Studio organisation is a process of evolution. What worked well when I first set it up in October last year needs some tweaking and re-organising now, and some of my storage systems need re-purposing. At the time I didn't bring all my supplies into the new studio, only what I was actually using. That was such a good move as I haven't touched any of that stuff and it's not taking up valuable studio storage space. But on the other hand, I've realised that if it's out of sight, it's also out of mind so in an effort to make what I already have in the studio more accessible I'm tackling the organising monster again!
And just as my studio is a constantly evolving space, so are my storage needs. My bead drawers are a great example of this. You've seen them before in this post and this one. They worked quite well when my collection consisted of only a few strands of beads, a dozen or so packs of loose beads, some bottles and tubs of glass bead mixes and a selection of findings in different coloured metals. But now that my collection has expanded, I need a new way to store them so that I can see what I have. My husband to the rescue!
Last weekend he spoiled me with a new storage cabinet in kit form which will house all my loose beads and plain coloured 12 x 12 papers. Lucky girl to have such a thoughtful husband! So Sunday's task was to assemble and fill it. It's a Mini Stackable from the BEST™ Craft Organizer range.
Having assembled a number of pieces of Ikea furniture over the years I'm now quite a deft hand at assembling flat-pack furniture and this piece was a breeze to put together because of its simple construction: back, sides, top and bottom all fit easily into place using simple cam bolts. Next, pop the runners in place............. 
slide in the drawers and paper racks, place the bead trays inside......
and fill it up - so much fun! In no time I was sorting my beads.
Oh, how much prettier they look and now that I can actually see what I have, I am more likely to use them! I've now also freed up some space inside other cabinets that can be better utilised to store more bulky items.No doubt I'll need additional units to accommodate my ever-expanding collection of beads and findings down the track. But that's the great thing about modular units: you can always add to them or rearrange them as your needs change.
And that, I think, is the key ingredient to a studio that functions well: versatility. Being able to re-purpose and re-use storage is essential to staying organised so that time is spent crafting instead of organising.
'Til next time.....
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