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8 Useful Tips to Keep a Well-Organized Art Studio

6/15/2018

37 Comments

 
Art Studio Organization Tips
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Do you struggle with keeping your art studio as clean and organized as you'd like? Do you wonder how so many artists/creatives manage to keep their working spaces so neat and tidy? Have you ever found the mess around you demotivating to the point that it affects your productivity levels?


Though the act of creating art can (and sometimes downright should) imply making some sort of mess, this doesn't mean we should be okay with our studios being in a constant state of chaos.

​Of course, people's tolerance levels towards disorganization vary immensely, but our studios are an extension of ourselves and our work, and should be treated as such. 


Personally, I like to work in an environment that inspires me to create and helps me be as productive as possible every-single-day. My artwork is important to me (and I hope that your artwork is important to you as well), and staying as organized as possible ensures that it is going to be protected and accessible. 

In their article How to Design the Ultimate Craft Room (for Beginners) the pros from porch.com explain the benefits of having a craft room at home, and provide lots of tips to consider if you're just about to get started with creating your own!



I really enjoy learning tips and tricks from other creatives, and Ali from Cut, Cut, Craft ( www.cutcutcraft.com ) was super helpful to share some ideas with us in the following post! 

Enjoy!


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8 Ways to get (and stay) organized

by Ali Fields
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​Hey guys and gals! It’s Ali here from Cut, Cut, Craft! (www.cutcutcraft.com) with some practical and creative ideas on how you can keep your studio organized in order to make the best art you can.

In Erika’s own words, "the environment that surrounds us impacts our mood and creativity". Read her blog post titled How I Find Inspiration as an Artist and Some Ideas to Keep You Going.
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This is true for the people you surround yourself with, as well as the sorts of art and entertainment you consume. But it is especially valid in your own art studio, the very place you want to be free to act on your creativity to produce wonderful creations.

If your space is cluttered and disorganized, your mind will spend precious resources distracted by the mess. It will take you extra time to find materials to get started on a new project. Your aim should be to lower the activation energy needed to create art.

​Spend some effort on organizing your space, so it’s easy for you to dive in when inspiration strikes!


I’ll go through some general tips on how to get your art studio in working order, and give you specific ideas on how to implement each of them.

​Let's get into the tips!

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1. Purge your supplies (and donate them)
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The first step in organizing your art space should actually be getting rid of all the stuff you don’t need or won’t ever use. You probably know if you have some hoarding tendencies, in which case you’ll have to spend some extra effort to actually acknowledge that you don’t need all those styrofoam spheres.

But don’t just toss any good markers and paints that aren’t getting use! Donate them! There are so many places that are happy to receive donated arts and crafts supplies: elementary and preschools, YMCAs, community centers, women’s shelters, churches, art centers, etc.

It’s best to donate locally.

So just do a quick Google search, “where to donate art supplies [your city/town/county name]” to find locations nearby.

Make sure that the supplies you donate can actually be used! Dried up paint and crusty paint brushes aren’t useful for anyone. So when you are purging your art supplies, you’ll need at least two piles: one for trash and one to donate.


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2. Use containers for writing, drawing, and painting instruments

Art supplies organization
Photo by DevilsApricot. Click on photo to go to original source at Pixabay.com.

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There’s no need to spend loads of cash on fancy decorative bins.

You can use tin cans and mason jars to store pens, pencils, markers, and paintbrushes (and decorate them yourself if you want). I personally like to use the $1 metal buckets from Target, but they aren’t always in stock.

You can also find all sorts of neat containers at dollar stores and thrift shops. These sorts of open containers make sure your tools are always visible and easily accessible.


Make sure to have enough containers that you can actually sort all your creative instruments with plenty of space. This way you don’t have to work to cram pens into overstuffed mugs or spend time trying to find just the right marker.

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3. Have a designated place to store your works in progress
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Some people are only working on one project at a time. Others have six or twelve different things that are waiting to be completed.

​Regardless, you should always be able to clear off your work surface, and also protect your work from accidental damage, which means you need to have a place to put your WIP.


This is easiest for 2D art. If you have any adjustable shelving, make a short shelf or two, just a couple inches high, that are always kept clear so you can place your work there. There are also flat plastic ArtBins that are useful for keeping dust, lint, and hair off your work.

For 3D projects, a container on a larger shelf will work. I actually like to use the top bucket-shelf of the rolling Ikea trolley. (It’s called Raskog if you want to check it out.) For larger pieces, I’ll usually place projects up high on top of shelves so my kids don’t wander past and touch something delicate that needs a day or two to set.

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4. Take advantage of vertical storage


​I know a lot of us are cramped for space. Maybe you only have a corner, instead of an entire room to use for creative purposes. In that case, vertical storage will absolutely be your new best friend. Use all the height you can!

Install shelves, cubbies, or racks that go all the way up to the ceiling. (But make sure to have a sturdy step stool so you can actually reach things at the top.)


I’m also a really big fan of pegboards for taking advantage of walls as storage, without protruding as far as shelves do. Yeah, the sort you’ll see at discount stores or maybe covering a wall of your pop’s garage.

​They are super useful for hanging tools and buckets, but you’ll need the right accessories: straight and curved pegboard hooks. You can also get pegboard kit, with a great variety of hanging devices.

​It’s all super affordable and available at any big hardware store.



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​5. Use bins and boxes for larger items
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Okay, so you have shelves, cubbies, or racks and finally have all these spaces to put your supplies away.

Don’t just make sloppy piles of materials! Those shelves will quickly become a black hole of lost utility.


Create separate containers for different sorts of materials and tools. Or group together all the supplies for a type of project, so your watercolor paints, brushes, and paper are all in a single box for easy use.

Plastic shoe boxes are an affordable option, and they only cost a couple bucks each.
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Best watercolor and drawing tutorials
Check out my FREE Patreon-exclusive tutorial and class samples here.

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Photo by Daria Shevtsova. Click on photo to go to original source at Pixabay.com.

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​6. Hang your storage


Yes, I love to hang things! It’s incredibly flexible storage you can rearrange as you see fit, which is great if you’re like me and maybe switch to a different art mode every few months.

So past pegboards, which I mentioned above, another of my favorites is using towel rods or curtain rods. You can find affordable ones at Ikea, or pick some up at a hardware store. I use S-hooks to hang buckets with supplies.

You can also hang string or wire across a wall, and use clothespins to display some of your work! It’s easy to rotate out what you are looking at, as the mood strikes.

Another option for hanging storage would be over-the-door storage. No shame in repurposing a hanging shoe rack to hold things like cans of spray paint or skeins of yarn.

Smaller over-the-door organizers are great for pens, markers, glues, and paint as well.



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7. Label your containers
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This one is big and was a total game-changer for me.

Before I started meticulously labeling my containers, my organization system would quickly decay the first time I was in a hurry to put everything away and just shoved supplies into whatever bin looked like it had enough space. “I can always reorganize it again later,” I thought.

Which I would have to do. Over and over again.


By labeling all your storage containers, you not only know where to find everything, you can also easily tell where to put everything away. Miraculously, all my pens and papers and ribbons and tapes now actually stay separated and useful.

And hey, labels can also be super fun to make! So take some time and make a pretty project out of it.


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​8. Once it's clean, keep it clean
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Once you have a system in place for storing all the art supplies and projects you have decided you want to keep, you need to put in a little effort to maintain it.

At the end of the day, or when you are finished working on a project, spend a few minutes to put everything back in its proper spot. Clear off your work surface and put all your pencils or paints back in their spots.


This is time well-spent, and will absolutely save time for your future self (hey future self, have some time!).

Tomorrow, when you sit down to create something, you’ll have space to work and will be able to easily find all the things you want to you.

Best of all, you’ll be more likely to actually make more things, because your creative space will be so much easier to use.

And since it’s so sensible, I’m going to go ahead and crib Erika’s Ben Franklin quote here as well:
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“For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned.”


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​For more ways to save time and be productive, check out Erika's blog post
Time Management for Artists: My Secrets for Staying Consistently Productive. 


Alright, that’s all the organizational advice I have for you today!

​Thanks so much to Erika for letting me share my ideas here. I hope you all find some of these tips helpful for keeping your art space organized and functional.

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I’m sure you guys have all sorts of things you use to organize your own space, so please share them below so we can all benefit!


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​Ali Fields is a crafting geek who writes DIY tutorials and reviews over at Cut, Cut, Craft! Her latest obsession? The Cricut Maker


​Follow her on social media:
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/cutcutcraft
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cutcutcrafting
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cutcutcraft

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​Sending out a huge thank you to Ali for sharing all of these useful ideas with us today! Hope you found it helpful.

Cheers!



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37 Comments
Shirley
6/15/2018 06:21:32 pm

Great tips and useful for everyone, not just artists! I plan on putting a couple of these ideas to use. Thank you!

Reply
Erika Lancaster
6/17/2018 10:26:16 am

Hi Shirley,
I'm happy to hear you found this post useful! Keeping a creative working space organized can definitely be a challenge, but its definitely worth the time invested as it saves time later! :)
Thanks so much for taking time to comment!

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Robin link
6/18/2018 09:05:11 am

I love how this doesn't have to apply to just an art studio! SO many great ideas. I love the hanging basket idea and I'm all for using cute bins and containers to store supplies.

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Erika Lancaster
6/19/2018 09:56:34 am

Hi Robin! So true!
Ali certainly shares some wonderful ideas in this post that I hadn't even thought about incorporating! Now I'm certainly looking into them. :)
Thanks for your comment!

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Vox link
6/18/2018 09:58:44 am

I struggle with hoarding and with keeping my work spaces organized. While I am doing better than in years past, I am hoping that some of your suggestions will help me do even better. Thanks for sharing.

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Erika Lancaster
6/19/2018 09:59:56 am

Hi Vox!
It's a struggle, for sure. And its honestly never going to be perfect (if we ever get there it's probably going to be in that "perfect" state for one day).
What's important is that you've acknowledged the fact that you could be doing better (we all can), and that you're doing your best to create a space that allows for a better creative workflow. :)
All the best to you and thank you so much for your comment!

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Adesina link
1/7/2019 06:51:17 am

Great tips for managing your supplies. An art studio can often be messy at times especially when there is work going on. Thanks for sharing this!

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Erika Lancaster
1/7/2019 07:25:21 am

Hi Adesina,

It certainly can! I'm an expert at getting places messy, but not so much at organization and cleaning. haha
Ali's ideas certainly inspired me to keep things more organized. It's better to spend time with organization, I feel, as it helps me be more inspired and productive. :)

Thanks so much for reading and for taking time to comment!

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SoHoSoleil link
4/3/2019 07:35:24 am

Thanks for the tips! I hope I put these to good use.

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Erika Lancaster link
1/26/2020 08:39:52 pm

Hi, there!

Thanks so much for reading! :)
Wish you a lovely day.

Erika

Reply
Camille Devaux link
4/3/2019 05:25:06 pm

Keeping things clean is a great idea that will make things very easy to store. This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the right help for your project. My sister is thinking about getting art storage and might like knowing this.

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Erika Lancaster
4/8/2019 11:59:06 am

Hi Camille,

I love how staying organized can really help us with our productivity, as well!

Thanks so much for checking out this blog post and taking time to comment. :)

Takce care!

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Adrian Jones link
4/26/2019 01:28:34 am

I like how you mentioned that space where one creates art should be as organized as possible so that it's easier to be able to find certain materials and be able to create right when inspiration strikes. Another thing to consider is that you should also have a place to display any pieces of art that are works in progress should there be a need for any paint to set. If I had the chance to be able to create art then I would definitely want to have enough space to store all the many materials that I would be needing.

