My Craft Space

I've got a confession to make.

Are you ready for this?

My craft desk is a disaster!

Not a big shock though, right? I mean, that's what craft desks are for, isn't it? To make a mess on.

Not like this.

I'm a neat person at heart. I can only take so much of a mess before I can't stand it anymore and have to clean it up. I love to organize which is probably why I like to make the mess in first place. So I can clean it.

Yeah, call me a weirdo. I know some of you out there are the same way!

So the last two weeks have been spent CLEANING up my craft space. I've even destashed some of my scrapbook supplies! *gasp* Definitely something I thought I would never do. But I was fed up with the mess and needed the room for the stuff I really do use a lot.

DISCLOSURE: The blogger is not responsible for the shock and nausea these photos might induce by clicking on any of these photos for a larger view. :)

Pretty disasterous before picture, huh? That's what happens when you go straight from one project to the next during the holidays. To really clean this desk up I really felt I had to start from scratch and cleared everything off for a fresh start. I bought some new organizing bins and did a LOT of rearranging.

This is the space under the desk to the left. I had stacks and stacks of boxes stashed under there. So many so that it was too difficult to try to get anything out and use it. I also had my Slice tucked up under there which often times made me forget I had it. Out of sight, out of mind! It also houses my trash can.

Now, I have my paper tower (which is covered and mostly contains finished layouts and half-finished projects - yes, I have a LOT of half-finished projects! Imagine that...), a few items off to the side that I don't need access to very often, and my lovely trash can all neatly organized in this space.

This is the space under the desk to the right. Its the space that I sit at and work from most often so I need to be sure not to clutter the bottom up too much so I have someplace to put my feet. In the before shot I have a couple of boxes that contain various embellishments (Christmas I think) and some travel bags.

Now I have two new *trash* cans which serve as 1) a recycle bin for paper (I figure, why not? I produce enough paper waste that I should recycle it instead of throwing it away) and 2) a true recycle bin for altered projects. This 2nd bin contains any trash that I think I may be able to turn into something else. The box is for my cards. No, not ones I make. For ones I receive. I'm notorious for keeping every card that has ever been given to me. Now I have a nice place to put them and access them easily. I'm determined to make some projects out of them! I also have one of my larger travel bags stashed to the side. Neatly, of course!

This space to the right of my desk had become a sort of catch all spot. If I didn't know where to put something or needed to get something out of my way, this was the space for that.

Now I have my boxes (one for all my Christmas paper and embellishments (I'm addicted to Christmas paper!), one for baby paper and embellishments, and one for wedding paper and embellishments - these are my largest collections) and on top a crate with finished and mostly finished scrapbook albums. Eventually I want to have a bookshelf for them to be displayed. I also have my travel tote full of my other smaller travel bags so that they are all in one place.

Yet another catch all spot to the left of my desk. Even my poor printer (to the far left) was covered up.

Now everything is neat and tidy and even my printer is clutter free.

This is a poorly pieced together photo of my new desktop. Lots of organization. I've tried to put things that go together together instead of having them all spread out. Up on the shelf I have all of my ribbon together (in various boxes and containers), my alphabet letters together, and my chip board together. Below I have all of my flowers grouped together in the hanging basket, my Slice is out in plain sight so I remember to use it, clear stamps are all together, the punches I use the most are out (in the bottom bin to the right), my paints are all together, inks are all together, and the things I use the most are within easy reach.

Did you happen to notice where my Xyron X and Stickles were located? Check them out dangling directly under the shelf. Ahhhh, velcro. You are my friend! This way, not only are they out of the way and not taking up desktop space, they are easy to get to!

More organizing. All of my rub-ons are in a container on the left. They are out and where I can easily see and get to them.

Just another shot of how neat my space is now. That photo on the wall is Peyton Manning when he was quarterback for the University of TN. *sigh* Its autographed and everything. Love him!

I've got a few more plans for my scrappy space as far as organization goes. My ribbon, for example, numbers in the hundreds and is not easily accessible and currently stresses me out too much to try and actually get to it. Any new projects I come up with to add to this space I plan on sharing on the blog. So stayed tuned!