Apparently I’m a Monica Geller: people often ask me how I organize my craft supplies because mine used to be scattered all over the house.
- Q: “I was hoping you could tell us how you organize your crafty supplies…mine seem to be spread all over the house!” – Chris
- Q: “Can you give us a peek at how/where you store your craft stuff? Is it obvious that I’m kind of hoping you have a secret Monica Geller closet?” – Katie
My usual response used to be embarrassed and vague: our craft closet was a total disaster, everything thrown into baskets or paper grocery bags, a jumbled mess that made me cringe. But I finally got motivated and tackled the chaos. Here’s how I transformed the craft closet into an organized, functional space for craft storage, wrapping supplies, and fabric.
And here’s the after: neat, accessible, and actually inviting. The guest room has great light and a lovely view, so I wanted craft storage that would let me sew or paint there on Sunday afternoons — and maybe add a sewing desk someday so the room can pull double duty.
Before the overhaul, the closet looked like it had been hit by a rock band — piles of supplies, bins, and random items stuffed into every corner. It was dysfunctional and unappealing, and the mess inevitably spilled out onto the dining table too.
Step one of any organizing session for me: chocolate. After a few Hershey’s Kisses I emptied the long-neglected paper bag of craft supplies that had been sitting there since we moved. Once everything was out, the plan became clear.
I recruited Clara to help assemble one of my key storage pieces: an Ikea Raskog cart. Instead of lots of small, cheap plastic containers that can get overfilled and break, I chose two larger, sturdier items that would stand up to real use and stay cute in the room.
After a short break for other projects, I brought in a folding shelf we’d had for years to make use of vertical space in the closet’s alcove. Using shelves instead of spreading everything across the floor made the area more usable and visually calm.
The other major piece was a white five-drawer cabinet I grabbed from the as-is section at a discount. Its solid drawers, different heights, and ready-to-use condition made it ideal for paint, brushes, and other craft essentials. It looks nice enough to live outside the closet someday, perhaps under a future sewing desk with the Raskog cart beside it.
The closet still contains some existing organizers: a hanging fabric cubby and a ceramic planter where I store wrapping paper and tissue. The Raskog cart is organized by project type to keep frequently used supplies accessible:
- Top bin: art notebooks, pads, small canvases, and a rolled placemat I plan to use as a stencil.
- Second bin: wood pieces — dowels, plaques, scrap wood, and wood slices for future projects.
- Third bin: heavier tools and supplies such as a staple gun, glue gun, staples, glue sticks, and nailheads.
The hanging cubbies are dedicated to gift wrapping: rolls of paper, ribbon, tags, and related supplies, all visible and easy to grab when a present needs wrapping at the last minute.
The wooden shelf in the corner now holds fabric in old Ikea bins. I have a lot of fabric from various projects, and keeping it here instead of in a remote storage room has made it more usable. There’s also space for the sewing machine to sit on the floor in front of the shelf when I want to sew in the guest room — a visual reminder to use it more often.
My favorite improvement is the five-drawer cabinet. Each drawer has a clear purpose, which keeps like items together and easy to find:
- Top drawer: acrylic paints, small varnishes and sealants, and ceramic paint.
- Second drawer: brushes, stamping tools, paint pens, and colored Sharpies.
- Third drawer: test pots of paint and spray sealers for small projects and touch-ups.
- Fourth drawer: art-store supplies like oil paints, watercolors, watercolor pencils, and charcoal.
- Fifth drawer: stampers, ink pads, stickers, decals, washi tape, twine, and string.
On the top shelf I added a wire bin for fabric pouches that keep small toys and bits contained — great for organizing kids’ small items and for quick, attractive gift presentation. My longtime blue sewing box with thread, needles, extra bobbins, scissors, and a seam ripper stays within easy reach.
I also plan to install a few hooks on the inside of the closet door so guests can hang items there when the main bar is full. For now it’s satisfying to see a formerly chaotic closet transformed into an organized craft space that supports creativity rather than hiding supplies away.
If you have tips for organizing craft supplies, gift-wrapping materials, or fabric, share them — I’d love suggestions. Who else is channeling Monica Geller with a closet full of creative potential?