My Cricut storage cart blew up the internet a year ago, and I get at least three questions about it every single day. One of the most common questions is “what’s inside the drawers?” I’ve shared a video on Instagram in my Stories to show what’s in every drawer, but the more I think about it, the drawers really should be labeled. And I really should have some photos on the blog, too. So here it is!
I had some extra Cricut Joy Smart Label material leftover from my guest linen closet organization project so I decided to use it to make some labels for the craft cart.
Cricut Joy has a free app to help you create your own Smart Labels. To see how to use it for simple labels, cards, vinyl, Iron-On, and paper crafts, read My Exact Guide To The New Cricut Joy App.
New Cricut Owner? This post has you covered for how to set it up, get started, and everything you need to know as a beginner.
Click here to read it!
This project took me a whole 10 minutes. Yep. TEN MINUTES! I’m kicking myself that I didn’t do this sooner. Here’s what I did and how to copy it for your own cart.
(If you haven’t purchased the cart yet, here’s the one I use. Be careful about other brands, they look the same but they are very flimsy. This one is the one I have and it’s very sturdy compared to its competitors.)
How To Label A Storage Cart With Cricut Joy Smart Label
*Not interested in the labels and just want to see how I organized the drawers? Scroll right past these tutorial steps to get to the drawer contents. 🙂
What You Need:
- Cricut Joy
- Cricut Joy Smart Label
- Cricut Joy Fine Point Pen (included with Cricut Joy)
- Cricut Design Space
- Storage Cart (I love this one)
1. Create Your Labels In Cricut Design Space
You can use any label template within Design Space to make your project go a little faster, or you can create your own from scratch. I used a pre-made template to save time, and I just added the text to each label using the Cricut Sans font.
You can snag my label template here. I designed the size of each label to fit the drawers of this cart, so no adjustment is needed. **Note, other brands of this cart are a tad smaller, so if you didn’t buy the brand I have, you may need to adjust the size a little.
To change the text, Unattach and Ungroup each set of labels first. Then change your text to whatever word you need. Don’t forget to Group and Attach again after you’re done editing, which ensures that it is cut and written correctly.
2. Cut The Labels With Cricut Joy
Cricut Joy Smart Labels work exclusively with Cricut Joy, and you do not need a mat for this project. All you need is a Cricut Joy pen and blade, along with Cricut Joy Smart Label.
You’ll be prompted to insert the pen first, and Cricut Joy will write all your words. Then you’ll be prompted to switch to the blade to cut the labels out.
More on how to write and cut with Cricut Joy in this post.
3. Peel And Attach Labels
You don’t need any weeding tools for this project either, making it even faster and easier than regular vinyl projects. Just peel off each label and attach to the drawer front.
A Peek Inside The Drawers Of My Cricut Storage Cart
I know you’re dying to see what’s actually inside these drawers, beyond the pretty labels, so here’s some photos of what I store inside and how I organize each drawer. All the little divider bins inside are from Walmart, and they were all under a dollar each.
These four house my Cricut Tools, Pens & Markers, Adhesives, and Paper Crafting Tools.
I have considered getting a pegboard for these tools, but I really think I like having them all together in this cart because I often roll the cart to other rooms, and it’s nice not having to load up my arms with a bunch of sharp tools and markers.
Cricut rolled vinyl fits perfectly in these drawers, too. I organize them by type (Specialty/Transfer Tape, Everyday Vinyl, Iron-On, Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets, and Cricut Joy vinyl) and keep them in three of the bigger drawers and two smaller ones.
I keep rolls of ribbon standing upwards in bins in the other big drawer. I don’t really use a lot of ribbon and string so this was plenty enough space for my needs. I also keep small fabric swatch collections here, too, for easy small Cricut projects.
Since I keep my Cricut Maker on top of the cart, I dedicate one drawer to hold the manuals and power cords for my Cricut stuff, including my BrightPad.
I don’t keep Cricut Joy cords here, though, because my Joy lives on my kitchen counter and the cord stays in the drawer below it for quick last-minute projects.
I also added a small Command Hook on the back to hold my large cutting mat. It’s nice having this connected to the cart because it keeps it with everything at all times, but it also keeps it nice and flat.
Storing it standing on its own would cause it to fold over and bend, not allowing it to lay flat when I do projects.
How To Get Your Own Cricut Joy
Want to get your own Cricut Joy to make labels on labels on labels? You can shop on cricut.com here, or you can buy it in store where other Cricut products are sold, like Michaels, JoAnn, Hobby Lobby, Walmart, and more. And of course, you can also use your Amazon Prime membership to order it there and get it shipped super fast and free.
