Readers will understand two things: you commonly form emotional attachments to the books you have read, and you may believe that to own a book, even one whose spine you’ve never cracked, means to somehow possess the knowledge contained within. Your voracious appetite for books bodes well with your brain; there’s infinite storage space up there. Your home? Not so much. Here’s how to please the literati and me when it comes to organizing a library:

Even though your titles may feel more like trophies, like babies, and the thought of parting with even one of them leaves you panic-stricken, part you must. Or probably must.  With a few.

The best way to manage your many bound pages is to create a set boundary for your books. Choose an area of space in which to contain your collection that is appropriately proportional to your home. If you live in a yurt, you’ll probably max out at around two titles. If the Royal Palace is where you call home, you can probably devote whole rooms to housing your published matter.

Whatever your dwelling, define the limits of your library. Fill those shelves to your heart’s content, but do not exceed that space. Out of room? Time to weed!

Options for handing the titles you’re ready to remove:

- Donate the books to a friend or a charitable organization.

- Try giving yourself financial incentive to shed those extra pounds of pages. There are many sites that allow you to sell your books online. One of my favorites is the Amazon Trade-In Store, because their process is so incredibly easy. You simply type in the title, identify that it’s the correct version, and Amazon provides you with a pre-paid shipping label. Send in the book, and Amazon will (usually) promptly process the transaction, and credit your Amazon account with the corresponding amount.

Being that you can buy most anything on Amazon, I’d say it’s a pretty fair deal, all in all. Of course, textbooks and coffee table books will generally fetch more than your average paperback, but if it’s something that you’re ready to get rid of, then any amount of money is worth more than a meaningless item taking up space on your shelf.

Okay, now that we’ve handled the hard part, it’s time to talk organizing your books.

Here are a few suggestions for ways to arrange:

- By subject. Optimal for ordering books you reference for work or hobbies. For example, “crafting,” “travel,” “religion.”

- By genre. Examples include, “fiction,” “non-fiction,” “essays,” “photography.”

- By color. The most visually appealing method, if not entirely an efficient system to enable finding books.

- By height. Books always appear neater when organized by height, as this maintains the visual line. Organizing by size can serve multiple purposes, as similar types of books are often equally sized. For example, photography books are usually large and tall with a hard cover.

The method which allows you to easily locate the title you’re looking for is the right one. I personally prefer form over function when it comes to bookshelves, and so I arrange all my books by color.

Finally, a few notes on display:

- Make sure all the spines are pulled forward so that they lie on a straight line.

- Keep the largest and heaviest books on the lowest shelves. These shelves are the least likely to sag under additional weight, and heavy books will hurt your toes far less if they fall from the lowest shelf than the highest.

- Try to strike the right balance between filling and over-filling your bookshelves. Packed in too tightly, and you won’t be able to pull out a single book, too loose, and they will lean.

- Similarly, strike a balance between styling and cluttering your shelves. Adding a few decorative touches will enhance the overall effect. Overloading your shelves with tons of tchotchkes will just make everything look a mess.

- You can also try alternating between vertical and horizontal stacks, which gives the shelves a very dynamic effect.

Alright my little readers, now it’s your turn. Go make magic on those shelves of yours, and do report back!

Image credits: Domino,unknown, Matchbook Mag, Design Sponge, Windsor Smith, Elle Decor, unknown, Elle Decor, M Design, unknown, The Coveteur, unknown *so much trouble finding original sources on many of these, if you know, please let me know!

Your blog merges the world of organization with that of interior design. How do you feel that the two are related?

Many people think interior design is just about how a space looks, but it’s very much also about how a space functions and addresses the needs of those who use it. Truly well designed spaces stylishly integrate proper storage for everything, and have an organized flow that makes life a little easier and more enjoyable.

As a blog curator you are masterful; AriannaBelle.com is overflowing with exceptionally lovely images. What informs your design aesthetic? Are there certain details that you look for?

Wow, thank you! That’s very kind of you to say! It’s hard to pin point really, but I’m usually drawn to spaces that are bright, happy, comfortable, and effortlessly chic.

You also have a shop where you sell beautiful throw pillows. What made you decide to open an online shop, and how did you select pillows as your primary stock?

