If you draw, paint, knit, do analogue photography, origami or paper arts, sew, scrapbook or have any other creative pursuit that requires supplies, then you know how much fun it is to accumulate a stash of arts and crafts stuff. For some people, shopping for an extensive range of hobby supplies might even be the actual hobby!
When should you start thinking about decluttering art supplies though?
Art and craft supplies rapidly pile up and pretty soon, you can have a hard time finding what you need for the project you're working on. Or if you do find what you need, you discover it's all dried out or faded, or expired, and you can't use it. Another problem with hobby and art supplies is falling into the trap of the "might need this someday" mindset. This causes us to hoard things out of aspiration.
In this article
What Are the Benefits of Decluttering Art Supplies?
- It's easier to find what you need for specific projects, and keep track of what you need to replace soon.
- You need less space if you only keep what you really need and use. This means more physical space for you to work on your art and craft projects in.
- Having less is easier to sort through and organise.
- You will create less waste if you have less. Your supplies won't dry up and go bad because you forget you had them.
- You'll save money because you'll be rotating your stash of supplies so nothing goes unused. Plus you'll have a better overview of what you actually use for your art and might need to replenish.
ESRICH 60PCS Acrylic Paint Set for Adults with Table Wood Easel
【RICH PACKAGE】:The set has 12 PCS brushes,24 color tubes (12ml, 0.4 oz) acrylic paint,2 PCS palette,an easel,12 PCS/4 sizes blank drawing board,5 PCS/5 sizes paint knives,2 PCS brush cup,2 PCS art sponges and a gift box.
Apple Barrel, Vibrant Spectrum Collection Acrylic Craft Paint, Promoabiii, each, 16 assorted matte colors, 2 Fl Oz, 16 Count
CONVENIENT SIZE & FUN BRIGHT COLORS - This versatile acrylic paint set includes 16 - 2 oz bottles of colorful craft paint. The colors in this kit include: White, Black, Flag Red, Jack-o-Lantern, Bright Blue, Candy Pink, Nutmeg Brown, Bright Yellow, New Shamrock, Purple Iris, Too Blue, Fuchsia, Key West, Pewter Grey, Bright Magenta, and Parrot Blue
Complete Acrylic Paint Set – 12х Rich Pigment Colors & 6x Art Brushes - Includes 3 Paint Canvases, Palette Knife & Sponge - Perfect for Canvas, Clay, Ceramic - Non-Toxic, Great for Kids & Adults
VIBRANT COLORS & EASY MIXING - Benicci premium acrylic paint set includes 12 vivid colors that are highly pigmented, ensuring bright and solid coverage. These quick dry paints have a thick and creamy texture, making it easy to mix and layer them.
When Should You Declutter Art Supplies?
Anytime is a good time, but especially when you're feeling overwhelmed by your inventory of supplies, or can never find what you need, or keep stumbling upon stuff you forgot about or that's dried up. That could be a clear sign that you could benefit from putting a more pared-down, organised system in place.
Of course, if you need to cull things before a big house move or if you're downsizing your home, it makes sense to weed through your supplies, too.
Think of your stash as part of your home inventory. You want to know what you have and be able to readily grab it when you get an idea and those creative juices start flowing.
Once you have an organisational system in place you're happy with, it's a good idea to do a proper declutter session at least once a year if you actively pursue your craft, especially if you work with wet mediums like acrylics.
Applying the Konmari Method to Your Hobby Gear
So what's the best way to tackle decluttering art supplies? I'm not always in favour of the Konmari method as it can be stressful and create quite a mess. In the case of art, craft and hobby supplies, however, it's a great approach. It's also easy to implement. Here is how I've applied it to my own art supply decluttering, and how you can, too.
7 Steps to Declutter Arts 'n Crafts Supplies
- Grab one bin or box, and one garbage bag.
- Gather ALL the supplies of the same category, for example all markers, all oil paints, all balls of yarn, etc. Only work with one category at a time. But really lay out ALL of your stuff in that category. Don't skip this step!
