with and started wrapping them up for gifts. What fun we have at birthdays, laughing and reminiscing! And “Oh no, what am I getting this year!”
Kathie Condon says
I can’t keep the top of my craft table uncluttered. I move one thing off and two things end up there. So frustrating!
Molly Harrison says
Love your hints!
Kyla says
#12 actually finish the project in question. Instead of throwing out the paper donate it to a shelter, or after school program. They may appreciate the supplies.
Dee says
Thanks for your ideas. As a former elementary teacher who loves to sew and paint and work arts and crafts with her grandchildren, I, too, kept all sorts of items that “could be used.” With a regular bedroom closet as my “craft closet,” I need to be more selective on what I can keep. You gave me some ideas.
Vona says
I just did most of these when I moved, the, pens, paint, broken supplies, scrapbooking, And scissors. A friend gave our knitting group some scissors that were the right size to carry with my knitting, but when I moved I had 7 pair what ?
Miranda Reitz says
To answer the comment about wishing you had one of those really good pencil sharpeners that are mounted to a wall or desktop, like the ones we had in school…I’m lucky enough to have one, and was also able to recently aquire a real deal guillotine paper cutter like the ones back in school too. My local goodwill has been very good to me with these things! And for great prices! I’ve seen several of the pencil sharpeners since getting mine. So they’re out there! Never know what you’ll find in those kind of stores! Happy hunting!
ducttapeanddenim says
ooooo…. I’d love both of those things.
cora says
Wow! If I had the luxury of a 16′ x 24′ craft / sewing room, I wouldn’t have to declutter. Being mine is much smaller, it seems I have to do this monthly.
Connie says
An old request for old type pe cil Sharpers…check Amazon, they have the old crank wall models. Xacto brand for less than $8.00.
Diana says
As I’ve planned a total clean up of my craft room this coming week, this was timely and very handy. Can’t wait to see all the girls thingsI’ve forgotten I had get either used or redistributed. Thank you for your 2016 post that is still valid in 2021.
Elizabeth says
Noooooooo! Please don’t throw away! I’m an elementary art teacher. Our budgets are about 30 cents to $1 per child, per year. Donate to a school!
Candice says
There is a great app called Color My Life to inventory all your Crafting items. Since using this app I have saved lots of money by checking it before ordering to avoid duplicate purchases. I highly recommend this app—no affiliation other than a very happy user
ducttapeanddenim says
Great idea! Thanks for sharing.
Maya Rose says
Don’t forget the Special Education classes when donating craft supplies! When I go to the Dollar Tree store I will buy a basket a little bigger than a sheet of paper and start filling it with stickers, flash cards, pencils, etc. and when it’s full I’ll donate it to the local school for the Special Ed classes. They seem to be very much appreciated
Kathy A says
Great suggestions. I am a pack rat and can’t turn around without making an avalanche. However, I do use my stuff. I brought my bin of scrapbooking/cardmaking funky scissors to a group gathering to share and one person asked me why I had so many. I use the tiny ones when working on tiny dollhouse projects and just love the variety! I can throw broken or dried out stuff away. My daughter runs a preschool for handicapped kids (especially autistic). I know where my extras will go as they have almost no budget for art supplies–I always pick stuff up when it’s on clearance!
Debbe says
My local scrapbooking store has a second hand sale twice a year.
You go thru your stash, package it, label it, price it! Deliver it…small participation fee, you get get store credit for your earnings, store gets a percent, but I think one of the best parts, once sale is over store owner can donate items not sold to school, nursing homes, etc!
Everybody wins!
ducttapeanddenim says
Great idea!!!
MP says
Sorry to say, pretty much common sense. The trick is finding time to do this. So, what I do is pick a section of my craft room. That’s my goal to complete in a certain amount of time and then move on.
ducttapeanddenim says
I agree… but then again I’m amazed how little common sense there is in this world right now. Your tip is great!
K-Dawn Bennett says
Oh my gosh I can relate! I gathered up all of the craft supplies I no longer used, put them in a wicker basket and put it up for sale. It was gone that week! I also put a few jewelry supplies in plastic baggies for sale at craft bazars, make craft kits for gifts or donate what I no longer use. Happy Crafting!
ducttapeanddenim says
Wow, that’s great! Thanks for reading!
Patricia says
I’ve never met a scrap of fabric I didn’t need to keep. My sewing room is swallowing me up. I barely have room for my sewing machines on the table. I’m going to start with the drawers filled with pens, toss them and move fabric in place. Does that sound like a start? Lol
Dawn says
Don’t throw away your kids art. Give it back to them and let them decide what to do with it. I just went through a box of my art my mom found that she had saved. It was so wonderful to go through it to see what I created as a kid. Some pieces even brought back precious memories for me that are hard to access because I was so young and life obscures them over time.
Laura says
Love your tips. I am a craft collector also😊. I did recently sort through some of my sons left over school items and found a teacher that would take any supplies I would donate. It was much easier to give up items knowing how short schools are with budgets and supplies.
Cheryl Hendrick says
One lady from England said she did not know what to do with her Christmas cards. I’m sure many of them could be used to make gift tags for the next Christmas. The scraps that are left can be shredded and composted for use on your garden !
Donna Hunt says
I’m elderly and moved from my home where I had a whole room plus for crafting and quilting. I moved into a550 sq ft apartment where I tried to stuff my supplies into a corner in my bedroom. I had to give up my singing a few years ago. That was hard. Now giving away all my quilting supplies, unfinished quilts and machines. That is like ripping out my heart. However I’m keeping art supplies and crafting supplies, because I can sit and work on small things. Still have a lot more to give away. I gave away a huge amount before I moved also. I’ve never discarded anything without looking at it to figure out if I can do something with it first. I’m a product of post depression and war days!