Good question! Well like many twenty-something-year-olds I’ve slowly been carving out and refining my path, figuring out what’s the best fit for me and what direction I want to go in. As I brainstormed what things I wanted try my hand at, I thought about how I always wanted to have my own product based business. As a little kid, I used to make little curiosities out of whatever I could find in the house, and then set up shop in the living room and sell them to family members. In elementary school I used to make and sell pen-necklaces to classmates, that is, before I got in trouble for selling at school -oops! In high school I had the idea of creating stylish laptop cases and made a few prototypes. Unfortunately at the time, however, I didn’t have the resources to fully follow through and make it a successful endeavor, but I was left with that entrepreneurial spirit.

In college I fully intended to major in entrepreneurship, however UCLA didn’t offer that as a major and so I went with what I thought was the next closest thing to that instead – Economics. I ended up realizing that the Economics major wasn’t exactly what I thought it would be, and so I turned my focus in a different direction. I decided to major in Sociology and concurrently also study Real Estate Appraisal (property valuation) and Interior Design (I couldn’t pick just one!). After I graduated and had to get a job, I went the Appraisal route. After working a few years in that industry though, I decided that while I was good at it and liked some aspects of it, it wasn’t really my passion. So I turned to Interior Design, which is what has led me to where I am today.

As I’ve immersed myself in everything decor related, I’ve developed a love for beautiful designer fabrics and knew I just had to create a career for myself in which I would get to work with and be surrounded by them everyday. When I started to connect the dots, that’s when the a-ha happened. A product-based interior design related business involving beautiful fabrics….hmm…..pillows! Having a mother who had previously worked from home as a seamstress for many years, I actually already had access to all the right equipment, so it was a perfect fit! Funnily enough, the business has actually also allowed me to utilize a lot of the skills I’ve learned through working in property valuation, – how to research, analyze, organize data, create forecasts, etc.

What inspires you to be productive when all you want to do is stay in bed?

I don’t keep a regular Monday-Friday 9-5 work schedule. One of the things I love about being an entrepreneur is having the ability to work with my natural rhythms. There are definitely mornings when for whatever reason I just feel like taking it easy and being lazy. If there’s nothing pressing that absolutely needs to get done, I allow myself to do just that, keeping in mind of course, that tasks on my to-do list won’t magically complete themselves, they’ll just need to be moved over to a later time or date. Doing work I enjoy though, definitely minimizes those “oh-no-it’s-morning-I-have-to-work-but-I-don’t-wanna” days. There have been times in which I’ve woken up super early because I was so excited about getting started on a particular project or idea, or days in which I’m so immersed in my work that I happily keep going and going for hours on end….

What one thing or area are you most proud of how you organize?

Hmm… I really love how I’ve organized the dry goods in my kitchen. I have them in labeled clear containers lined up in a cabinet. It’s actually helped me eat healthier because it reminds me of all the different non-obvious grains/legumes I can cook with: quinoa, black rice, garbanzos, lentils, etc. I’ll share photos of it on the blog some time soon!

What one thing or area are you most embarrassed by/ would like to change?

My pillow “studio.” Right now it hasn’t reached its potential yet. The business is still very new so I haven’t invested too much on pieces for the space. I’ve just borrowed from other rooms, working with what I have. I’ll slowly transform it, little by little, as I figure out what I do and don’t need in there, where things should go, and how best to store everything.

Favorite piece of advice or wisdom to pass on to others?

I love this quote from Alexandra Stoddard: “Slow down, don’t worry, don’t hurry, trust the process.” I think this is a great reminder for all of us who are in a rush to have everything perfectly figured out, stressing out when things right now aren’t the way they’re “supposed to be”, and thinking “I’ll be happy when _______” – not appreciating the present moment. We have to trust that at any given moment we are likely exactly where we should be, even if it doesn’t make sense at the time, learning the lessons we’re supposed to, gaining the skills that we need for our own unique life.

What is your definition of either beauty, organization or simplicity?

Simplicity, or living simply to me is removing all the clutter from our lives, both physical and mental, and having in it only the things that make it a little easier, happier, and healthier.

*Last photo via Virginia Galvez, all other photos courtesy of Arianna Belle

I’m not quite sure how it happens, but you sign up for one Glamour Magazine give-away, and the next thing you know your inbox is overflowing with messages like, “Expedia: Fly anywhere for free!” or “Career Builder: We found just the job for you in Bengal!”

So here are your options:

1. Allow the over-bearing cyberlord spammers to move in and clog up your precious inbox.

2. Give in by changing your email address altogether, thus setting yourself up to repeat the same cycle in approximately 3-5 months.

