Make a Creativity Station

I’ve been trying to keep my desk cleared off more often than not (daily just does not work for me), but part of the problem is that my craft supplies live in my closet, which is across the room from my desk.

It’s literally seven steps away, but it feels like too much of a burden to put things up when I know I’m just going to need them again the next day.

I think not having our supplies where we need them when we need them is a big hurdle to overcome when you’re trying to be more creative, so it’s worth taking a day to think about the problem and possible solutions.

Step One: Where Do You Create?

I’m a knitter, so of course I create everywhere in the house, not to mention at the girl’s school, outside, in the car if someone else is driving…

But for these challenges I am mostly making at my desk. It’s a great big space, I have room to put my fancy light up for pictures, and I’m right by the computer so I can go back and forth between writing and making through the day (yeah, I know I’m lucky).

So it makes sense for me to store items I use in my making close to where I do my making.

It makes sense for you, too. Whether you use the kitchen table or create on the couch, see if there’s a way to steal some storage or make yourself a movable creativity station that can hold those things you need most often.

My desk doesn’t have drawers, but I added this standup drawer set a couple of years ago, so I’m taking the top drawer for creative supplies.

Step Two: What Do You Need?

The supplies you will need most readily to hand will vary depending on what you’re making. A cross-stitcher might need a magnet board, her floss, needles and threaders and a pair of sharp scissors.

What I’m doing most often at my desk is paper crafting and painting. The paint lives elsewhere and always will, but I can keep other supplies nearby, such as:

• a small supply of paper
• scissors
• glue stick and tacky glue
• tape
• pens and pencils
• cutting board and craft knife

A lot of these things actually do live nearby. I keep a lot of pens and pencils on the desk, but they shouldn’t have to live there. The cutting mat is in my paper organizer. Right now there’s a stack of paper on the floor, which is not a good plan.

That drawer I’m using actually already has scissors in it, that I never use because they’re under other things.

Step Three: How Can I Store Them?

Once you know what you need to keep close and where you have to put it, try to come up with the best way to use your space.

You might need to find or make some boxes or dividers to keep like things together. I’m using a pencil box for pens and pencils and another for scissors.

Paper goes under that and adhesives go in a box, too.

The pencil boxes I bought on clearance at Target at the end of school supply season. One cost 48 cents and the other $1.48. The other box is from the dishwasher pods we use. I didn’t have to go out and buy anything, or even leave the room.

This way I can open the drawer, easily and quickly grab what I need, and even better, put things away without even getting out of my chair.

I hope this helps me to keep my desk in somewhat better order.

If you don’t have a handy drawer, think about using a box or basket as a creativity station that can move with you from the couch to the table to the car if you want.

I’d love to know how you store your most-used crafting supplies. Let me know in the comments or tag me in a picture with #ourdailycraft.