Ps. We have a crafting group that makes things to sell to our residents. They have to be really inexpensive and useful. Any ideas would be appreciated.. All proceeds go back to events for them.
ducttapeanddenim says
Donna, Thanks so much for commenting! That would be soooo hard to give up something you love. But I’m glad to hear that you’re still finding a way to be crafting and to share your talent with others. Sign up for the email list if you haven’t already and I’ll send you an email full of ideas every week. Ann
Ann (Woosnam) says
I’m in the UK, and would LOVE a craft room! My fabric is stuffed in my wardrobe, my card making stuff is in boxes in my dining room (aka tip!!) etc etc. Ok, I live in a 3 bed house, but the one room I could use was my elder son’s – it’s still full of lots of his stuff – not clothes any more, but his mixing decks, paperwork, CDs. He has lived in the States for over 10 years now, and I do try and take stuff over when I go! (My lovely d-in-l rolls her eyes!j
However, as others have said, check with craft groups, schools etc. I was a teaching assistant till I retired, but still take toilet roll middles, egg boxes, old cards, bottle tops (plastic, obviously), cereal boxes and goodness knows what else into my grandaughter’s school. They’re always grateful, even if it’s just for junk modeling.
What I DO need to do though, is go through that huge load of pens…
Julia Smith says
first time I’ve seen your posting and it’s so useful, full of ideas that I will try to do. sewing and card making are my crafts. but I do have a lot of Stuff that should go so wish me luck
Anonymous says
Donate! Donate! Donate!
Mary says
Thank you for a way to donate my card collection. Giving to the soldiers is perfect way to give my moving box of cards a new life. I have used them in the past as gift tags or parts of a craft.
Thanks again. Mary
Elizabeth H. says
Not sure if anyone will see this since the article is from 2016 or so but … I’m a quilter and I have a huge stash of unfinished (or not even started) projects. I’m thinking about de-stashing and only storing what I REALLY think I’ll do, I have a “she shed” full of over 200 projects. Any ideas for how to market & price these things? What about shipping? I see some people posting on Facebook & they use PayPal and send invoices. Feeling overwhelmed.
ducttapeanddenim says
Wow… yes, that does sound overwhelming. I think I’d put together everything needed for one project and sell those together. Facebook Marketplace is what comes to my mind first. If you’re comfortable sending invoices and shipping you’ll probably sell them faster. But you could also mark them as local pickup only. As for pricing? Sadly, probably at least 50% off what you paid… unless you have something popular that isn’t sold or made anymore.
Elizabeth H. says
Not sure if anyone will see this since the article is from 2016 or so but … I’m a quilter and I have a huge stash of unfinished (or not even started) projects. I’m thinking about de-stashing and only storing what I REALLY think I’ll do, I have a “she shed” full of over 200 projects. Any ideas for how to market & price these things? What about shipping? I see some people posting on Facebook & they use PayPal and send invoices. Feeling overwhelmed. It’s hard to think about donating when each project represents over $100 just for the supplies/fabric.
ducttapeanddenim says
Wow… yes, that does sound overwhelming. I think I’d put together everything needed for one project and sell those together. Facebook Marketplace is what comes to my mind first. If you’re comfortable sending invoices and shipping you’ll probably sell them faster. But you could also mark them as local pickup only. As for pricing? Sadly, probably at least 50% off what you paid… unless you have something popular that isn’t sold or made anymore.
Gina Maylone says
Everything you said is the absolute truth to me. The kids and grandkids now artwork! And all the stuff I have, so when they ask if I have something I can say YES! Of course I do! Ugh, the unfinished, but I’m going to get to it when it gets cold routine! Or “I can do something with that.” I see a type of project and I invest everything into it, then, decide it’s too much work or something. I have a pile of silk scarves because I was going to get into “inking” I think it was called. I have a box full of zippers for purses I never made. I love to buy in bulk. I am rambling, I’m sorry. Thank you for the motivation!
Kitty says
I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them is totally different.
BTW, I have my PhD in crafting.
“Projects half Done”. 😂
ducttapeanddenim says
lol! Yep, me too
Jessica Hawk says
I am new to your blog(s) but they are inspiring and creative! Thank you very much! Love absolutely everything I’ve read. God Bless!
Jo says
very helpful tips. I am guilty, but I have also carried out some of the suggestions.
the only one I take an exception to is the one about children’s art. I didn’t realize how much of my daughter’s art I had kept, but I am grateful that I did. she died unexpectedly at 25 (20 years ago) and every once in a while I go through her art and it means so much. I have actually framed some of her work and it hangs with my wall of black and white.. several pieces were framed and hung before she died. they all give me great pleadure.
Cindy DeLuca says
I have been crafting forever it seems like. I have made (3) 12×12 scrapbooks each for my 2 sons. 1-age 0 to high school, 1-sport years, and 1 when they got engaged/married. I made a scrapbook of family recipes for the daughter-in-laws and left room for them to finish with their side of the family recipes. (I was able to go thru all of those photos that were in a huge box also by doing these projects). I also made baby scrapbooks for their friends who are now having babies so all they have to do is add the photos. I now make 8×8 size scrapbooks of the 3 grandsons I have as they grow up with the funny photos, etc. that I have collected. I have a small extra bedroom that had my craft stuff all over besides a closet with craft bins. Now the grandkids sleep over so the room changed for them and I had to downsize my craft items. I have made a huge collection of papers, scissors, pens, paints, buttons, that I will donate to the preschool they go to. I have donated the yarn & needles to a retirement home for the crafters there. Still crafting but in a smaller way and showing my grandsons how to craft too. Never to early to learn from Grandma!
LKW says
If you are looking to sell your unused stuff from you quilting, sewing, crafting supplies go to YouTube. There are many videos you can find regarding selling your stuff.
LKW