3. Nip the message in the send button by giving these Clutter barons the axe the first time.

(This is a trick, the first two are not acceptable options, nice try.)

Make it a steadfast habit to immediately unsubscribe yourself from any newsletter or spammy emails you don’t wish to receive. Be careful when doing so; the goal is obviously to keep you subscribed, so companies often make it tricky to do so. Be sure you have clicked the option that says “Unsubscribe me from all emails.” If they send you a follow-up email confirming your new unsubscribed status? You follow through and click the link to confirm! Does this take an extra ~7o seconds? Yes. Will those few extra clicks be worth it? YES. Even if your inbox is already filled with over 17,000 spam emails, it is never too late to begin doing this. Even if you unsubscribe from five, that’s five less EVERY DAY.

So today I’m assigning you homework. Go into your inbox and find five email lists to unsubscribe from. Choose the five that are at the top of your bursting inbox, or the five you know send you the most emails, but pick five. Seriously. Do it.

Bonus points to anyone who leaves a comment telling us your Unsubscribe Five.

*Please note, there are services available such as Unroll.me, which removes your email address from most mailing lists in one step. I wanted to put that on your radar, though I can’t personally attest to the quality or effectiveness of these types of services. If you have used Unroll.me or something similar, please share your experience via the comment bar.

Image Credits: A Beach Cottage, MadebyGirl, Decor8Blog

In the kitchen

Glass jars can be used to hold snacks and small kitchen accouterments such as tea bags, paper baking cups, and measuring spoons on countertops, and supplies like flour and sugar in pantries.

In the bathroom

Use glass jars for the small items you like to have on hand, such as cotton balls, q-tips, soaps, and combs.

In the craft room

Glass jars are perfect for storing small craft supplies like stamps and threads. Poke a hole in the top of a jar for an easy yarn holder, which will make knitting a breeze, or make a sewing-kit-in-a-jar by adding a built-in pin cushion on top.

At the kid’s table

Glass jars are a great way to keep all those loose crayons, markers, and other drawing supplies neat. And best of all, children can easily put them back in the jar when they’re finished. Goodbye, excuses for not cleaning up.

At your desk

Fill your jars with all those stray office supplies like paper clips, staples, erasers, pens and pencils. You can easily hang them below a shelf to save on space by simply screwing the lids into the shelf. Or you can make them more pleasant to look at by painting them any color of your choosing.

In the garage/ at the workbench

Loose screws, bits, and bolts feel right at home in glass jars. (Feel free to keep them right-side up…)

For the flowers

Finally, glass jars can easily be repurposed into vases. Painting not required.

I have also frequently seen glass jars used as candle holders, drinking glasses, and piggy banks. How have you used glass jars?

Image Credits: BHG.com x3, Restoration Hardware, Martha Stewart, Creating Keepsakes Blog, HomemadeSimple.com, Martha Stewart, Apartment Therapy, Country Living, Kootut Murut, HomemadeSimple.com, Martha Stewart

I’m well familiar with the first part of this quote, as I’m sure you are. But I have to admit I only just stumbled upon the full version. When I did, I found it resonated so strongly with me that I just had to share it with you all. I hope you have success this week in “designing purpose-filled lives.” ‘Til next time duckies!

Image credit unknown

Display

When young Renoir toddles home from school with his latest masterpiece, you will most likely wish to display it. The rule is this: there must be a cap on the number of artworks displayed at any given time. This decision should be based upon how many children are in your family, and how large of a space you have to work with. Artwork is displayed for, let’s say, a week, two weeks, a month, at which point it is to be taken down and replaced with the latest commissioned pieces. You’ll want to choose a display method that allows you to easily make this swap.

Short-term storage

The retired art should be collected in a box, bin or tray of some sort, labeled with the child’s name and grade. Everything that comes off of the gallery wall should be dated and then immediately placed into this bin.

The edit

So here’s where it gets sticky as sentimentalism collides with organization. I’m just going to come out and say this, so prepare yourselves: you cannot keep every single piece of artwork your darling angel makes. If you try to, you will end up with a mound of paper so deep that to admire these things later on will require an all out expedition. A manageable amount of artwork will allow you to see a child’s progress over time. A mass of projects will be extremely difficult to keep neat, meaning that it will turn into a giant jumble of indistinguishable scribbles.

