Getting Your Craft Supplies Organized

So you're staring at a mess of craft supplies, all jumbled together in a closet, box, or drawer. Where do you begin? That's a big part of what we are helping you with today. How to Organize Craft Supplies is just for that getting started business.

My favorite tip for organizing anything from craft supplies to photos is piles. Yes, I said piles. 3 to 5 basic piles.

1. To trash. All that stuff that I know I don't want anymore. That stuff that is broken, ripped, useless anymore. Stuff that I will never fix or use in anyway. Get it out of the whole load immediately.
2. Not sure whether to save or not. This pile holds all junk that I think I may, at some day in the future, like to have. Maybe it's broken, but I think I can repair it pretty easily. Usually, it's a load of stuff that I just don't think is worth tossing away quite yet.
3. Stuff that I know I want to keep, but will need to find a place to store. Ok, this pile gets a little big with my craft supplies. But, it's a great beginning pile. It's also the pile that I will spend plenty of time on later. 
4. Stuff that I know where I will put it when I get to that step. The craft supplies in this pile already have a good place to go. But, I don't yet take away the time to put them there. That's another step in my organizing craft supplies process. First, I want to get them out of the whole big pile.

For some of you, there will be a 5th pile. Maybe stuff that doesn't even belong in your craft supplies. Who knows what this will be, but it's a way to get through the whole mess of craft supplies.

Once you have your basic piles put together, and everything from your mess of craft supplies has been assigned a pile, you tackle one pile at a time.

Take that trash pile and dump it immediately! Get it in the trash and don't think about it again. You made the decision to trash those craft supplies, stick with it.

For me, the next step is to put away all the things that I have a place for already. It's just a matter of putting them away. Now is when I put them away.

Take each of the remaining piles and go through each craft supply item. Make a decision about it right then and there. You will have a well-organized craft supply storage in no time.

Create Your Own Unique Scrapbook Calendar

As crafters, we are just plain ole creative. The fun of taking that creativity into our calendars for 2014 is something we can all enjoy. How many times I have wanted to design my own calendar to work the way I like to work. With scrapbook calendars, that becomes easy.

Since crafters are typically visually creative, we like to add little extra colors and designs into most parts of our world. I'm one of those who tends to add stickers to special days of the year and highlight events and activities in bright colors. My usual calendars are colorful.

With a scrapbook calendar, I can set up everything I want with ease. Use special papers that are a delight to my eyes, include fun stickers, stampings and even photos.

I am also working on a gift idea with my scrapbook calendars. Every member of the family is going to get calendar with all the birthdays, anniversaries and special family dates marked for them. I'm even customizing the calendars for each of my family's needs. For example, my oldest daughter likes smaller calendars, so I'm making hers from the Smash Book supplies, while my youngest always hangs a large wall calendar in her kitchen. Yep, hers will be a nice big size.

Scrapbook calendars are so flexible that you can create one just for yourself and your crafty needs, then go on to create great gifts for your family and friends.