OK so if you follow me on IG you would have seen me cleaning up, and cleaning up and still cleaning up my craft room over the last 12 months.  I've had to come up with some unlikely craft storage ideas and solutions to cope with my stash as it’s no secret that crafting can take up a lot of space. Beginner and seasoned crafters alike will amass all kinds of creative materials that they use for most, if not all, of their craft projects.  Organising my space has been my ongoing project during the whole Covid mess and it sure has kept me busy, but I'm actually quite proud of my progress, not yet complete but definitely progress.

You’re likely reading this because you’ve got lots of materials, but you’re running out of storage space for them (a common crafting issue that I've talked about before). You’re also probably wondering where to store it all, especially if storage space is at a premium at your home or if you have a small craft space (yes I started out on a kitchen table as well).  You could always take some things to a craft fair to sell, which would free up some space but this isn’t always doable. Checkout this homepage for some display ideas if you do go to craft fairs!

The last thing you want to do is give up your hobby, or need to move all your projects to eat dinner or sleep!  With that in mind, did you know there are some unlikely places where you can store your craft materials?

Take a look at these craft storage examples for inspiration:

1. Spare Room Cupboards

My number one favourite option is the spare room.  I'd highly recommend adding some plastic storage draw units to cupboards in any spare rooms and stashing some of your craft supplies in there!  Your goodies are easy to get to, safe, dry and out of the way, and it really does not inconvenience guests.

I've added a small suite of draws in the spare room and it has allowed me to move the bulky or infrequently used items out from my small craft room, but they are still convenient to get to (I just have to be faster than the cats who aren't allowed in guest rooms).  I have to admit that this Closet Storage from Blesser House is much prettier than my plastic boxes :)

2. Under Bed Storage

This is my next project, I had to move everything out of my spare room and dismantle some bunk beds before beginning, but I can now use the space under to spare beds as storage.  Here is one tip I've learned the hard way if your room is carpeted and you are in a tropical or damp environment then do NOT use plastic storage containers that sit on the carpet - either raise them off the floor or use fabric containers.  WHY?  Well, moisture can collect under the plastic over time and sent the carpet moldy - ewwwww, nasty and expensive to fix!  I plan to use these inexpensive fabric boxes from Kmart to store things under the beds - easy to get to, stylish and they should easily hold my extra sprays, mediums and doodads!

3. Attic or Roof 

Let’s face it: the roof or attic is a seldom-used room in most people’s houses. If you’ve got an empty attic in your abode, isn’t it time you repurposed it as a craft storage area? You could even have it converted into a usable room and use it as a craft studio!

The attic is an excellent place to store items you seldom use. Just make sure you memorise what you’ve got up there, so you don’t end up buying materials you forgot you already had!  I'm sure I've never bought something twice because I forgot I had one - I can practically feel my nose growing with that whopper!  This conversion by Unskinny Bop is particularly beautiful!

4. Underneath Your Staircase

If you live in a multi-level house and you’ve got a staircase, you’ll undoubtedly have a small nook underneath it that seldom gets used for anything. Or, if it does, you probably store items that can easily get stored elsewhere in your home.

Under-staircase storage options are available for any budget, from drool-worthy designer built-in options to flat-packed pull-out units. Consider under stair storage for your craft stash if you have it as an option!

Pretty Providence has an amazing under stair craft stash storage - almost makes me wish I had stairs so I could do something similar!

5. Kitchen

Arguably one of the least likely places to store your stock of craft materials is the kitchen! Yet, it makes perfect sense if you take a moment to think about it. Kitchens have plenty of cupboards for storage, and some of those cupboards or drawers don’t get adequately utilised.

You could use some cupboards for craft material storage. After all: they’re sheltered storage places, out of sight, and easy to access. It makes even more sense to use kitchen cupboards if you do crafting on your kitchen table.  Got an old spice rack, consider this as a spot for button, bead or sequin storage!

6. Garden Shed

You might think that garden sheds are only helpful for storing lawnmowers, rakes, and other items you’d typically associate with lawn and garden maintenance. However, move over man caves, the SHE Shed in your garden could provide a helpful craft storage location, just look at what KSCraftShack has created!

If you’ve got a large garden shed, consider segregating an area exclusively for your craft materials or take it over completely. Also, be sure to store items in waterproof plastic boxes if your shed is a little less than watertight. And if your garden shed isn’t getting used, you could always convert it into a crafting studio and storage area?  I've seen some AMAZING garden shed conversions into the most stunning art studios or storage spaces like the one below from @hummingbird.cottage (colour me jealous!).

7. Storage Unit

If you really don't have any space in the house, but you don't want to part with anything consider a self storage unit.  It might seem like overkill for craft material storage purposes, but, it could be the perfect idea if you’ve amassed boxes and crates of items over the years and you’re not keen to get rid of them - especially things that may have been expensive.  It's also handy if you are between residences, or have had to temporarily downsize.

An advantage of self-storage units is they’re available in different sizes, so you can always start with a small one and upgrade if you need more room in the future.

So wish me luck as I've only got a little bit of stuff left to find homes for...

Still, need more ideas?

I have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to art and craft storage and organisation as well as another with ideas for beautifying your art or craft space.

Happy organising!