Wondering if it’s worth getting a Joy if you already have a Maker or Explore machine? I covered when you should (and shouldn’t) add a Joy machine to your crafting collection in this post.
Surprise! I Upgraded My Cart To A Dreambox!
Over the last few years, I’ve been quickly outgrowing my Cricut craft cart and storage closet, so I finally made my Crafter Dreams come true by getting a Create Room Dreambox. You can tour the whole setup and find out more about this awesome transformer of a cabinet in this post.
Julie says
What kind of command hook do you use? Is it strong enough to hold up the mats? I have the sand cart
Brad Gandy says
Hi Julie! We used the large timeless hook in brush nickel. That holds up to 5 pounds (a little over 2 kilograms), so it should be strong enough for your mats. Here’s a link to our Amazon shop, where we have the hooks listed under Craft Room Organization.
Amanda says
Would this cart fit a brother scan and cut sdx series
Lela Burris says
Hi Amanda, I’m not sure but you could check the measurements of the machine and cart to compare.
Anonymous says
Will the easy press fit in the bigger drawer?
Brad Gandy says
Hi! Unfortunately, no. We have tried it and the EasyPress does not fit.
sam says
Quick question about the cart and using the Cricut on it.. Does the cart wiggle so that the Cricut doesn’t cut properly? I was curious if this would be an issue.
Brad Gandy says
Hi Sam! Great question. The machine cuts just fine with no uneven lines. We’ve even had it write and draw with no issues.
Ashley says
Same! I love it also! I wasn’t able to find it. If you did, please share! 🙂
Brad Gandy says
Hi Ashley! There are a couple of links to the exact cart we used toward the top of the post. They’re right after the second picture and immediately before the Smart Labels tutorial. Hope that helps.
Anonymous says
Hello which option is this cart? The $164 or the $80? Thank You
Brad Gandy says
Hi there! We have the $80 cart.
Lorrene Blackburn says
Hey I love this but I have a lot of 12 by 12 inch pieces of vinyl, will they lay flat in these drawers?
Brad Gandy says
Hi Lorrene! Rolled 12×12 vinyl will fit inside the drawers, but loose leaf sheets do not. Happy to help.
Judy McCart says
Great ideas!
Where do you store the adhesive cutting mats?
Brad Gandy says
Hi, Judy! On the cart, we keep them on a Command hook attached to the back. In the new craft room downstairs, they’re on a shelf standing in a slotting pot and pan organizer.
Amanda says
Needed to get my silhouette off my craft desk, came across your post on here and immediately ordered the cart. My craft “room” is a tiny alcove with 4 bay windows and a door just off of my master bedroom, I am very limited on wall space so I needed something short to go under the windows. This cart is great! and I got it together in minutes.
So here is my question, where are your vinyl scraps?
I don’t do ribbon or fabric and I have few pens so I just put them in two of the smaller drawer (keeping herb and permanent separate)
But where do you keep yours if not in the cart?
Brad Gandy says
Hi, Amanda! We keep vinyl scraps in a scrapbook so we can “shop” for the ones we need. We’ll have a blog post about that soon, so make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter so that you don’t miss it!
Kristin K says
Thanks so much for these tips. I bought the cart and ran into a snag when trying to store my 12×12 card stock. Any suggestions?
Brad Gandy says
Hi, Kristin. Unfortunately, 12×12 cardstock will not fit in the drawers no matter how many times you try. I found that out the hard way. 🙂 Some shelving inserts or units should do the trick, though.
Anonymous says
What do you mean by “shelving inserts”? Do you have a picture?
Brad Gandy says
Yes, the ones we have are above some rolls of vinyl in this image. Shelving inserts are boxes, usually plastic or wooden ones, that fit on top of existing shelves, or in our case, inside cubby holes. They have dividers for each color or texture. (See how there’s a separation between white and wood? The wooden part is the insert.)
Ours are from a company called Stamp and Storage, and you can get them through our Amazon store. Scroll all the way down to the bottom of any page. Then click on the “Amazon Faves” link under “Get Organized-ish.” From there, look under the “Craft Room Organization” section. Happy to help!
Laurie says
I use this organizer separately for my 12 x 12 papers & love it!
https://www.michaels.com/really-useful-boxes-8-drawer-rolling-cart/M20002053.html?dwvar_M20002053_color=Rainbow
MaryAnna says
Not cricut related 🙂 But where is your rug from?? I love it!