- The infamous Konmari guiding principle of "does it spark joy" isn't really applicable to art and craft supplies. All of the supplies spark joy, but in a way far different than, say, a favourite t-shirt or 7" single. It's more of an aspirational, creative-joy spark. And that's probably why we tend to hoard art supplies and hobby gear. So when decluttering your stash, it's helpful to think along the lines of these three things while sorting through every single item of your one category at a time. Pick up each item from your selected category and ask yourself:
- Is this item still ok, or is it dried up or broken?
- Is this a medium I still work in? Do I still need this item for the art or crafts I do nowadays, or is this item from something I no longer pursue?
- Is this item nearly empty? Will I use it up? Will I need to replace it?
- Put anything broken, worn down, or simply unusable in the garbage bag.
- Set aside anything you longer need or use, but is still good, in the bin or box.
- Put aside everything you're keeping so you can organise it in your hobby corner or studio.
- Double check whether you really want to keep any duplicates you found in the previous step. Do you need to hang on to five empty pads for watercolours when you never work in watercolour? A local kids' charity might love it if you donated them. Or if you discovered multiple tubes of unopened royal blue acrylic, you'll want to plan on incorporating blue in your next painting, or give away those extra tubes lest they dry out.
READING TIP
There's a great article over on The Homes I Have Made which covers why it's imperative to really gather ALL of your supplies in Step #2 above. Check it out!
There's also an interesting read about why artists tend to hoard art supplies over on Emily Keating Snyder's blog, with tips for creating a more minimalist studio space.
What to Do with Decluttered Art Supplies
- Dispose of everything that went into your garbage bag in Step 4 above. Please remember to sort according to your municipality's recycling regulations! You don't want to be throwing out oil paints and turpentine in the regular wastebin, as they're an environmental hazard.
- For everything that was still good in Step 5, but you no longer need or want to keep: gifting or donating is a great idea. Your local schools, kindergartens, adult edu centres, elderly communities, women's and immigrants' homes might be in need of art and craft supplies. Have a look around online or make some calls to see what these places in your area need!
- Don't forget you can also give things away via the classifieds in your region. If you need some ideas, check out my post on what to do with stuff you no longer want. I'm always impressed by how quickly folks come fetch any free stuff listed on the classifieds.
- If you also sorted out items which are new or near-new in Step 5 above, but you'll never need, you can re-sell them on eBay, Etsy, etc. Nothing wrong with making back some pocket cash!
- Now assess everything else you're keeping from Steps 6 and 7 above. Do you have suitable storage options to organise it all?
Storage Solutions for Organising Art and Craft Supplies
Regardless of whether you pursue your art or hobby in a dedicated studio space, extra bedroom, or just a tiny corner of your sitting room, there is an abundance of storage and organisation solutions available.
I would always recommend utilising whatever you have already, as previously discussed in my post on buying new stuff. You can repurpose empty gift boxes to house paints, film, thread, and ink pads. Spare trays from the kitchen or bath can be used to sort paintbrushes, tools, and rubber stamp dyes.
If you do scrapbooking, empty Altoid tins are very useful for storing tiny embellishments like beads, glitter, confetti and the like. I collected more great ideas for storing tiny things.
If you really do need some new storage units to organise what you're definitely keeping, there are a ton of options at Muji, Ikea, Amazon, or the Euro/Dollar Store. I would always recommend sticking with one type of style so that your space looks tidier.
I had a look around Amazon and found some useful art and craft supply storage units and organisers such as these bamboo caddies for pens, markers, pencils, brushes:
Dicunoy Desktop Pen Holder Organizer, Bamboo Art Supply Storage Caddy Holds 300 Pencils, 13 Compartments Thick Pencil Holder Box for Color Pencils, School, Classroom, Office
High-end Workmanship - Dicunoy art organizer is made of bamboo material with unique solid exquisite texture. It is polished and carefully crafted by professional handmade craftsman, which makes it stable, durable and healthy in your daily use. And it could a perfect gift choice for your friend or family.