To keep the collection under control, conduct an edit of the artwork with your child. This can either be done at the end of every month, or at the end of the school year. Choose just one or two pieces from each month that you want to save. Your child should, if they are old enough to know their toes from their canvas, be an active participant in this process. This means: honor and respect the artist’s integrity by keeping the artwork they choose.

Swallow down the anxious and guilt-ridden lump in your throat and RECYCLE the pieces that don’t make the cut. It will be okay – there will be much more to come, I promise.

Long-term storage

You can either choose to simply keep the edited collection in the short-term holding bin, or you may wish to use an alternative storage method such as an art portfolio, or a filing system. Just be careful that grade years and children remain distinguished.

Tech alternative

As an alternative, you can immortalize your prodigy’s work by digitizing it. Scan and upload artwork onto your computer, or take pictures of it. This will allow you to save the images without having to actually store them in your home. Once you’ve done this, you can use the images to make a book or a compact collage.

At the very least, I recommend going the tech route when it comes to larger projects. Snap a pic of a 2-foot macaroni village creation and you instantly relieve yourself of having to figure out how to store it for all of eternity. You can then place the picture of the project in the appropriate bin or file.

Image Credits: Jan Eleni Interiors, Apartment Therapy, Dynamic Frames, House Beautiful, Martha Stewart, Elle Decor, The Container Store, Martha Stewart, Real Simple, Jan Eleni Interiors    

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Step 1. The lady will need to dump all her makeup items out of whatever container they’re currently in. Instruct her to lay a towel down, and spread out all the various products.

Step 2. The next step is to sort the makeup into categories. She should place all mascaras with mascaras, eye shadows with eye shadows, etc, so that she can see what she actually owns.

Step 3. She’ll have to have guts here: throw away any and all products that haven’t been used in the past 6-12 months, anything that’s broken, missing a top, or like totally last season. When she resists, which she likely will, remind her of the great amount of bacteria which accumulates on makeup products after they’ve far exceeded their expiration dates. This will give her the motivation she needs to eagerly utilize her trash can.

Step 4: What makes the cut should be further sorted. Instruct the lady that she should separate out the items she uses on a daily basis from special occasion makeup. Among the essentials should be: mascara, foundation, concealer, blush/bronzer, eyeliner, lip gloss/ lip stick, and their respective brushes.

Step 5: The lady must clean her brushes. She may use a brush cleaner, or simply some warm water and a little shampoo. Reshape the brushes, and then allow them to dry overnight. This process should be repeated once a week or once every two weeks. Okay, fine, if she’s exceptionally busy, she can clean her brushes once a month. Any longer, and you can inform the lady that she is repugnant.

Step 6. The makeup can now be placed into whatever receptacle the lady chooses, keeping in mind that everyday makeup should remain separated from specialty colors and products. This will prevent her from having to dig through her whole collection each morning.

She may like to keep the makeup used daily on the counter, while lesser used items may be stowed away with drawer dividers.

Alternatively, the entire makeup kit may be kept in a drawer, with the everyday products placed at the front, and the specialty items at the back of the drawer.

If she has many products by the same brand, the lady may want to keep her compacts upside down, so that she can easily read the label and find the color she wants.

She should also keep brushes upright or flat in order their maintain their shape.

Step 7: She should maintain her newfound makeup organization by regularly disposing and replacing items as needed, (liquid and cream foundation, concealer = 6-12 months, pressed power, blush, eye shadow = 1 year, mascara= 3 months, lip stick/ lip gloss, eye and lip pencil = 2 years) wiping clean the outside of compacts and the lining of whatever container she uses to hold her makeup every so often, and showing her brushes constant TLC.

A lady whose makeup is as beautifully kept as her face? Now that’s a real lady.

Image credits: totalbeauty.com, www.fashionhandbagsy.com, wantwantwant.wordpress.com, blog.kuzakscloset.com, Real Simple, MadebyGirl.blogspot.com, StyleatHome.com, Martha Stewart, VanityFair.com, Vogue

Melanie is considered to be the closet designer to the stars, having worked with countless celebrities including Eva Longoria, Julianna Margulies, Michael Jordan, and countless others around the world. She has been featured in Vogue, InStyle, People, Town and Country, and Forbes, just to name a few. Melanie has also designed a line of storage solution products called “Clos-ette Too,” and written the closet guide book “Shop Your Closet: The Ultimate Guide to Organizing Your Closet with Style.”

