Your Dream Desk - Reorganizing Your Crafty Space

I do not have a dedicated craft room. Let's be clear on that. I was talking to a lady at a craft fair, and she told me that her husband actually bought the little house next door to theirs and gave it to her for her own craft space. So yes, someone on this planet doesn't just have a craft room, she has a craft HOUSE!
In a world where the tiny house concept is growing more popular and they want you to throw away all your stuff, I thought that was quite amazing. But back at my house, I do have a corner with sunlight, for my big ole crafty desk, and a couple of shelves in another corner for some storage. I know if my shopping got out of control I could fill a house though. Lately, however, without doing it deliberately, I've been on an unofficial no-spend--just really curbing my urges to run wild at the craft stores. I've been busy, and I don't want to spend what little time I have to craft, out shopping. It's a time thing--but I love to shop. Instead, I focus on projects and reorganizing. This really helps. Anytime I reorganize, I find cool stuff and better ways to both store it and have it at arms length.

I think the secret to having your dream desk is:
1 - Good Organization
2 - Colors You Love
3 - A Cross-Functional Space
4 - A Bright and Clean Space to Work and Be Creative

Organization
The secret to my reorganizing is, I know everything has its place, so I let the stuff tell me where it wants to go. I keep like things together as much as possible. I use the pretty box method of storage a lot (you know, those pretty boxes you can get at Michaels or Home Goods)--but I also stick a posty on those boxes so I don't forget what I put in there when they're stacked up! You have to reach that balance of "stored away nicely but still at your fingertips." It's not easy to do. If it's too stored away, you'll forget about it. If it's at your fingertips, it could be sitting around in your face and in your way. The pretty boxes are just the right sizes for me to reach that balance inbetween. I also have a smaller pretty box that has the odds and ends things I am currently working with, but also like to put away.

Colors You Love
A lot of people comment on the pink cutting mats on my desk. I've come to realize that the colors that make me feel the most happy, relaxed, and creative are pink, white and gold with some purple and mint green thrown in. Maybe these are my summer colors, or my colors of the moment, but building the look of your desk with your chosen colors is important. It's inviting, so you'll craft more. It's inspiring, which frees your creative thinking. And, your desk is you--it should reflect that in every way.

Cross-Functional

I used to keep my cosmetics in the bathroom. For years! But as I've collected some of the nicer palates I have, I realized that the bathroom is the worst place to store your makeup. I've never had a vanity though. I'm a craft desk kinda gal. Sooo...my craft desk became even more cross-functional. It is a place where I make things, I write, I do work things, and now with the purchase of a great little mirror and some acrylic storage, I can do my makeup there too. I love it. In this recent reorganization, I switched it all to the left side so now it's even more out of the way of my main workspace, and my mirror is hidden when I'm not using it. If and when I do get any more cosmetics, I've got room to go more vertical with my storage. And speaking of vertical, don't forget storage on the walls. I have a hanging pocket organizer there on the wall, meant for jewelry, but I use it for craft supplies that stay handy!

Bright and Clean
With all that play at your desk comes the work. Keeping it bright and clean. The first thing I did a few months ago was to paint my desk and shelves white. I couldn't believe the difference, and it made me so happy! It completely brightened up my crafty corner. With the mix of wood and acrylic storage on my desk, I found this multi-surface cleaner that is so easy to keep on hand and use, so my desk can stay clean, my clear storage stays sparkly pretty, I can wipe down crafty tools and supplies, and I don't have to bring out fifty products to do it!


Even if you have cubbies, shelves, and places to put things, you have to be careful not to overstuff. Any little organizers I have can get so quickly overloaded. When I was doing this cleanout/reorganization, I had to unload a little letter sorter I had filled up with all kinds of list pads, paper scraps, and bits and bobs. It was driving me crazy to look at it, and I didn't even realize that until I unloaded it. I only put back what I really wanted to look at and use. Now it holds my two coloring journals, my often used listbook, and some journaling cards I'm encouraging myself to use soon.

And one more thing...
You are special. Keep some flowers on your desk! I got my flowers at JoAnns...that's right, they're not real. (Real flowers could actually create more mess) But I think they are so pretty, welcoming, and make my desk look a little more special, like someone special lives there.

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch