Organizing arts and crafts supplies.

Over the past few years our arts and crafts supplies have grown into a big unorganized mess. I had been using two baskets to hold all the paint, glue, brushes, scissors, etc. etc. etc.
Every time the boys wanted something we'd go searching through the baskets hoping that whatever we were looking for wasn't way down at the bottom.

I loved the idea of storing everything on the back of a door like I'd shared at the end of this post in January.

I emptied all the supplies out onto the counter then started sorting and tossing anything that was no longer usable. I was shocked to discover 6 boxes of colored pencils and enough glue to supply a small preschool. Since I could never find anything in those baskets, I'd just keep buying more. So wasteful.

I decided to use an over the door shoe organizer with clear pockets. It works perfectly. Now everything is organized, visible, and accessible.

Markers and crayons are in jars at the kitchen desk.

Items too large to fit into pockets, like coloring books, writing paper, and activity books, went into a lower cabinet in the laundry room.

Now when the boys need something they know exactly where it is and can even get it themselves. Organization is an amazing thing!