How I Organize My Kids’ Crafts
September 26, 2007 by Julie Bonner
Filed under Home & Living
My kids are huge into crafts. Honestly, it’s exhausting sometimes but I am very thankful that they love to be creative.
My biggest headache in dealing with all their creativity has been storage. I’ve had those plastic containers with drawers, a bookshelf and most recently a white rolling cabinet. I just wasn’t pleased with any of them, mainly because they were an eye sore and hard for my kids to use.
I just bought this cube organizer from Target the other day. (Please ignore the ugly black cables that are peeking out. ”Buy cable organizer” is on my list of to-dos. 
) I’ve had my eye on it and it went on sale, so I snatched it up. I have been so pleased with it and it has kept my kids craft supplies nicely organized, even with them digging into them almost everyday. It sits right beside our dining room table which is where all the crafting happens.
So, here’s how I use it. I have one container that is just coloring books, one that is for drawing paper and the other ones are filled with crayons, markers, scissors, glue, rulers…you name it.
I use this Craft Organizer Box by Snapware
I use a simple pencil box to store their pencils for school homework, as well as storing erasers and sharpener in there. Again, it’s all together.
For the glue sticks, tape and scissors I use the Sterilite Small FlipTops Storage Boxes.
As you can see, the cube organizer has other shelves for storage. Right now I don’t have much on there and I plan on keeping it that way. It’s a great place to store some of my boy’s video games. I’d like to use the other cubbie holes for decorative items, but I’m afraid they’ll get knocked over. So, they will probably stay empty for now.
I will need to continue to go through the cubbies and do maintenance organizing every once and awhile, that’s just life, but I like the fact that this organizer looks nicer and it’s easier for all of us to use.
Do you have any questions about your kids’ craft supplies? Feel free to ask!
I have my kid’s supplies in our laundry room, which is next to our kitchen/dining room combo. I have a bookcase in there that stores all the coloring books, pencils, crayons, markers, paints, etc. It needs to be sorted through again though!
Ohhhh, I love that cubbie cabinet with the fabric totes. I’m so drooling over it!
I use those snapware deals too for Cedar’s crafts but on a tall bookshelf. I don’t like the bookshelf for crafts though — Cedar can’t reach everything. Then we have one of those, like racks that’s slanted with colored bins and that’s full of art stuff too.
I really like the cube idea though. That might work for us. I like that it’s wide but short (so fillable). Hmmm, I don’t like white though. Maybe I could find some in brown?
I keep the stuff on the bookcase so that my kids can’t get to it. I have a 2 year old. It was all I could do to get through Michael’s without him opening the paints. lol I certainly don’t want them in reach at home. A few weeks ago he snuck into the living room with a red crayon and wrote on my carpet!
@Karen – I tried storing all of their supplies and setting up a table in our game room (aka slightly converted garage) and they kept bringing all the stuff back inside to the dining room table. It;s like they like to be near me and my husband or something, lol!
They love to draw and stuff while I’m cooking dinner.
I remember when I had to hide the craft supplies from my kids. Luckily my 3 year old doesn’t get into stuff (knock on wood….)
Did you get the red crayon out?
That sounds like fun!
@Laura – I sure love mine! I am waiting for them to go on sale again and I am also checking Amazon, because I want one for both of my kids’ rooms.
@Jennifer – I’ve had to control my addiction to those containers.
They do have the cubbie thing in brown. I like brown better too but my kitchen is white. When I get one for my kids’ rooms, I will definitely go for the brown. They also have a good variety of different totes to use. One was leapord print.