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Erika Lancaster
5/1/2019 12:00:31 pm

Hey Adrian,

Hope you're having a fantastic day, so far! :)

That's SO true! As a painter, I need space where I can leave my paintings to dry safely. I'm always running out of space and would love to have more shelves to place them away from dust and cat hair. hah

Thanks so much for visiting and taking time to comment.
Really means the world!

Erika

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cece link
8/18/2019 12:21:24 pm

this is by far the most useful article I found in my quick search on how to organize my studio! thank you so much 🌸

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Erika Lancaster link
1/26/2020 08:40:31 pm

Hi Cece,

Thanks so much for checking this one out. :)
Happy you found some useful nuggets.
Wish you a lovely day!

Erika

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Henry Killingsworth link
12/6/2019 11:03:50 am

I thought it was interesting when you explained that it is important to put in a little effort when trying to keep an art studio clean. It would be interesting to learn more about what kind of things a professional art studio does. I would imagine that they probably do a lot of commission projects for companies that want interior or exterior decorations such as murals.

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Erika Lancaster link
1/26/2020 08:47:15 pm

Hi, Henry!

Thanks so much for checking this post out. :)

The awesome human that wrote this guest post for me is more of a crafter, working with diverse mediums indoors.
I, however, am a working artist that sells oil, acrylic and watercolor paintings. Murals, not so much!

I can say, for myself, I like using tables and shelves as much as possible to keep my paintings safe while drying.

Once they are completely dry, I decide whether I'm going to be hanging them up on my studio walls or anywhere in my home, or store them. If I choose to store them, I cover them loosely with parchment paper and place them in a closed closet, making sure that they can breathe.

In terms of my watercolors and smaller pieces I create on canvasboards, I organize them in a large plastic container.

My studio gets pretty cramped with my work! But it's important to have my paintings readily available and organized for gallery showings and art events.

Hope this gives you an idea of how I get organized!

Thanks again for popping by and have a good one,

Erika

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Matthew Lee link
3/30/2020 03:18:07 pm

Nice post Erika... I need to start with number one.... clearing!
I'm a landscape painter, and I work in "plein air" a lot- usually creating over 100 paintings a year. I'm trying to figure out how to organize them all! I have them on vertical racks. You can see how I typically store them here: https://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=537613. Or Google "art storage rack easy to build" and it should come up.
But now I feel like I need a way to organize them. If someone says do you have any daffodil paintings or paintings of Knoxville or waterfalls- physically sorting through 100's of paintings can be tough! It's one thing to have digital files, I have many of them digitally archived and photographed, but to actually find the real painting .... good luck, haha!! Good problem to have I suppose. Part of the issue is I don't always remember when I painted them. So I can't really sort them all by date. I could maybe sort them by place... I archive my digital files on artworkarchive.com and like them pretty well. Keep it up! BTW what platform is this site on?
Thanks,
Matthew

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Erika Lancaster link
9/21/2021 05:44:24 pm

Hi, Matthew!
Hope you're having a great day. :)
That's amazing that you paint so much! It can certainly be tricky to store all that artwork, while keeping it safe!
It's a lot of work, keeping all of the physical artwork and digital files organized, for sure!
Hope you find a system that works for you, soon.
This site is built on Weebly, which I wouldn't recommend, to be honest. If I could go back, I would have probably used Squarespace.
Thanks so much for reading and taking time to leave a comment.
Have a great day and take good care!

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Amelia link
7/4/2020 12:49:35 am

Vertical storage is very suitable and effective. vertical storage concept is maximize the house space. This is very informative post. thank you for the post.

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Erika Lancaster link
9/21/2021 05:45:36 pm

Hi, Amelia!
Thanks so much for checking out this post. :)
Vertical storage is, indeed, very helpful.
Wish you a great day!

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vinilos link
7/1/2021 02:19:10 pm

Nice post. I was checking constantly this blog and I am impressed! Extremely helpful information specially the last part I care for such info a lot. I was seeking this particular information for a very long time. Thank you and good luck.

