Hello, from the pile of boxes that is my studio at present! I’ve been kicking the bucket for the last couple of weeks. By bucket I mean the BUCKET-ISH way I’ve been storing things (or not) — so that’s been the theme of my room for too long – with the big buckets of schtuff that you have to sift through to find anything. Even a drawer can be a ‘bucket’. My mission is to get containers within my buckets. And with this in mind – off to IKEA I went.
I brought a bag of art supplies. One of this and that to see what I could find to contain these things logically. My overarching goal is to have containers that I can simply pull to get what I want, instead of sifting and to have it look as neat as it is functional.
The target for this week is to attack the area directly next to the left hand side of my workspace.
Logically, items at arms-length and eye-level should be among the most used in your studio. Well, it wasn’t so – at least not anymore. I had a wonderful set of tilt-bins on the wall. Over the years they’d gone from having colorful embellishments in them, all sorted by color (long gone are the days when 10 little bins would contain me), and had then become a place for metal things. But still quite ‘bucket-ish’. And now they are just a catch-all, with most of the contents just staring bleakly at me from out of their clear buckets. So off the wall came the tilt-bins. I have a thought for where they will move to – but not what they will house yet. I just know they no longer deserve that swanky bit of studio real estate.
What I do want right at hand are my Copic Markers. There are a LOT of them, right? 346 is the current color collection. But the majority of the systems I’ve encountered for organizing them are desktop units; or wall units that are too ‘bucket-ish’ for me. I wanted something in-between the lovely labeled store displays and a simple marker stand – but on the wall. I want it labeled, so when something is out of place or missing, it will be obvious. There is little worse when you are coloring with Copics to reach up for a marker that suits your needs, and it isn’t there.
I have to be honest and realize that I am NEVER going to have custom-made cabinetry. I don’t even buy lottery tickets and Joe the Handyman has way more things to do around here. But when I spotted this little number in the aisle at IKEA – my heart whirred a little bit. It’s a CD holder.
This brought me back to the ‘old days’ when I used tape cassette wooden rack for inkpads. The limitation of that holder was the fixed shelf height and width. But I realized that I could make shelves of ANY height with this unit. I could have that custom marker holder with a little ingenuity.
So I took out the little cardboard insert…
And held it up to my computer screen as I created tables for a list of Copic Marker colors and swatches. I’m happy to share this.
Here is the file so you don’t have to e-mail me for it. Updated for 2015 to include all colors as of CHA Winter 2015 trade show.
Then I pondered what my shelves would be made of. Should I buy some empty CD jewel cases at Staples? But wait! I’ve got several ‘bricks’ of microscope slide holders in one of my ‘buckets’. I cannot even remember the last time I pulled one of these out to decorate (but like most ‘blanks’ it’s hard to get rid of a good stash). So I decided to repurpose some instead.
Labeling keeps me honest. Labeling makes me put things back where they belong. I think that has got to be a key to sucessful organization – knowing your strengths and weaknesses, as much as your supplies.
And I know that I want these hung on the wall in a way that I can easilly pull them off and plop it into my rolling tote so I went after these great furniture safety brackets that are meant to keep furniture from falling over onto climbing children, or earthquakes even. Screwed one into the top and put a screw hook into the wall. Add a tie wrap – and it’s a nice loop for hanging up the containers and getting them down easily too.
Three units covers the entire collection of 346, extra shelf for a few spare blender pens, my glitter pens and a big, honkin’ bottle of blender solution. Essentially there is room to grow. So if Copic decides to release more pen colors in the future, I’ll have that magical number twelve covered.
Now this is more like it.
So now I’ve got the Scrapbox MiniBox organized and my pens organized and better situated for use.
Next up? The dreaded stamps! As I’ve said before, my system is flawless. It’s keeping it up that has been seriously flawed. You can read about it here.
http://sallylynnmacdonald.com/stamp-organization-aka-knowing-what-you-have-and-using-it/
How is your organization going? Any great finds to share?