Bamboo Desk Organizer with 14 Drawers, Pen Holder Accessories for Pencil Marker, Wooden Desktop Stationary Organizer for Office Decor Art Supplies
【LARGE CAPACITY DESK ORGANIZER】This desktop pen holder is designed with 13 individual pen slots and 1 removable drawer for collecting pencils, markers, highlighters, makeup brushes, and sewing tools. This office desktop organizer helps you organize and store various items better, also a great office decor
Rolling carts are great for painters, studio photographers, and anyone who needs to move around while working on larger projects:
5-Tier Utility Cart with Lockable Wheels - Multipurpose Storage and Craft Organizer for Bathroom, Laundry, Kitchen - Book, Art, Makeup, Diaper Cart in Black
3 Tier Utility Cart, Yagud Rolling Cart with Wheels and Handle, Multi-Function Organizer Storage Cart for Bathroom, Office, Bedroom, Kitchen, Laundry, Art Room(White)
Sturdy and Strong: The 3 tier utility rolling cart is made of high-quality metal tubes and plastic mesh trays. As a result, it provides durability and portability. The breathable mesh basket is designed to drain water. Per shelf has a load capacity of 66 lbs. The cart's sturdy frame can withstand 200 lbs
Pipishell 3 Tier Rolling Cart, Utility Cart with Wheels & Handle, White
Multifunctional Use Rolling Cart: This rolling cart is 13.00"D x16.50"W x 33.80"H. Please confirm the product size before purchasing. The rolling utility cart can be used as a tool cart, service cart, book cart, or organization rack in your office, bedroom, kitchen, laundry room, pantry, studio, classroom, and craft areas. It can add extra storage to any room. Try to avoid use in wet places can extend the service life of the cart.
A minimal chest of drawers also works well in most spaces for variety of supplies. These are great for storing paints, rubber stamps, film and foil, paper, anything really:
Simple Houseware 12 Drawers Rolling Utility Cart Organizer, Chrome
Heavy-duty Storage Space - Comes with 12 drawers in two sizes to organize tools, supplies, crafts, and more while keeping your space clutter-free.
Jela-USA Solid Pine Wood 6 Drawer Wide Rolling Cart, Honey Pine
Need More Room? Go Wide: Designed with generous width for substantial storage without cramming.
If you're a painter, these wooden paint and brush storage units for artists are also good for reining in your stash:
MEEDEN Portable Artist Supply Storage Box: Foldable Beech Wood Box
Interior is divided into three levels of 8 compartments and a large sliding drawer, perfect for organizing pens, pencils, charcoal, blending tools, inks, small accessories, and more
1PCS 100 Holes Leather Working Tool Holder, Wooden Storage Rack, Leather Stamp Tray Craft Tool, Punching Organizer with Wooden Base for Leather Working Making,Wooden Leather Tools
WIDELY USED --- storage of leather craft tools, styling tools, and brushes. You can place wooden Leather Tools on the workbench to keep Rack Leather Craft Tool tidy. Not only saves space, but also protects your tools from loss. wooden Leather Tools can help you find the tools you need to use faster.
Mezzo Artist Brush and Paint Tube Organizer Rack 3 Piece Set - Wood Grain Laminate Multi-Layer Storage Display Stand for paintbrushes, Oil & Acrylic Paints
Features: Easy assembly, upright, easy to view, organizing racks, a breeze to clean, incredibly lightweight and sturdy, woodgrain laminate material, and patented features
Portable caddies for brushes, pens, markers, pencils and other tools are practical, too. You can grab your caddy in the warmer months, for example, and go get creative on the balcony or patio:
Lola Creates Craft Box - Art Bin Storage Container - Art Supply - Office Caddy - Pencil, Desk, Marker Organizer - Craft Supplies
Efficient Workspace Organization: Lola Creates Co.'s modern art storage box keeps your work and craft space tidy and efficient. Its dedicated compartments and thoughtful design allow you to easily categorize and access your supplies, maximizing productivity and creativity.
Portable Caddy American Made, DIY Dividers, 8 Compartments, Supply Organizer, Portable Tote Basket with Handle Storage Organizer Bathroom, Office, Crafts, or School Supplies
NEW! DIY Storage: Generously sized with 8 big compartments with dividers unlimited configuration is the beauty; Great for acrylic paints, glitter, yarn, ribbons, paper, markers, crayons, albums and fabric; Multiple storage options including scrapbook supplies, photo storage, card making supplies, dies, templates, punches, stamps and more; Use at home for kids arts and crafts, or in the classroom or art studio - the sturdy construction makes these perfect for a multitude of organizational needs;
Amazon product
Wooden rolling carts are another great option if you work with paint or just want to roll your supplies around:
MEEDEN Artist Taboret Rolling Cart, Solid Beech Wood Artist Storage Cart on Wheels with Lifting Desktop, Art Cart on 4 Lockable Wheels for Painting Supplies, Up to 11 Different Storage Units
Durable Beech Wood Construction: Crafted from solid beech wood for stability and longevity.