Today, Melanie shares with us her approach to organizing, some closet tips, and how she feels about her work. Read it, love it!

Organizing a person’s closet is really very intimate work. Not only are people allowing you access into their private world, but they are doing so from a position of vulnerability. They are showing you a space in their home that they may not feel proud of, that they need help with. As an organizer, what has this experience been like for you?

As an organizational designer (we are not truly just organizers) I so enjoy the experience of getting to know each individual client and customizing a program and method which works for them. It’s problem solving, and puzzles you figure out each piece by piece. I love it.

You launched Clos-ette in 2002, meaning you’ve been at this officially for a decade now. How has your approach to organizing evolved over the years?

Well, we truly go at our designs from a mathematical approach, combined with that geometry is the X factor of the architecture of the home or space and the wardrobe. That has become so much more defined and refined over the years simply by so many projects and so much experience. We have now officially designed more than 500 closets.

You were quoted in a New York Post article as having said that the idea for Clos-ette came together during a phone call over lunch one day when Vogue asked to profile your company that wasn’t yet in existence. You told them you’d call them back, and promptly scribbled down the company name and logo on a restaurant napkin. Two months later, Vogue had a legitimate company to profile. How were you able to pull off launching Clos-ette in that short time period, and how do you feel now as you look back on how it all came together?

All I can think is it was like that song Eminem sings. I knew I needed to take a shot here and I needed to just do it…it didn’t magically come together. It took a lot of hard work and of course some luck! I’m so glad I didn’t think it through too much and I just dove in though, that is my personality and in this situation it worked out really well. I’m a serious doer. Probably why I married a thinker.

In your book, “Shop Your Closet: The Ultimate Guide to Organizing Your Closet with Style,” you introduce “The Ten Commandments of Hanging,” which include “Thou shalt banish wire hangers from thy closet,” “Thou shalt have matching hangers,” “Thou shalt color code,” and “Thou shalt not hang thy clothes with strangers.” These are all ways to, in your words, “merchandise” your clothing. What have you found to be so effective about this approach?

It is a conditioning system, very similar to a diet regimen that works, like Atkins or Dukan Diet. You give a client an easy system, one that works and they practice and use and they become organized.

Which of your ten commandments do people most struggle to abide by, and what do you think it is about that particular commandment that makes it difficult to obey?

Thou Shalt not hang clothes with strangers. People just get lazy about separating and putting like with like. It needs to become a habit to hang shirts with shirts, pants with pants, suits with suits and so on.

Similarly, what single commandment is most effective for transforming a person’s closet?

Thou shalt have matching hangers!!! An instant makeover! Having the same style hanger helps with the uniformity of your closet and allows all your clothing to hang in the same manner.

You love to use the term “edit” to describe the act of purging items from a closet. Can you share why you think that term is fitting?

Like an editor for a fashion mag serves her magazine with her best curated version of collections, an edit of one’s personal wardrobe can transform a closet and make it merchandised and shop-able!

You seem to know the importance and benefit of keeping your possessions pared down to the essentials, yet your work brings you into contact with people who, presumably, have some pretty elaborate closets. How do you reconcile this?

I do edits with these clients, get into their psyche and figure out what they need their edited closet to be. When I do private client work I get the opportunity to do a VERY custom set of rules for that individual.

What’s the most memorable closet conundrum you’ve ever solved?

Figuring out how to organize the costumes of a performer. Usually a musical performer is always a big challenge or a vintage collector who wants to have a half functional closet and half display!

Someone who has devoted their lives to perfecting other people’s closets must have a killer closet of her own. What features of your own closet do you particularly love?

I love my Clos-ette too Signature blue hangers available at www.clos-ettetoo.com. I love the color blue and I love the way they look against my teal colored closet! I also love my clos-ette by nanz hardware in brass…available at www.nanz.com_ AMAZING!

What’s your favorite piece of advice or wisdom to pass on to others?

Don’t be lazy. Organized closets and great style takes practice and condition. Work the ten commandants and you will have the closet of your dreams!

Are you drooling over your keyboard or is that just me? I think Melanie is dead on when she says laziness is what stands between you and an organized closet. What’s your favorite take-away?

*photo 7 via decorpad.com, 8 via New York Post, 9 via decorpad.com, all over photos courtesy of Clos-ette

I should note that my decision to disclose inside information on these two particular items doesn’t point to their vast inferiority in relation to other products. These aren’t the two most abominable products ever to be manufactured. They are simply the two that have been on my mind lately. Alright, without further ado, the Don’t Buy Me’s:

Canvas hanging shelves

The promise: An inexpensive way to add additional shelving to your closets.

