Where to start: Scrap space!

Omg, ellewood...those Alex units sound amazing! I would also love to see pictures, please.

I've re-organized my room so many times I don't know if I'm an expert or so bad at it I keep redoing it. Hah!

The first thing I did was to organize what I used most, which was stamps at the time. I do it like Jennifer McGuire. Then my papers got organized. First cardstock by color, then patterned paper by color. I also have a section for kit club papers, each sectioned off by month with all of it's contents kept together. I organize my ephemera by type, for ex: flair, labels and words (acrylic and wood veneer) in small sterilite drawers. I have a stamping area with stamps and ink. I have a mixed media area with all of my paints, brushes and gesso organized. I have an 8 unit Kallax for my Scrapbooks and the 12x12 paper storage. I keep it horizontal so I can use the top as a counter. I also have a peg board on the wall where I display my "at the moment" favorite things.

I still feel like I need to organize it better. But it's working well for me right now.

I reorganized in 2015. It actually took me several weeks and the room was a complete disaster before it came together. I started by going through all the paper and sorting it into piles of keep, maybe and discard, including scraps. Then Cricut cartridges, stamps, embellishments, stickers, tools, etc. I tested all inks and pens and tossed any that were dried up. All items were stored in boxes labeled "keep", "maybe" and "donate" until everything was looked at and actually touched and all shelves were emptied.

Then after looking at what I was keeping and looking at pictures craft rooms on-line I decided on my storage solutions. I already had Ikea shelving units and I wasn't replacing those or my desk. For stamps, dies, inks, washi I went with the InterDesign FridgeBinz that Jennifer McGuire had/has in her room along with a few other of her ideas. For paper storage - 12x12's is still in my old Cropper Hopper paper holders, 8.5x11 paper is in IKEA magazine storage bins. Solid scraps are stored in Totally Tiffany 12x12 paper pockets by color family. Patterned paper scraps are stored in Iris 12x12 containers. Kits are kept together and stored in 12x12 Iris Containers. Sequins, brads, eyelets are stored in Craft Mates containers. I also re-purposed an armoire for a Cricut and Silhoutte station along with storage for extra craft supplies like my knitting/crochet/cross-stitch stuff, glue guns, and stuff I've collected over the years, which are all in stacking bins. I'm still searching for a ribbon and button storage solution.

I think you just need to dig in and start with the item you have the most of (for me it was paper) and actually touch everything and ask yourself if the item is your style and will you ever use it. And Google is your friend when it comes to looking at craft rooms and storage solutions.

Good luck.

The biggest thing for me was working out how I look for things. I used to have everything sorted roughly by type but struggled with using anything other than the latest and greatest from the front/top of the pile. I thought sorting by colour might be a good fit for me but it only took two weeks before I realised that although I often thought of colour while I was creating it wasn't the place where I started. The trial and error led me to my current system which isn't perfect but mostly works.

It turns out that not sorting supplies actually worked best for patterned papers, paper scraps, washi, ribbon and twine, buttons, and flowers (like the prima and old HS ones).

All my smaller mostly paper embellishments (die cuts, stickers, vellum pieces, frames, doilies, etc) are sorted into two drawers - things with words and things without. I cut all my sticker sheets up into individual pieces (although a block of word phrases like on the SS alpha sheets I will leave as a block). I keep all my journaling tags/cards/stickers in one drawer even if I know I will likely use them only for layering. I have two themed drawers - one for Christmas and one for travel. Everything else themed is added to my other storage drawers.

I only have a small space - a desk and set of narrow drawers next to it - so keep most of my supplies right in front of me in two sets of drawers on my desk. Larger supplies or things I'll likely only reach for once during a project (alphas, paper and cardstock, paper scraps, mists, stencils) are stored where it's easier to stand up or I have to stretch to reach. The easiest to access drawers hold my most commonly used supplies.

I started organising yesterday - needed my husband's hands I'm almost done, and I'll take some photos later. I have a fraction of the stash most people have because I'm mainly digital. I have a dedicated space for my Silhouette Cameo, a second computer and a very low table - think just above knee height for you people that can stand up!

I wanted one of those Costco project tables sooooo bad but they were long gone by the time I was able to get a dedicated craft room again.  Luckily, I happened upon one of the Pottery Barn craft tables on craigslist for I think $200.  I also got one of the Kallax shelf units to replace a different cubbie unit that was not as sturdy and the cubbies were smaller.  I am really more of a paper crafter than a scrapbooker these days.  I make cards, decorations, etc but haven't scrapbooked for a long time.

I also make jewelry so I am still trying to get an organizing system that works for all of that stuff, which is mostly very tiny.  

My long term plan is to put a wall mounted TV and a comfortable chair in there too but I tend to work in spurts, which makes DH crazy as he likes to just do everything at once.

I don't enjoy organizing, so it is important to me to set up a system I Can live with for a long time.

I did a scrap room Reno a couple of years ago. (I have a home office as my space). I organized the room by how I work. I scrap standing up, so I have two kitchen height counters across the room from each other, and my supplies and tools are all stored in drawers, on shelves, and in cupboards all just a step or two away. I lay out and assemble projects on one counter and use the other for cutting, inking, stamping, whatever.

All else, I organized by how I look for things:

All dies and embossing folders on a cart. All stamps and inks and stamp blocks in one corner near a piece of counter with a foam pad for stamping. All my messy stuff downstairs so I can slap some cardboard on my chest freezer and spritz and splatter away.

Pp I sort by season &/or theme, usually with collections together. CS is sorted by colour.

Some embellishments are sorted by type (metals, veneer, ribbon, washi, flowers), but the pieces that come with a collection or kit stay with that set.

Theme is a big thing with me, as I usually scrap one season at a time. One big corner in the pantry unit holds all my Christmas playthings, and when I finish scrapping the season, they will all be stored away until I start card making in October.

My desk is in a constant state of flux because I'm a "need to see it to use it" person!

pancakes I just saw that Ikea has the square 4 box Kallax on sale for only $20. They are so versatile. I'm going to buy 2 of them this week!

I am just now moving into my space. I just bought a Raskog-like cart from Target. I've got a Pampered Chef Tool About that I earned as a hostess gift years ago for my tools. My room is very small, so I need to use the closet for storage. I've got some Ikea Billy bookshelves in there that I will put bins and boxes of supplies in. I am still thinking about what I am going to do with my paper. I like keeping it by color, and then theme. I am not tied to manufacturer. I will probably CASE Jennifer Maguire's stamp, die and embossing folder storage with the acrylic fridge organizers.

Don't buy storage before you know what you need. Gather all like things together and see how much of those you have.
You can find the cutest box or container ever but if its way to big or way to small its just cute and not functional.

When I moved in May 2014 I also took quite a few months to organize my space. But now it is in need of a change, mostly I want to just pare down supplies bcz I tend to use the same things over and over. Also I really want to have my machines more setup and ready to go...so I am in need of more counter/table space. Also think about if you like things out or put away. Like I prefer drawers and cabinets over cubbies just bcz I want to be able to close it all up (even if its a mess inside!) I think the biggest thing is just to take time and do it little by little so you get it where you really want it.

ellewood when you get a chance, would you mind telling what the interior dimensions of the tall Alex drawers are? I have the low one and love it. The tall ones would help by taking up less space, but I am wondering the dimensions. I don't think it will fit anything 12x12? I've searched online, but couldn't fine. Thanks!