Art Cart Organizer, Solid Beechwood Art Supply Storage Organizer with Caster Wheels, 3-Tier Multifunctional Rolling Utility Storage Cart for Studio, Classroom, Artists - Natural
3-TIER SPACIOUS STORAGE CART: Our utility cart has 3 spacious open shelves to store your canvas, paintbrushes, paints, or other art supplies, even your daily necessities. This large capacity rolling cart allows you to focus on your artwork and is designed to keep all of your creative supplies organized and easily accessible
MEEDEN Rolling Art Supply Cart: Solid Beech Wood 3-Tier Storage Trolley
Warm Deep Walnut Solid Beechwood Movable Art Storage Cart：Crafted from solid beechwood with walnut oil finish, all edges are hand-sanded into smooth scratch-proof round corners. This stable art taboret supports up to 88 lbs art supplies while remaining lightweight to move. Overall dimension: 35"H × 28"L × 15.7"W, each shelf features 12.6” vertical clearance. Its space-saving compact frame fits apartment painting nooks and small home studios well, bringing soft natural wood texture to your creative zone without occupying extra floor space.
There are also lots of useful storage options out there for scrapbooking and paper arts. These make it easier to keep your decorative papers clean and easier to find:
4-Pack Craft Organizers and Storage, Art Supply Organizer with Secure Lid, Clear Stackable Plastic Storage for Puzzle, Board Game, Photo, 12 x12 Paper, Inner Size 12.2" x 12.2" x 0.85"
Perfect 12x12 Paper Storage Holder: Your documents can stay well organized and be easily found with our 12x12 project cases. They help you prevent the loss wrinkle or damage of your important papers. (Internal Size: 12.2 x 12.2 x 0.85 in)
ArtBin 12 x 12 Craft Organizer with Handle, 3 Pack, Clear
12x12 Paper Storage Boxes: This 3 pack of clear storage containers holds 12 x 12 in scrapbook paper flat, one open compartment per box, with room for stationery, coloring books, sketch pads, fabric and stamp pads.
Caydo 24-Piece Scrapbook Paper Storage Organizer, 12 x 12 Inch with Sticky Index Tabs for Holding Paper, Cardstock, Vinyl, Photos
【24 Pack Paper Storages Organizers】The 24 scrapbook organizer can hold 12 x 12 inch scrapbook papers and vinyl, enough to facilitate multi-category organizing
How to Maintain a Tidy Art Space
So now your studio or hobby corner looks super organised and tidy. Finally you can find everything again within easy reach! How do you keep it like this?
The best way is probably to get into the habit of putting stuff back in its place when you're done with it. Creative genius does tend to err on the side of messy, however, and some ongoing projects cannot be packed away before completion. This is where those rolling carts can really come in handy, particularly for painters. You can do a partial tidy-up at the end of your session, roll the cart to the side, and have all your brushes, paints, and utensils ready to go the next day.
If you only have a small space to work in such as the corner of a room, you'll likely find it best to only work on one project at a time. This will prevent a mountain of clutter piling up out in open sight.
Regularly taking stock of what you have, what you need to use up first, and what you'll need to buy replacements for are also all good ideas.
Put things back where they belong
Work on one project at a time
Take stock of what you already have
This makes it easy for you to plan your next shopping trip to the arts and crafts store. In turn, you'll be able to avoid buying duplicates or falling into that "I might need it someday" trap. Try to only purchase the tools and supplies for the actual project you are working on or are planning.
I hope you found this post useful next time you're decluttering art supplies. You might find the process rather enjoyable!
If you stay on top of keeping the art supplies organised by doing an annual declutter burst, you may very well discover that you'll have more creative inspiration and energy for your art projects all year round.
This really hits home for me! I need badly go through years of crafting supplies.
Thanks for your article!
Thanks Janet ☺️
Yeah, hobby supplies have a way of multiplying. I still have a huge rubber stamp collection to sort through myself!