The truth: They are, in fact, inexpensive. As in cheap. In my experience, these wannabe shelves stay flat for as long as they remain unused. Put them to your purpose and their “reinforced” bottoms will quickly begin to sag. Hanging there in midair, they are also likely to tip and sway, making it difficult to retrieve or replace anything without upsetting most of the other items nestled a few “shelves” down.

What if I already own these? First, don’t feel like a doofus. You had good intentions when you purchased these. But you were (a little bit) deceived. Make the most of the canvas hanging shelves you’re stuck with by only stocking them with lightweight items. This will delay the whole sagging process described above.

The take-away: Canvas shelves just aren’t the real deal, and your clothes will know the difference, especially when they end up falling onto the floor. I say you’re better off just shelling out for some actual shelves.

Scarf Hanger

The promise: keeps your scarves organized. Has lots of holes for lots of scarves. Whoopee!

The truth: Ok, so these aren’t actually a bad buy at all. They will do just what they promise. I’m putting these under the “waste of money” category because they simply aren’t necessary. If you’ve got the cash, then sure, go ahead and splurge. If you don’t, don’t fret. You do not need a special hanger for your scarves. You can just as easily hang scarves sans holes. All you need to do is tie your scarf in a neat little knot on your average hanger. (Hold the scarf up to your hanger. Make a loop with your scarf by folding it in half. Bring the two ends up and through the loop, knotting over the hanger. Pull, et voila!)

What if I already own this? Hang your scarves up, hooray!

The take-away: This a functional product, just not a necessary one. I say save your pennies for a latte.

Of course these are only my humble opinions. If you hold that canvas shelves are the best thing since The Container Store we can still be friends. I’m just trying to look out for you, my little pups, ok?

Image credits: Real Simple, The Container Store, California Closets, Hanger-manufacturers.com, Real Simple, Organizingmadefun.blogspot.com

As the gods of love and hallmark smile upon us, I’m sure your day will consist of frolicking to and fro delivering and receiving affirmations of devotion. After you’ve finished handing out all your home-made V-day love notes, you’ll no doubt want to put your craft supplies away in a tidy and organized fashion. Here, my red roses, is how:

Step 1. Gather together all your craft supplies.

Step 2: Group like with like so that you can see what you’ve really got; glue with glue, paint with paint, and on.

Step 3: Sort through each category and evaluate whether the items are worth keeping. The first things to go are damaged goods. This includes paints and glues that are dried up, papers or stickers that are crumpled or wrinkled, fabrics, ribbons or thread that are faded or discolored.

Crafting supplies are an exception to the general rule of organizing because spare scraps are still sometimes legal Keeps. Even with that being said, there is still a line at which three inches of mohair yarn is just, well, three inches of mohair yarn. Stray project remains can sometimes be reused, but often are project specific, and don’t score well in versatility. When dealing with such supplies, be careful not to get sucked too far into the “but I could use it someday” trap. Ask yourself, “Will I really use this in a future project?” “How many different projects could it be used for?” Be honest with your answers, and feel great about tossing whatever fails the test.

Step 4: Assign a home. You’ll want to take into consideration how many craft supplies you have, how serious a crafter you are, and how much space you have to work with. The main goal regardless should be to make your supplies easy to get to and easy to find. That way you’ll know what you have, and actually use what you’ve got. So now, the real estate:

Pegboards are a great solution for craft supplies because they are customizable, take up minimal space, and make everything very visible.

You can achieve similar results with a cupboard or small shelves.

If sewing is your thing, then a peg rack is your best bet.

And if stickers are your bag of tricks, then try a file system of some type. A recipe box can work well to keep stickers sorted by occasion and type.

Paper scraps are especially difficult to keep neat. An optimal solution is a binder or portfolio. You can sort by size, by color, by pattern, etc.

Finally, tackle boxes are another great way to keep track of small, loose items.

Hopefully these ideas will help you tame your craft collection once and for all. The better ordered your supplies, the better your crafts will turn out. Unless, you know, you’re just really sucky at crafts, in which case I guess you’re out of luck either way.

Image credits: unknown, acreativemint.typepad.com, Country Living, bhg.com, alkemie.blogspot.com, bhg.com x5, HGTV.com