Storage options - cabinet vs enclosed boxes

 I am continuing my re-organization of my studio...

Storage options - cabinet vs enclosed boxes

First let me say that I use what I have as much as I can. I also try to make something work, but as I have said numerous times on this blog, its ok to re-evaluate your solutions.

One evaluation I had most recently was to decide that the metal and plastic cabinets have issues I was no longer willing to deal with. These were made for use in a garage environment so concern about dust was probably not considered at all. But for a crafter, dust is an enemy and to be avoided if possible. One way to deal with it I was already doing was just being selective in what I was storing in these cabinets. But when I evaluate what I was storing in them and how it was causing me to divide where I store things, so I was forgetting what I had; I felt I wanted to think of getting rid of them. Not because they don't work at all but just I can find other ways to store items. 

There were three metal tall cabinets and two shorter, wider ones. The tall ones I really used and the shorter ones I didn't. The main reason I didn't was because I couldn't get to them. Mostly I didn't use them because I didn't ever get around to finding just the right items to store in them because they were hard to get to.
Mounting them to the wall was an option but one I wasn't willing to do. These cabinets didn't fit too well in the black shelves and I wasn't prepared to move them to the white ones either. Once I decided to get rid of my desk and move the black shelves I also decided to get rid of the storage drawer cabinets.  But what to do with the items actually stored in these cabinets?

My solution was to purchase more photo boxes. In 2016, I decided that for my project boxes stored in shoe boxes I would replace with photo boxes. I planned that I would do this over time by buying only when they were on sale. I had done so, but used this as  time to buy more. There is nothing wrong with shoe boxes. But the photo boxes provide consistent sizes and that is what led me in that direction. 

I decided that I would also use the photo boxes for storing supplies as well. 

• Ribbon/Trim - keeping the bags I had in the big bin, the only change was to have them 'filed'. But it did take two photo boxes to store all of it. I love being able to quickly find the color I am looking for without having to dig in the big bin. Another thing I did was to give up on the case binder. I really loved the case binders I have but I don't have enough of the pocket pages to fill up. I re-purposed it to another task.
  
  
  
  
• Flower making - I'm not totally happy with this box, but for now the items from the storage cabinets are moved inot one photo box. I plan to get these 'filed' as well.
• Kits - rearranging things from my tall plastic drawer cart to the photo boxes, I split them into Furniture and Misc. and I 'filed' them using the dividers that came in the photo boxes.
  
• Electrical - got it's own photo box. I think I may use some smaller boxes inside to help organize this as it is a mass jumble. Another solution I may consider would be the plastic divided boxes.

Meanwhile...

I visited the thrift store and found 6 divided boxes - these are the plastic fishing tackle type things. I've used some for years for my swaps. 

For the swaps, I had significantly reduced what needed to be stored by making and furnishing my Swaps Mall. So my first step with the divided boxes was to consolidate swaps into fewer divided boxes. 

I even pulled other items like my resin rabbit collection into these. They were previously stored in the drawer cabinet so they needed a new home. Now they are altogether waiting for a new home in a mini project.

Another step was to use only the smaller fixed section boxes for swaps (I have gotten these used at thrift stores, but usually get them from the local craft dept store) and use the ones with flexible divided sections for supplies. 

• Wood strips and bits - all my wood except some wider pieces are now sorted into 3 divided boxes. Yes, 3 because I had them available and also because I had that many scraps in assorted places. I now have wood in 3 places, these boxes, a drawer for larger flat pieces and a large cardboard box for the remaining long pieces. 
  
• Pencils and pens - these were in the cabinets and needed a new home. A divided box worked and a second smaller box for my permanent markers.
• Glitter and sequins - spent a couple of evenings sorting my sequins by color. I know silly, but therapeutic for me. I just love color but prefer it to be organized. The sorting paid off later when I just needed silver and could go quickly to the silver section.
  
• Plastic bits - I previously had most of all this in a shoe box size cardboard drawer. But this way I can find things easier. Larger bits (that I am less likely to use for smaller scales) are still in the cardboard drawer.
  
• Screws and such - I previously had two drawers in the storage cabinet. Oh and various other spots around. So I consolidated it all into one single divided box. This one was an odd ball compared to the others.
  
• Previously, I had a divided box of doors and windows for 1:48 scale but added a second one for other building components. Mostly I spread out the stash into two boxes because I had them, but I also found some of these stored somewhere else so now everything is together.
  

Moving all this around I freed up some other boxes and wanted to find places for more things.

• Tape - it is in a plastic shoebox. (shown above)
• Clay - these was moved from the plastic shoe box I just mentioned into a 3 section snap together box. This way all the clay and tools are together.
  
• Kid art - I keep on hand some kid friendly art items like markers, scissors and glue. These all are in an additional snap together set box.
• Small boxes - literally little boxes. I keep these from when I unpack my swaps or other purchases. These then are used when I need to ship something or for the clear ones I will use for display.
  