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
9/21/2021 05:46:16 pm

Hey, there!
Thanks so much for checking this one out. Glad you're enjoying what I'm sharing.
Have a great day and good luck to you, as well!

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Amanda
9/18/2021 01:04:47 am

Thanks for this post!
Sooo... I too swing between mediums... what tips do you have for storing and keeping multiple art interests without looking like you are a candidate for hoarders?
And don’t even get me started on collecting things for upcycling... whelp, I started... any experience with upcycling treasures?

Cheers!

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
9/21/2021 05:54:41 pm

Hey, Amanda!
Thanks so much for checking this one out.
Your comment made me giggle. :)
I don't do upcycling! That must take up so much space!
In my studio, I do have separate shelves and drawers for my different painting mediums. I work with watercolor, acrylics, oils and occasionally, gouache.
The work I create with watercolor and gouache is kept in portfolios, folders and sketchbooks. Some watercolor pieces I do frame right away, and these I keep protected with cardboard corners, wrap with bubblewrap, and place in large plastic containers.
The work I create with acrylics and oils takes up much more space and I have to be much more careful with, as its created on stretched canvases and canvasboard. Those I either hang up on walls and keep well dusted, or I cover with parchment paper, thin foam sheets, and also place inside large plastic containers or inside a closet I have in my studio.
Installing shelves and investing in drawers has been great for me, and also making time at least once a month to keep things organized. :)
Hope this helps.

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Shammy P link
11/9/2021 12:59:41 am

I like that you suggested using containers in order to make sure your tools are always visible and easily accessible. Maybe, it would be nice for me to shop for a paint tray cart so I could ensure that even while I am doing a painting job, I could complete my task easily. For sure, it would be nice to find a tray where a paint tray will fit.

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
11/14/2021 10:27:22 pm

Hey, there!
Yes, having our tools easily accessible and organized can make such a huge difference.
Thanks so much for checking out this post. Wish you tons of enjoyment in your painting journey!

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BYSTORED link
5/11/2022 01:00:14 am

This is a great article! I'm always looking for ways to keep my art studio more organized and these tips are definitely going to help. I especially like the idea of using clear storage containers so I can see what I have and easily find what I need.

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Erika Lancaster link
7/5/2022 08:32:43 am

Hey, there!
Thanks so much for reading. :)
I'm so glad you enjoyed this post and found the storage container idea helpful.
Wish you a great rest-of-your-day!

Reply
토토사이트 link
7/1/2022 06:02:54 am

Its a great pleasure reading your post.Its full of information I am looking for and I love to post a comment that "The content of your post is awesome" Great work.

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
7/5/2022 08:33:29 am

Hey, there!
Thanks so much for reading and taking time to comment. :)
Glad to hear you enjoyed this one.
Have a lovely day!

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Shammy P link
7/18/2022 03:58:29 pm

It sure was helpful when you said that you must consider grouping all your art supplies together in order to keep everything organized. This must be shared with my daughter who has been wanting to set up her own gallery at home. Her plan is to have her artwork framed and displayed. Your tips will surely help her have everything set up.

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Erika Lancaster link
7/22/2022 03:33:01 pm

Hey, there!

Thanks so much for reading and taking time to leave a comment. :)

Glad to hear this one was helpful. I loved reading that your daughter is planning on setting up a gallery of her work at home!

Wish her tons of enjoyment as she continues on her art journey.

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Braden Bills link
8/16/2022 08:55:50 am

My wife wants to be able to do her art without being bothered. It makes sense that getting an art studio would be beneficial! I'll make sure that she knows to keep it well organize.

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Erika Lancaster link
8/19/2022 10:33:04 am

Hey, Braden!
It's so important to have peace and to avoid interruptions in order to get in flow. :)
Thanks for sharing with your wife! Wish her tons of enjoyment moving forward in her journey and wish you a great day.

Reply
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