One of the reasons I went with three dressers as the base of the desk in the studio was for the ample storage the nine drawers would provide.
My mom has a great desk setup in her house using filing cabinets as the base. I was tempted to go that direction until I remembered I don’t use files. Ryan is the bill-doer and file-keeper in our family and he has a great filing cabinet in his office (see a sneak peek here) for all the important paperwork.
What I really needed was space for all my stuff. Craft supplies, stationery, fabric, ribbon, art necessities, office-y things.
I had no idea I was such a hoarder of these goods until I unpacked box after box. I have a real collecting problem, you guys.
Many have asked what exactly are in those drawers and how I organized it all. Well, today’s the day. I’m opening up the drawers to reveal what’s inside.
Before I started loading everything in, I grabbed a bunch of organization containers – various sizes of seagrass baskets, bamboo boxes and clear storage bins.
These drawers are fairly large (33″ x 17″ x 6″) and separate storage containers were key in keeping like items corralled and organized.
Let’s take a peek inside, starting with the center bank of drawers:
The top drawer holds the most frequently used items like pencils, tape, note cards and envelopes.
The middle drawer is filled with crafty things I use semi-regularly. Letter stamps + ink pads, hole punches, erasers, wire, paper clips, push pins and many, many labels and tags.
The bottom, deeper drawer is where my workout gear is conveniently kept. I love having the space to work out at home and it makes it easy to have my mat, weights and towel easily accessible.
On the right side, the drawers look like this:
Art supplies like watercolors, brushes, calligraphy pens, ink and paper, and a set of good markers that I don’t share with my kids are at the ready for when creativity strikes.
The second and third drawers hold more craft and sewing supplies stored in clear plastic bins.
The bottom drawers are a bit deeper and two bins stacked fit perfectly.
On the left side, the drawers look like this:
More craft things like yarn, pom pom makers, a million twist ties (why do I have so many? I can not say except that they are black and white striped and I must have bought them wholesale and can’t bring myself to get rid of them because someday I’ll need a thousand twist ties, I just know it), other assorted embellishments.
The second drawer down fits regularly used ribbon and tissue paper for wrapping.
I have a serious thing for ribbon (among other things, clearly) and still have three more bins of ribbon to figure out what to do with.
The bottom drawer is a catch-all for now holding extra notebooks, a stack of papers I don’t know what to do with and some shipping supplies. My sister does all of our actual shipping from her home office – someday I should show you her setup! – but it is nice to have a few packaging supplies just in case.
The best part about having the drawers organized is that now I know where everything is, it makes finding and putting things away easy and I am happy every time I open up a drawer and see how orderly it looks.
Just one more little way to add beauty to the everyday.
Did you cut the legs off the dressers? If so, was it an easy or difficult process?
Ryan cut them off with a skillsaw. It was not hard at all!
Can you tell me where this chair is from? I’m searching for a new office chair and love this leather looking one! Thanks!
The leather office chair is from west elm. Here is the link: http://rstyle.me/~9v2U7
Question: Where did you get the drawers? I love them!
The dressers are from Ikea: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90360413/
Organized crafts are my weakness. I could just stare at your photos all day! Great tips. I love your space!
The space is really turning out nice. I saw this and thought it looked like something you would use somewhere in your home.
https://www.worldmarket.com/product/adler-glass-wall-ledge.do?sortby=ourPicksAscend&page=2&from=fn#customerReviews
Just in case.
I am currently doing a big clean out/declutter/reorganisation in both my office and craft rooms one shelf at a time, it needs it after 14 years of chaos. I sew, hand knit, machine knit, weave and bead and things have gotten crazily out of control. Thank you for some great ideas on how to get myself reorganised with storage systems that will work with my current shelving system.
Your organized drawers make me so very happy! I am an organizer at heart. My poor dear husband can never find his belongings because when I am bored I rearrange and reorganize!
I know when you originally planned this area that your husband was supposed to share the space with you. So my question (now that the space is all yours) is which chair do you sit in?? I am a creature of habit and one of those chairs would inevitably end up worn down while the other stayed beautiful and new lol.
I LOVE that you showed this! I’m a creative that loves to make special tags and notes (amongst other things) for teachers and neighbors and friends whenever the feeling strikes — so I hoard all the bits and pieces that could ever possibly be cute or helpful. I can’t stand it when I see an article on Pinterest that says “how I organize my huge washi/tag/ribbon/fill in with whatever supply collection” and I click over to see an organized shoe box! This is super helpful and realistic so thank you for the real life pictures and inspiration.
You are definitely inspiring me for when I move my studio! And putting your workout gear in a deep drawer like that is brilliant! I never would have thought of it. I was thinking it would be cool to make a wreath with all of those twist ties too!
You so inspired me to organize my art studio….I’m a mess! It really starts with good storage furniture.
So many supplies, so limited time.
Enjoy your beautifully organized space.
Creation begins here!
So many supplies, so limited time, at least it’s organized.
Be happy and enjoy your space.
So inspiring! Absolutely love what you are doing with the space! With the sun finally shining here today, I feel like doing some Spring Organizing…may have to start with the drawers!
May I ask where you purchased your drawers, I am trying to get my sewing craft room organized, but it seems quite difficult.
I love the simple and clean lines of you desk area.
Thank you for sharing all you great ideas
Paula
Very nice to see your drawers. As for the twist ties, hold on to them. Every time I have finally decided to get rid of something kind cool or different that I have not used, I regret it shortly after.
My Ikea desk has 5 drawers on each side, they are not as wide as yours, but the 3 bottom drawers on each side are deeper and the two top are still nice depth but not as deep. It works out really well. I did not think I had enough to fill them but sadly I could not get everything in. Oh and I too have the markers like you do (Pentel Arts color pens, 24 count set) and a calligraphy drawer, a writing drawer, a reading drawer, a yarn / sewing drawer, amongst others.
Thanks for posting all this. We always see specific materials for a project, but never the infinite supplies required to just “whip something up.” Makes me feel so much better that other gals have as much stuff as I do despite their picture perfect houses:) love seeing the background parts of a blog life, it really slaps my quest for perfectionism in the face and sends me flying back into reality, so thank you:)
Oh yes all of these things. I hoard craft supplies and come from a long line of “wreath supply closet” women. My mother had an entire room of supplies for whenever the mood hit to make a wreath, stamp some potato print wrapping paper or deck the halls with some Christmas. I am her daughter through and through. Now I need some of these gorgeous deep drawers to make it all look pretty! Nice job!!
My heart seriously fluttered seeing all of this. I have a nook in our kitchen that is my desk/the family craft supply station and right now it’s a couple of tables (one of them folding!) some hanging shelves and a rolling cart. It’s time to upgrade to at least one dresser. Thanks for the inspiration! (unfortunately, I don’t think there are any to inherit for my Heirloom Chic house…but maybe an antique store can hook my up…)