• Stamps - I can't seem to part with these (or these pink boxes), a leftover from other crafts. These could easily go in a photo box instead.
• Punches - these needed to move from the cabinet drawers and have found a new home
• Glue and bulky paint - these, for now, are on the bottom two shelves of a black bookcase. I still need to decide if this will be their official home. Can also see the stuff stored in the corner. I left a gap between the book shelf and the wall just for the storage of large flat things.
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• Paint bottles - I have been collecting small mail boxes to use to separate by color. I like this better than the bigger bins I had, but I wish they were deeper to fit the depth of the shelf.
  
• Scissors - the fancy kind and my handle hole punches - these all fit in the top of the medium rack tool box (see below)
• Tools - the extra tools I had stored in the drawer cabinets needed a new home. I finally succumbed and purchased the medium size tool rack system. I decided on the medium size because I felt the larger one was too big, especially since I had the smaller one to hold most of my regular use tools already. I got this one from Michael's with a coupon. I choose to elevate the small one to fill room on the shelf. I do tend to leave my tools out and so the two bins below make for quick clean up. The little shelf was a thrift store find. I also added a piece of foam-board under the toolbox so support the front cover that is sticking out. This is so a divided box has something to sit on. The medium rack box has the front cover removed. These are easy to remove or take off. The shelf above was left that far up to allow the top portion lid to be opened. All my tools including a small hammer (except rulers) are in these two boxes.
  

That's all for now.

Cottontail Cottage Studio Desk Update

Studio Update and solution considerations drawer cabinets vs enclosed options

Last fall I decided to remove my artist easel type desk.

Before

The desk was frequently covered with stuff to the point that I was forced to use a folding card table or tv tray to work on. Because there were cabinets on the top of the desk (more on those later) I also couldn't use the easel aspect even if I wanted to. Rarely was this ever an issue. The biggest issue was the height of the desk. I am short and I like my feet on the floor so this means that I really need a lower work surface.

Removing the desk meant I had to come up with another way to hold some of the cabinets, etc. My solution was to move one of the black book shelves to where this desk had been.
I only moved the desk into the dining room as I figured it might go back to my room sooner than later.

Before

I also moved the three plastic drawer carts together. However I got to thinking that it might be nice to have the desk available for cutting things on or whatever. This desk is designed to pivot up so that it can be like an easel. My idea was to have it so that the pivot could lift the top up and out of the way. So we moved it back in the room where the book shelf I had moved was. (Basically at this point these two large items swapped places.)
The desk with the top down would block the door to the closet but since it could be lifted up and out of the way, it would still work in the corner and not block the door then. The ability to lift it out of the way was because we turned the desk around so that the pivot was at the wall side not the front. So it still can't be used as an easel. Again this isn't a problem.

More Shelves
About this same time my hubby had started selling on eBay. This desk would then be available to him as well for packing/shipping and also to photograph the items. But he needed a place to store his items. We visited a local thrift store to find some shelves. We got really lucky that we found just what we were looking for and more, at half price even. For him we found a metal shelf and for me two tower units.
Here's his ebay shelf (btw - if you see anything of interest here - email me, a lot of this hasn't been listed yet and I will practically give it away).

The desk moved over from previously in front of the closet to under the window.

I can still use the desk for cutting and also we leave up the photo booth. Although I have been trying to keep the boxes put away. 

In order to place the two tower units in the studio room, I needed to move the second black book shelf next to the first one I had just moved. 

Before

It was something I had considered doing when I was considering removing the desk and moving the first book shelf, even before I got these two new units.

I believe these units were part of an entertainment center. The top shelves do not adjust but do have lights in them. The other shelves do adjust using the peg system. I believe that one of them may have had a door as there is extra wood pieces and trim that a door likely hung from and fitted against. It would have been nice to have the door, but I am pleased with them without it.
These two units give me both display shelves and a place for my scrapbook supplies.  They were previously in a couple of shelves of the just moved black bookshelf. These units also have doors at the bottom. Since I was going to keep the bike here, I decided that what went in the cabinets must be items I don't access as often. Examples are extra display boxes and some large tools (small table saw) that may or may not stay here.

Here is the two tower units And yes, the bike does can be used there  - but it is easy to pull it out for more elbow room.

It isn't obvious in this pic, but to get the two tower units in this corner I had to slide the white shelves over a few inches.
After several months of working on this, I am finally ready to share more photos of where I am with the other portions of the room. No, the room isn't picture perfect, but hey this is how I really work in here.

You can see in this pic that I still have piles of things to sort thru, but I have made progress as there are fewer piles and misc boxes.

This one shows both the first black shelf new location and the folding table I am using as my desk. Plus can see the corner. I left a gap for storing tall things like foam sheets in the corner.
That was an interim pic that I was going to post weeks ago, but have moved on to this.
The main difference is moving some of the new divided boxes and other supply boxes lower so I can reach while sitting.

I have refined that placement of boxes and decided that I will have display area on that second shelf that is nearly empty right now. I would like to purchase an extra shelf (piece of wood I would paint black) to go in the other other shelf unit (one on the right). Then my photo boxes won't be stacked as high.
The boxes in the black shelves - most of them are the photo storage boxes that I purchased when the hobby stores run a sale. I actually have some leftover. I guess I need more projects to put in them. Or I could get busy doing more sorting of the remaining areas. LOL.

