How to zone your craft space

Before you embark of designing your new craft space, it is really important to list the supplies you already have and the what you use them for. I have three zones in my craft space; Admin/Desk, Crafting & Postal Area. You may have more zones and you may find yourself with items that do not fit in a zones you have designated so simply add a zone to your list as you feel the need.

For example, you may need an area for your children to craft or a photography/filming zone. It doesn’t matter what your zones are but remember the more zones you have the more areas in your space you will need to make room for.

Get making a list of supplies you have and adding them to your dedicated zones. These are my zones and what they look like.

Admin/Desk

• Computer
• Label printer
• Stationery
• Notebooks
• Reference Materials such as my catalogue, compensation plan
• Leads & Chargers
• Shredder
• Phone

Crafting

• Stamps
• Ink
• Cardstock
• Patterned Paper 12×12
• Patterned Paper 6×6
• Marker Pens
• Colouring Pens
• Punches
• Ribbon
• Dies
• Diecutter
• Embossing Folder
• Scrapbooking Supplies
• Painting Supplies
• Stamping Tools
• Trimmer
• Grid Paper

Postal Area

• Catalogues
• Envelopes
• Stamps
• Scales
• Sellotape & Packing tape
• Cello Bags
• Jiffy Bags
• Postal Bags
• Wish Lists
• Brochures
• Business Cards
• Labels
• Printer
• Printer paper/ink

The reason for zoning your craft space is to keep everything you need when completing that task in one area to save hopping around the room.

You then need to decide how much room you need for each item and allow extra room for is your collections grows (don’t ask me how I know). Of course it really does depend on how much room you have and the limitations of the room such as cupboards, windows, doors etc. If you don’t have storage cupboards, you can use storage with doors to keep things hidden away from sight. If you are struggling to fit everything in your zone make sure you include the items you use most often and keep the most used items close at hand and store the others nearby.

Next up is one of the most important part of a craft room redesign. Time to sort and cull your supplies. Be ruthless, get rid of things you no longer use. It feels good to pass things on to others and to see them being used and appreciated. And I promise that you will craft so much easier with less stuff and mess around you.

This was me trying to fit everything back into my craft area. It took days! Similar items had to be grouped together for me to see the size of area they would need when being stored. For example all my heat embossing items are kept in one space. it is not a good use of your time or energy to move to three different areas in your space to retrieve a versamark ink pad from one cupboard, a heat tool from another place and your heat embossing powders from somewhere else. Keep them organised together so that with one swipe you have everything you need.

Remember to leave room in your storage for extra items and choose things that will work for you and how you craft. I have been too caught up in the past on what others do and tried to replicate that only to find it doesn’t work for me and the way I craft/work. I chose things to store my supplies because they looked cute, were cheap or because someone else had them! Don’t do it. There is nothing like the joy of a space that is perfect for you. It makes creating a pleasure, not a chore and if everything has its place, it is so much easier to keep it tidy!

If you missed my post from yesterday, be sure to go take a look as I shared the video of my finished craft space and what and where everything is stored.