Organize on the Cheap!

A friend and new scrapbooker asked me how I could I afford storage for all of my crafting supplies. I told her the magical secret; shop at dollar stores, thrifts stores, garage sales, and clearance areas of Target & Walmart.

Why spend $8 for the fancy bottles to hold beads, brads, or flowers when you can spend $1 for salt & pepper shakers from the Dollar General that will do the same thing.

You can also save frappicino bottles from Starbucks, decorate them, and store buttons, brads, etc. I enjoy salsa and save the Pace jars to use as storage or decorate later for fun gifts.

Look at things in a different way. I went to the thrift store and found a Mary Kay demonstrator’s cosmetic display for $2 and turned it into a painting caddy.

In my pantry, I found a cupcake rack that was never used. I purchased a few votive candle holders from the dollar store and turned it into a caddy that sits on my crafting table and holds eyelets, brads, and other small objects that I am working with.

Take out your Tupperware chip/veggie divider that never gets used and turn it into a supply caddy that you can leave on your crafting station.

Leah Fung had pictures posted of her scrapbooking room and for under $20, I was able to copy her wall storage. All it took was a pegboard from the hardware store ($4), a can of spray paint ($2), peg hooks ($8), tiny buckets from Target’s dollar spot (on sale for a quarter), and buckets from Michaels (used 40% off coupons).

Wait until the gardening season is over and pick up a bunch of different sized flower pots. Leave them as is or spray paint them. They are great for holding pens, scissors, adhensives, and ribbon.
If you have any organization tips, tricks, or storage ideas leave a comment or e-mail me a picture so that I can include it on the blog.