On top of the folding table is a folding bed table. I got this at a thrift store as well. I so rarely ever used it in my bed, that I tried it on my folding table/desk. I really like that I have the additional space which more than makes up for the loss of the easel desk.

One advantage that I have by using the folding table is that I can easily slide it over to allow a bed roll on the floor (for guests). Or if I needed to it can be cleared off and put away.

This shows behind the door and where the other drawer cart ended up. I did clean out the other one and gave it away to my daughter (they both used to be under my second folding table that was always piled up). The items that was in that cart are now in the black shelves near the bottom. Items that were there, were moved into the cabinets of the two tower units. In this case, items I used less often were stored away behind a door and items used more often left out.

As one can see, my studio is ever changing - for a number of reasons. I still have some work to do for this round of re-org, but I am much happier that my stuff is not as likely to get dusty being in boxes. 

Flat item storage - rugs for miniatures Update

Keeping with the same idea I had before for rugs and wall hangings for miniatures, I am just repurposing a different solution.
First this is where they were before

The large 8.5x11 size page was sort of floppy when I get a rug out. I felt it would be easier to get to a particular rug with a smaller but same type of solution.

This is a regular three ring binder.

Next this is the solution I am repurposing

It is a case binder meaning the outer edge is enclosed like a box.
All the ribbon and trim were removed and I cut business card size paper to fit.

Next was filling the pockets with the rugs.
To adhere them I used temporary tape. This worked quite well so I stuck with it. The only issue seemed to be when I was working on with certain rugs. Some just didn't stick well, but at least they will stay in a smaller pocket much nicer than the larger sheet.

I am choosing to only use the side of the page that has the openings. It just makes them easier to get to. But if I didn't have enough pages, I would double up on the pockets to use the back side as well. I think I would use two pieces of backing so that I can slide out just the back for front.

I had a just a couple that wouldn't fit in these pockets so I think I will consider buying some other size pockets. A thrift store may have what I am looking for - think photo album for 3x5 or 4x6 photos. Or even a 5x7 would be good.
If I focused on larger miniatures like 1:24 or 1:12 scale - then I would need the larger pockets and the 8.5x11 sheet size would probably just fine.

Ribbon and Trim - update

I did it. I finally made the move to pull the ribbon and trim from the binder in with the baggies. As I mentioned in a prior post just recently I was thinking about doing this. I am really glad I did.
The ribbon and trim was in this binder

It was a great solution - just not cost effective for the volume of ribbon and trim I have collected. The biggest portion of what I have I got at a garage sale of another miniaturist who had passed on.

But I didn't toss out the binder - I will use that later for something else. I already have something in mind.

The photo boxes storage was holding all the baggies including the added in bits, but it was getting really tight.
I decided to go with two photo boxes.

This just gives me space to move the baggies to look at colors.
I already have decided to add more dividers, but since these were cut by me, I haven't gotten around to that part yet. Anything previously combined, I will just turn the card around and write the new label on it.

31 Days of Organizing - Day 3 Make it work for you

Make It Work for You
Today I am talking about accessibility.  No matter how much organizing I do, if I make it difficult to access, I have defeated one of my main goals of organizing.  This is goal is to make me more efficient.  It is the primary reason I started organizing the way I did many years ago.  

I thought I had a great system when I first got started.  I had boxes from my grandmother who sold Avon.  Her stock came in cardboard boxes and I had previously used them to move.  These are great moving boxes or even for storage of larger items, but for frequent access to miniature supplies, they were too big.  

It was time-consuming for me to pull out the boxes and get out the supplies.  I had built up enough items to store that this was no longer working.  That's when I believe it is time for a change and accessibility needs to be an important factor in selecting what to use.  For me this meant using smaller boxes so I could contain smaller categories.  So that is my tip today, use what you have but consider how easy it will be to access what you have when you organize.

I know about not having much space to make make solutions accessible.  So in this instance I encourage you do the best you can to make it accessible.  One way I do that even with as much space as I currently have ( a whole bedroom) is to have a small toolbox with all my frequently used tools and have extra and less used tools in another location.  

It doesn't matter what solutions you choose, boxes, bags, dividers, cabinets or shelves or a combination of all these and more.  Whatever you choose needs to be accessible, easy to find things and always keeping it simple as much as possible.  Making miniatures should be fun and time spent on the making not getting to things.

Before I go, I also want to share with you something about NAME.  I am on the Free Projects Committee and this month we are sharing a bunch of tips on organizing from NAME members.  This info is found on our Special Projects website.  You don't have to be a member of NAME to view them.  Since I was editor and on the committee you will see many tips from me and see them here on my blog as well.  I hope it isn't too much organizing for you.  I think it is worth a read as the other members gave some really great tips that I hadn't thought of.  That is what being a part of NAME is all about for me - sharing.  This also emphasizes the idea I am sharing today - make it work for you - which is exactly what these other members are doing. 

See you tomorrow with another idea for my 31 Days of Organizing.

Happy miniature organizing!
Preble