Lela Burris says
Hi! It’s from RugsUSA. I can’t remember the exact name but if you search gray medallion on their site you should find it.
Viv says
Looks Great!!! Does the mat hang off the front and the back of the cart and mess up what work you are doing?
Thank You,
Viv
Lela Burris says
Hi, the mat slides back and forth but doesn’t bend due to the shape of the Maker. A 12×24 mat does bend a little so I move the Maker to a table if I’m using it. But for regular 12×12 mats it doesn’t flex at all and can stay on the cart the whole time during use.
Patty Roy says
I have been searching online for vinyl storage that was doable and ran across this post. I ALREADY have this cart! I am just putting my room together and my Cricut is still in the box so now it has a home too! Thank you so much for the awesome ideas! Checking several things off of my to do list!
Lela Burris says
That’s awesome! I’m so glad you found this post and I love that you already have everything you need to start off your Cricut journey on the right (organized-ish) foot!
Maurice Haddon says
I cant find the cart you have when I pull up your cart then a different cart comes up can you tell me the name of your cart and what websites you got it from thanks
Lela Burris says
That is the correct link, there are many versions on Amazon but some are very bad quality. The one I bought is the best-made. Here’s another link for reference. https://amzn.to/3eYqIo6
Jillian says
Do you use your Cricut on the cart or is it just for storage? I am newer at using my Cricut, I feel like I need a ton of space to use it.
Brad - Admin says
Hi Jillian! We use the Cricut machines on the cart all the time, so you don’t need to spread everything out unless you feel like you would work better with more space, but no, it’s not just for storage. Hope that helps and makes crafting more accessible to you.
Jillian says
Thank you!
Colleen says
Thanks for the inspiration. I just got one of these carts, as well as the Walmart baskets, and its perfect to store my expanding collection of Cricut tools and card-making supplies!
Brad - Admin says
You’re welcome, Colleen! Cricut supplies are like the best-looking octopus. They keep taking up more and more space, but you don’t mind because your home is more fabulous and your friends give you amazing compliments. Happy crafting and enjoy your new Cricut hub.
Elisabeth Bromley says
Where did you get the drawer organizers? They fit so perfectly! I just unboxed and put together my cart and my maker is sitting happily on top!
Brad - Admin says
Hi, Elisabeth! Those are divider baskets that came from Walmart for under a dollar each! Check the kitchen or craft sections of your local store. They usually have several, and I’m sure your Maker is looking fabulous in its new home.
Mary Mattson says
Hi! I got one of these carts at Aldi’s for 35.00! (Wish I had bought 2) But you gave so many ideas on further organizing it. I love the idea of the 3M hooks to hang the mats.
I have the Air Explore 2 and love it. Next on my list is a Maker.
Brad - Admin says
Thank you so much, Mary! You’ll be surprised how much more you’ll want to craft with a cart like that since you won’t have to waste as much time going back and forth for supplies. Happy crafting, and good luck on your second machine too.
Luz C Berenguer says
I have the cricut explorer 2 and to this day I have used it just twice, Need to learn more about the cricut. Can you direct me on where to get some understandable lessons on using my machine?
Brad - Admin says
Hi, Luz! We definitely recommend the Cricut YouTube channel, because that’s how we learned to use our machines with no prior experience. They have a full beginner library of tutorials to help you get started step-by-step.
Alicia says
Love this! Also love you rug! ? Where did you get it from?
Brad - Admin says
Hi, Alicia! That’s an ivory rug from RugsUSA, but we don’t remember the name of it. Feel free to email them if you’re interested.
veronica says
Are you able to store 12×12 paper in the drawers?
Lela Burris says
No, 12×12 papers do not fit in these drawers
Stephanie Cooke says
I Love your storage cart! I am new to the Cricut world. Why would you buy the Cricut Joy and not just make everything on your full size Cricut?
Brad - Admin says
Hi. Stephanie! I’m glad you love the cart so much. Our Cricut Maker is still the go-to for us when it comes to large projects that require a lot of customization, but we end up using more material than we need for smaller projects on Maker because the machine is so big. That’s mainly why we use Joy. If you’re planning on doing mostly small, quick projects like labels, decals, cards, or repeated patterns, Cricut Joy takes up less space and uses less material, and sometimes we can cut without getting a mat out too. Plus, if you want to show off the Cricut to some friends, the Maker is a bit of a pain to bring downstairs for a party, since we don’t want everyone in the craft room. I hope this helped, and best of luck with your own projects!