Learn the things you should and shouldn’t do when you’re setting up a new or remodeled craft room so you save time, money, and maximize every square inch of the space.
Ahhh, new craft room smell! It’s like new car smell but better! Whether you just moved into a new house and finally got the blank slate you’ve always dreamed of, your youngest kid is now a grown man and you have a spare room now, or you’re just giving your current craft room a facelift, setting up a craft room is really fun. But it’s also really overwhelming, and you can easily end up overspending or making regretful purchases. I just finished up my own craft room and I want to share my best tips for making the most of your space.
New Craft Room Setup Guidelines
DO plan your layout first.
Take time to plan out your entire layout on graph paper and indicate each zone and workspace, along with how you’ll use it. By creating zones, you’ll be able to work more efficiently and avoid accidents.
DON’T buy furniture first.
Before you buy a single piece of furniture, you need to assess the supplies you have now and understand what you need from your space. Give your supplies a good old fashioned purge-fest, take inventory of all your materials, and get clear on what kind of furniture will serve you best.
DO use containers with lids.
It doesn’t matter how careful you are, drops and knock-overs are going to happen. By making sure all your containers have lids, you’ll prevent an explosion of glitter on the floor, and you’ll allow yourself the freedom to stack containers on shelves to maximize space. Bonus points if your containers are clear, because you’ll be more likely not to let them get junked-up.
DON’T buy a bunch of supplies “just to have.”
One Pinterest search for Craft Room Inspo will pull up tons of photos of pretty pegboards and shelves lined with jars of ROYGBIV embellishments. Here’s the deal about those photos…they’re staged. All that decor that looks pretty on their shelves actually take away from real storage space. If you aren’t going to use 27 different colors of glitter, don’t buy it just to display. Even the biggest craft room can get cluttered with things you’ll never work with.
DO utilize your wall space.
While your desk and storage furniture is really helpful, your walls can serve you well, too. Pegboards, floating shelves, and even over-the-door shoe organizers can add extra storage to spaces that would otherwise be bare.
DON’T buy everything at once.
Building the craft room of your dreams is a process, and a long one at that. When you buy everything at once, you aren’t giving yourself time to experience the room and find out what you need from it. This almost always results in wasted money and time, because three months later you’ll notice some things aren’t working for you, and you’ll have to spend even more money and time to fix or replace them.
Want More Craft Room Setup And Organization Tips?
The next semester of The Organized-ish Craft Room is open! This is my self-paced workshop-style training for how to plan, set up, organize, and maintain your craft space, no matter how big or small it is. If your craft room (or closet, or dining room nook) needs some serious organization, this course is for you. Enrollment fills up quickly, so grab your spot before the doors close.
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