I have been buried amongst my treasures of products & supplies but it has spilled out from my packed disaster of a room into the supposed to be family room, down the hallway, a good part of my bedroom, downstairs, filled an entire large utility room off the kitchen and into the garage. SOOOO, I am determined to get it under control and I, too, need things where they are EASILY accessible yet nicely contained. I found myself starting too many storage / organizational systems only to find out (after spending a fortune) that things were not fitting the way I’d like. Too much extra space, just a tad too tall, this – that & the other. But I am very happy to say I have been able to stay with it all day and feel like there is HOPE. I do have a couple things to share after I get pics for you. THANK YOU for sharing which lets ME know that I am not alone in this quest or the only one that struggles with these issues.
OMG this is amazing and brilliant thinking. way to go coming up with something that will work for you
OMGosh here too! This is amazing and very creative! I just bought my first 75 or so markers, copics are so addictive! I know they need to be stored flat. Right now mine are in cups in a garden tray. I’m going to think about what you did.
Thank you so much for being an inspiration!
Sweet Blessings
Chris
Chris,
Please note that Copic markers do not *need* to be store flat. So you can keep them in the cups, darlin!
Wow, this is truly amazing!! I will keep it in the back of my mind if and when I ever get more than I can handle. I think I’m only at 60!!
Can’t wait to see what you come up with for the dreaded stamps!
Just saw this and it is brilliant!
oh nicely done! Right now I have my copics in a big bin with 3 of the clear 72-marker containers, and all the other stuff (the small air gun, some spicas, and refills) in the bin as well. I am about to rearrange things in the studio (am trying to convince Hubby that there is another place the guest beds can go) that’ll give me a whole wall for 2 billy 80’s – I keep my smaller dies in CD cases and they will go there with all the other dies. But perhaps this for the copics? Hmmmmm…..BTW, we have 30 Billy bookcases in the house dating from 1976 to just last year. I think we should get shares in Ikea!
Sally Lynn, you did not only an awesome job with the copics storage idea, but you wrote about the how-to so well I think I could do it!! Great idea!! You have a knack about you and your wits too, are able to get your idea across to others and I think you should keep notes and write a book about it!! Thanks so much for sharing your great storage ideas!
Doni
Sally Lynn
You are very clever. I love your project!
Have a nice weekend
What an ingenious idea! Love it!
♥Anita
http://aseknc.blogspot.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aseknc/
To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping.
–Chinese Proverb
Such a simple yet brilliant idea. Awesome! TFS!
i would love your ms file–i love this great idea:)
millerscottage@indy.rr.com
Amazing…would LOVE to have the word file…! LOVE! Love!
Clever girl
Wow, amazing. Yes I would love to have the word file for the labeling. Thanks so much for sharing it. Thanks for your inspiration.
I love this. Such a wonderful bit of recycling for a fabulous art supply collection. I featured it at my Storage Geek blog. I hope that is okay!
Fantastic idea!! Could you please send me the Word file as well. I think I´ll go to buy one of those containers soon. Thanks.
What a great way to organize pens. Brilliant idea.
Are you kidding me??? I not only want the file… I WANT these racks now too!!!! I’m sooooooooo going to find some!!! Hope you load the file soon. YAYYYY!!!
I would love your file. Thanks!!!
rstinson15@gmail.com
Having a heck of a time finding good ways to store my copics!!!! Can I have your file to use?
rosibug2000@yahoo.com
I would love the word document! That is super cool I may have to take a trip to ikea:)
amazing..think I may have something like this in my storage…thanks for sharing
I love your organization. And creativity. You said you have a Scrapbox. Where did you put this in relations to your scrapbox? I love all the room in my new SB, but miss having fun stuff like this around. My markers are just in one the drawers and I need to dig to find.
One last question? Why coptic vs, anyother…say tombo or Stampin Up?
Personally, I’m hoping to little by little build up a stash of the new Tim Holtz distress markers.
Thanks
great idea! I might use for those pesky bottles of paint
Yayyy! Just what I wanted! You are Super Crafter Girl!!
Please post ms file
What a creative idea. I see them hung behind a door too. I know my thinking cap will keep this idea close to the surface.
Love this idea! Could I have the file if you dont mind?
Danielle
Mominct@comcast.net
Wow, TFS – great idea!
Would love to have your Word Document file for the Copic markers. I have become totally addicted to them! Thank you for sharing.
So much better than the light grid covers in plastic totes! Thank you!