Updated - How do you organize art supplies?

[♥ms.pacman♥]

Yes it is Elfa, and I can't tell you how much I love it! You can get shorter ones, more narrow ones, etc. You can get different sized drawers to fit your needs. Ours has 3 shallower drawers and 2 deep drawers. You can also get a table top for the top of it if you need it to become the table to do the arts and crafts on as well. I didn't want that, so didn't opt for it. Instead I got a plastic sectioned tray (actually 2 of them) for the top, for the crayons, markers, glue sticks, etc. I wanted wheels so I could roll it around to various areas when needed. I have 2 more of these (though much smaller) without wheels that I keep in my pantry as well (they are white in post #2 in the link I provided earlier). They hold snack pouches, and the deep drawer is perfect for holding about 8 rolls of paper towels.

In the picture that shows the Girl Scout stuff - I have a plastic sterilite 3 drawer bin where I keep the GS art supplies. It works okay, but it's a real PITA to move, the drawers don't slide in and out nicely, and I always feel like it's going to fall apart.

I figured, that this art bin is something that is used in our house every.single.day by both kids (ages 7 and 3). They know where it is, what goes where, they can easily get to the crayons/markers/etc by themselves, and I don't have to worry about it breaking or falling apart. So the extra cost was worth it to me. I've had it going on 3 years now of daily use and abuse, and it looks and works just like the day we bought it.

wow, thanks for all this info!! i am so getting one of these with the next elfa sale!!

this forum is making me a Container Store addict. i went a little nuts with the Multipurpose bin sale (but i am so glad..my pantries/closests are no longer a mess!

[elbenn]

Updated in first post.

[Ceepa]

Updated in first post.

Can I ask what you use to organize supplies in the shallow drawers? I don't know what baskets would fit inside.

[ellies mom]

Update:

I made a trip to Ikea to get organized and bought a couple of Alex cabinets. Love them. I also bought the Raskog kitchen cart in turquoise and put art supplies in clear plastic containers and jars and put those on the cart. I like the cart because it is easily moveable to wherever you are doing an art project.

Link to Raskog kitchen cart: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30216536/

I bought that cart for my sewing room. I love it because I can keep it by my machines or roll it to my cutting table. Plus it is so cute. I want to get the Alex drawer units that support the table tops and make myself a new cutting table. I figure I'll have one face one way (where I stand while cutting and pinning) to keep sewing stuff in and the other facing the other side of the table (where I stand while scrapbooking) to keep scrapbooking supplies in.

[larig]

Update:

I made a trip to Ikea to get organized and bought a couple of Alex cabinets. Love them. I also bought the Raskog kitchen cart in turquoise and put art supplies in clear plastic containers and jars and put those on the cart. I like the cart because it is easily moveable to wherever you are doing an art project.

Link to Raskog kitchen cart: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30216536/


How do you organize your children's art and craft supplies? I currently have art supplies in cabinets but it is a pain to get them out. I was thinking about getting a small bookcase and some Container Store sweater boxes to organize the art supplies. Please share any good ideas you have for how you organize your arts and crafts supplies!

I couldn't decide on size of the Alex cart--2 skinnies or a wide one). Which ones did you get, and what color? And what are you storing in the drawers? any items that don't do well in the Alex cart? (Thanks for the update!!)

[larig]

I bought that cart for my sewing room. I love it because I can keep it by my machines or roll it to my cutting table. Plus it is so cute. I want to get the Alex drawer units that support the table tops and make myself a new cutting table. I figure I'll have one face one way (where I stand while cutting and pinning) to keep sewing stuff in and the other facing the other side of the table (where I stand while scrapbooking) to keep scrapbooking supplies in.

No one of my pinterst boards I have this great cutting table that uses a 2x4 expedit on its side as a base (I think it's raised too, with wheels or something)--but a combo expedit and Alex would be my dream!

[elbenn]

Can I ask what you use to organize supplies in the shallow drawers? I don't know what baskets would fit inside.

I bought some clear containers that are about 7" square at Ikea. Two of those fit easily on a shelf, with room behind them for a row of plastic jars or a medium sized multi-purpose bin from the Container Store. Here are some of the plastic jars I bought--I bought two different sizes but I only see one size available now:

http://www.orientaltrading.com/short....fltr?Ntt=jars

[elbenn]

I couldn't decide on size of the Alex cart--2 skinnies or a wide one). Which ones did you get, and what color? And what are you storing in the drawers? any items that don't do well in the Alex cart? (Thanks for the update!!)

I got two tall skinny ones in the white color. They hold a decent amount of stuff--especially the larger drawers.

[ellies mom]

No one of my pinterst boards I have this great cutting table that uses a 2x4 expedit on its side as a base (I think it's raised too, with wheels or something)--but a combo expedit and Alex would be my dream!

I think I have that pinned too. I believe the Expedit and Alex are the same height so that helps. My current cutting table is an older table top (they don't seem to have its size anymore) and trestle legs from Ikea. The slats on the bottom of the legs are always falling out and I'm tired of catching my toes on the legs. My plan is to take the two Alexes and lay a smaller table top across them (I have an extra one) and then build up to the height I want with either a 2x4 or a 4x4 on each side and then place my larger table top on top of those. Then I can have a large flat space underneath for cutting mats, rulers and maybe my roll of swedish tracing paper. Wheels would be handy because the room doubles as a guest room but my girls are always leaning on it so that will just annoy me.

[twowhat?]

I got two tall skinny ones in the white color. They hold a decent amount of stuff--especially the larger drawers.

How well do the drawers work for you? I have one of those in my office, and there's a "stop" when the drawer is halfway out to prevent tipping, but to open the drawer all the way I have to yank pretty hard to get past that "stop". And then again when closing the drawer - I have to close it hard to get past the stop again. DH assembled it - maybe he didn't do it properly? Just wondering if your drawers work the same way. It's annoying and it's one thing keeping me from getting the wider one...maybe there's a way to assemble it without the "stops"...I hate opening and closing drawers and having a THUNK every time I want to open it all the way.