Craft Drawer Organization

Get organized with me with some of my favorite craft drawer organization ideas. It’s a new year and I’m ready to keep my home as tidy and functional as possible. Join me today to learn how I do it.

Craft drawer organization is done with a tower of plastic drawers with a plant placed on top for fun.

It’s a new year and I’m determined to get a few things organized in my home. I tend to keep a very tidy home, but sometimes certain spaces can get cluttered if I don’t use them often. It’s hard to remember to organize something I don’t see or use often.

That being said, my craft drawers have been dying to get organized for a long time.

It just makes sense to organize so many tiny supplies in a functional manner. That way I can find supplies and materials more quickly when creative inspiration strikes.

Today, I’m going to share with you some of my favorite craft drawer organization ideas for keeping a tidy crafting space. Whether you craft for a hobby or if it’s part of your full-time gig, this should give you a little help brainstorming for your next organization project in your crafting space.

Here are a few of my favorite craft drawer organization ideas…

A sewing kit sits on a desktop in an office.

Invest in a set of drawers or a cart | craft drawer organization

I find it really helpful to buy a cart or plastic bin of drawers specifically for my craft materials and supplies. However, if you have cabinet space or drawers from a dresser you want to use, that is perfectly fine too.

I like the durability of plastic, but don’t love the look of it. For now, I will make due with what I have here but I plan on replacing this in the future with something a little bit nicer. I would love a wood version of this with wicker basket drawers. But that’s just me dreaming…

A disorganized tower of plastic drawers is in serious need of craft drawer organization. — *Before, a tower of plastic drawers is disorganized and in need of being wiped down.*

If you are just starting out and don’t have the need for a large tower of drawers yet, you can find a rolling cart from Amazon or Michael’s craft store. This is especially nice if you’ll need to lug pieces and materials around from one room to the next. One example of this would be if you’re using the dining room table for your crafting but have everything stashed away in the closet. A cart like this is very easy to move into the dining area in a cinch.

If you have a dedicated craft room, you can even purchase multiple sets of storage towers, placing like items in each set. Sewing materials could go in one set of drawers, specialty bakery decorating items in one, and calligraphy papers and utensils in another set, etc. Additionally, if you have an extra chest of drawers or bookshelf laying around, don’t be afraid to repurpose this for using as a craft storage piece. You can always add nice wicker baskets, fabric bins, or other storage pieces to contain items.

Here are my favorite craft drawer organization pieces:

Clear 12 Drawer Rolling Cart
8-Drawer Fabric Storage Tower
Opaque Stackable Drawers
Multi-use Wooden Storage Unit
Wooden 8-Drawer Rolling Storage Cart

Organize by types of materials | craft drawer organization

Group like items together within each drawer, bin, or divider. I start by first organizing these items in groups on the floor or a nearby table first. Here, I placed all my fabrics together in one spot. Then I moved on to painting supplies, and then all of my writing utensils. I did this until everything had been grouped with other similar items. If you have a few random supplies leftover, group them together as your random leftover pieces.

Paints are organized together in a drawer.

Piles are created to sort different types of supplies in a craft bin.

Insert pouches/dividers/small bins where needed | craft drawer organization

After organizing everything into groups it is time to start adding in extra dividers, mini bins, or pouches into the drawers. Pouches are especially great for tiny items that can easily get lost or won’t lay flat/roll away. (Think beads, pencils, sequins, and similar supplies.) Even Ziploc bags make great storage pouches for your smallest items.

Here are my favorite things to use to organize craft drawers:

After you insert dividers, baskets, or whatever it is you’re using inside your drawers/cabinets, you may be tempted to start stuffing everything in, but there are a couple more things you need to consider…

A woman is holding a set of pouches and bags for storage.

Color coordinate materials | craft drawer organization

I am a very visual person. I like for all of my fabric pieces, ribbons, markers, pencils, and pens to be organized by color. Even if you have to bundle them using rubber bands, they will be much easier to access when they are grouped together. Remember, this is not just about creating something pretty, but about making it more practical for using on an everyday basis. You will want to be able to find things quickly. Organizing by color can be a huge time saver in the heat of the moment.

Colors of fabric pieces are organized by color inside their respective drawer.

Organize by most used items | craft drawer organization

Now, before I start placing items into drawers and little bins, I decide the order I want them in. It makes sense to keep my most used items toward the top drawers and lesser used ones near the bottom. This makes more efficient use of craft drawers. It reduces bending and reaching. If, on the other hand, you are organizing craft cabinets, you would do the opposite and place least used items at the very top to reduce reaching.

Additionally, you can take this a step further and within each drawer place your most used items toward the front, or if you’re piling things on top of one another, the most used towards the top of each pile.

Different decorative pieces are organized into a drawer.

Decide where to keep your craft drawers | craft drawer organization

This may mean moving it out of sight into a closet. Or it could mean making it easily accessible to you, where it is within arm’s reach. Since my drawers are made of beat-up plastic, I am sticking this in our office closet. It is only a few short steps from the office desk where I do some of my smaller -scale crafting.

A stack of plastic drawers used for craft drawer organization is being put into a closet.

Tips for success | craft drawer organization

Remember to remove everything at once as soon as you begin. It’s easier to organize everything when you have all drawers accessible with free space. I also strongly recommend wiping everything down and giving it a good clean before you start stuffing new items inside. Craft drawer organization is also about cleaning and setting it up for success from the get go.

Make sure to set aside enough time and space. Be sure you have plenty of room to work. I know when the room I’m working in gets cluttered as I work I tend to get more flustered. Me and clutter do not mix. This means freeing up floor space or table space to sit and organize different areas as you go. You also do not want to be too rushed. Set aside an afternoon to focus on this.

Peruse online for more organization ideas. For more craft organization ideas, websites like IKEA, The Container Store, Amazon, and your local craft stores will have pieces that may inspire you to make the perfect storage for your space. There are just so many ways to organize that I couldn’t possibly cover them all here. Don’t be afraid to invent something new and create a makeshift craft storage area that suits you and your life.